As soon as I got the girls settled into the guest room, I hurried over to check on Jacob.

He was standing over the bed, rummaging through his bag.

"You should be resting."

"It's a bullet hole, not a cold." He rolled his eyes.

I glared. "You still need to be relaxing. It's been a chaotic day and you've already been putting a lot of stress on your shoulder. So... Get in that bed and stay there!" I huffed and pointed at the bed.

Jacob suppressed a chuckle. "Are you gonna join?"

I picked up a pillow off Jake's bed and hit him with it.

"Ow! I got shot today. You're supposed to be nice to me." He whined.

"Not that nice." I rolled my eyes. Throwing the pillow back on the bed, I asked, "Where is JJ, anyway?"

"I think he went to introduce himself to Nic and Callie. Ya know, officially."

"Nic doesn't really have any friends her age. Even before this happened, from what I've heard. It'll be good for them to be around each other." I said, having given it a bit of thought.

"For a while." Jacob flopped on his bed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, sitting down next to him, his bag between us.

"Well, we're leaving in a couple days and you and Jake are staying here. Presumably." He said it matter-of-factly enough, but I could sense a small amount of disappointment in his voice. Or maybe I was just hoping...

"It's not like we won't keep in touch!" I said.

He folded his arms. "Have you talked to Annie or Mason at all since we saw them the other day? Did you even say goodbye to them?"

...

"I..."

I didn't have a good answer. "It's only been a few days! Besides they're plenty busy with Baltia and a baby on the way. I don't need to message them constantly or anything."

"Excuses. Well it's just that they're supposedly your best friends in the whole world and you didn't even say goodbye. Communication of all sorts is fickle in our little zombieland. If you aren't going to put through the effort with them, why should I expect you'll make an effort with us?"

Ouch. Surprisingly honest and hurtful for Jacob. He got me right in the feels.

I crawled over his bag and rested my cheek on his knee, looking up at him and acting a little bit like a dope to try and bring back the cheerful Jacob we all knew and tolerated.

"Can I let you in on a little secret?" I muttered, my mouth a bit muffled from how I was resting.

Amusement twitched at the corner of his mouth. "Okay."

"Since Mason and Annie started dating it feels like they've been weeding me out of the group. Don't get me wrong, we'll always be friends, but we're not that close... Anymore. And I think I'd rather talk to you than them any day."

Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"I think you're my best friend." I didn't mean to say that. Why did I say that?

His eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Don't make me repeat it." I straightened up.

He poked my sides. "You like me! I knew it."

"Noooo I hate you and you're annoying!"

"Locke says I'm her best friend! I'm so happy!"

"Ughhh I take it back! I take it all back." I groaned.

"Probably for the best. All my close friends tend to die." Jacob played it off like it was supposed to be a joke.

"Well, I won't. Now that Jake and I are together I'm going to have a calm, peaceful life."

I didn't know I was lying just then, but it was so clear... Obviously there wasn't such a thing as a peaceful existence in a zombie ridden wasteland, even the nice parts.

I stood up. "How about I call in JJ and Nic and Callie and you rest and we'll all hang out. Maybe I'll even put on a movie."

"Hmmm, I guess."

"If you take it easy tonight, tomorrow I'll even let you race against me."

He wouldn't be up to it tomorrow. He'd be incredibly sore, I was sure of it. But that would keep him from getting risky with his arm for a bit.

He scoffed. "I know you hate Ducky but she's faster than you and your beaten up converse."

I waved as I left the room. "That's why I was referring to my motorbike."

"Wait, YOUR WHAT?"

I laughed as I left him behind.

Yes I'm still writing this. I am! I really am! Ideas are slow but I STG I WILL FINISH THIS STORY!