j a i m e e

+

Snowflakes dusted the asphalt, painting the ground white with an elegance that only they can create.

Down the street, two children were excitedly throwing snowballs at each other. Their innocent faces lighting up with joy, joy that mirrored the world's amazement at the scene. The blanket seemed unusual when replacing the familiar bright sun rays that danced around the streets.

Inhaling deeply, my gaze remains glued to the snowflakes as they fell. The collision between the cold and the beauty was so admirable, so effortlessly pretty. There always seems to be a shift within the entire atmosphere when the sky snows.

The world, even for a split second, stopped screaming.

I commented, eyebrows raised as I turned to look at my boyfriend. "I don't think you could leave even if you wanted to."

Shayden laughed, his mouth moving to press soft kisses down my throat, not taking my words seriously.

I could only grin, my hands on his broad shoulder and my back to the cold window. It had been more of the same all week; Shayden coming to mine once I was home from work and him from College and pinning me against some surface in the kitchen and kissing me breathless.

The elementary school that I worked at was closed today due to the snow, and all of Shay's lectures were cancelled. He stayed over last night and was in desperate need of a change of clothes but I very much doubted he'd be able to get home with how thick the snow on the roads was.

"It's rather stay here with you all day anyways." Shayden murmurs, his hands gripping my hips before sliding them over my ass and down my thighs.

I whimpered, running a hand through my own hair as Shayden's mouth dragged over my collarbone.

He was like a drug, exhilarating and I was so addicted to the feeling of him near me, touching me. And he never missed a chance to, whether it be just a hand on my thigh or our arms brushing next to each other.

"Fuck, I can't get enough of you." Shayden muttered softly, dragging his lips over my skin. I inhale deeply.

"Mhm." I breathed, threading my fingers his new curls and giving a light tug to pull his head back, so I could slide our mouths together again. "Me too."

Shayden let out a low sound, pressing his nose against my cheek as he kissed me again.

"We're going back to mine the moment we can get outside." Shayden whispered, kissing me quick and hard, his tongue pressing into my mouth.

"Yeah." I whimpered, one hand cupping the back of Shay's neck and the other sliding over his jaw. I planted a kiss there. "And then you can remind me of why our entire vacation to Cali was spent in that hotel room."

Shayden was silenced, his eyes darkening as lust pools into his irises. He goes to touch our lips together again but is interrupted by someone pounding on my door.

"Jaimee!"

I gasped, pulling away from Shayden and letting out a soft groan.

"Fucking bitch." I hiss, pecking Shayden's lips before going to my front door. "How is she here?"

"What?" I open it slightly to see a red-cheeked Libbie, who's pink hair is covered in tiny snowflakes. "It's like 9am and the snow has practically submerged the entire city. How did you even get here?"

"So dramatic." She sighs, shaking her head to try and get the snow out. She pushes past me and I slam the door shut. Curses repeat through my mind as I try to stop the reminder of Shayden's lips on my skin from making me blush.

I try to dodge in front of her, trying to stop her from seeing Shayden but it's too late.

"God, I freaking hate the snow- oh, hey Shayden."

He's sat on the kitchen counter on his phone, his long legs almost touching the floor due to his height.

"Hey Libb." Shay smiled, setting his phone down.

My cheeks were basically on fire and I can feel Libbie looking at me.

"Let me guess, you wanted to have a snowball fight too?" Libbie jokes, pulling her light pink duffel coat off and hanging it up.

Shayden laughed, "Something like that, yeah."

I cringed, feeling my stomach churn the longer I stood there with Libbie's eyes stuck on me.

"What's up, Libb?" I eventually ask.

"Tay was adamant about us having a massive sleepover because the snow won't clear up for a while." As she speaks, I notice the bag that she's placed on the floor. "It was your turn to host. I'll text him to bring Shayden some clothes but he shouldn't be long."

"How will he even get out of his house?" I deadpan, "It's wild out there."

She blinks at me, before turning her attention back to her phone. "I'll give him credit, the boy's relentless when he's been promised a blowjob. And anyways, I managed to get here in one piece didn't I?"

"You offered him a blowjob?" Shayden's laugh echoes through my apartment as he slides off the counter, his arm unconsciously wrapping around my waist and pulling me into his chest.

"He's not getting one." She shrugs, "Just thought he needed a little motivation to actually leave his house."

"What a hell of a motivation. Smart move, Libb."

"Thank you, thank you. I do try." She bows dramatically, "Give me a moment while I sort my hair out."

Libbie disappears into the restroom for a moment and Shayden doesn't miss the opportunity to tug me closer to him, planting his lips on mine.

But just before either of us could deepen it, my front door slams open. Shayden's eyebrows shoot up and I really want to hit Taylor right now for interrupting us.

I can't help but step away from Shayden as I roll my eyes. I don't say anything considering I don't know what to say. I couldn't deny it to my friends any longer now that we've just been caught kissing.

Libbie appears from the bathroom, a smirk on her face which tells me she knows exactly what's just happened. She sits up on the countertop by the stove, on the opposite side to where Shayden's sat. His hand is still resting on my hip and Taylor closes the door and approaches us.

"About damned time."

"The fuck you talking about, Ward?" I ask, irritated by his tone.

"About time you finally got back together." Taylor says matter-of-factly, nodding his head towards Shayden. "We knew it was coming. The only question is when?"

"The night we went to the club." Shayden clarifies, leaning down to rest his head on my shoulder as his thumb traces circles into my hip.

The smirk that decorates Taylor's face makes me want to punch him as he swirls around to look at Libbie, holding his hand out expectantly. She grimaces.

"20 bucks, Campbell. Told you I'm never wrong."

"Fuck you all." She scowls, pushing a 20 into his hand. "Jai, I expected more from you."

I hear Taylor snort as I turn around to see him grinning. Before I have the chance to respond, Shayden cuts in.

"Not my fault I'm so irresistible, Libb. She practically jumped me."

"Dick." I hiss, smacking his hand away from my hip. But once I stop feeling his hand on me, I immediately miss his touch so I grab his hand and put it back. He smiles knowingly but doesn't comment any further.

This is going to be torture.

+++

An hour later and I'd been hiding in my bedroom for at least 40 minutes. A part of me felt guilty for ditching them when they were in my home, but Libbie and Taylor were well aware of how antisocial I could be.

Socializing, unfortunately, isn't one of my specialities.

But I felt like I owed Libbie and Taylor more than just a half arsed friendship, and Shayden helped me realize that. I knew that shutting them out so often wasn't healthy but it's more of a habit than anything else.

Regardless, after debating internally with myself for at least fifteen minutes, I finally decide to leave my safe haven of a bedroom and venture into the unknown.

I leave my phone in my room, returning to the kitchen where Libbie is already taking over the cooking.

"Back already?" She asks jokingly, knowing that I'd not normally be social unless food was in front of me. Taylor and Shayden are completely engrossed in their video game marathon so don't notice how I jump up onto the only part of the counter not covered in food.

I shrug my shoulders, not really not knowing what to say. I notice her go back to focusing on the food as I say, "Thought I'd come and bless you with my presence for once."

Her eyebrows shoot up, "Are you ill?"

"No." I chuckle, but I can tell it doesn't meet my eyes and I notice it. "I just...want to talk."

Libbie blinks as if she didn't expect that, but she washes her hands quickly before turning to me, completely invested in whatever I have to say. "Oh?"

"I don't know," I sigh, "I feel like I've never really thanked you...You know, for all the shit you've had to put up with."

Her face drops completely and I know she's at a loss of words.

"What?"

"You've stuck with me since we were in Pre-K and you've been there for me when I've had no one. You never had to stick around, especially when I gave you no reason to, but you did and I'm lucky to have you. My life's better with you in it, Libb." I say, the words slipping out before I can even think them over.

Her face softens and I can see the appreciation in her eyes, probably due to the fact saying thank you wasn't one of my specialities.

"You don't have to thank me, Jai. We're family- it's what we do."

"Nah, I've spent my life pushing you away. When my Mom and Dad died, when Shayden and I split, when we were attacked. I always ignored my problems and avoided you guys because I couldn't deal with the questions and that was wrong of me so I'm sorry."

She smiles ear to ear, outstretching her arms expectantly and I jump off the counter and hug her. She pulls me in tightly and I can feel how much my appreciation means to her.

"I love you, Libb."

"Love you too, Jai." She says, squeezing me before pulling away. She searches my eyes for a second, before her lip goes between her teeth. "Will...Will you ever tell us why you and Shayden broke up in the first place?"

My gaze flickers, "Eventually. I just need time."

She smiles knowingly, rubbing my arm. "I got you, Sis."

"Hey Shay, do you think kangaroos have feelings?"

"Tayl-"

"What about spiders?"

"I'm going to give you one more chance."

"I'm bored."

"Shut the fuck up." Shayden snaps, throwing the game console pad onto my couch. "What actually happens inside your brain?"

"Not a lot obviously." Libbie coughs straight after the words leave her mouth, covering up what she said as both boys turn to look at us.

"Hey is tha-"

"-Is something burning?"

Shayden and Taylor say in unison, cutting each other off. Libbie and I swirl around to look at where the food was cooking, seeing the dark smoke come out of the oven.

"Fuck."

+++

"Stop shouting, you're going to wake them up!" I hear someone whisper yell, making me almost let out a groan.

"They're so cute." The other person whines. It doesn't take me long to recognize the voice as Taylor's.

"Exactly. Don't you dare wake my babies up."

This time I really do groan, annoyed at being woken up. Shayden's arms tightened around me and I relaxed into his warmth, nuzzling my head into the crook of his shoulder almost instinctively.

"Aww, look at them." Libbie coos quietly, "Aw- Wait, did you just take a photograph?"

A sharp sound and a cry breaks the silence as I chuckle softly against Shayden as I knew that Libbie had definitely just smacked Taylor.

"Get the fuck out of my room." Shayden groans, resting his head on top of mine.

"It's Jaimee's room, actually." Taylor snarks, throwing a pillow at us. "Wake up so we can get breakfast. Dollface won't eat without you both."

"Taylor, I swear to fuc-"

"Shut the fuck up." I complain, unwillingly pulling myself away from Shayden. "You're actually unbelievable."

"I'm unbelievable?" Taylor exclaims, shaking his head at me in disbelief. We follow him into the kitchen as Shayden grips my hand, "We agreed we were having a sleepover and you and Loverboy decided to leave us when we were asleep. I was under the impression that we would all be sleeping on your floor and couch but no, you and dumbass get the bed!"

"You literally were asking us if spiders and kangaroos have feelings." I deadpan, "And I distinctly remember waking up to the smell of Cheetos in my apartment despite my no Cheetos rule."

"That wasn't me, that was Patricia." Taylor says without looking up from his phone. He sits on one of the high-chairs near my countertop while Libbie starts preparing breakfast. Shayden pulls his phone out of his pocket, his lips tugging up slightly as he types out a text.

I lean my head on his shoulder as he places his phone down, the screen flashing. I smile.

The photograph that Taylor took of us cuddling in my bed has replaced his previous plain black lockscreen.