Pacing, checking the time and panicking. Not a good start to the trip but still every time I tried to have fun it went wrong. Not a great way to live but it wasn't my choice. I had been burdened with that type of life. In an instant, I could go from good to bad. I had finally found a decent man, Pete calls me. I enjoy school for the first time ever and then I lose my parents. Not to mention, I was a happy bean when Jaren and I then broke up or when I saw him with Jasmine.

"You look on edge." I nodded and carried on pacing. Smiling as I tried to put Anthony and Craig off of the scent. Anthony seemed to be happy with it as he walked back into the room the pair of them had just left. Craig was less convinced.

"Okay. And the truth?" I had stopped and then stood at the side. Keeping my back to the man who was questioning me. Only, he walked up to the side and he rested his butt on the side. He could see my face and that wasn't what I wanted.

"It doesn't matter." Craig stood there and he was stubborn. Waiting for a response but I had the strongest will ever. Just as Mini was ready to say something else Jaren walked in and saw us.

"What's going on?" His brows lifted in some sort of expectation and uncertainty. Nothing too clear. His hand was holding a glass but he placed it down and walked up to the both of us. I had turned by this point.

"Something is wrong and Cookie won't tell me what it is." Jaren gave a brief laugh but it was directed at Craig.

"You're not going to get anything out of her. I mean, she once started to cry and even as I was holding her she insisted that everything was fine. I mean, her mascara has marked my top. Permanently. She now wears it and I haven't even seen it off of her body for a long-ass while. Now, you should tell me all of your issues." I stood and looked at him. As my composure slipped slightly. One tear fell in a moment but I wiped it away. Only for a rather quick Craig to do it for me.

"Thanks." I turned slightly to Craig and then I lost it all. My body was up against the side but I was slipping. Jaren was quick to grab me and Craig was also. His hand resting on my back. I was glad Craig had stayed. He was such an amazing friend.

Jaren's hands wrapped around me and kept me up. Craig mentioned something about a minute and left. His hand leaving my back to be a little colder.

We had been in America for not even one of the days out of the week-long holiday. Not a holiday for me apparently. Just as I was at the full-on sobbing stage Jaren kissed the top of my head and left his head there.

"Right. The path is clear. We can get you up to the balcony and the pair of you can talk as freely as you like. I will text if someone is headed up there." Craig was a babe. The type of dude all girls loved. Either as a best friend or as a little more. With Jaren in the picture, he was merely a friend.

Jaren lifted me up and then brought me to the balcony. Making me smile and he knew that because it always did. I gave a polite thanks to Craig as we left.

I wasn't placed down but I fell onto Jaren's lap as he sat down. Nothing particularly in our hearing range but an amazing view of the drive and the city not far off hit me. But it didn't last long as Jaren caught my full attention by pulling my hair into a bun.

"And?" My head rested on his chest and my left hand lifted to meet my eye line. Nails not to be proud of but that didn't matter at that moment.

"The call I took. Um, in the case against Pete I met this girl. She had escaped a bad and a savage relationship. He had died in some sort of shoot out. Anyway, I hit it off with her and we became friends. You see, she's in hospital. It turns out brothers that serve time together lie together. She had no clue but the dude she was dating up until now had been inmates with him. She is all the way up in Canada. I promised to visit in a week. Can she stay with us? Just for a bit." He smiled down at me and kissed my nose.

"You have your half and I have mine. Just be careful. Don't work yourself up. I mean, you can call her all the time." I looked up at his face properly. Our lips met but then my left hand vibrated. Craig had messaged and so the pair of us had pulled apart.

I walked in and Sami walked past the pair of us. I waved at her and walked on. Her face dropped slightly and her hand caught my wrist. Making me stop as Jaren walked on past us.

"You've been crying. What is it?" I shrugged her off kindly as I gave a partial truth about a friend being hurt. She hugged me and then walked on again. Nothing more being said.

"Where are we all sleeping?" Jaren asked as I walked back into the room. Perks of darker skin, the tint of crying weren't as clear. Red didn't last long.

"Oh, yeah. Smii7y, we all had the discussion earlier. You are in a room with John and I do believe that Cookie you are with Fitz. He's in the room right now." I nodded and walked up the steps. Finding the room with a lesser spotted Fitz.

"Hey." I walked in and a blonde or brunette met me. He smiled and waved slightly as he typed a final sentence.

"Sorry. I can leave just wanted to put my bag in here." Fitz waved me off and ran his hand through his hair. Clearly stressed and also giving something some thought.

"You know. As much as I hate talking about my problems I find it helps. If you want we can talk or we can go play cards. Anthony needs a little content and so we are playing cards in real life. You know, twice as offensive." He smiled and laughed at the truthfulness of my statements, both of them.

"Just girl problems. She thinks I am being too immature. Let's play." Fitz and I had a kind of relationship. I had a small crush on him for a short while until we started to play and then I saw him as a brother.

"I don't know her name but if she can't see that you are amazing. Ditch it. I mean, I am here. Perfect for the picking." I winked poorly and then gave the least attractive smile I could muster. Whilst I smacked my butt.

"Noted. Let's go." He stood up and pushed at my core. Making me walk forward, out of the door. His hands then stayed around my waist as we walked down. He was holding me back as we walked slowly.