Beautiful Lies

James

"Nope, sorry doll took 'em all already," Julie said as she looked through her bookbag just in case.

"I have melatonin if that's any help?" Nova spoke from the passenger seat

"How many?"

"About 20."

"Give it to me," Skylar said throwing herself forward to take the ziplock bag from Nova all while Jake and Julie attempted to make sure she didn't fall face-first into the center console. She seconded she got the bag from Nova. Mariano grabbed her legs and yanked her back into her seat. As she ate about three gummies she took the blanket right back from Mariano as he pretended to look hurt.

"Suck it up I'm going to sleep now," Sky said covering her head.

"Love," Mariano said, and with the same force that Sky had hit him with Julie did the same with the blanket she had given Mariano on the way to Florida she had just given to him once more.

"Please be quiet now"

"Anything for you love" Mariano smirked Julie rolled her eyes all the while James laughed watching the two in the rearview mirror while he drove with Nova by his side. Jake could tell even in his seat James was extremely nervous. It was a new sight for Jake to see, James loved cars, especially old fashion sports cars and he loved driving so to see him nervous to drive just because Nova was seated beside him was a whole new thing.

He watched as Julie curled up into a ball with her sweater over herself to try and fall asleep with her headphones on blasting music everyone could hear. The six spent about an hour in pure silence and just the humming of Nova Julie and Skylar's music from the headphones.

HOUR TEN

"James is Nova asleep," Mariano asked as he propped himself up onto the seat in front of him in the same manner Skylar had done.

"Yea is Sky and Julie?"

"Dead asleep, "Jake said

"Same here Sky snores" Mariano joked

"She does not" Jake snapped to her defense so quickly you'd think they slept in the same bed for years. It made James and Mariano chuckle

"Settle down lover boy it was only a joke" James grinned as shook his head Mariano lifted his hands in defense.

"Cause you would know about her sleeping patterns tell us Jake how are you little rendezvous" Mariano continued to tease him.

"Oh shut up would you at least I kinda have here more than you both," Jake said as he turned to face Mariano who lifted a brow at him.

"Is that so?"

"Mariano stop teasing Jake. Jake stop engaging with Mariano" James said looking at the two make faces at one another like children.

"Yea yea anyway, James kinda has Nova like she's there everyone can see there on the brink of a relationship they just need to be tipped over into that, you are my friend Julie couldn't be farther away from you than ever. She may be sleeping right here she may be at your grasp physically but in every other aspect the girl's miles and miles away from you" Jake said as he slumped back into his seat all while talking with his hands.

He could see the reality of his words hitting Mariano like a punch to the gut and immediately felt bad. He knew Mariano was playing around with him and he was well aware he took it too far. He also knew very well Mariano had been going to therapy to deal with his childhood. To deal with everything he needed to so he could be a better friend to them and a better man so Julie would finally pick him to be around.