And You're Just What I Need...

I woke up to an empty bed. As I make my way downstairs for breakfast I come to the realization that I was the last one up. Jon was sitting at the table sipping his coffee and reading the newspaper. Katelyn was rushing around trying to make breakfast before Nick came to pick her up and the lovely couple was cuddled on the sofa watching morning news.

“good morning.” I say, walking into the room.

Jon was the only one to reply and he just game a half-like nod. Wow, what a nice way to wake up in the morning.

Katelyn grabs the toast that pops up just as the doorbell rings. “bye!” she says, running out the door, “love you guys!” the door closes and I start to make my bowl of cereal.

I hear the sound of a newspaper being folded up and look up from scarfing down the delicious Honey Nut Cheerios to see Jon staring at me.

“so…Katelyn’s pretty cute.” He comments.

I just about choke on the food I had in my mouth. “and you’re twice her age.”

Jon ignores my comment. “and you know who else is cute? This little girl I know by the name of Katie. I mean, I’d say they’d be sisters, but Katie is much paler than Katelyn.”

I glare at him, tempted to flick some of my breakfast at him too. “obviously you have a point to make here.”

“just saying, it’s kind of interesting how the two look so similar…and the names are also very alike.”

“whoop-di-do you caught me. want a prize?” I say sarcastically.

“so Adam…?”

“yes. And he doesn’t know. And I would like to keep it that way until I figure things out.”

“but everyone else knows?”

“yes.”

Jon laughs and stands up, “you’re in some deep shit Juliana Richards.” Then, before I could say anything back, he leaves the room. I glare after him.

“well, someone doesn’t like my brother.” Dakota comments, looking over at me.

“like I ever really liked him.” I reply with sarcasm.

“remember that one time that you guys were-“

I plug my ears like a child, “la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la I can’t hear you! la-la-la-la-la-la!”

She shuts her mouth and so I stop my ‘la-la’s’. “what are you talking about?” Finn questions the two of us.

“when we were sixteen-“ Dakota starts.

“Dakota, I’m warning you.”

“and my brother was nineteen.”

“Dakota.”

“we went to this party. Well, I went, and I dragged this goody-good along with for once.”

“I swear to god I’m going to kill you for this.”

“everybody was making comments about her, wondering if she was pregnant or what she was doing there. Just a bunch of stuff, mean stuff. Julie wasn’t used to it since at school everyone was nice to her.”

“oh god.” I say, adding my comments here and there. This was such an embarrassing story.

“so, to prove to everyone she wasn’t a goody-good she grabbed a beer to drink. And well, my brother stopped her. And she fought back saying that she could do what she wanted. If I remember the story correctly she had something about it probably being her last party and she wanted to taste beer so he kissed her since he had had some beer and then she asked why he could have it and she couldn’t. I think Jon told her something about it being what he did and how it wasn’t who she was. Julie told him that he didn’t know who she was. And so he asked and I think she went on a long spiel on how people always expected her to do this and that… well, you know.”

“I seriously hate you right now.” I say, she glances over to me and flashed one of her signature smiles.

“Anyways, Julie complained on how no one asked what she wanted, just expected her to want what they wanted. So my brother, being the gentleman he was… or is I guess, took it upon himself to ask what she wanted. And she answered a sip of beer. And he said that he couldn’t let that happen. And Julie asked why he couldn’t let that happen. My brother than did, what I think was totally romantic but Julie never saw it that way. He said something about how she wouldn’t be the person he loved or something like that.”

“because, the instant you take a drink of that beer, you won’t be the girl I’m in love with.” I mumble under my breath.

“what was that Julie?” Dakota asks, looking over at me.

“I was pressed up against the counter and he bent down to whisper in my ear and said ‘because the instant you take a drink of that beer, you won’t be the girl I’m in love with.” I say, only a tiny bit louder.

Finn’s eyebrows raised, “seriously?”

I nod my head shyly. “I told him that he must be drunk.” I say, taking over the storytelling, though Dakota didn’t seem to mind. “and he told me that one beer wouldn’t make him drunk. Then I argued that I didn’t know for sure if he had only one beer or more. And he interrupted me mid-sentence by kissing me which lasted quite awhile until Dakota came stumbling through the door and screamed ‘finally!” before passing out.”

“you had to add in my drunk moment, didn’t you?” Dakota asks when I finish the story.

“not my fault that it’s an important detail to the story.”

“so you guys kissed? At a party?” I nod and Dakota laughs. “as if that even really counts.”

Dakota stops laughing and turns her attention, asking a silent question

I shrug. We already told the story. Why not tell more?

“turns out that Jon wasn’t drunk that night. And was telling the truth.”

Finn burst out laughing. “so typical! Your best friends brother loving you. ha! That’s great.”

“glad you think this is funny. Would you like to break the news to your fiancé Dakota?”

she smiles, “my brother still has feelings for Julie, ones that she has never felt back.”

Finn bursts out laughing and I ignore him the best I could. “now that that terrible story is over, I’m going to go for a run.”

“wait,” Finn says, “has he tried to get with you since?”

“the most recent was last winter when he attempted to convince me, for the millionth time, that I should give him a chance because he gets along with Katie…or something like that.” I don’t wait for his comment. I go straight to my room and change into running clothes before heading out the door.

When I return, Adams car was back in the driveway along with everyone else’s. I turn off my music and walk into the house. Everyone except for Adam was glued to the television, so I make my way upstairs, guessing that that is where he would be.

Indeed he was there, adding a lock to my door. I quietly lean against the wall next to him.

“you know,” I say, catching his attention, “that tool belt makes you look pretty hot.” I see him smile as he tightens the last screw before putting everything away. Adam stands up and takes the few steps toward me, putting his hands on either side of the wall.

“you saying I’m not usually hot?” he questions.

I smirk and hook my thumbs in his belt loops, pulling him closer, “I’m just saying that it’s a flattering accessory.”

“I think we should try out this new lock. You know, make sure it keeps them out.”

I slip out under his arms and step into my room, “I’ve got work and so do you.” I say, setting my music player onto the table next to me and walking over to the closet to choose clothes for the day. Adam wraps his arms around me and starts kissing up my neck.

“we’ve got time.” He whispers against my skin.

I couldn’t help the shiver that went through my body. His hands slide my shorts down until the fall willingly to the floor. I turn around in his arms so that I’m facing him. What I said, or more like mumbled, next surprised us both. “the shower.”

Adams eyes open, “what?”

“we both need to take a sho-“ I was shut up by his lips on mine and him lifting me up in the air, walking both of us to the bathroom.