Page 150 of Withered

“How did you?” I ask, and he simply shrugs, giving me that dimpled smile.

The box contains the other pair of heels, the ones in gold with a rose.

I unbuckle my seatbelt and lean in to kiss him. “Thank you so much.”

“I won again,” Jake smirked. “I got my kiss in the car.”

“You just have a solution for everything, don’t you?” I smiled at him.

“You.You are my solution to everything.” He says it, and his words catch me off guard.

“I’ll come over later,” I say as I exit the car.

I have lunch with my parents, then head over to Jake’s again, where he opens the door for me.

“Where are Esme and Aria?” I ask him as he walks into the kitchen, and I follow him.

“Mom is off to work, and she dropped Aria off at a friend’s place.”

He waits near the oven, and I say, “I came to meet her.”

“You should meet only me,” he speaks out and takes the chicken from the oven.

He loads his plate with that, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Do you always eat chicken?”

He nods. “It’s the best.”

I spend the rest of the day at his place, bickering over what to watch, having cushion fights, reading on the couch, and falling asleep in his arms.

Iplead,“Jake.”

“No chance,” he mutters, his eyes fixed anywhere but me. He knows that if he looks me in the eyes, he’ll give in, and that’s exactly what I want right now.

“But what’s wrong with it?” I ask him. Before he could answer, a voice cut us off.

“Jakey!” Aria screeches, crying, clutching her favorite kangaroo to her chest.

After I had fallen asleep, the sound of the doorbell ringing woke me up. Even though Jake got to the door, I was already up. Aria’s friend’s mother dropped her off. Even the lady couldn’t help but swoon over Jake’s body. It’s hardly been twenty minutes, and the siblings are fighting like hell over a movie choice. I feel lucky to be a single child now.

Jake slaps his forehead and looks up at the ceiling, eyes closed. “Ever since you showed herFrozen, she’s been dangling that stupid kangaroo, thinking that’s the snowman, running over the house, saying it’s Olaf.”

When I suggested we watch a movie together, Aria was the most enthusiastic one and shoutedFrozenthe second the word movie left my mouth. Jake is on the other end of the stick, opposing the decision to the fullest.

“How do you know that’s Olaf? Did you watchFrozen?” I ask him, my lips twitching in amusement.

He tips his head to his little sister and says, “She’s watched that shit over and over now, so I know.”

Aria bawls her eyes out. “Now you’ve done it.” I make my way to her, but Jake grabs my hand.

“Just wait and watch her.” He tells me, his eyes fixed on his little sister, who is on the edge of throwing a fit.

I don’t know about a fit, but she throws her kangaroo out of nowhere, and it hits Jake. He takes her toy and throws it on the other couch, irritated by her. “This little brat.”

He leans down, his lips brushing against my ear. “Now look.”

“Fine,” he says as he straightens himself and claps his hand. “Let’s watchFrozen.”

Aria jumps off the couch and runs towards the TV, where she turns onFrozen.

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