Jamie's week off was soon over. It was nice having him around again. I hadn't seen much of my Dad lately. He is a senator and is hardly ever home but when he is, I do enjoy our daddy-daughter time. Okay, am I too old to be saying that?

Laughing, I started getting ready for bed. Joyce had already gone home for the weekend and all I wanted was a quiet Friday night while watching movies in bed.

At Kiandre's house:

"You simply cannot date someone older than Kiandre and I. You're 14 act like it dammit," Tyler shouted at Elle.

Leo was hiding behind the couch, obviously distraught by the argument between the siblings.

Kiandre walked in after his shift at the café.

"What's going on here?" he exclaimed whilst his eyes wandered over to Leo. He dropped his bag and ran to comfort his baby brother. "Where's mom?" Kiandre asked with a gentleness in his voice but rage in his eyes.

"She's out back, smoking a joint," said Tyler.

Elle walked to the room she shares with their mother. Tyler apologized to Leo and took him to their room. Just as Kiandre was about to go outside and give his mother an earful, there was a knock at the door.

Kiandre's mom, Clarice, came running to answer the front door. Funny she couldn't hear her children screaming bloody murder at each other or her son crying but she heard the faint sound at the door. Surprise, surprise! She just didn't care about the former.

A regular "special friend" of hers was at the door. He was a fairly decent guy and treated everyone around the house with respect. Clarice wasted no time in leading him towards her bedroom.

"Elle just went up to get some sleep," said Kiandre

"Well, she'll just have to sleep in yours while you take the couch. I have a guest."

Kiandre muffled his voice just as he was going to argue with his mother. He was in no mood to argue tonight.

"And could you be a doll and pick up some groceries tomorrow?" asked Clarice as she handed Kiandre a few dollars, definitely not enough to cover what they needed.

After his semi warm shower - that's right everybody used up the hot water - Kiandre settled into the lumpy couch and prepared himself for a restless night when his mind began to wander to his safe haven. Layton.

Would she be up? Would she be home? he thought to himself before he took his chance and messaged her.

"Can I come over?"

"Yeah," she replied instantly

Back at Layton's:

It was 10pm. Kiandre wouldn't ask to come over had it not been of importance. I knew it was not a random booty call. We'd been taking things slow since Rose's party, getting to know each other instead of having a fast burning romance that would surely die.

'It's pretty late. I should call a cab to get to Layton's. After all, it's an hour away, but if I walk I can save the money for tomorrow's groceries,' thought Kiandre as he grabbed his things and headed out the door.

It was a chilly dark night in South Heights but walking along the streets of what had become his home, gave Kiandre the chance to clear his mind and let the excitement build up of seeing Layton.

70 mins later:

"I'm outside."

"I'm coming."

"That's what she said."

"In your dreams, pretty boy."

"More often than not, Angelo."

Layton opened the front door and was instantly bear hugged.

"Hi," said Kiandre in a soft and warm tone as he planted a kiss on her forehead. That seemed like a regular thing for him to do now and Layton never felt safer.

"Is everything alright? I was worried when I got your message. It was so vague and then you took forever to get here. I made some hot chocolate. Come on."

She took his hand and led him into the kitchen. Kiandre sat down on a bar stool while Layton fiddled about in the kitchen. He didn't want her to know he had walked all the way over here. It wasn't exactly the safest thing to do in the middle of the night.

'I don't want her to worry, she needs someone that can take care of her, not the other way around,' he thought as he let out a sigh and sank into the stool.

Layton clicked her fingers and brought his attention to her. "Sorry, Bellissima. Just some family stuff. The usual. Are you alone here? Do you want me to go if you're uncomfortable?"

She kissed his cheek, reassuring him that everything was fine as the two of them made their way into the lounge. Hours passed enjoying each other's company and Kiandre was soon struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Let's go to bed," said Layton

"You go ahead, Angelo, I'll take the couch."

"Nonsense. We are both grown up individuals, capable of sharing a bed."

Kiandre was taken aback and laughed at Layton

"So eager to get into bed with me, Miss Cruz. Alright, as you wish."

The both of them laughed and made their way upstairs.

Kiandre liked the aesthetic of Layton's bedroom, from the guitar she kept by her bedside to the many photos hung up on the wall filled with happy memories. He did feel a pang of jealousy as Jamie was in most of them.

"Could I ever match up to him, create a bond like they have? Argh! I'm sure as hell am going to have to try to," he looked at her, smiled and said the last part out loud. "So worth it."

Layton raised an eyebrow at him as she hopped into bed.

"You okay there, bud?" she laughed.

Kiandre retaliated by removing his shirt and pants whilst slipping on a pair of sleeping shorts he had brought with him

"You okay there, bud?" he laughed as she threw a pillow at him

Kiandre slipped under the covers. Layton gravitated towards him and rested her head on his bare chest. He stroked her hair.

"This is my own little piece of heaven, Layton Cruz," he said, planting a kiss on her head. She seemed to be dozing off before him. "Let me take you out," he continued.

She turned to look at him, her eyes full of innocence and sleep. "Like on a date or by a sniper?" she let out a faint giggle.

Kiandre rolled his eyes "Way to kill the moment, Angelo. On a date..."

"That sounds perfect," she mumbled and fell asleep in his arms, listening to the sound of his heartbeat, the raising and dropping of his chest soothing her.

With a smile on his face, the thought of her saying yes to a date as well as his earlier thoughts of having a beautiful girl sleeping beside him in bed was testing him. He needed to maintain self-control. Kiandre soon drifted off and that was one of the best sleep they both had in years.