C4 Chelsea

I swear, my stepbrother can be so damn annoying. And, the nerve of that bitch he brought home, thinking she could disrespect me inside my own house. God, he gets under my skin something horribly. Honestly, he's worse than any itch I ever had.

Luckily, I have Jason. In reality, I'm unsure of what I'd do without him. I'd be more miserable than I already am if I didn't have Jason to confide in.

"You and Kevin seem more like a couple than step-siblings." Wow. I've told my best friend everything, and this is all he has to say? Furthermore, Kevin and I act nothing like a couple considering all we do is argue.

I lean my head on the back of the seat while Jason drives, "I'm joking, Chelsea. Stop taking it so personally." Jason puts his hand on my leg, giving it a little squeeze.

"Where are we going?" I question.

"I'm gonna grab you and me a bite to eat and take you to our spot." Jason glances at me before focusing back on the road. "You seem like you could use a peaceful scenery." Indeed, I could use a break mainly because tonight is going to be worse. In fact, it will probably be the worst night of my existence.

I take a deep breath, trying to relax. "Thank you, Jason." I sigh.

"Don't thank me. That's what I'm here for." Jason is too sweet. Frankly, I'm surprised he doesn't have a girlfriend tying him down.

Over the years, Jason has been there for me several times. He is the one person I know I can count on regardless of the situation.

Each and every time, Kevin becomes too much for me to handle, to the point I can't take it anymore; I call Jason. Furthermore, he never hesitates to come running to my rescue.

In the past, Jason was there for me when my parents had divorced and when my father walked out of my life. I might have been young, but that didn't stop the situation from hurting nonetheless.

Although my father doesn't live far from me, I still refuse to make the first move. It's not that I'm stubborn. However, I believe if my father wanted me in his life, he would walk in the same way he had walked out.

"Are burgers and fries good?" I nod my head.

"Do you still have the blanket in your trunk?" I inquire.

Jason has never taken me to his house. In all honesty, I've never even met his family. Every so often, I think it's strange because we've known each other since middle school.

"Of course, I still have it. Why wouldn't I? It's our blanket." I smile a little too hard. I swear, this boy has a way of melting my heart.

Whereas Kevin is an asshole, Jason is gentle and very protective over me.

If I weren't scared of ruining our friendship, I'd want more with him. It appears to me, Jason would be the perfect boyfriend.

"Can I have a number two and two double bacon cheeseburgers with a large coke?" Jason takes out his credit card, gives it to the cashier at the window of the drive-thru.

"Here you go, Sir." The lady hands Jason his credit card along with our bag of food.

As soon as the smell of the food travels through my nostrils, my stomach growls. I'm glad the lake that Jason and I unwind at isn't far from here because I'm starving.

***

"Is it that bad, Chelsea?" Jason asks before he takes a gigantic bite of his burger.

I know he's regarding living with Kevin, so I wait until I swallow my food before answering. "Yes." I take a sip of our soda, "Besides the situation with that girl, he constantly messes with me, Jason. He leaves his belongings scattered all over the bathroom sink. Therefore before I shower, I have to clean his mess up. Also, he leaves the damn toilet seat up, and I have to go behind him and keep putting it down." I pick up a fry, take a bite before continuing, "The other day when I came home from the store, he carried all my bags inside. Also, when I went for a late-night swim, he came out to swim with me. It was the first time he seemed normal. He actually seemed like a reasonable human being, and get this, he even joked. After that girl left, he tried to settle my feet on his lap and wanted to watch a movie with me. So, it's not all the time he gets on my nerves, but most of the time, he does." Kevin's mood swings give me whiplash. Thankfully, I have Jason to confide in to help keep me sane.

I've noticed Jason has stopped eating throughout my ramble and is staring at me. "He likes you." He states firmly.

I prop my forehead on my hands, "No he doesn't. He hates me." I blurt out.

Swiftly, Jason stands and strides toward the lake, "Trust me, he likes you." He replies as he picks at his burger, tossing little pieces out to the ducks.

"Well, I don't like him," I admit. Or, at least, I don't believe I do.

Cautiously, Jason turns and studies me but says nothing. "What?" I challenge.

He goes back to feeding the ducks, "If you can deal with it until after graduation, you can move in with me." He offers.

My mouth drops, and I close it. "You have never taken me to your house, and you expect me to believe you'd allow me to live with you?" I stand and walk over to his side.

"I'm still living with my parents." He says, grinding his teeth. "My house is still under renovation. It won't be finished for another month or so."

"I might take you up on that offer, so be careful what you're ditching out," I say, smiling.

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want you living with me. In the meantime, stay away from him." That's easier said than done, considering we live together.

"That's irrelevant, Jason. We live in the same house. Not to mention my mother and Virgil is having a party tonight since they eloped. And, they've already given Kevin and me strict orders to join them on the dance floor after their dance." The last thing I wish to do is dance with Kevin.

Granted, he's a walking sexually transmitted disease; therefore, being close to him is the last thing I want.

Quietly, I swallow the vomit that has forced it's way up from thinking about Kevin having his hands on me after the umpteenth amount of girls he's done touched.

I glance at Jason, noticing he's grinding his jaw, "I'll dance with you."

My eyes pop wide, "Seriously? How would we even make that happen?"

When it's time for you and Kevin to dance, I'll grab your hand, and together, we'll dance." He shrugs like it's that simple.

Though I must confess, I like his plan simply because it will save me from dancing with Mr. Contagious.

"Instead of taking me home, just take me to your house. We could easily skip the party," I propose.

"You'll hurt your mother's feelings. Besides, I told you my house isn't finished yet."

"So, take me to your parent's house." I challenge.

"That's not an option." Jason walks toward our blanket attempting to avoid the conversation.

"Why not?" I investigate.

"Because it isn't." He speaks harshly.

"Fine," I mope as I sit down on the blanket and scroll on Facebook.

"I'm sorry, Chelsea."

"If you have a live-in girlfriend or some shit, you know you could tell me, right?" I quiz, looking for an explanation as to why he won't take me to meet his parents.

"I have a baby, and I prefer not to bring other women around her who isn't her birth mother." Holy shit. All these years I've known Jason, and I never knew he had a baby.

Moreover, it hurts. I guess I didn't know him as well as I presumed I did.

"Sike, Chelsea, I'm fucking with you." He quickly adds while laughing, "The expression on your face was entertaining as fuck, though."

Only Jason would find a rude way to make me laugh to make me forget my misery.

I draw a finger across my throat, "You're a dead man." I tackle him, attempting to take him to the ground.

Jason wrestles me to his lap, folds his arms around me. "Were you jealous?"

"No," I smack his shoulder. "Hurt, not jealous." I half-lie.

"Why were you hurt?" He squeezes me tighter.

"You're my best friend, Jason. I tell everything to the one person and one of the few people who has always been here for me. And for a second, you made me believe that I didn't know the real you, and that hurt." He places his lips on my forehead, holding them there for a second.

"I don't have a girlfriend or any babies." He chuckles. "The reason I don't take you to my house is that I don't get along with my parents. I'd rather not burden you with my home life when you have enough problems of your own to deal with." He leans his head onto mine.

"Your home life is comparable to mine. Therefore, I won't be bothered by it." As to where Jason argues with his parents, I argue with my stepbrother.

"It's worse." He claims.

Suddenly, I have a suspicion it's more to it than he's saying. "I'm here for you, Jason, as you are for me." I remind him.

"I know."

I shift in his arms, placing my back against his front. "Guess we're dancing tonight," I tell him with a smile.

"Yeah?" he questions as he inhales my neck.

"Yep," I confirm as I settle my hands over his. "I was jealous," I admit.

Naturally, he laughs.

I elbow him in his ribs. "I think Kevin is cute." I tease. Immediately, Jason stops laughing.

He jerks his arms from around me, quickly gathering our belongings.

He doesn't speak; he doesn't laugh.

In fact, he doesn't even look at me.

After he has placed everything inside the trunk, he slammed it shut. That's the moment I realize he's furious. "Are you mad?" I question.

Obviously, I've pissed him off because Jason hops into the car and slams the driver's door shut without answering me.

Abruptly, I open the door, observing him. "Look at me," he ignores me, continuing to stare straight ahead.

"I was joking," I place my hand on his cheek, forcing his face to meet mine. "Were you jealous?" I throw his words back at him.

I climb onto his lap. His ocean blue eyes pierce mine. "I was," he admits.

I laugh harder than he had when he made me jealous. I guess when the shoe is on the other foot, it isn't funny.

I look at him with watery eyes from laughing so hard, "Tic for tac," I say with a massive smile on my face.

Unexpectedly, Jason crashes lips against mine.

I don't move.

I don't breathe.

For a second, I'm paralyzed with shock.

Jason and I have held hands even cuddled while we were hanging out together, but never have we kissed.

From an outsider looking in, it's possible someone would mistake him and me for a couple. Though, Jason and I have never discussed taking our friendship to another level.

Jason is persistent, continues to force his tongue into my mouth.

Gradually, I open my mouth, allowing him the entrance he's seeking.

In the heat of the moment, I slide my hands through his frosty blonde hair, the same moment Jason pulls me closer.

We keep our lips locked for minutes before pulling apart for a breather.

Jason and I remain here wordlessly, forehead to forehead.

"Never joke like that again." He whispers against my mouth before placing a delicate peck against my lips.

"If I had known making you jealous was all it took for you to kiss me, I might have done it years ago."

Jason smirks, "All you had to do was ask." He kisses me again, only this time it's gentle.

He places his hands on the side of my face, gently strokes his thumbs back and forth.

Instantly, I brush my hands through his hair before wrapping my arms around his neck.

We kiss slowly, taking our time to get to know each other intimately.

Eventually, Jason pulls back, clutches my ass, "Come on, let me get you home. I don't want you late for tonight."

"What's this mean, Jason? I don't want to lose you as a friend." I look deeply into his eyes, "Our friendship means more to me than anything."

He rubs my back and says, "It's whatever you want it to be," He glides his nose across my neck before bringing his mouth back to mine and whispers against my lips. "You will never lose me, Chelsea." He promises.

Did Jason and I just go from being best friends to boyfriend and girlfriend?

Why can't males be more specific?

On top of everything else, I'm left more confused than I've ever been.