The Kent house was even more unbelievable than I had ever imagined. I knew I was in for it when I saw that back patio.

With its leaf shaped ceiling fans, cushy lounges, and hardwood floor, was way nicer than any old room in my house.

As Jared led me through the back hall and the tremendous kitchen (bigger than the one at my high school; it had an actual pizza oven built into a brick wall), I had to bite my tongue to keep from oohing and ahhing like I was in a museum.

They may as well open their doors and charge admission. Not only would everyone in town come check it out, but it would be well worth the admission price.

"So this is the front foyer," Jared said, pausing in a huge, two story room. "This is where you would be if you came in through the front door."

His voice echoed off the high walls and clean stone floor. Up above, a huge, modern chandelier defied all laws of gravity, suspended from the center of the ceiling

It was made of raw iron that had been twisted to look like intertwining branches and leaves.

" What's in there?" I asked pointing at the close door to my left.

" it's a drawing room, whatever that means, and behind that is my fathers study," Jared said. "There's a couple of rooms back there that never seen the light of day a library so I'm kind of smoking room he said throwing in some air quotes unfortunately no one is in this family smokes."

"What about that one?"

Jerry turned to the other pair of closed doors and smiled. "This is one of my favorite rooms. Check it out."

He slid the doors apart and stood aside. My breath was nearly taken away by the sheer size of the room and everything in it. Plus, the decor it's not all what you would expect in an old Victorian.

It looked as if the decorator had been commissioned off of one of those movies from my mother's childhood that she's always taping off of TBS. A black lacquer dining table that could see at least 24 people stretched out in front of me ending in front of a wide stone fireplace. The chairs around it were tall and black ,but asymmetrical, each one was geometrically distinct back.

To the left of the table was a long window with hundreds of tiny panes that looked out over the front yard. A lacquer brick front to the right took up almost the entire wall, displaying China plates and teacups in intricate, modern patterns. The floor was a gleaming white tile and the walls were deep red.

" Disgusting, isn't it?" Jared said gleefully. " My parents argue about this room almost every day. My mother loves it. My father wants to burn it down. It's the Kent family standoff."

" it's crazy," I agreed. " I feel like I stepped into a time warp."

" my mother decorated it in the late 80s or something, back when my parents actually thought they were going to use this place," Jared said, stepping inside and leaning against the chair at the head of the table. " she apparently sent workers up here every weekend and had them take pictures of their progress and bring them back."

" Ah. The days before the Internet," I joked.

" Yeah, right?" Jared said. " my dad wants to redo it, but my mom freaks every time he mentions it. She says she worked her butt off on it and never got to enjoy it so now she wants it the way it is."

He rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling, where a gaudy, colorful light sculpture hung.

"Do your parents fight a lot?" I asked, then immediately wondered if he was going to be offended.

" not really," he said matter of factor. " just lately. What about yours?"

My side, thinking of the arguments over me and Jared in the Kents in general. " just lately," I echoed.
"Sucks right?" Jared said.

I looked him in the eye and suddenly felt like hugging him, but I held back. I wasn't sure we were at a random hugging phase, if there was one. "Yeah."

" want to check out the upstairs?" Jared asked, completely changing his tone.

My heart felt extra hard. I assumed his bedroom was up there somewhere, and here we were alone in the house... responsible girl in me told me to keep the downstairs tour, just so there were no mixed messages.
But the girl who really liked and trusted Jared and had nowhere else to go won out.
"Sure." I said.

The wide staircase stood in a grand hall behind the foyer. The entire house was silent as we made our way upstairs.

The second floor hallway crawled around the right and left with a third hall dead ahead. At the very end of that, another, smaller staircase turn off to the right, leading up to the third-floor. The only light came from dim sconces lit on the walls. Casting shadows on the classic striped wallpaper.

We passed at the cross grounds.

" well, I can even show you about half a dozen born guestrooms, or I can just get it over with and show you my room," Jared said, knocking his hands together. "But I have to warn you, if you see my room, you may leave this house and never talk to me again."

I blinked. "Why?"

Jared tipped his head back and groaned. " screw it. You're going to find out sooner or later."

I was intrigued and a little disturbed as I followed him off to the right, around the corner, and down the hallway. He paused in front of a door on the left side of the hall.

" All right, you have to promise not to judge me," Jared said, grasping the door knob.

"Ooooookay," I said.

Jared sighed and open the door onto a complete and utter chaos. Like every other room in the house, Jared's bedroom was cavernous. But unlike every other room, it was also a complete wreck.

Clothing hung from every available surface, including what appeared to be A regulation size basketball net on the far wall. A crushed pizza box on the floor sat under a half empty jug of fruit punch Gatorade.

There were wrappers and cans and bottles and paper bags everywhere. A pile of used to dishes sat on top of his desk, cheese congealing to the surface of the top one, which would look like it would topple off with one good shake of the floor.

His bed was, Of course, unmade in the pillows were on the floor, one of them with a corner in a cereal box half filled with milk. A huge TV stood on the wall across the bed and speakers hung in every corner. These seemed to be the only items in the room that had escaped of the destruction.

" Wow. You were disgusting," I said matter-of-factly. " You do realize you've only been here for a couple weeks."

" I know," Jared said. " It wouldn't be this bad, but my dad told the cleaning lady never to come in here. It's his way of punishing me for making such a stink about coming up here. He said no one is coming up here to clean it until I apologize for somethings I said."

Walked over and whipped his comforter, showering clothing off of it onto the floor on the far side of his bed. Then he smoothed it out, clearing a space for me to sit.

"So... you've decided to live in filth instead of cleaning it yourself," I said.

" It's kind of a protest statement," Jared said, placing his hands on his hips and looking around with satisfaction, like he was a farmer serving his fields.

"Um... but do you realize that you're the only one who suffers, right?" I said, trying not to stare at an identifiable stain on the rug.

Jared looked at me. " You may have a point." Then he turned and clapped his hands together. " anyway, I did not bring you up here to talk about my disgustingness."

"I'm not sure that's a word," I joked.

He handed over to the radio and punched a few buttons. " It's my house. I can make up words if I want to," he said over his shoulder. I brought you up here to let you in on a little Jared Kent ritual."

"What's that?" I asked. I was going to lean back on the bed, but instead crossed my arms over my stomach. Who knew what I would lean into?

"C'mere," he said, raising his eyebrows and wagging his fingers at me.

Once again, my pulse was racing.

I joined him over by the basketball hoop, where the only mess was some tangled clothing and a pile of old CDs.

From the wide bay window you could see out over the pool and most of the backyard. Lola stood patiently tethered to the fence, watching the woods.

"What are we doing?" I asked.

" I am going to help you take out your frustration on that Locke person. Whenever I get annoyed or feel trapped, there's one thing that always makes me feel better," he said.

"What's that?" I smirked.

Jared reached over and punched a button on the stereo. The entire room exploded with noise and Jared started bouncing around like a maniac, flailing his arms and banging his head. I cracked up laughing and pressed my fingers over my ears

"What is this?" I shouted.

" it'spunk! Vintage punk," he shouted back, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. "Come on! Get into it! I swear it'll make you feel better!"

Took a couple of seconds, but I quickly got used to the volume and was even able to distinguish the beat. Jared jumped up in front of me, kicking clothing out of the way, laughing and making a complete ass out of himself.

How could he still look cute while spazzed out was totally beyond me. Finally, he got fed up with my nonparticipation and grabbed my hands.

"Come on!" He shouted.

I laughed and blushed, but started mirroring his movements.

He jumped, I jumped. He kicked and I kicked. Pretty soon I forgot where I was and who I was with. I even forgot why my heart felt so heavy when I had ridden over here. We danced and twirled and flailed around his room until I was sweating out of breath until I was laughing so hard my gut hurt.

The end of the song the guitar went crazy repetitive, jamming the same cord over and over and over again. Jared grabbed my hands and spun me around, blurring the room so that I could focus on was his grin.

I screamed as I almost lost my footing and then finally the song ended and we both tumbled onto his bed, dizzy and laughing and gasping for air.

"Feel better?" Jared asked, his chest heating up and down.

I nodded. " yeah. I might throw up, but yeah."

"I have a better idea," Jared said.

Then he turn on his side, propped himself up on his shoulder and kissed me. And suddenly, the room was spinning for a whole new reason.

* * *

Hello all!!!!
I hope you LOVED this chapter. I thought that I would give y'all a little bit more one on one time with Jared and Cassie.
I loved writing this chapter, it's definitely one of my favorite ones.
Let me know what y'all think!!!

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT

Much love, Kylie