6 pm

"Thanks for staying behind to help me kiddo..." Jason says draping an arm around my shoulder.

"Anything for you Mr. Sean" I say, placing the sheet I was grading down to the graded pile.

"It's late” He removed his glasses as I motioned to straighten the stack of test papers in front of us. “I think we should stop here..."

"Do I get extra credit for this?"

"You don't need it..." He scoffed placing his spectacles back on his ever so flawless face.

I frowned playfully, "Why not?"

"Because you're excelling in class"

"How about Volunteer hours, shouldn't I get a reward for doing this?"

"Well you get to spend a wonderful time with your best friend isn't that rewarding?"

True... but I won’t give him the satisfaction.

“But the whole time I was grading papers... that's not fun at all." I pouted summoning my inner spirit animal: a cute teacup puppy.

"But you gotta admit you enjoyed chatting with this old man."

I scoffed. “Talk about spending time with a grandpa”

His lips shaped into an “O” at that. "How about I drop you home then?"

"Fine" I say as I jolted up and started for the door, "Last one to your car is a rotten egg!"

"You're on." He declared, cracking his knuckles. If I kept up my pace, at this rate I’d beat him.

“Too slow,” he smirked, already starting the engine.

Who am I kidding? Jason Sean was the star of the track and field team back in high school. He wouldn’t let me get a head start without knowing that. Curse men and their naturally given long strides. Compared to him I was a panting mess as I threw his baby’s door open. Glaring at him on the driver’s seat, he barely broke into a sweat.

"You'll be going bald in a few years and yet here you are beating a shrimp." I teased clicking my tongue.

He leaned over to give me a nudge my head, it was so like him to do so and I wouldn’t mind it for old time's sake, but the man did he really have to be this close to doing so?

"Looks like you're the rotten egg..."

“Shut it, you almost-baldy”

“Refusing to accept defeat I see!” he chortled

"Fine. I give... Can we go now? Mom's making some nice casserole tonight and I wanna get there while it's hot."

"Can I join in the fun?"

"Why not? Our home is your home."

"I just can't imagine auntie cooking something other than -" we laughed at that, knowing the legendary Levine household’s poor culinary skills, if one friend suffers, the other should too.

"Hey she's improving Jason, don't be so judgmental."

"Aunt's a good gal."

“I know,” I snorted, “I live with her!”

Along the way, we joked around. Jason seriously can't make the atmosphere boring. No wonder he’s loved by many. We talked about the MMS I accidentally sent and he gave me a high five for gutting him down under.

A couple of more jokes and compliments passed as our homes came into view, and he parked ol’ Rex at my driveway, still giggling on our way inside.

"Mom I'm home!" I chimed tossing my bag over the couch and sliding towards the kitchen counter to where mom's sizzling casse-to-the-roll already set up on the spot for me.

"Hon, your back!" she chuckles balancing another platter on her way towards us.

Jason took up the empty seat beside me and mom shines him a reminiscent smile.

"It’s been a while"

"It's nice to see you again Mrs. Levine."

"Are you staying for dinner?"

"Am I welcome to join you?"

"Anytime dear!"

"I wouldn’t want to miss auntie’s delicious casserole," he licked his lips. I bet he can reject a person without offending them with words as sweet as his.

"That's the only thing she doesn't burn." I joked as mom setts another plate in front of him, she sticks out her tongue like a kid.

"Oh pooh, like you could cook dear..."

I stuck my tongue back at her.

"She's right you know..." Jason chuckled, who burns instant noodles?

“It’s just this one time!” I smacked him lightly, “it just happened that I dozed off a little”

“A little,” he challenged.

"Speaking of cook," I added, "Someone's in a good mood, seeing anyone new?"

Honestly, I wouldn’t want anyone replacing dad, but if dating could make her smile a little more, why not? It’s not like he really left. He’ll always be in our hearts.

"What, your mother can't be happy and cook something good for a change?" she backfired turning from me to Jason, where her eyes I swore seemed to glisten dreamily under the luminescent kitchen light, "So Jason how is your love life? Dating someone special?"

"No ma'am,” he raised a hand, “I'm focused on teaching your Princess and the rest of my class."

Princess. I liked that.

"That's sweet of you Jason but you should at least get out more... Such charisma can't go to waste. Paige here got herself a golden boy."

"Mom!" I blushed shoving her lightly

"Have you seen him, Jason? Is he really a good match for my sweet daughter? I heard he is in the student council."

"Really? Well, that’s some news" he raised his brows. I mean I sent him a picture of me post-gutting that idiot Brett Boyce. I even told him that there's a negative percent chance of me and him getting together (which he even corrects me by saying that was both impossible and grammatically incorrect).

"Really... That's funny, you two are best friends! She really hasn’t told you?"

"She’s a really private person"

"Well, that's true. But you’re like family. I bet she confides in more private things to you than she ever does with me! Please watch over her. She lacks so much experience with these things"

“Mom!” I gawked. Tact wasn’t her strong suit apparently.

"That's not a problem auntie,” he winked, “I'm always here for her" with the swift pounding of his fist against his palm he says in both a playful threatening way, "and I'll make sure if anyone hurts her, I won't spare them another day."

We all break into laughter. He’s such a dork. A lovable, handsome dork.

"Oh Jase, you're such a clown. I'm starting to miss Matthew."

Please don't say that name, it never starts right, despite the fact that it was dad's name (and my middle name too).

"Oh, mom!" Mom’s on the verge of tears and I start to paddle to her side, rubbing her back. She cradles my arm, patting it reassuringly.

“I’m fine,” she forces a tearful smile, “we’ll be fine.”

Dinner ended with a game of scrabble, despite being the education major amongst us, mum was a master when it came to English, finishing off at number one. Jason, I suppose he was holding back a good bunch of heavy vocabulary to keep her smiling finished off at third place. After what seemed like hours of a rematch, he sent his sincere thanks for mom’s dinner and wobbled his way out of the house.

It’s just like the old days. Mrs. Sean would drop in with a little Jason and we would be eating a heavy meal with my parents and play a game of scrabble or snakes and ladders. We’d challenge the adults in a rematch with our lacking vocabulary skills and then fall asleep, immediately turning a scene of sob fest should our parents tear us apart, and eventually have them sleepover.

I yawned feeling refreshed yet beat. It was quite an eventful day. I found out that the Boyce family was a family of lunatics and I got the last laugh, at least for one glorious day. Jason and I had a long chat and had a hearty dinner with mum for old time's sake. I shouldn’t have jinxed it because as soon as I thought this day couldn't get any better, it gets worse.

Brett’s in my room all cozied up in my bed a single finger lazily parading my underwear up in the air like Armstrong waving the flag on the moon.

The moon landing is a hoax, and I’m sure Brett’s not in my room. Yeah, he isn’t. I’ll just rub my eyes and-

He doesn’t disappear. I pinched myself. Why wasn’t he disappearing?

“Like what you see?” He smirks, giving the horrendous underwear another spin.

"What are you doing in my room?" I’m screeching, but I realized mum could hear me next door.

"I told you this wasn't over...” he flashes a victorious smirk. I bet he sneaks into another girl's room and does only god knows what.

“So this is your room.”

I bet he climbed into my parent's room before getting that right.

"You perv take your hands off my underwear!"

His smirk is riding higher up his cheeks and… I’m flushing as he does this… he’s such an animal… sniffing it

"It's Paige flavored."

"Get-" I’m growling, threatening to raise my voice an octave higher.

"You wouldn't want to scream with your mother in the house now do you?"

"Why are you... How did you..."

He shrugged. "Your window was open... I climbed in. Knew immediately it was yours and riffled through your underwear.”

He could have at least spared me the gory details, but no, he just likes to get under my skin. I wonder if I could sue him for exploitation and sexual harassment.

“Starting tomorrow you'll be my personal maid, and you'll work for me in my house."

"Right"

“Might I remind you that I could just say a word and you’re whole high school career, and that teacher’s too, could be over in a matter of seconds?”

What was he a magician? The idea of suing him seemed more appealing. But even if Jase and I weren’t in a relationship, he’d probably twist the truth to make it seem like it, it could really damage his reputation. He’d be dubbed a pedophile for instigating a relationship with a minor, jailed for pedophilia and breaking some workplace ethics.

He seemed to be reading my mind, somehow telepathically sending me the updated score standings between us.

Paige one, Loser two.

"You know, do my laundry, clean my house, cook me dinner,” he paused, this time jerking his stupid eyebrows up and down “Keep me warm at night?"

Okay, the last part was the last straw. I threw my slipper at him, damn pervert.

"That’s assault! I can have you in prison for assaulting me, twice!"

“Oh, I’m so scared. Bite me.”

“I would,” he looked me up and down as if to de-clothe me with his lewd eyes. "But you’re really not my type.”

Now up on his feet stretching, he continues to twirl that stupid underwear, this time making his way for the window.

I'll keep this by the way" he flaunted the ice cream print once more, I can just imagine all the torturous things he'd do with it if I didn't get it back.

"Why?"

"For my souvenir."

"What? No!" I launched myself at him, but he swiftly evaded my attack. I landed on my side, narrowly missing the footboard.

"Does it really bother you that much?"

It did and I nodded.

“Then no.”

Freaking sadist.

"Give it back" I yelped making another dive for it.

He tiptoed stretching it high above us. A struggle ensues, and we both came crashing down with an ugly thud on the floor.

Mom barged in surprisingly quick. Was she behind the door this whole time? Did she hear all of that?

The idiot under me didn’t seem fazed. In fact, I bet he was enjoying this. I scowled at him un-straddling myself.

"Paige Mathews Levine, I'm so disappointed with you! And you young man,” she turns her gaze surveying him, “you should take responsibility!"

"Sure Mrs. Levine,” Brett sits up cross-legged with a sangfroid expression. He sounds so business like it was disturbing. “But since we are minors, we could have your consent, make arrangements,” he attempts to flash her a charming smile. I bet she doesn’t buy it. She was a businesswoman, she could see right through him. She was also great at making a poker face and very analytical too. “If it’s alright with you of course"

No, it isn’t alright with her. I’m confident she won’t be. I was her unica hija after all.

The wheels seemed to be turning in her head and she’s glancing at both of us. After what seemed like forever she finally says,

"You must be the boy she’s talking about? You are the one who bullies her?"

“Bully?” He raises a brow, aghast. Is that what this cute little girl say behind my back?"

Mom clasps her fingers together watching us as her eyes shifted from me to Brett.

"Oh, all sorts of stuff like you being the school president, being super popular, and-"

“Mom,” I rolled my eyes showing her out before she gushes over weird things and marriage. “TMI?”

She jabbed an elbow at me, “You didn’t tell me he was cute!”

Quite frankly, I didn’t tell her I was having an affair with this guy either, but she was already jumping to conclusions that we’ll be hitched.

“Right, right!” she winked attempting to whisper something weird before I could forcibly shut her out.

Brett was now behind me, fingers wrapped around my waist, head leveled on my shoulder.

"Nice to meet you again, Mrs. Levine!" and slams the door shut.

We’re finally alone. I’m not sure if that’s a bad thing, but better than my mother rambling about how many grandbabies and what positions would supposedly conceive a boy but first we needed contraceptives and I swear I blocked all of these out, but apparently she’s still behind the door, raising her voice for us to hear. Like I said, TMI.

And we’re still alone. I’m trying to think up a strategy to wrestle that inferior underwear off his grasp, but he seemed to be good at distracting… or well intimidating you and started to back me up a corner with no escape.

"Must've run to your genes huh?"

"Oh shut up, you're the one who has weirder and violent relatives!"

"Oh honey, you haven’t even met them yet"

"There's more?"

"Well duh, you know when a boy likes a girl they -"

"I didn't tell you to explain stupid,” my mother’s voice is in the background and I couldn’t help but shiver at the thought of her talking about it in front of a boy, “I know how that works." I slapped my cheeks, was it hot in here, or is it just me? Did I mention I was a prude?

"Well wanna try?"

"Me and you?" I let out a haughty laugh, "I’d rather bite my tongue and bleed to death."

He runs a finger on my collarbone, ugh, again with the touching. I should sue him for sexual abuse too. Toss in unwanted advances under sexual harassment.

"Unlike you who is an only child, I have siblings.” He smirked and then added, “But I'm grateful you're an only child."

"Why is that?"

His eyes met mine those glassy bluish-black irises so cunning like a doll, "So you can take care of me."

"Like hell, I would"

He winked, pocketing that stupid underwear. "I'll text you my address tomorrow."

I’m speechless as he casually walks towards the door, pulls it open, and strolls out as if it’s the most natural thing on earth.

I collapse on my bed, face first.

What have I gotten myself into?