"I hardly think this is the time!" I said. I didn't want to lie, but I couldn't tell the truth. "Jackson has been very good to me these past couple days, and that's why I'm so freaked out. We're friends." "Whatever, Sophie."  "There's that lack of trust again," I growled. "You know what a cry baby I am; I can't believe you're surprised that I'm getting all worked up about this." He said nothing until we pulled into the hospital parking lot. "I'm sorry," he said when we got out of the car. "I'm just stressed out; I didn't mean to snap at you." He pulled me to him and kissed my hair. "Jack is going to be fine, I know it." Simon's mood swings were worse than mine, and I had an excuse once a month. At least he'd apologized, though. "It's okay," I said, taking his hand. "Let's get out

"Um… hi Mrs. Sutterfield. We were just napping… we weren't doing anything… We're still wearing clothes…"She stared at me.Maybe I should have stopped at 'hi Mrs. Sutterfield'."Hello Sophie," she said finally. "Could you wake him up, please? I need to speak with him."I shook Simon lightly. "Mon, wake up.""Mm…" he leaned up to kiss me, not opening his eyes."Simon!" His mother snapped.He backed away from me, slowly turning to face her. I'd never heard anyone use his full name before, so I knew she had to be pissed."Hi Mom," he said awkwardly. "You look pretty today.""Come with me," she ordered."I'll be right back," he told me, rolling his eyes.

As much as the brothers fought, they told each other almost everything."It seems like I was so much younger than I am now and a lot fucking stupider. Funny how much one year can do. We had sex right here on this balcony." He shook his head. "I didn't use a condom… she asked me too… but I didn't have one… and…" He ran his hand back through his hair."Did she have an abortion?" I asked carefully."No… we were gonna keep it. Brenda’s family is Catholic, they would've disowned her. She had a miscarriage. I hate to admit it… but I was really glad. How fucking wrong is that!? Sophie, I regret that every day of my life. I don't know how Brenda can still speak to me after I pressured her into having unprotected sex. I wasn't man enough to tell my own father. I just kept it to myself… like no one would ever find out."

It may have seemed like I was overreacting, but I'd caught Caroline all over him before. I didn't really blame Simon, since he'd pushed her away; but if I wasn't there to watch him, would he let her have his way with him? Maybe I was just as guilty of being untrusting as he was. I shut my eyes and groaned. Things were never going to work out. Something had changed between us over the last week, and no matter how hard I tried to deny it, thoughts of Jackson were always lurking somewhere in my mind. I needed a distraction. The only problem was I didn't really feel well enough to go anywhere. I called Ellie. "Haven't heard from you in days," she said when she picked up."I know, sorry! Things with Simon have been a little crazy."We went through the obligatory small talk and then I invited her over."Why don't we go out? I've been cooped up in the ho

"Is something the matter with Simon?" "What do you mean?""He was really quiet this morning. He just seems upset."He sighed heavily. "Well, you know what a momma's boy little Simon is… this morning Mom told us that she found a lump… in her breast. He's just freaked out about it.""Jack…" I began. "I'm so sorry."He smiled slightly, but when I met his eyes I saw the fear. "Nothing's definite, you know? It could be nothing."He was trying hard not to appear vulnerable. It wasn't his style to be scared. I knew that he was afraid, but I wouldn't mention it."She's going to get a biopsy done today. Apparently she's known about if for a while now, but she didn't want us to get upset about it.""I'll let you get back t