Ringing in the Sane

“How did he know?” Jared asked sharply, turning around to face us. “How did he know?”

“How are we supposed to know? Seriously,” Luke asked as he turned a corner.

“I don’t fucking know!” Jared had started shaking again; sweat had begun to form on his forehead.

“Okay guys, calm down,” Pixie said before Luke could retaliate. “Why don’t we stop and get some food? Then we’ll plan what to do next.” His words seemed to calm everyone down.

“Fine,” Jared huffed.

* * *

Jared and I had gone into Safeway to get supplies. We decided Leado and Pixie looked too sick to go in, and Luke was still stabbed up, even though he wasn’t limping anymore.

Jared had made me push the trolley. I scowled as I trailed after him. “For Luke we’ll need a bandage and some pants,” he said as we passed the first-aid section.

“Safeway don’t sell pants, it’s a supermarket,” I remarked sullenly. I hated pushing the stupid trolley. This trolley was made even stupider as one of the front wheels was stuck and wouldn’t turn properly.

“They sell pyjamas.” He smirked

He le the way to the 'other' aisle, filled with things like socks, slippers and pyjamas. As we were walking up, Jared stopped suddenly when we reached the part where the pyjamas were. And, due to the fact that I wasn't paying attention and trolleys don't have emergency brakes, I crashed into him. I let go of the handle as my stomach crashed into it, and fell backwards as Jared angrily pushed the trolley into me.

"Watch where you're going! God, Pete, you shit me up the fucking wall!"

At least he used my name, I thought to myself as I lay on the dirty floor, staring up at the ceiling. "Are you scared?" I don't know why the question came to me in the middle of a supermarket, or why I asked it for that matter - as Jared was sure to do something painful to me, but I asked it anyway.

"Of what?" he asked, but he knew what I was talking about.

"Of Desmond." I bit my lip, expecting to be stabbed, or something along the lines of.

He sighed heavily. "Another time, Pete." He reached out a hand to help me up.

I looked at it suspiciously. Jared had called me by name twice in the past few minutes, and he didn't murder me. I had good reason to be suspicious.

I finally took it, and he pulled me up so I was standing, but he didn't let go of my hand. He kept on pulling me till we were face to face. Then he kissed me, electricity running through my entire body.

Before I had a chance to kiss him back, he pulled away from me as suddenly as he had pulled me up.

"Jared?" I asked as he began to walk to the check-out.

"Hurry up, moron," Jared called over his shoulder, ignoring the fact that he had just kissed me for the second time.

I blushed furiously, and despite being immensely pissed off and confused, I pushed the stupid trolley after him.

* * *

We had decided to stay at Jared's house. It was big, he must be rich as, and we all had separate rooms. I'd sat in mine for a while, then tried to sleep, then sat some more, and now I was extremely bored.

I sighed and stood up. Maybe I could go get something to eat, I thought. And watch some TV.

I walked downstairs and began exploring the fridge that Jared and I had filled up with Safeway food. Tim Tams! I grabbed three and went to sit on the couch in the lounge that was connected to the kitchen. It was dark as I searched for the remote - the time was somewhere between one or two in the morning. I finally found the thing and the television came to life.

I screamed and jumped into the air - losing my Tim Tams - when the light illuminated the room; Jared was sitting on one of the other couches.

"Jesus Christ, you scared me," I said as I gasped for air. Screaming takes a lot out of the lungs, you know.

"Evidently," he remarked.

I spoke before the awkward silence could take over. "Can't sleep?"

"I don't like to."

Oh right, the nightmares, I reminded myself. "Do you mind if I stay down here?"

He didn't reply, so I took the silence as a sure, Pete, I would gladly have you accompany me on these couches. I started to walk over to his couch, but a look from him made me change my mind and sit on the other one.

"You shoul-" Jared began to say.

Luke was bumbling down the stairs and into the kitchen, singing a song I didn't know loudly to himself.

"Luke! Shut your God-damn mouth!" Jared roared.

Luke stopped where he was, and spun on one foot until he was facing us. "Oh, good evening, gents!" Luke replied happily. "Having a romantic night in, are we?"

Jared threw a cup that was sitting on the table in front of him at Luke. It smashed on the wall behind Luke's face.

"Missed!" Luke called out. "Anyway, you two love birds just ignore me; I'm just getting something to eat." He rattled around in Jared's pantry.

"Get back up to Pixie's room," Jared shot at him.

Luke stopped rattling.

Jared laughed without humour. "You don't have to be a genius to figure it out."

Luke scowled at him and walked back upstairs without another word.

"Why are you here?" Jared asked after a few minutes had passed. He wasn't looking at me, he was staring at the television that was muted.

"I was hungry..."

"No, idiot. I mean why haven't you left? This has nothing to do with you. There's no reason for you to come with us."

"Yes there was." I swallowed. You. You're the reason.

"What, because you're so in love with me?" It was as if I'd spoken out loud. "You're not. Don't try and kid yourself. Leave before you get killed."

"What, you think I can't take care of myself?" I asked angrily. How dare he think I don't love him. "You can't tell me how to feel."

"Well, I am now," he snarled. "And of course you can't take care of yourself. Are you completely brain-dead? Bloody hell, just leave, Pete."

"No! I lo-"

"You fucking don't!" He was sounding slightly hysterical now. He stood up, and was about to hit me or something when Luke came pelting down the stairs, carrying his ringing phone like it was a bomb.

"It's him!" he yelled and threw the phone at Jared, who caught it deftly.

"What?!" he roared into the mic as he glared at me in anger, left over from our conversation.

"So angry all the time, Jared. There must be something in the water," Desmond's now familiar voice filled the room.

"What do you want?" Jared asked through clenched teeth.

"You know what I want," he paused, waiting for Jared to reply. He didn't, so Desmond continued. "Bring yourself to me, or I'll have to come get you myself. I'll call you later with the details. And don't try to run from me, Jared."

Jared's chest heaved. Luke had rushed upstairs, presumably to get Pixie.

"Because I know where you live." He hung up.

"Does he usually mention your house?" I asked, looking around at the walls apprehensively.

"No."