Peyton falls asleep at about 3:00, which I'm sure is way too late for a sufficient nap. She has a stuffed animal duck tucked tightly to her side. Her breathing is even, her mouth curves into an almost smile and I wish I could see what she's seeing, wish I could be so positive and happy all the time.

I walk out of Peyton's room and find Maddy still pouting on the couch in the living room. The T.V is off and she is sitting with her legs crossed on the coffee table, arms crossed in front of her, and angry scowl on her face.

"What is your problem?" I ask with a laugh and joining her on the couch.

"Is P sleeping?" She asks ignoring my question?

"Yeah," I say unsure.

"I'm just going to run out. I'll be right back, I promise."

"No, Maddy. Where are you going?"

"I just have to see Connor," she says.

"No." The last thing Maddy needs to see is her sucky on-again-off-again deadbeat boyfriend.

"Please. Remember I'm suspended because of you?" She says.

"Do not pull that card, Mads. I didn't make you punch anyone! Connor sucks, you know that and I know that. You're grounded. You said you're grounded," I argue.

"I'll be home before anyone knows I'm gone."

"I don't even know what I'm doing," I say nodding towards Peyton's bedroom.

"Just change her and feed her when she gets up. I might be home before she even wakes up."

Maddy gets up and walks out the door without turning back once. She starts her car and leaves. I know she honestly couldn't care less about leaving me here with her niece or ditching her brother or disobeying her parents.

Speaking of parents, where are they and why didn't they come to pick Maddy up from school the other day?

I figure now is as good as anytime to snoop around Maddy's house, since I've never been here before and I doubt I'll be here again.

It's a tiny house with two bedrooms, a basement, kitchen, and living area. Peyton's room has dirty white walls, a crib on one side and a twin sized bed on the other, I'm assuming Finn and her share. Then the other bedroom must be their parents?

I hesitantly walk towards the other door and make sure to listen closely for any sounds of the front door opening, incase Maddy changed her mind.

I open the door and see a queen sized bed with a blue comforter that is half on the floor, a TV, and a bunch of books stacked all around. When I walk further in I see a couple of pictures of Finn, what I assume are his friends, and Peyton, and a ton of baseball trophies, this is definitely not their parent's room.

I quickly walk back towards the living room and then see the basement door closed tightly so Peyton doesn't fall. I decide to go down.

When I walk down and turn on the light it is so obviously Maddy's room that I don't even need to snoop. The walls are covered with art work, pictures, and quotes, the room is a mess with clothing and homework.

Then I hear the door open. My heart starts beating as if I was caught robbing a bank and not like I was just hanging out in my best friend's bedroom.

"Maddy?" I hear, it's Finn. Of course it's Finn. He is the only other person that lives here.

"Hi. It's just me," I say walking up the stairs and closing the door. I smile awkwardly and shrug.

"Where's Maddy and Peyton?" He asks and looks towards Peyton's door.

"She's sleeping."

"Where's Maddy?" He asks.

"She should be back soon."

Finn runs a hand through his light brown hair and closes his eyes for a moment. He's obviously frustrated and I feel like I'm to blame. But then again I'm not in charge of Maddy.

"Damnit," he mumbles.

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"Still," I respond.

Finn walks towards the kitchen and I follow because I don't really know what else to do. He grabs a glass and fills it with water and one for me too, without asking, and sets it at the table. We sit.

"You skipped school to help?"

"Yeah. I figured I owed her and she didn't seem to thrilled to babysit so I figured it was because she was nervous around the baby or something but that isn't it because she's great around Peyton." I blab. I'm so nervous. I take a sip of water to stop myself from talking more.

"Thanks."

I just nod.

"Do your parents not live here?" I ask then widen my eyes and slap my hand over my mouth, "I'm sorry. Please don't answer that."

"If I answer that Maddy might kill me," He smiles and I relax a bit.

"Okay. Don't answer."

"Take my non-answer as an answer," he smiles slightly.

"I thought so."

"Your brother is Nate?" He asks. I nod. "we used to play baseball together up at that park in between Fairfield and Westchester."

"Oh yeah. He still plays sometimes. Do you?"

"Not so much," He says and his eyes glance over to the bedroom holding a sleeping little girl.

"Right. You're pretty busy."

He nods.

It's about 5:30 now, between Maddy leaving, my snooping, and Finn getting home. It's no surprise when we hear Peyton crying from her room.

Finn automatically gets up and heads off. He comes out a few minutes later with the little girl hanging from his arm, she smiles when she sees me, almost like she remembers me.

"Hey, P." I say and she reaches her little arms out for me and of course I take her. She is the cutest little thing. Blonde curly hair that barely makes it past her ears and big blue eyes that are the exact shade of Finn's.

"I guess she liked hanging out with you today. I have some cash, but it's probably not enough. I'll give Maddy the rest later in the week, if that's okay. I just didn't expect Maddy to bail," Finn says.

"You don't have to pay me." I'm almost appalled that he would believe that I'm expecting something from him and then I'm thinking that maybe I've overstayed my welcome and this is his way of pushing me out the door.

"Are you sure? You've done too much already."

"Of course."

"Then at least stay for pizza?" He asks.

I nod. How could I say no to his blue eyes?

"I'm sure you won't be sleeping until much later, P." He says taking out all of Peyton's toys that I put away after Maddy left and before I started snooping.

"Sorry. She wasn't tired after lunch and then fell asleep while she was playing," I explain.

"No big deal. I'll be up late anyway. I have a paper to write. Plus, if she's up late she'll sleep late, than I'll get to sleep late."

"Oh. You're welcome, I guess, then."

He laughs and it sounds hoarse and kind of beautiful.

The pizza arrives a little later and we sit back at the kitchen table with Peyton in her highchair, I'm starting to worry about Maddy. I send a text asking if she's okay and get no response.

Finn is cutting up Peyton's pizza into super tiny pieces and she is waiting for each bite with a smile on her face. Once again I'm amazed how little it takes to make a baby happy.

"Have you heard from Maddy?" I ask Finn.

"No. I never usually do."

"Oh," I say and smile and I think he can tell how forced it is.

Then Maddy stumbles in, crying hysterically. She sees me sitting at the table with Finn and Peyton and storms down the stairs to her bedroom.

Finn and I look at each other. Both of us clueless. How do you help someone as they self destruct right before your eyes?