well i guess this is growing up | closed.

"Wisconsin," Zacky said, shaking his head. "I hate it here. It's too fucking hot." He shook his head, looking up at the sky and glaring at the sun as if its feelings would be hurt if it saw him glaring at it. He looked back over at her. "I'm sorry about your brother, though."

---

Sparrow smiled slightly and nodded her head. "Movies sound good," she said. She was mentally exhausted, so sitting back and watching movies sounded extremely appealing to her right now. And maybe he'd even let her cuddle with him and she could fall asleep somewhat peacefully for once in a while.

"I know somewhere you might like," Rae stated. "Well two depending on if you like dark macabre things." She knew a museum that was always air condition but had some medical oddities. The other place was a cave on the beach that was always at least twenty degrees cooler than outside.

---

"Horror or brat pack film," Brian asked. There were few things he remembered about Sparrow but he knew her favorite genres of film like the back of his hand. It probably helped her favorite movies were also Johnny's. They were definitely similar in that way.

Zacky shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind," he said. "Just take me far from that house." He shook his head and rolled his window down to toss the cigarette out. "My room is literally the size of a cubicle. My closet can barely fit all my clothes and thank god I don't have a lot of shit or it would have nowhere to go."

---

"Horror," Sparrow said. "Something really scary." It had become an issue now when she watched horror movies because nothing really scared her anymore. And she was just dying to see a new movie that would scare the hell out of her. But she honestly thought she'd built up an immunity to horror movies and it sucked.

"As soon as I can get a job I plan on moving out of my brother's house," Rae stated. "Even if it means I live in a studio apartment with five other people. I don't want to be around him anymore." She was tempted to tell Zack what her brother did to her but she figured he'd freak out on her if she told him. "Medical museum is in Long Beach and the secret beach cave is here in Huntington Beach. Which one do you want?"

---

Brian smirked, deciding to put on Netflix and put on one of the new gorey looking films. Maybe they could scare Sparrow since she had seemed to be void of being scared by much. "This is a new movie that looks super gorey. Do you want some popcorn first?"

Zacky nodded his head, understanding what she meant. He thought for a minute. "Secret beach cave sounds cool," he said. He reached down and turned the radio up. "Maybe one day we'll share an apartment," he joked, scratching his head and clearing his throat as he realized how creepy he probably sounded.

---

Sparrow nodded her head. "Yeah," she said. "If you tell me where it is, I can get it." She walked over to the door and kicked her shoes off before she hung her jacket up and turned to him. "You don't care if I change in here, do you?" She didn't have any shame in herself or her body, so if he didn't mind, she wouldn't either. But if he wasn't comfortable with it, she'd go to the bathroom and change.

Rae smiled, turning towards the beach. "As long as you promise not to kill me if you ever become a serial killer." She knew what she said was weird but she'd rather feel awkward than let Zack feel that way. She saw a small liquor store in the corner and bit down on her lip as she got an idea. "Have you ever done a beer run before?" She knew it was risky but she knew how shitty the security at the small place was.

---

"Change wherever you want," Brian stated. He got up off the couchand grabbed the popcorn, putting it into the microwave to cook. "Jimmy will be home in a few hours," he stated. "You'll probably be able to talk to him then if you still want to."

Zacky laughed slightly. "Hopefully that won't ever happen," he said. He glanced at the liquor store and nodded his head. "Yeah. A few times, with my old friends. I haven't in a while though. And I'm getting kind of tubby." He reached down and patted his stomach. "I might not be as fast."

---

Sparrow nodded her head. "Okay," she murmured. She opened her bag, pulling out her pajamas and changing into them. She folded her other clothes and put them in her bag before she tossed her bag into the chair across the room. She sat on the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"How about this," Rae suggested. "Grab a fourty for us to split and after we get away you can see my boobs if you want." The brunette couldn't help the blush that had formed on her face after she realized what she had suggested. She had never been one to flaunt her body off or use it to get something not even with Johnny. Now she felt dirty and weird but maybe that's what how she needed to feel to survive. Maybe Zack was going to help her be okay again like Johnny used to.

---

"Do you want a blanket," Brian asked. He knew his living room was the coldest in the house. He never could figure out why but he assumed it was because it was an extremely old house. He put the microwave popcorn in a bowl, grabbing a blanket for the living room just in case either of them needed it for later.

Zacky laughed softly as he looked at her. "As tempting as that offer is, I'd never ask something like that of you," he said. "I do have some class, believe it or not. But I will grab the alcohol." He smiled at her. He really liked this girl. She seemed like the kind of person that he would be friends with.

---

Sparrow nodded her head. "Sure," she murmured. She took the blanket and spread it over her legs, leaving enough excess for him if he wanted some. She took the popcorn so he could sit down and then sit it in between their legs. She pulled her bra strap up on her shoulder, not having been sure if she should have taken it off or not, so she'd kept it on. She took her hair out of the ponytail that it had been in and pulled it over her shoulder. "Ready."

Rae smiled, leaning close to Zack and pecked his cheek. "For good luck," she stated. She watched him get out of the car and go into the liquor store, keeping the engine on and the doors unlocked so they could make their getawat quickly. The last thing she needed was the cops showing up at Matt's place and her brother making her wish she had never been born. He normally did that anyway but she had a friend again and she honestly didn't care because she felt alive again.

---

Brian nodded. He handed Sparrow the bowl of popcorn and started the movie. He put his feet under the blanket with Sparrow, getting comfortable while the movie started up.

Zacky casually walked into the store, flashing the girl at the counter a smile before he began to look around as if he were purchasing some snacks. He made his way to the back where the booze was, opening one of the doors and reaching in to grab a 40. He looked at it in his hand, then glanced over his shoulder at the girl, who was leaned against the counter reading a magazine. Easy. He quietly shut the door and held the bottle under his arm, walking towards the front of the store. When he caught the girl looking at him out of the corner of his eye, he made a dash for the door, shoving it open and running to Raelyn's car. He pulled the door open quickly, hearing the girl calling for him as he got in. "Go!" he shouted as he shut the car door.

---

Sparrow smiled, taking a handful of popcorn into one of her hands and started nibbling on a piece slowly. She planned on getting totally invested in this movie, hoping it would take her mind off things for a while. Sometimes she wished that movies lasted longer than two hours so that she could just live with them. It would be so much easier than dealing with her own issues.

Rae sped off, getting away from the small liquor store before the could get caught. She couldn't help the smile that crossed her face as she looked at Zack. "You know I've never done something like that before," she admitted. The brunette started the drive to the beach cave, smiling when she realized it was still early enough in the day that not many people would be at the beach. She parked her car, grabbing her bag to hide the forty in before she took Zack's hand and lead him into the cave. She took the forty out of her bag and handed it to him. "You got it so you get first drink."

---

Brian really hoped Sparrow liked the movie because he wanted to try and make her happy, even if it was just temporary. She deserved to be happy with all the bullshit she had been through lately.

Zacky followed her, smiling when she handed him the bottle. He popped open the cap and took a swig before handing it to her. He cleared his throat before sitting down. "I'm glad you offered me a ride," he said. "I'd be totally lost right now if you hadn't." But maybe that wouldn't have been such a bad thing, really. Either way, he'd rather be with her right now than alone.

---

Sparrow watched the movie when it started, smiling to herself. She was feeling some sort of happiness in her stomach, and she really hoped it lasted. She ate another piece of popcorn, glancing up at Brian and smirking slightly as she tossed one at him, laughing to herself when it landed in his hair.

"If I hadn't spotted you when I did I probably would have just driven around and been boring," Rae admitted. She took a swig of the forty and set it down in the sand. "Today is the first time I've had fun since my friend died." Rae's eyes looked down at the forty in her hand, tracing the neck of the bottle with her fingers. "It was rough being stuck as an orphan with my brother but Johnny he made it tolerable." She felt tears begin to form in her eyes and quickly wiped them away as they began to fall down her face. "Sorry didn't mean to get all emotional on you."

---

Brian looked at Sparrow, not taking his eyes off of her as he took the piece of popcorn out of his hair and ate it. He playfully stuck his tongue out at her and continued watching the movie, glad to hear her laughing again.

Zacky shook his head. "No, it's cool," he said. "I get it. My little brother died in the crash with my parents. My older sister is in college and she had finals so she couldn't make it to the funeral, so I was basically alone." He shrugged. "It hasn't really hit me yet, you know? I just . . . don't feel any different. My therapist says it's normal, though." He looked up at her and smirked slightly. "Nah, I'm joking. About the therapist. Everything else is true, though."

---

Sparrow giggled, stuffing another piece of popcorn into her mouth as she looked back at the movie. She focused on it this time, leaning against Brian absentmindedly and sighing contently. She continued eating the popcorn out of her hand until it was gone, reaching in for more and looking down when she felt his hand. She smirked, poking the palm of his hand until he pulled it away before she grabbed another handful for herself.

"My brother treats me like I'm his property," Rae mumbled. "I've only ever kissed one boy and that's about it." She looked at Zack and bit down on her bottom lip. "Sometimes I wonder if I was a boy if he'd treat me the same way." The brunette sighed softly, laying her jacket onto the sand in the cave and laid down. "I had to say I was hanging out with Johnny's sister just to hang out with him and my other friend's because they had a dick between their legs."

---

Brian smiled, feeling comfortable being affectionate with Sparrow. It felt almost natural to be on the couch, cuddling and watching horror movies. It probably didn't help that for the longest time he had a crush on her.

Zacky frowned. "Wow, he seems pretty uptight," he said, shaking his head. "Maybe he's just worried about losing you." He definitely wouldn't think that way if he truly knew what was going on between Rae and her brother, but he wasn't aware of that at this point. "But I'm sure there are way better ways of showing you that than being a dick." He thought for a minute. "And honestly, I'm sure if you were a boy, it probably wouldn't be any different. He loves you, right?"

---

Sparrow rested her head against his shoulder and continued to watch the movie, eventually dozing off. She'd hoped to stay up until the end of the movie, but she was so mentally exhausted that she really needed some rest to regain her strength back. Maybe in the morning she could talk to Jimmy and make sure everything was okay between them. Sure, the tall boy had said he didn't care, but she had a feeling it still maybe bothered him a little.

"What about you," Rae asked. "Why do you hate living with your grandparents?" She honestly didn't want to tell Zack what was really going on with her brother. The only person who didn't judge her for what her brother did to her was Johnny and she wasn't ready to trust someone so completely again. She took another large swig of the forty and handed it to Zack in case he wanted any to drink.

---

Brian felt his eyes grow heavy soon after Sparrow fell asleep. He managed to turn the tv off before he closed his eyes and fell asleep as well. Jimmy walking in an hour later to see the pair asleep. He rolled his eyes, grabbing another blanket for them both to use and put it on top of Sparrow and Brian before he went upstairs to the roon he was sleeping in and fell asleep himself.

Zacky took the bottle from her and took a big swig before handing it back. "Eh, they're old," he joked, shaking his head. "No, it's just . . . their lifestyle is completely different than my family's was. My parents were really easygoing and laid-back and nonjudgmental. My grandparents are the complete opposite. They're Jesus freaks and there's curfew and no girls over, and homework done before dinner, and all this bullshit and I just hate it. I hate them."

---

Sparrow woke up in the morning, yawning softly and stretching her legs out. She looked up at Brian, smiling softly. She leaned over and gently pressed her lips to his, kissing him softly before she carefully got up and walked upstairs. She found the bathroom and walked in, quickly doing her business before walking out. She peeked in all the rooms before she found the one Jimmy was in, slipping in and shutting the door behind herself.

Rae sat up, moving closer to Zacky, deciding out of nowhere that she wanted to kiss him. Once her lips touched his her brain screamed at her to stop so she quickly moved away from him again. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I wasn't thinking." She took the forty from Zack and took a small drink of it again. She knew it was probably the booze that had made her decide to kiss Zacky but she honestly didn't care. It helped her feel alive and numb at the same time.

---

Jimmy shot up in bed, glaring at whoever was in his room. No matter how drunk or high he got he had always been a light sleeper. "Fuck off," he snapped. "I'm trying to fucking sleep."