[|]

"So, what are you going to do now?" Lucas asked the moment I narrated everything to him.

"I don't know. This is just so weird for me right now," I said, rising from the bed and crossing the room. I stopped at the small balcony in the room and leaned against the door frame, taking in the mixture of lights coming from the buildings all around.

"You don't need to feel too obligated to do anything that you're not ready for. Besides, you don't need to just accept everything so soon. Give yourself time as you said," Lucas said.

I heard him approach me then he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into his warm chest. I sighed and leaned into his body, feeling up the warmness emitting from his body. I shivered when I felt his soft lips press on my shoulder.

"I'm also happy that Martinez is dead. Does that make me a horrible person?" I asked and he tightened his hold around me.

"No, it doesn't. It only proves that he was a bad person that deserves no sympathy, even when he is laying six feet under," Lucas whispered and I bit my lip when he slid his hand into my shirt.

"Thank you for listening to me and being here for me," I whispered and he turned me around in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and smiled up at him.

"I am your partner, standing with you and comforting you when you need it the most is my responsibility," he said and leaned down.

I parted my lips and moaned when he kissed my lips, setting my insides on fire. I pressed my body against him, feeling myself getting turned on from just his soft lips on mine. He started to move backward, making me understand what was coming next and I was in for it, my body already reacting in pleasure.

I yelped when he lifted me and I wrapped my legs around him. I chuckled against his lips and exhaled when he kissed me again.

"When is Axel coming home again? Remember we no longer live alone?" I whispered against his lips and he hummed, kissing me more.

"I can make do with thirty minutes," he said and rushed to the bed.

[|]

I grunted as the plastic bag full of food items slipped from my fingers and dropped on the tarred ground of the mall's parking lot. I growled at the white bag and bent to pick it up, only for someone else to grab it for me. I raised my head and gasped at the sight of Clark.

"Hey," he said, smiling wide.

I blinked and looked around, making sure he wasn't talking to me. I blinked again and raised an eyebrow at him. He laughed.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Uh, I'm good. What are you doing here?" I asked and mentally smacked my face. It was a mall and this mall was the closest to where he lived too, so it was logical that would shop here too like every other person.

"I came here to buy some things. I was just leaving my car when I saw you. How have you been?" He asked.

I now realized he looked different. He no longer had shoulder-length hair. His hair was now short with some locks lazily hanging across his forehead and over his ear. He had some stubble growing around his jawline and looked less stressed than how he was the last time I saw him.

"I've been fine. What about you?" It was awkward having a conversation with him. We never had any deep conversations, except for that one time he kissed me.

"Well, I'm better. Moving on from my past relationship and trying to focus on myself."

I nodded. "That's a good thing, I guess. Uh, how's your apartment? How are you taking care of it and all?"

Clark became silent with a straight face. He looked down before looking at my face again. He tucked his hair behind his ear and waved his free hand.

"I live alone now. I had my housemates leave. Also, I have a new maid. Some arguments happened and some betrayal. So, I let them go... Hey, can we meet some other time and talk? There's something I want us to discuss."

"Oh, what is it about?" I asked and he sighed.

"I wish I could say it here but maybe some other time? I am timed right now," he said and handed my bag to me. "You still use your number, right?"

"Yeah," I answered.

"Alright, I'll talk to you later. Bye," Clark said and walked past me.

I stayed in my spot, trying to think about what he had to say to me. We were never close, so I didn't see anything we had to talk about.

"Whatever," I said and took out my phone to order my ride home.

[|]

As soon as I walked in, I saw Axel and Lucas laughing and talking to each other. The sight made me smile. My boyfriend and best friend had fun like the brothers that they were. I closed the door and they turned their heads in unison at the sound I had made. I waved at them and Axel rushed to me. He took the bags and went to the kitchen while I made my way to the living room.

Lucas opened his arms out for me and I sat on his lap then snuggled into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek.

"Did you get everything?" He asked and I nodded. "Hmm, I missed you."

I laughed. "I was just gone for thirty minutes, bro."

Lucas stiffened under me and held my chin, before forcing me to look at him.

"Did you just call me bro, Jackie?"

I nibbled on my lip so I would not laugh. But I could not control it and laugh out loud. I fell off his lap and laughed harder when I saw how serious he looked.

"What's funny?" Axel asked, walking into the living room with a wet apple in his hand.

"My girlfriend just called me bro," Lucas said, his tone of voice so serious.

"Oh, shit. Are you two breaking up already?" He asked and sat down beside Lucas.

I cleared my throat before chuckling. I climbed onto Lucas' lap and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He had a pout on his lip with furrowed eyebrows. I could not believe he took it seriously. I glanced at Axel and back at Lucas who barely even put his arms around me, his hands just stayed on his sides.

"Aw, come on," I said and shook his head a little. "Don't tell me you're sad that I called you bro... Bro."

Axel and I laughed loud this time around while Lucas pulled me off his lap. I slapped my lap as I laughed.

"You should see his face," Axel said in-between laughs. "Wow, man. A relationship has made my brother so serious."

I placed my leg on Lucas' thigh and wrapped my arm around his. I kissed his bare arm and layed my head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, baby. I won't call you that again, okay?" I said and tilted my head to look at him. He stared down at me through narrowed eyes, then I pouted and batted my eyelashes. "Pretty, please? Forgive me?"

I saw his lips tug before they stretched into a smirk. He grabbed me and pulled me onto his lap, making me straddle him. Axel made a gagging sound beside us.

"You two make me sick," he complained, standing up.

"Go meet your partner," Lucas said.

"You know they are far away, you bitches. Tsk, I hate y'all so much," Axel said and went to the kitchen.

I smiled and leaned against Lucas' chest. I loved the light atmosphere around us. I wished it would remain the same but something made me feel like our happiness may not last long. There was barely any happiness that ever lasted long for me, so I suspected such would repeat.

"Everything okay?" Lucas whispered, cupping my butt.

"Everything is okay," I replied, inhaling his scent.