Drop Dead.

“Jinx, sweetie, there’s someone here to see you!” Mimi calls from the floor below. Gel, Laker and I glance at one another from our spots in my room before I get up and head out of the room. I don’t even think about who it could be and that’s why when I realize who it is, I can’t help but smile.

“Hey man, long time no see!”

I run at the boy quicker than a cheetah and wrap my arms tightly around him. His laugh is just as I remembered it and he pats my back softly. “Tee, it’s been too long.”

“Yeah, I would have come to visit ya sooner but Carter had me busy tryin’ to find a family that suited me y’know,” Tee chuckled and finally we pulled apart. It only took seconds for Gel to realize who was here to visit us and soon she was in Tee’s arms, giggling and telling him how much she missed him.

Laker appeared soon after Gel and stood behind me, I could feel him grinning. After Tee said hello to Gel, I offered him something to drink and we went into the living room. Just as I took a seat on the couch, Laker spoke, “You all probably have a lot to catch up on so I’m going to go.”

“Aw man, I wasn’t tryin’ to kick ya out. You can stay,” Tee said, frowning.

“Nah, you haven’t seen each other in a while and although I’d love to spend more time with the cute little jinx-”

“Fuck off, Laker.”

“I shall resist but if you are still around once you’re done talking, head on over to my place and we can hit the gaming consoles.” Laker smiles as he leaves.

“They’re dating!” Gel shouts as soon as Laker was gone causing me to holler angrily at her and I desperately try to explain to Tee that Gel is just being a creepy fan girl, but he doesn’t believe me.

Tee laughs and laughs some more and laughs so hard he falls off the couch and clutches his stomach desperately as he chokes for much needed air. “You two…are…are…dating!” His eyes were filling up with water as he gasped for air. “Man, that’s fuckin’ classic!”

“The hell is that supposed to mean?” I grumble with my arms crossed tightly over my chest. My cheeks felt suddenly warm and I told myself I wasn’t blushing but that’s obviously a lie.

“It’s just…I never figured it’d happen, you’re so bratty.” Tee chuckles and wipes the remaining tears from his eyes. Scowling, I glare down at the floor and curse Gel for telling Tee such embarrassing information. “But I’m happy…Laker’s pretty damn cool and…well, as fucking girly as this sounds, ya need someone like him to keep ya sane.”

“I don’t need him. You’re exaggerating.”

“I’m not.” Tee takes a seat beside me once more and throws an arm around my shoulder. He pulls me flush against his side as he smiles. “I’ve been here for no more than ten minutes and I can already tell you’ve changed.”

Gel nods in agreement. “You’re a lot happier now, Jinx.”

“But enough of that mushy shit!” Tee announces and removes his arm from my shoulders so he can clap his hands together. “What have you been up to, my dear Gel? You’ve gotten cuter.”

I glare. “Do not flirt with her Tee if you value your life.”

“No need to get violent!” Tee barks, causing Gel and I to laugh.

I really have missed this boy. It’s been too long since I’ve seen him. I hope Carter has found him a family just as good as mine. I hope he is as happy there as I am here.

~

“Do you really have to go?” Gel sniffles, her arms wrapped securely around Tee. I’m standing behind her with a frown. I don’t want him to leave either. He got to hang out with us and Laker for a day but it feels like it has only been a few minutes.

“Yeah, but I’ll visit again soon…maybe you two can even come and meet the folks I’m stayin’ with now. Their mighty nice. I think they’d like ya,” Tee says excitedly and I see this twinkle in his eye that I haven’t seen for a long time. It feels like an eternity since we were all this relaxed, this calm and carefree.

The streets turned us hard and cold. They made us desperate and scared. It was hard to be relaxed when you’re surrounded by death and disease, starvation and drugs. We forgot what a home was, what it was like to have someone hold us, take care of us, tell us that everything will be ok. It’s nice to have that all back, to have that feeling of belonging. I don’t want it to ever go away.

“Don’t worry, Gel. I’ll bring you two along with me the next time I go visit Tee,” Carter says reassuringly with a caring smile. Gel smiles right back and places a kiss on both Carter’s and Tee’s cheek before running inside with a few tears running down her face. I know she’ll be fine but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to run inside after her and hold her.

“Bye man.” Tee throws his arms around me in a friendly hug. He smiles and looks from me to Laker and back. That stupid grin appears on his face and I just know he’s about to say something embarrassing. “It’s ok to fall in love, Jinx. Just make sure to use protection.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

“If I could, I would.” Tee laughs and I shove him away but I can’t deny the slight smirk on my face. Tee waves once more before jumping into the car with Carter. I watch as Carter pulls out of the drive way and drives down the road. I don’t bother going inside until I can’t see them anymore.

“That was nice,” Laker says, following me like a lost puppy. I roll my eyes but nod in agreement.

“Yeah, it’s been a while.”

“It’s nice to know your friend is just as well off as you are, must be a relief really.”

“It’s…just all so unreal,” I mumble more to myself than Laker but I know Laker is listening intently to what I’m saying. “Going from having nothing to having all this-” I gesture to the house around me, Mimi and Ken in the living room, the kitchen full of food, everything. “Sometimes I think that I must be in a coma…and all of this is just an…insanely good dream.”

Laker wraps his arms around me from behind and I jump slightly. His grip tightens around me as he places his head in the crock of my neck and breathes, “It definitely isn’t a dream, Jinx. I promise you that.”

I allow myself and Laker to bask in this lovey moment but when I feel my pride start to squirm, I shove Laker away. He laughs as I grumble angrily to him, “Don’t do that mushy shit. I’m not a girl.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“I hope you die.”