"Hello," I Lied.

Jack

Trying to milk what sleep I have left, I obviously don't react well when a cold hand brushes against my bare back. I remember how my mother used to act as if her fingers were spiders, running up and down my skin. That's how she used to wake me up, when I was five. I guess some habits are hard to grow out of.

"Uhg, noooo," I groan as she pinches my shoulder. Flipping over, I cringe at the sudden brightness of my lights. "What?" I ask.

"You have to wake up, honey."

"What's going on?" I ask, sitting up. "What is it?" She glances at the ground, trying to avoid my eyes.

"I'm not entirely sure, I think you should talk to Nate about that." Her words make my stomach completely flip. As she leaves the room quietly, I try to calm down, but the barage of worries run through my mind, causing a slight panic to escalate. Is Nate alright? Are the men back? What's going on with his family? Practically throwing myself across the room, I hurry to mom's door, knocking. Kyle and Nate look up at me with solemn expressions.

"C-can I come in?" I mumble quietly. They both nod, motioning for me to come in. Nate pulls me in in between his legs so that I can lean on him. "So what's going on now?" I ask quietly as Nate's body tenses.

"Well," he starts to say as Kyle looks down at me. "Max's father has come to claim him, so we have to go back." It takes me a second to piece this together; I'm guessing Max was the boy who held him hostage, and his father had been the leader of the gang who had killed Nate's mother.

"So...You're leaving?" I ask. picking at my nails. Nate sighs, grabbing my hands as he buries his face into my neck. "Well, I'm really glad you guys are safe now." It's true. I mean, I really am. This means they're able to do anything they want now that they don't have to fear for their lives.

"Hey Jack? Come walk with me?" Nate asks into my neck; I comply. I barely realize that he's grabbed my hand to lead me out and down the hallway; My chest is heaving like I'm having a panic attack. I feel like I want to jump out of my skin, yet lay down in some ditch and die at the same time. Nate cups my face, "Jack? Look at me."

Kissing me lightly, he let's me know he's right there. It's nothing sexual, just a reassurance. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me close against the wall. We're in the back part of the house now, the part with very narrow hallways; I can faintly hear the washing machine.

Slipping my arms around his waist, Nate and I lean against the wall for what seems like hours, but in reality is probably only ten minutes. Feathering small kisses, whispering gentle words, we hold onto each other for the normalcy we've yet to experience in this fucked up relationship.

"Let's get you something to eat, babe." I grin, pulling Nate into the kitchen. It's obvious my mom's been cleaning by the chemical smell lingering. Even the cat's dish is spotless. But the said animal is sleeping not in it's pet bed, but on the marble counter.

"Jack, have I told you yet that your cat is creepy?" Nate asks, staring at it with narrowed eyes as we cross the kitchen.

"It's just like that. It just 'is'." I try to explain, but Nate shakes his head, sitting down as I saunter to the fridge. "What are you hungry for?" I ask as he shrugs. Of course he doesn't know what we have so I cook the simplest meal: eggs. Together, we basically ignore everyone else. Or rather, mom, as she cleans frantically. I don't think she can handle the fact that her daughter is in the next room sleeping with the boy who got her pregnant.

I guess this is our way of saying goodbye; Staring at each other, small smiles. Occasionally we'll just hold each other, waiting for Nate's dad. I don't stop to think about why my mom had to call her boss, or why she's been packing things up, cleaning the house. I didn't stop to think about the repercussions of my sisters pregnancy.