your lies made me happy.

Kaycee let herself calm down from the excitement and activity, though she glanced over at him for a moment. She wasn't sure what to say after sex with Ryan; with Nick, they could talk about anything, but talking with Ryan seemed to be difficult and usually ended with arguments.

---

"Sports isn't about violence. It's about being the best," Clay said with confusion as he looked over at Gabby. He quirked a brow but then looked to Jake and snorted quietly in response. "Of course we'll win. Have you ever known the team to lose?" he pointed out casually.

---

"Oh, come on. Being outside isn't all that bad. It's fun," Emily hummed out quietly as she pulled out the last batch of cookies and set them aside to cool, though her attention went to Gabby and her brother as she watched them decorate.

Ryan looked at her, "So did you decide where you wanted to eat tonight?" He asked her. He smiled as he ran his fingers through her hair. He figured she would want to eat at her favorite place. He didn't mind it there, but he wasn't a huge fan of it either. He would deal with it though because he wanted to make her happy.

---

Gabby looked at Emily, "It's cold, there are animals, and i don't see why you would want to get all dirty." She said, rolling her eyes playfully. Gabby smiled as she focused on her cookie that she was decorating. Gabby was glad when they were finally done with all the decorating. She walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch next to Clay.

---

Jake nodded, "That's true you do win a lot." He said. He helped Emily clean up the kitchen then walked into her living room. He knew that he had to be going soon to spend time with his parents. He didn't entirely want to leave her just yet though. Jake looked at her, "I have to get going." He said. He felt bad that he couldn't stay longer. "Gotta help mom do some things." He explained.

@ momentai.

@ momentai.

Kaycee closed her eyes at the feeling, her expression softening to one of pure content. She liked moments like this, though they had become more and more rare over time. "Hm?" she murmured, lost in the comforting lull of his fingers in her hair. "Oh, that? Um... Can we go to that buffet place? The one I love, that has breakfast options for every meal, too. Waffles sound really good right now, though that could be because I'm feeling lazy."

---

Clay glanced over to Gabby once she was sitting next to him. He wanted to talk to her, to just be able to be together and normal, but they couldn't do that with his sister around. Emily would hate it, he was sure. His attention went to Jake and Emily when they walked in and he arched a brow to the statement. "Leaving so soon?" he asked, though it wasn't like he didn't understand. He didn't really go out during the holidays and stuck with his family instead.

---

Emily blinked, listening to Jake's words, though she offered a smile and shook her head. "It's okay, really," she assured quietly, "Family's important. I understand that. If she needs your help, you should have said so sooner so you wouldn't have been stuck here. I'm glad you came over, though."

Ryan nodded, "Yea we can go there." He said as he got up. "I could eat waffles right now as well." He said as he looked at her. He was glad that he was finally getting along with her. Ryan leaned down and kissed her softly. "So when did you want to leave?" He asked.

---

Gabby stared at him, "No i'm staying with Em tonight." She said, smiling. She looked back, seeing Emily was busy. Gabby smiled, "I will come see you when Emily goes to sleep." She teased as she stood up. She bit her bottom lip lightly, looking up at him.

---

Jake shook his head, "No it's fine. I wanted to spend this time with you." He said as he hugged her. He kissed her cheek then stepped away. "I will talk to you later." He said as he walked away. He walked to his car and headed back to his house.

@ momentai.

Kaycee couldn't help the smile that formed on his features when he agreed. It was rare that he agreed without objections or arguments and it was nice, in her opinion. "We can leave whenever you want to," she assured him quietly before she blinked. "Well, after we get dressed, that is."

---

Clay nodded slightly to her words, though he arched a brow. "Oh?" he asked with mild surprise. "That's pretty daring of you. Sure you won't wake her?" Emily want exactly the heaviest sleeper, after all. But, he figured he could trust Gabby if she was certain she could manage to slip out.

---

Emily watched him leave, though she sighed quietly. It had been nice seeing him and she enjoyed spending her time with him. Looking to Gabby, she offered a grin. "So, are you really not going to join our snowball fight?" she asked.

Ryan nodded and started to get dressed. He waited for her then grabbed his keys, "Lets go." He said as he walked with her. He drove to the place they were eating then got them a table. He sat down and sighed as he looked at the menu, "So what are you getting?" He asked her.

---

Gabby smiled, "I will figure it out." She said with a smile. She looked at Emily, "Yes im positive. I will watch." She said as she crossed her arms. She watched as they got ready then put her jacket on and walked outside with them. She stood on the porch watching clay and Emily.

@ momentai.

Kaycee took her seat and didn't bother looking through the menu. She'd been there enough to know what she wanted. "The same thing I usually get when we come here," she told him with a small grin.

(if you want, we can skip to when Kaycee asks Nick for help in her class because she's failing?)

---

Clay nodded slightly to her words and moved to stand up. "In that case, let's get this over with, Em," he said. He and his sister put on their jackets before they went outside to get the snowball fight started.

Nick sat in his room working on his homework and sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He heard his door open, looking over to see Kaycee, "Hey." He said as he set his pencil down. He could tell she was upset, "Whats wrong?" He asked her..

---

Gabby smiled as she watched the two of them. Her eyes drifted to Clay most of the time. She had never been so happy to be with someone. She hated that she couldnt tell her best friend about it. She gasped as Emily hit her with a snowball. "Real mature Em." She said pouting.

@ momentai.

Really, Kaycee knew it was probably a bad idea to go to Nick for help. Ryan wouldn't be happy, but Ryan also wasn't offering any suggestions. And, it probably wasn't a good idea to go behind Ryan's back to ask for help, but Nick was the smartest person she knew. "Ah, sorry, are you busy?" she asked, though she chewed on her lip. "I just, um... Need some help."

---

Emily couldn't help but to grin at her friend, though she laughed. "Come on, Gabs! You know you'd have fun if you joined in!" she called over to her friend. Clay wasn't sure whether Gabby would try to join in or not. Either way, since Emily was distracted, he threw a snowball at her back, though it caused her to focus on him and launch an attack at him in retaliation.

Nick looked at her, "What do you need help with?" He asked as he walked towards her. He looked at the books in her hand, "What subject are you having trouble with?" He asked as he watched her. He knew that she had been struggling, but it must have been bad if she wanted his help.

---

Gabby shook her head, "No way." She said, smiling as she watched Clay throw a snowball at his sister. Gabby watched as Clay pelted Emily and it just didn't seem fair. Gabby smiled as she threw a snowball and hit Clay with it. She smiled at him cutely when he looked at her betrayed.

@ momentai.

Kaycee dropped her gaze to her books and hugged them to her chest with a sigh. "A few of them," she admitted quietly, "History, French, and my Math." Usually, she was pretty good with keeping up with her studies, but things had been hectic with Ryan's cycle of cheating and her getting revenger for it. The arguments didn't help, either. "Are you good at any of them?"

---

Clay frowned, his brows furrowing as he wiped the snow off of himself. "You just put yourself in the middle of a war," he pointed out casually before he went ahead to throw a snowball at her, smirking when it hit. Emily looked fairly amused with it all, but she was quick to throw a snowball at Clay. "We can team up, Gabs," Emily assured her friend.

Nick nodded, "Yea i can help you." He said as he looked at her. He couldn't help but feel the need to help her. "You really have to focus thought Kaycee i can't take the test for you." He said as he took the books from her. He closed up his stuff then pulled up the extra chair he had and waited for her to sit down. "How did you want to start?" He asked. He pulled his pencil out and open a notebook.

---

Gabby frowned when he threw one at her, "You sir have no idea how vengeful i am." She said, narrowing her eyes. She looked at Emily and began to throw the snowballs at Clay with her. She smiled when Clay laughed. She liked to see him having a good time.

@ momentai.

Kaycee's relief was obvious in her expression and she nodded as she moved to sit down. "I know that," she said, though she sighed. "I just haven't had the time to study lately. And I can't concentrate in class because I'm either arguing with Ryan or he's flirting with somebody in class." She frowned slightly and shrugged. "We can start with whichever you think will be easiest for you to help me with?"

---

The snowball fight lasted for a bit, but Emily went inside when she got too cold. Clay stretched out his arms above himself once he figured the fight was entirely over and brushed the snow off himself. "You actually joined in on the fun," he mentioned casually as he glanced over at Gabby. "I guess you're not entirely a stick in the mud when it comes to the outdoors, hm?" he teased with amusement.

Nick frowned when she said how his brother was acting. He shook his head, "He's a dick Kaycee you know that." He muttered. "How about Math?" He suggested. He knew it was pretty easy to grasp once she got the hang of it. He opened the book to where she needed it and began to start teaching her how to do the problems. "Do you understand that part?" He asked her.

---

Gabby glared at him, "Shut up." She said, playfully as she shoved him. "I'm more fun than both of you put together i just prefer to not get dirty." She said, smiling. She walked inside with him and took her jacket off. She took her shoes off then went to Emily's room to change into her pajamas. Gabby walked downstairs looking for Emily. She smiled when she ran into Clay. "Where is your sister?" she asked.

@ momentai.

Kaycee sighed, because she did know it. She'd learned it long ago, but Ryan had promised to change. And, for the most part, he had. He hadn't cheated lately, at least. But he still flirted and they still constantly argued. Shaking the thoughts away, she tried to concentrate on what Nick was showing her, though she furrowed her brows. "I think so," she murmured as she looked over the steps again.

---

Clay quirked a brow as he turned his attention to her. "Emily? She's probably in the kitchen again. Or she's calling Jake somewhere," he mentioned with a small shrug. It wouldn't be too difficult to find her, if Gabby looked hard enough. Still, after a moment, he offered, "I can help you find her, if you want?" He wasn't really occupied with anything right now, anyways; and he wanted to spend time with Gabby.

Nick stared at her, "Kaycee if you don't understand just say so and i can go over it again." He said. He wanted to make sure that she did well and that she would really appreciate him. He wanted to win her over, but he knew that it would be hard to get her to leave his brother.

---

Gabby smiled, "Aw you would help little ol' me." she teased him. She poked his side playfully then walked with him, til she found Emily. "Emily you phone whore." She said, seeing her friend was on the phone with Jake. She smiled as her friends face got all red. "Ugh keep this up and i'm gonna have to hang out with your brother." She teased.

@ momentai.

Kaycee glanced over at him, though she couldn't help but to pout. "It's just... I understand how to work the equation out now, but there are so many equations, so how am I supposed to remember which equation goes with which type of problem?" she asked in a quiet whine. "And what if I forget the equations, too?"

---

"Ew, don't hang out with him, Gabby," Emily said with a small frown. "Seriously, he'll just try to seduce you, then ditch you. I don't want my brother hurting my best friend." Clay couldn't help but to tense slightly to his sister's words. He understood her concern, given his history, but he still didn't like hearing his sister voice it.

Nick thought for a moment then started to make her some notecards with each equation and what they go with. He handed them to her. "These will help you memorize them, just make sure you go over them a lot." He said as he smiled.

---

Gabby bit her bottom lip lightly, feeling a little hurt that she would feel that upset to know they were dating. "Not gonna happen Em." Was the only thing she could say. She walked over and sat next to Emily and smiled as she flipped through the tv channels.

@ momentai.

Kaycee turned her attention to the notecard as she looked over at them, though she couldn't help but to smile. "Yeah, okay," she murmured quietly before she looked to Nick and shifted to kiss his cheek quickly. "Thanks, Nick," she murmured before she cleared her throat and looked to the books. "So... Next subject?"

---

"Good," Emily told her friend with a smile, though she soon returned her attention to the phone. Eventually, she promised to call Jake back later and hung up. "So, what were you looking for me for?" she asked as she looked at Gabby. Clay watched the pair quietly, though he eventually retreated to the other side of the room.