Black Fire

Over the next few days we managed to not get into any especially awkward situations, but as I kept thinking more and more about how I felt about her, just seeing Shane made me feel awkward and unsure and...well, a lot of things I'd rather not make a list of.
It only made me feel more strongly about her, the fact that she told me about Taylor and the way she made me feel so much better about Bella.
It almost lasted a week, that period without uncomfortable incidents - almost. Friday was the day when we had talked, and we avoided awkwardness until Tuesday.
...okay, closer to a weekend than a week, but I felt it was an accomplishment.

I had spent most of the day with Seth, and was getting home shortly before the sky would start dimming.
As I closed the front door behind me, I noticed the sound of running water upstairs - in the upstairs bathroom. I let out a soft involuntary growl, eyes locking on the bathroom door. I closed my eyes and sighed deeply.
'I hate my brain.'
'Yeah? Tell that to the head you really think with. Your little buddy seems quite content with the mental image.'
'Witty, me, very witty.'

I just lied down on the couch for a while. When dad wheeled out from the kitchen I said hi and asked if there was any way I could help him with dinner. He insisted he wanted to do it himself since Shane had cooked every night since she got here.
The girl sure knows her way around meat, I'll tell you that much.

-Shane-

After my shower I stood in front of the mirror in just a towel for a moment, but shook my head and got dressed with a sigh. My mind was especially active today, focused on just one thing.
My hair was still damp and was getting my Nightmare Before Christmas t-shirt with the collar torn out wet. I didn't care. I never had and never would artificially dry my hair - it and the shirt would both dry out naturally soon enough.
I decided I would just hang around my room until dinner time. There probably wasn't anything on tv and if I was downstairs I'd be too tempted to help dad in the kitchen, anyway.

When I walked into my room I was really surprised to see Jake leaning against the wall by my guitar. "Whoa," I said with a slight laugh in my voice, trying to keep myself together. "What are you doing in here, Jake? For all you knew I could've come in here to change."
"Oh, I hadn't, uh, thought about that," he said. "You've never forgotten to take clothes with you before, so,"
"Good point. Good thing I remembered them again," I replied, sitting on the edge of my bed. "So, anyway, what's up?"
"I, um, had something I needed to tell you."
'That didn't sound good'
"Okay, shoot."