She was gone. There was nothing they could do.

"So what do you want to do today?"

I yawned widely, and unintentionally. I tried to stifle it a little but then gave up. It was impossible to sleep on those steps.

"You realize you're staying with us for a while?"

Saywhuh?! I sort of grunt sleepily. My lack of sleep was catching up with me... crap.

"Until we can fins proper arrangements, you are staying with us at our house. I already took the liberty of putting your stuff in the car while you were in the bathroom changing." He looked at me expectantly, and then quickly added, "Unless you don't want to stay..."

I would like nothing more! I shouted, a little too eagerly. Anywhere but psycho Denise's. I'd prefer slumming it to living with her again.

"But before we do anything, you are going to get a good rest. Don't even try to get out of it, I know you need it. And you're sleeping on a bed. No floors for you."

Nobody had been that nice to me in years.

I think I was asleep for the rest of the ride, or I may have just been drifting out of consciousness. Either way, as soon as we got home to the Jonas' house, I pretty much had to drag myself in. Nick and Joe waved and I returned their greeting (I guessed Mr. Jonas had told them he was bringing me there), and then the 7 year old ran up to me and said, "Hi Kevin! Who's that?"

I'm Carly. I'm one of your brother's students. I'm visiting for a while.

"Oh, hi Carly. I'm Frankie." Before he could say anything else, Mr. Jonas stopped him.

"Our guest needs some sleep, Frankie, so if you would-"

It's okay, Mr. Jonas! I blurted.

"Call me Kevin, we're not in school."

Okay... um, Kevin... It felt weird to call him by his first name. Foreign, forbidden, like I wasn't supposed to say it. I can stay awake for like five more minutes while Frankie talks to me. I'm fine, please don't fret so much. I tousled Frankie's hair and he looked up at me with admiration. I guess no one had really even partially toldMr. Jo Kevin off before.

"Joe, she's sleeping in your bed."

"Whaaaat?!? My room's a sty, plus, where am I gonna sleep?"

"The couch," Kevin said simply.

"But it's so uncomfortable..." he whined. That's another reason why I didn't really like him much. He was such a wuss.

Kevin put his hand on my shoulder and directed me to Joe's room.

Joe was right, it really was a sty. You could hardly see the carpet due to clothes, discoloration, and just plain random stuff. Just all over the place. The surfaces were piled to the ceiling with crap. And it kinda smelled funny...

But the bed was huge. And comfortable, too. Really comfortable. And it didn't smell that bad, unlike the rest of the room.

About ten minutes after I drifted into dreamsville, I was being gently nudged awake by Joe.

"Kevin wants to know what excuse he should give the attendance office."

I really don't care. Just tell him to tell the truth if he feels so inclined.

I covered my ears with the pillow under my head when Joe yelled my response to Kevin. No consideration...

He came back in and asked me, "Sorry if I seem to straightforward but the couch is REALLY uncomfortable. Can I share with you?"

I don't know why I let him... I think it was because he promised not to try anything. I rolled over to accommodate him because I was too tired to formulate a verbal response.

It felt strange to have someone sleeping in the same bed with me, especially someone I wasn't too fond of. I didn't fall asleep as quickly because of that.

I heard him fall asleep. He was snoring lightly, and his breathing was really slow and deep.

Just like his voice.

Why did I just think that? I'm being sucked in like one of those hobiscuit girls he dates.

I must be going crazy.

He rolled over and I realized that he had subconsciously put his arm around my side. It was slightly awkward, but it made my head spin more (I already had a headache and a bad case of vertigo) and my stomach feel strange.

It's things like those that I had never felt before, or worried about had I felt them.

I moved closer to him, because it was what my mind was telling me I had to do.

He moved his head ever so slightly that when I fell asleep, it was because his lips were brushing my neck and I felt his breath on my skin.