"I have feelings!" I reply when he shivers. "So do I! Your mom thinks I'd date you," he retorts with a wrinkled nose. Before I can call him rude and tell him that he's a jerk, the sound of the front door opening cuts off all means of conversation. Maddox's eyes widen as he attempts to see who just entered the house. "Maddie, are you talking to yourself again?" Abel's voice calls from down the hallway. Maddox looks somewhat relieved but still on edge. I just sit there with my half-finished bag of chips in my hands and my water bottle beside me. Abel comes sliding down the hallway with his Burger King uniform on. When he sees me sitting there, he looks confused. "Maddox, care to explain why there's a girl here and there is no parental supervision?" "There's a girl here? Where?" Maddox asks as he looks between me and his brother. "Right there," I mutter under my breath as I point to where he's sitting. Maddox glares at me while Abel chortles. "I'll be the adult here, seeing as you're both minors," Abel grins with his hands on his waist while his unbuttoned Burger King shirt hangs on his neck by the top button like a cape. "Oh, so you're the older one," I nod as I look at Abel. "Yeah, barely," Maddox responds with a roll of his eyes. "I've been nineteen for two weeks," Abel retorts in a tone that tells me he often has to tell people this. "Yet you've done nothing detrimental," Maddox sighs in slight disappointment. "What do you expect him to do? Save the world?" I scoff at Maddox. "Shut up, Olive," Maddox snaps at me with his usual glare. "Olive? I thought your name was Olivia," Abel mutters curiously as he scratches his head "It is," I tell him with a shrug. "But he called you—ooh!" he coos childishly. "A special nickname! How cute!" Maddox glowers at me like this is my fault. "Don't put the blame on me! You're the one that insists on calling me Olive," I snap at him. "So what are you guys doing?" Abel asks as he sits down on the couch in the large gap between us. "American Literature project," I respond as I tap my notebook with my pencil. "Ah, I remember my days in high school. Now I'm a college kid holding down a part time job," he explained as he stared at the ceiling. His arms are stretched along the back of the gray couch, reaching behind my shoulder and just reaching Maddox's. I stared at him, appreciating his profile before Maddox clears his throat. "Well, we need to get this project done. If you could just get up and go reminisce elsewhere, that'd be great," Maddox motions towards the door. "But I have nothing to do," Abel whines as he looks at Maddox. "And I can't trust you two together." "Trust me, I have no interest in her whatsoever," Maddox scowls with a wrinkled lip. "Why are you so harsh?" Abel questions his little brother. Maddox shrugs as if the answer is obvious. "Because I can be," he retorts. "She's pretty. What are you talking about?" Abel says as he motions to me. I feel my face redden as I stare at the notebook in my lap. I hear Maddox groan from his end of the couch. "Well, I'm sure you two will keep each other company. I'm going to go upstairs and vomit because this is disgusting." But watching you make out with Raven isn't? Maddox gets up and shoves his notebook into his book bag. Abel glances over at me and gasps happily. "Awe, look, Maddox, she's blushing! Isn't she cute?" he asks his brother. "Disgusting," Maddox repeats as he gets up and walks up the stairs. I begin putting my stuff away as I swear internally. Once I have it all packed up, I stand up with plans to get my shoes and coat before heading out. "Do you need a ride?" Abel asks as he grabs Maddox's bag of chips and finishes them off. He takes my trash and walks towards the can, dropping them in. I hear the torrential rain hitting the roof outside and nod "Uh, yes, please," I say hesitantly. He seems much nicer than his brother. "Grab my keys," he tells me as he begins yanking on his shoes. I grab them from the table and toss them at him. He wobbles awkwardly as he pulls on one shoe, using nothing to keep him upright. He watches as the keys hit the floor before snatching them up and waiting patiently as I put on my shoes and my coat. I grab my umbrella and follow him outside. After relaying the address to him, he nods, starts the car, and turns on the heat. "You don't live that far from here," he concludes when he looks at a GPS on his phone. "I know. I walked here," I reply with a nod as I watch him quickly back out of the driveway. "In the rain?" Abel asks with his eyebrows rising slightly. I nod yet again. "My brother didn't offer you a ride?" I shake my head with a quiet scoff. "He doesn't exactly like me. You've witnessed that," I respond as if it's obvious. "Maddox doesn't like anyone," Abel mutters. "Sorry about embarrassing you like that in there." "It's okay," I sigh as I glance at the time. 5:34 PM. I sigh in hopes that my aunt is home. Hopefully, Vivica's staying over her friend's house or something. I just don't want to deal with her tonight. "Don't let what he says bother you," Abel tells me as we get closer to my house. "He's a jerk, I know that," I concur with a shrug. "Would you mind answering a question?" he asks as he glances at me shortly. I take my eyes off the road and place them on him. Slowly, I nod. "How'd you two end up going to homecoming together?" "Well, I asked him," I answer without skipping a beat. I was worried he'd ask something personal that I couldn't provide an answer to, like why I still tolerate his brother's behavior. "You asked him?" he repeats with a doubtful look on his face. I let my head bob up and down once more and he blinks in surprise. "Why?" "I was dared to," I justify myself. "I didn't expect him to say yes. I still don't know why he did." "He said yes?" Abel wonders. "Just like that?" "No, Abel, he didn't," I reply with a tilted head. The sarcasm drips from my lips and he slaps his forehead lightly. "Did you ask him why he said yes?" Abel questions me when he recovers from his stupid moment. "Yeah," I nod. "And he didn't answer; he just said that I talked too much." "So you only asked him because you were dared to?" he checks one last time. "Yeah but I still wanted to have a good time," I shrug as I look at my house growing closer. "That didn't exactly happen, however." We slow to a stop in front of my house and I see my aunt's car in the driveway, but Vivica's is nowhere in sight. I sigh in relief. At least one thing is going my way. "Well, thanks again." "No problem," he responds with a small smile. "I'll talk to Maddox about being nicer." "Don't bother," I tell him with a wave of my hand. "You won't be seeing much of me once this project is over." I grab my bag and exit the car. I walk down the path and up the front porch steps, waving at Abel before I enter the house.