Cold Coffee and Stale Cigarettes *on hold*

Chapter 29

"You are so busted." Someone sang in my ears. Bleary eyed and half asleep, I stretched out.

"Tyler?"

"You didn't do it, did you?"

"What?" I squeaked, jerking up to feel the weight of Dalton's arm holding my waist. He groaned, the noise low in the back of his throat before he buried his face further into the couch. "Shit." I hissed, standing up. "Why are you home?"

"Tara was homesick."

"Sam?" Dalton's voice was husky with sleep. "Nightmares?"

"Nightmares?" Tyler echoed, narrowing his eyes at me. "You're still getting them?"

"Tyler?" Dalton asked. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I live here. Why are you so close to my sister?"

"I win." Dalton muttered, rolling over.

"Shit, really?" Tyler looked at me, moon-eyed. "Her?"

"Not on purpose." he shrugged, glancing at me. I flushed, fidgeting with my sleeves.

"Shut up." I mumbled. "Shit, Dave and Tara-"

"It's still the middle of the night, they want to sleep."

"Sounds good to me." Dalton sighed into the couch cushion. "Sam, I'm cold."

"You're problem." I glared at him.

"Are you sure you won?" Tyler asked.

"I definitely won."

"I can't believe you made a bet." I cut in to Tyler.

"Rita started it."

"Rita's in on it?"

"Dude, I think she was making buttons."

"Wha-"

"I finally got her to sleep, Tyler." Dalton sat up, ruffling his hair.

"She hasn't been?"

"I'm right here."

"Shut up Sam we're talking about you." Tyler didn't even look at me. Dalton paused, mouth in a hard line.

"Do you do this often?" I asked.

"Only once or twice." Dalton shrugged, but his face remained blank.

"Sam? You down there?" Tara's voice rang from the stairs. I froze, exchanging a glance with Tyler, internally panicking. "Honey? We came back ear-" She froze when she reached the landing, seeing Dalton sitting on the couch beside me. "You're friend is over." she deadpanned, before her eyes sparked. "Oh."

"It's ok ma, I woke them up. Idiots fell asleep with the TV on. Waste. Of. Energy." he shook his head.

"Hey Mrs. Taylor. How was your trip?" Dalton gave Tara an easy grin and Tyler's jaw cracked was it dropped in surprise.

"Oh. Uhm. Nice. It was warm." Her eyes slowly switched to me. "Have you been here long?"

"All weekend." Dalton said. I spun around, nearly spitting acid, and Tara stared for a moment, before a laugh broke past her lips.

"Really? Well, I appreciate the honesty. Sam, can you come upstairs for a moment?" her laugh faded to a gleam in her eyes and I felt myself pale.

"Uhm,"

"You're not in trouble." She waved her hand. "I just need to talk to you about something."

"Mom, I'm pretty sure he's in on the secret, so..." Tyler slumped onto the couch, slipping his phone from his back pocket. I winced, glanced at Dalton, and then Tara, who's eyes had widened slightly.