Another week of school flies by, my days spent dodging hits from Dr. Harvey, suspicion from my best friends, both Wren and Layne, and now a recently unlocked challenge mode--- Not getting kicked clean out of NCT by Graves.

I'm relieved when Saturday hits again and I spend it sleeping in, having had an exhausting week. Layne's rides with me had expanded into me getting her from the house as well in between breaks and then driving her home again. I was doing it to be nice, I swear it, but I was getting looks from the Sociopath and the others in the culinary program-- so it morphed into an even longer week with me feeling like I had to validate my sexuality every two seconds.

When I wake up, Beck is laying next to me in bed. I jump and he screams as well, both of us startled.

I wait for my heart rate to slow and stare at him, "Beck what---?"

"Are you ready for Silver Linings Night?"

Silver Linings Night was the opening practice for all the fall sports teams featuring live music, cheer leading and food trucks. It was the party to start all parties there after hosted by the school itself.

I sit up and push him off my bed, before grabbing a shirt to pull over the sports bra I typically sleep in, "That's not for a few hours. And how'd you get into my bed? More importantly, my house?"

Just then, my step-mother strolls by, "Uh, Kaylie Jane there's somebody here for you-- Oh, never mind."

"Thanks, Mindy," I reply sarcastically. "Hi, Mrs. Parker!" Beck calls from the ground.

"Any way," I reply as she leaves, "I have to be next door in a little bit. I promised I'd be at this other kickback thing for a bit."

"Oooo! Can I go? Can I?" Beck jumps excited up and down.

"Yeah, let me change first alright?" he finally leaves my room and I pull on a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt.

"You can't wear that!" Beck screams.

"Why?" in the time it takes me to give myself a once over Beck is already in my closet fishing me out something else to wear. My closet was a walk in, so he disappears all the way into the back before emerging with a pair of jean shorts and a tie dye top cut out on the sides, our school logo on the front in silver.

"I can't take you anywhere without you trying to look like trash. It's like all you wear is black and grey. Where's your teals, pinks, corals not in a red or at least a maroon," he fishes under my bed for a pair of pink vans that were definitely under there for a reason, "Here, wear this."

"That's so many colors!" I complain, "There's a reason all that stuff was in the back."

"Shut up and change. You're making me late," he leaves and I change into the clothes. Feeling somewhat revealed, I grab a lighter blue shirt to have over it and pull my braids into a ponytail and heading out.

Beck bitches at me about changing his original design the whole three house walk to the Sinclair's, a plume of smoke inviting us into their backyard. The gate to the back is open, so we let ourselves in, the small gathering only about six other people thus far. All boys, so presumably Dil's friends.

"Welcome!" Ms. Cassie emerges from the house carrying a tray of cut up fruit and vegetables, "So glad you could make it, KJ. And you brought a friend!"

"Yeah, Beck this is Ms. Cassie, Layne's mom. Ms. Cassie, this is Beck."

"Nice to meet you Beck," they shake hands, "Anyways Beck I'll have Dillion introduce you to the other guys. KJ, you can find Layne upstairs somewhere."

Beck shoots me a look not to leave him, but feeling dismissed I shrug and head into the house. The house is only partially unpacked still-- in that uncomfortable space between organized, with boxes still being processed tower in the corners. I hear a noise upstairs and head in that direction, stumbling across Layne clad in just a bra and boy shorts.

"Sorry!" I close my eyes and slam into the door behind me.

"Are you okay?" she offers me her hand helping me up, still very under dressed. I close my eyes again.

"So you just aren't going to put anymore clothes on?" I manage my way into a standing position, years of being accident prone having taught me to recover quickly from pain.

"Grow up, KJ," she rolls her eyes, "You see the exact same thing every morning."

I don't drop my hands until I hear her door close before it reopens again, revealing Layne dressed simply in ripped jeans and a cute top, "Is this better?"

"Yes," I stand and enter her room, soaked in what I was learning was her natural scent of roses and vanilla. To get to her bed is a step up, putting it at the highest point. Perched on it is Max, who recognizes me as familiar and greets me excitedly.

"What are you all dressed up for?" Layne questions me.

"Dressed up?"

"I've known you about two weeks and if it's one thing I've learned about you, next to the insomnia thing, is that you are a t-shirt and jeans type of girl."

"Beck dressed me," I explain, "And what's wrong with t-shirts and jeans?"

"Nothing," she shoots me a flirtatious smile, "I like a t-shirt and jeans type of girl."

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say that to me," I reply, continuing to stroke Max, now laying peacefully in my lap, "Your dog has more of a chance with me than you do."

Layne joins me on the ground, "Bet."

"That's not a challenge," I reply, "I'm not into girls."

"You were into Wren," she replies.

"The Sociopath? Nah that was something different," I shrug it off, "And since when do you talk to her?"

"Since she told me she broke your heart," she stands up casually, "I'm hungry."

I start to protest further that Wren and I had nothing between us, but don't want to give her the satisfaction of attempting to prove anything to her. I'm straight. I swear it.

I follow her back downstairs and into the yard where a few more kids have gathered, most of which are introduced as cousins or another.

"KJ," Beck appears next to me, clutching my arm, "Save me from the heteros!"

"I can't take you anywhere, I swear," I pull my arm away from him, "It's been like, five minutes."

"We've been here like half an hour. You guys were in there a long time."

Really? It hadn't felt like it.

"It's cool we aren't gonna stay much longer anyway the Silver Linings Night starts soon," I reply, "Now go. At least one of those guys is low key gay."

"I already figured it out," He nods to a shy looking guy in the back of the group, "Totally gay."

"Then go talk to him for like another fifteen minutes," I say, "I'll get you when it's time to go."

"Where are you going?" Layne suddenly appears next to me as soon as Beck is gone.

I'm becoming oddly accustomed to her appearing from thin air, "Just this thing at our school. It's just like a BBQ or whatever to start off the year."

"Sounds like a kick back," Cassie appears behind me, and I can see where her daughter gets it from, "I used to love those back in my day."

"Cool so when are we leaving?"

"We?"

"You have to take me with you!" she shakes my arm, "I've been home schooled my whole high school career! I want to experience normal high school things. With normal high school friends."

I exhale, "Okay fine. But you owe me."

"Since when did I open up a tab with you?" she jokes and then leans in closer, "If you want something from me, I'll do whatever you want and more."

I pull away from her, and reach into the cooler for a soda, "Just be ready to leave in fifteen."

***

We pull up to the kick-back fashionably late and meet Nat in the parking lot. "Nat, remember Layne? Layne, remember the love of my life Natalie Jackson?"

"Stop introducing me like that," Nat hits me and I laugh, "What's up?"

"Hey," Layne glances at Nat than at me and I wink.

We move closer to the festivities and Beck badgers on in Layne's ear. Nat drops back with me, "So did you invite her or...?"

"She invited herself," I answer, "As always."

"But you let her though," Nat responds, "Who else do you let boss you around like that?"

"She isn't bossing me," I defend myself.

Nat smirks, "So you want her around too?"

"No. I'm just trying to be nice. Can I not be nice? Or is that too gay?" I end the conversation.

We enter the football field where teams are showing off, finding seats near the top of the bleachers.Nat takes the aisle seat, then me, then Layne, with Beck on the end. Half way through the performances, I get up and head to one of the food trucks to get the group food, Layne tagging along.

"You were kidding about your thing with Nat right?"

"What thing?" I'd made the joke so long ago, I'd forgotten about it.

"You said Nat was your lover," she clarifies, "That was a joke right?"

"Of course," I laugh, "Nah, me and Nat would kill each other if we dated."

"Okay," she nods, "But she's a lesbian right?"

"Yeah," I give her a quizzical look, "What you aren't into Nat or something are you?"

She blushes, "Um... No I just... or something..."

She hurries away from me and I turn back to face the counter, ordering an insane amount of food and hauling it back to where we were sitting. When I sit down, I notice that Layne has moved from sitting next to me, to the opposite side next to Beck. She's talking to a girl I've interacted with once or twice, but am not particularly friends with. I take my seat between Beck and Nat, and we enjoy the rest of the event, rarely talking aside from the occasional hoot and holla.

I glance in her direction and catch her staring at Nat and , which solicits another blush before she turns away. However, when my eyes turn back to the game, I can sense hers fall on us once again.