I stood up and sighed. "As much fun as I'm having, I've gotta get home. They'll be worried about me, ya know." I said.

Marko laughed and threw a ball of paper at me. "Aw, you're no fun! We were just starting to have a good time, too!" he said, kicking his feet up onto the fountain.

I smiled. "Sorry, bud. Pauly, you think you could take me to the boardwalk? I know my way from there."

David and Paul were back in the main part of, well, whatever you'd call the place we were in. David said it used to be a cool resort or something, but now it was their hangout. Or maybe it was their home at this point.

David lit a cigarette. "Stay here." he said before taking a drag.

"That's, uh, that's real nice of ya, but they'll start worrying if I don't get home, soon. So," I laughed a little.

David looked at me and cocked a brow. "That wasn't a suggestion. Stay here." he took another drag then sat down in his wheelchair.

Paul walked over to me. "C'mon, Jas, I'll show ya where you can sleep." he ushered me towards a bed near the far corner.

How nice. I was finally old enough to do what I wanted and I still was being told what to do. Did I find a potential boyfriend or a new parent?

"Paul," I hissed. "They're gonna be worried. I have to get back home. They might not even know where I am."

Paul sighed and sat next to me on the bed. "Listen, Jas, just stay here for tonight, ok? Nothing bad is gonna happen to ya. I'm your brother. You think I'd let ya stay in a place you could get hurt?"

I shook my head. "No... I'll stay for tonight, but I'm going back tomorrow, you hear?" I sighed and lay back on the bed.

Paul smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Jazzy, love ya lots." he whispered before bounding off to hang out with Marko.

"Where is 'home', anyway? You don't live with your mother, anymore. And you wouldn't be living with your father, would you?" David asked putting his cigarette out.

"The Emerson place. They suggested I stay with them and wouldn't take no for an answer, so that's where home is, at the moment." I replied.

David came closer to the bed. "Emerson place, huh? As in, Michael Emerson?"

I sat up and stared at him for a few seconds. I nodded. "That's the one. Michael and his family. Why?" Was there some big problem with that? A problem with Michael?

"Hm... No reason." he shrugged and went back to his little throne.

I joined Paul and Marko. "What's his problem, anyway?" I mumbled. Paul and Marko looked at each other and sighed.

"Just.. Just don't give him any trouble, alright? Just hang out, have a good time, and don't start anything." Marko ordered.

Paul leaned his back against the wall. "Yeah, just relax, Jas." he shrugged.

I glanced at David, but quickly looked away when he caught me looking. He stood up and lit a fire. "How about we liven things up in here, hm?" he turned the radio on.

Later, Dwayne went out to get something for all of us to eat. I sat wrapped up in a blanket on the bed, avoiding contact with everybody except Paul. I was actually pretty clingy with Paul.

The others sat and ate and drank to their hearts' content while I sulked in my blanket.

"You gonna eat something or sit there pouting all night?" David asked, pushing some food my way.

I looked at it and pushed it towards him. "I'm not hungry." I stated. I was being stubborn. I wanted to go home, so no one was worried about me, and I didn't like being told what to do. It almost felt like I was a captive except I wasn't in much danger and my brother was there.

He rolled his eyes and pushed it towards me again. "Stop being like that, just eat something! God.."

"Oh, ya know, I'd love to if I were actually hungry. But turns out, I'm not, so.." I shoved it back once again and pulled the blanket tighter around me.

David was clearly getting angry now, which, kinda scared me, but I was too busy being stubborn and independent to be too terrified.

"If you're gonna act like an immature kid, I'm gonna treat you like one. Now, for the last time, just eat something!"

I took a deep breath and took the food. There was no beating him. He had the final say so.

"See? Was that so hard? God, Paul, your sister is a handful..." he sighed and returned to his food.

I sat in my bed, angrily eating food and mumbling to myself. "Don't see why you're so concerned, anyway.."

The rest of the night was much more peaceful. Mainly because I stayed out of the way and did as I was told to avoid conflict. It wasn't so bad, I guess. I still tried to act a little mad, though.

I wondered when I'd go home. Morning? Evening? Nighttime? I also wondered if they were worried or didn't know where I was. I might have given Mrs. Emerson a real scare. Mike would probably yell at me or something, but I'd deal with all that when the time came.

I drifted off to sleep at some point. The bed was soft and Bon Jovi was on the radio. The candles and fires added to the sleepy vibes. Before I was completely asleep, I felt somebody kiss my forehead. I assumed it was Paul and opened my eyes a little to make sure. When I did, Paul wasn't standing above me. David was.

"Hey, shh, go back to sleep." he awkwardly pulled the covers over me and I let my heavy eyelids close.