***Jace’s POV***
“I’m tired,” I announced to Mitch. We were sitting in my basement watching Scrubs.
“Let’s go to bed,” Mitch said, even though I knew he was wide awake.
He stood up and I copied him. We stretched a little and I turned the TV off, glancing at Mitch, wondering if he would sleep in my bed tonight.
“I’m going to piss. I’ll meet you in your room,” he said, classy as ever, before heading into the bathroom.
I rolled my eyes and went upstairs. Mom was watching a movie in the living room and she motioned me over when she saw me.
“Jace, is Mitch staying the night?” she asked.
“Yea. Is that alright?” I asked.
“Of course it’s alright. I was just wondering,” she said. She eyed me, but not with her usual worry. The look in her eyes was happy and loving. “Goodnight Jace. I love you.”
“I love you too,” I said, slightly confused.
I turned as I heard Mitch coming up the stairs. I went over to him and we went into my bedroom together.
“I’m sleeping on your bed. Deal with it,” he said and jumped up onto my bed.
“At least move over,” I said, shoving him and crawling in next to him.
I pulled the covers over us and got myself into a comfortable position. It should’ve been awkward, but it wasn’t. We just laid there, not touching each other, comfortable in the darkness once I’d turn the lights off.
“I know you won’t fall asleep for a while, and I’m sorry. I’m just really tired,” I said, closing my eyes.
“It’s fine. I’m used to it. This happens with everyone,” Mitch said.
We fell into a comfortable silence. I laid there, drifting off to sleep, the smell of vanilla lightly swirling around me and easing me into a deep sleep.
***
I rolled over sleepily, my stomach growling. Mitch was still fast asleep, and I mentally sighed. He wasn’t going to be very happy about this.
“Wake up,” I said, lightly hitting him in the face.
He groaned and smacked my hand away. “Don’t touch me,” he growled, pulling the covers over his head.
“I’m hungry. Get up,” I said, yanking the covers away from him.
“You’re a big boy. You can eat without me,” he said, burying his face into my pillow.
“Wake up and seize the day,” I said, yanking the pillow out from under him.
He forced his eyes open and glared at me. “I hate you. I’m still tired. I don’t like being woken up.”
“And I don’t like waiting. Let’s go,” I said, getting up and forcing him to come with me.
I dragged Mitch out to the kitchen with me and we sat at the counter. My mom was in there scanning over the newspaper and sipping coffee.
“Good morning boys,” mom said.
“The ‘good’ is debatable,” Mitch grumbled.
“Oh, oops, I forgot Mitch isn’t a morning person,” mom said. She hurriedly fixed a cup of coffee and gave it to Mitch.
“Thanks,” he said, drinking some.
“You’re always so grumpy in the morning,” I said, watching him.
“Yea, well, waking up isn’t really my thing,” he said, setting the cup of coffee down.
“Mom, I’m hungry and I don’t want to burn down the house,” I said.
“I’ll just put bagels in for you two,” mom said, going over and grabbing the bagels.
“Thank you,” I said, folding my arms over the counter and resting my chin on them. Mitch rubbed at his eyes, looking tired. I felt a little guilty for waking him up, but forced it away.
“Do you mind if we go to Rio’s house after we eat? I want to get the money he owes me. We can go to the smoothie place,” Mitch said.
“Yea, sure,” I said with a shrug.
Mom slid us the bagels when they were done. We ate them hungrily before going into my room and changing. I lent Mitch clothes, and we fixed our hair and brushed our teeth before leaving the house.
I drove us down to Rio’s house and we got out. Mitch led me to the front door and rang the doorbell.
Mrs. Snyder pulled the door open and offered us a smile. “Hi boys. Rio is in his bedroom. I think he might be sleeping. You can just wake him up,” she said, letting us in.
“Thanks Mrs. Snyder,” Mitch said. He led me through the kitchen and out to the living room.
I glanced at Rio’s dad and some other guy before stopping and doing a double take. There was no doubt that the guy on the couch with Rio’s dad was Rio’s brother.
He was dangerously skinny, his hair messy. His skin was broken out, and he had a faraway look in his eyes as they trained on the TV. He was wearing a long sleeved shirt despite the heat.
“Hi boys,” Mr. Snyder greeted.
“Hey Mr. Snyder. Hi Hank,” Mitch said.
Hank looked up slowly and nodded at Mitch. Mitch grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hallway towards Rio’s room.
“Rio told me his brother was in rehab,” I said, keeping my voice low.
“He was in rehab for a while. I guess he’s home,” Mitch said with a shrug. “I knew him a little before he went back there.”
Mitch pushed Rio’s bedroom door open and we stepped into his dark room. His blinds were drawn and he was sprawled on his bed, fast asleep, topless.
Mitch picked up a mountain dew bottle from the ground and chucked it at Rio. It hit him in the head and he sat up, startled.
“What the hell?” he groaned, falling back against his bed. “I was sleeping.”
“Not anymore,” Mitch said.
“Mitch,” Rio said, rubbing at his eyes. “Go away. I’m tired.”
“You didn’t tell me Hank was home,” he said.
“He’s been home for a little while. I didn’t think it was of any interest to you,” Rio said with a shrug.
“That explains why you were so dark the other night,” Mitch said.
Rio sat up, running a hand through his hair, a grin on his face. “Me? Dark? I would never.”
He got out of bed and stumbled over to us. I realized that he wasn’t wearing his glasses, and also realized that he didn’t seem to notice.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“The money you owe me. We want to go to the smoothie place,” Mitch said.
“My wallet is in the basement,” Rio said, stretching. “Come on, I’ll pay you back and then you can get out of my house so I can go back to bed.”
“As long as I get my money,” Mitch said.
We left Rio’s bedroom, and I was surprised at how well he was getting around without his glasses. But I guess it made sense, since we were in his house. Still, I couldn’t believe he didn’t realize he wasn’t wearing his glasses.
We went out to the living room and Rio stopped. “Dad, is my wallet still in the basement?” he asked.
“Hm? Oh, yea, I think so. I think you left it on the table down there,” he said.
“Thanks,” Rio said and started walking again. Mitch and I noticed at the same time that he was about to trip over a pair of shoes, and opened our mouths to warn him.
But we were too late, and Rio tripped over the shoes. He yelped as he fell over, hitting a small table and knocking it over, picture frames falling to the ground.
“Rio!” Mr. Snyder cried, jumping up and hurrying over to him. He knelt down as Rio groaned. “Are you okay?”
“That was so unpleasant,” he grumbled.
“Why aren’t you wearing your glasses?” his dad asked, inspecting him for injuries.
“I’m not wearing them?” Rio asked in surprise, bringing his hand up to his face and feeling around for them. “Huh, I guess I’m not. Can you get them for me? I think they’re on my nightstand.”
“Hank, go get your brother his glasses,” Mr. Snyder said.
Hank looked over as if he had just realized what was happening. “What?”
“His glasses. He just tripped over your shoes,” Mr. Snyder. “He could’ve gotten hurt. Please go get him his glasses and put your shoes in the closet. He said his glasses are on his nightstand.”
Hank stood up and eyed Rio. Concern started to swim in his eyes, but then it disappeared and his expression went blank again. He turned and left, heading down the hallway.
“How do you not realize you’re not wearing your glasses? You’re a dumbass,” I said.
“You’re such a sensitive guy,” Rio said as his dad helped him up. “I’m used to being basically blind. Sometimes I forget.”
Hank came over and went over, handing Rio his glasses. Rio took them and put them on, glancing down at the shoes he had tripped over.
“Gee Hank, thanks for almost killing me,” he said.
“You didn’t get hurt, so shut up,” Hank said in annoyance.
“Hank, Rio, stop it. Hank, put your shoes away,” Mr. Snyder said sternly.
Hank shoved Rio out of the way and grabbed his shoes, walking to the closet without a glance back. Rio rolled his eyes and motioned at us to follow him.
He led us down to his basement and grabbed his wallet. He opened it and produced $5, handing it to Mitch.
“Your brother is an asshole. I’m so glad I’m an only child,” I said.
Rio shrugged. “He wasn’t an always an asshole.” He grinned at me. “Look at us with our family issues. We could bond over our brother and daddy issues.”
“I hate you,” I said in annoyance.
He laughed. “I find that so ironic, considering the fact that I probably understand you better than the Marion brothers. The things you went through with your dad are the things I’m still going through with my brother. Broken promises, constantly coming in and out of your life, the overprotective parent emerging…I get it all, Jace.” He gave me an easy smile, but his eyes told me that he knew it was anything but easy.
“Whatever Rio,” I said, not meeting his eyes.
“Mitch, give us a minute alone. I need to talk to Jace,” Rio said.
Mitch rolled his eyes and turned, heading upstairs. Rio leaned against the wall, the easy smile still on his face.
“Jace, Mitch told me a lot. He told me how your dad has come back a few times, always leaving,” he said.
“That’s my business. Not yours,” I said flatly.
He held up a hand to silence me. “Hear me out. I get it, man. Hank does that to me. They come back, making more promises to you. They’ve changed, they’re going to stay, they’re sorry. But then they’re gone again, and you’re left all alone. But every time they come back, you let them in because you love them and you want it to be the time that things really do change,” he said.
I hooked my thumbs in my pockets and shrugged, staring down at my feet. Because Rio was absolutely right.
“But you’re not the only one who does that,” Rio said. “You do it with your dad, my parents and I do it with my brother…and Mitch is doing it with you.”
I looked up at him. “What?”
“You walked away from Mitch,” he reminded. “But now you’re back, promising that you’re going to stay and that you’re going to try trusting him. So don’t be your dad. Stay and keep your promises.”
“I plan to,” I said.
“Good.” He grinned at me. There was a dark look in his eyes, though. “Jace, my brother lied to me to steal my money to buy heroin. He’s promised me that he would never do drugs again. He’s told me that he loves me more than anything, and then ditched me just to shoot himself up or snort whatever he can get his hands on. And I can still find it in myself to trust people. I know you can, too.”
With that, he turned and I followed him upstairs silently. We went to the living room, where Mitch was sitting with Mr. Snyder and Hank.
“Get up and get out of my house,” Rio said to Mitch.
“Rio, don’t be rude,” Mr. Snyder said.
“I almost died just to pay him $5,” Rio said, gesturing to the table he had fallen on.
“It’s not my fault you’re too stupid to remember your glasses,” Mitch said, jumping up and snatching them away from Rio’s face.
“Hey! I need those to see!” Rio said, blindly reaching out at Mitch.
He stumbled a little, and Hank grabbed him before he fell over. “Watch out dumbass!” he snapped.
“I can’t see!” Rio said impatiently. “I’m not trying to fall on you, Hank!”
“You weren’t going to fall on me. You were going to fall on the coffee table. Quit moving. God, you’re a pain in the ass to deal with,” Hank grumbled, shoving him onto the couch. “Give him his glasses back before he does something else stupid.”
Mitch tossed Rio his glasses, and he put them on. He pouted at Mitch and Hank, sinking down on the couch.
“You’re all asses,” he grumbled.
“If I hear the word ass one more time, I’m going to kick yours,” Mr. Snyder said, rubbing his temples.
“I have a headache. I’m going to bed,” Hank said, standing up and leaving without another word.
“I’m going back to bed too,” Rio said, jumping up. “Get out of my house. And don’t wake me up anymore.”
“Check on your brother before you go back to bed, Rio,” Mr. Snyder said.
“Checking on Hank before I go to bed is my only purpose in life,” Rio said.
“I don’t understand how you have friends with all that sarcasm,” Mr. Snyder said.
“Sarcasm scares everyone away. Ask your nephew about that,” Rio said, grinning. He turned back to us and gestured at us to get out. “Adios, peasants.”
“Do you even have a green card?” Mitch asked.
“Oh, low blow to the Spaniards,” Rio said.
“You’re Spanish? Your brother is pale as hell,” I said. Hank had looked like a much lighter version of Rio, with pale skin and light brown hair, as opposed to Rio’s tan skin and dark hair.
“Spanish-German mutts,” Rio said, gesturing at himself. “Anyways, I’m tired, and this conversation is going nowhere. Goodbye!” He turned and went down the hallway, disappearing into the bedroom across from his to check on his brother.
“Sorry about my kids,” Mr. Snyder said with a sigh. “Bye boys.”
Mitch and I left their house and got in the car. I drove us to the smoothie place and we went inside, carefully scanning for any sign of creepy guys who chewed with their mouths open.
Seeing no sign of such guys, we ordered smoothies and sat down together at a little table near the window. I sipped on my smoothie, staring out of the window, thinking about what Rio had said.
“So what did Rio say to you?” Mitch asked.
I shrugged. “Just some things.”
“He’s right, you know,” Mitch said. “He understands you better than I do.”
I shook my head. “No. He understands some of my issues better than you do. He’ll never understand me better than you and Shane. I don’t think anyone ever could.”
“But Rio could help you better than I ever could,” Mitch said.
“He’s hard to figure out,” I said. “I can’t tell if he’s a good person or not. And Mitch, you’ve already helped me so much.”
“He’s a good person,” Mitch said. “He’s just got some dark moments. Like you. You’re a good person, but sometimes your dark moments make you do stupid things. Like not talk to me for a year. That totally sucked, by the way.”
“It won’t happen again,” I promised.
“You’re damn right it won’t,” he said with a crooked smile. I smiled back, admiring him. The chip in his tooth caught my eye and I smiled wider. I had a past with Mitch, and I wanted a future with him too, even if it wasn’t romantic.
I looked at him and the overwhelming urge to kiss him hit me. I quickly began to sip on my smoothie, fighting off the urge.
Could I date Mitch? Or would I get afraid like last time? I didn’t want to hurt Mitch again. I would never forgive myself if I hurt him again.
“Hey,” Mitch said. “I can tell what you’re thinking. So stop it. You won’t hurt me. I trust you.”
“And you thought you didn’t understand me,” I said with a weak smile.
“Do you think I’d hurt you?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No. I trust you not to,” I said, the words coming easily and honestly. They registered in my brain a second later and my heart rate picked up a little.
Mitch smiled again. “Good.”
He leaned over and kissed my cheek. He sat back, drinking his smoothie. I looked at him, a little fascinated at how far along I had come since last year.
“We go at your rate,” Mitch said.
I nodded at him, dropping my gaze to my smoothie and drinking a little. I wanted to date Mitch, and I think I was close to being able to. But there was just one more thing I had to take care of before we could really be together again.
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A.N.- Let me know what you guys think of Hank! And Jace and Mitch's relationship :)