Fall was creeping in without me even realizing it. I had spoken little to Matt aside from a few texts and even less with Joey. My circle had constricted to Ruthie at the store and passing conversations with Jess and Michael in the hallways or kitchen. Jacob and I mainly kept to ourselves within the four walls of our room.

"Hey," splashed across my screen from Matt's text, reminding me of the outside world.

"Hey." I texted back. My movement caused Jacob to drop his hand to my knee with a squeeze, but did not cause him to lift his eyes from his book.

"You think you can make it down here for my birthday?"

"Fuck," I said out loud.

"Everything alright?" Jacob's voice was still distant from being lost in his book.

"Yeah, I just completely forgot Matt's birthday," I scolded myself.

"When is it?"

I glanced at my phone to see the date. "Tomorrow," I groaned.

"That would be a miss, but people grow apart, and these things happen. I am certain he will understand."

Matt would not understand, nor would Joey. I knew this. "He wants me to go down there to celebrate."

"And do you want to go down there?"

"I feel like I should." I sighed.

"My question was want not should," Jacob corrected.

I wanted to, but I also did not want to leave Jacob. "Will you come?"

"No, I will not. Matt is barely an acquaintance, and his best friend is far less than that. I do not believe they would welcome me. But Matt seemed to bond with Jess. I am certain he would accompany you if you would like to go. My brother has never been one to pass on an excuse to party."

"I am sure Matt would be fine if you came, and I do not care what Joey thinks at all."

"Riley, that is unfair to Matt." He fixed his gaze on me. "Yes, he would be fine. But he would not welcome it. Go; go with Jess."

I texted Matt back to see if Jess could come with me.

"Jacob or Jess?" Matt quickly returned.

"Jess. Jacob thought he should stay behind, given the tension between him and Joey."

"Yeah, I'd love to see Jess." Matt accented his text with a smiley face.

"Okay, I shall see you tomorrow."

"I can't wait! I'm excited to see you, Riley!"

"Love you, Matty."

"Love you too!"

"Everything good?" Jacob asked as I let my phone drop to my side.

"Yes, and no." I curled into his chest as I spoke.

He placed his book on his nightstand to give me his full attention. "How may I help?"

"I want to see Matt, and of course, I want to celebrate his birthday, but I dislike being apart from you."

He tenderly kissed the top of my head. "It makes me happy that a night away from me gives you pause."

"Being at work gives me pause," I lamented.

"You will have fun. Matt and Jess are always entertaining, and Joey will undoubtedly confess his undying love for you."

"Hopefully not," I sighed.

"Have I confessed my undying love for you?" Jacob's words came low and sincere. "I love you, Riley."

I looked up into his eyes. We had not exchanged I love you's before. Jacob had shown it with gestures large and small, but the words had never come in the weeks we had spent together.

"I love you too." My voice creaked with the threat of tears.

His eyes softened as he cupped my face in his hands. "Does loving me make you sad?"

"No, you loving me makes me happy." I buried my face in his chest to mask the flush of embarrassment.

He let out a laugh before pulling my face up to his. "You are leaving me tomorrow; please do not hide your face from me today." His eyes were clear and full of intent.

Jacob's eyes were the same as he cupped my face beside Jess' bumblebee yellow Hummer the next day. "Be careful," he murmured before kissing my forehead.

"You too," I whispered back before meeting his lips.

"Come on, you two. It's only one night," Jess moaned from across the hood.

"I love you, " I added as I pulled away.

"I love you too."

His eyes lingered on me as he opened the door behind me and helped me inside. I fumbled the bit with the seat belt as Jacob intently watched.

"Jess, drive carefully. You have precious cargo." Jacob's eyes were still on me.

"I feel the love, brother," Jess complained again from beside me. He let a hand pat my knee. "I'll take good care of her."

Jacob backed away and closed the door. The glass of the window did little to sever his gaze. As Jess took off down the driveway, I watched Jacob grow smaller in the side mirror.

"So, you two are a little intense," Jess began as he pulled out of the driveway.

"We are not intense," I murmured, still lost in the memory of Jacob's gaze.

"Ah, intense was me being nice."

I shook the warm memory of Jacob off and turned my attention to Jess. "Really, you too? You are his brother."

"Look, I love Jacob, and I think you are good for him, but you two are extreme. I mean, he's happy, and Michael has noted that we are saving a fortune on his reduced scotch consumption, but Rigby can change you."

"He's drinking less?"

Jess let out a snort. "Yeah, by bottles a week, smoking less too. I assumed that was at your request."

" I mentioned it, but I assumed the request would go unheeded."

Jess shrugged. "Maybe he just has other things occupying his time." He raised an eyebrow at me, "and his hands."

"Ew, we are not talking about that. I am your brother's girlfriend."

"Relax, Riley. You're not my type."

I shook off his jesting. "Rigby is just a house; it doesn't change people. You sound like Joey."

"Riley, that house is not just a place; it most certainly changes people."

"You make it sound like some sort of purgatory like you are all just there waiting to die."

Jess let out a mumbled inaudibly.

"If you hate it there so much, leave." I was growing annoyed at the conversation.

"Some of us belong there. I'm just uncertain you do."

We rode in silence the rest of the way. My mind whirled around Rigby, around Matt and Joey versus Jacob, Michael, and Jess. There were differences, but the occupants of Rigby had just experienced more and lost more. It would be hard to maintain Matt and Joey's youthful optimism once they had experienced encompassing loss like the Rigby brothers. Their mother had passed, their father had sealed himself off, and then, after the final blow, the car accident. Jess, of all people, should understand Jacob's need to heal, and proper curing takes time.