Owen

Yeah, Okay

"Missed you at school today." Jaelyn said as she came into the living room.

"Oh yeah? Come show me."

She smiled, shrugging her coat off on the couch before sitting on my lap. She snaked her arms around my neck, a smirk on my face. We hadn't been this close in forever. I wasn't sure what sparked the change but I wasn't going to complain.

Her brown eyes danced between mine as I waited for her to kiss me. A little wrinkle formed in the center of her forehead as her eyebrows pinched together.

"Are you high?" She asked.

I shrugged. "Yeah. Kiss me."

"Since when do you get high?" She ignored me, leaning back slightly. "Where'd you even get it from."

"Since it helped with my pain." Why was this such a big deal? "Kiss me."

"What pain?"

I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose as I tried to swallow down the sarcasm. Apparently we weren't going to get to the kissing part.

"I got a lot of nerve pain, the medication wasn't doing shit so Jase talked to his friend who grows for medicinal use." It wasn't like it was illegal anymore. Medical marijuana had been legal for a while but Michigan had passed a law in November to legalize recreational use, you just had to be 21. Which I was not. "I got a medical card today."

"So what you're just going to be stoned all the time now?" For some reason she was annoyed with me.

I couldn't hold back the frustration anymore. Why were we having this conversation? Why did it matter? Why wasn't she happy I'd found something that helped?

"Yeah, probably." I admitted. "Especially if it means nothing fucking hurts Jae."

"Oh that's nice." She rolled her eyes, climbing off my lap. "I don't know if I even believe you. You've never mentioned having pain."

She wasn't wrong. She also wasn't around enough to notice either.

And just because I wasn't rolling around crying when everything flared up didn't mean it didn't happen.

"I don't care if you don't fucking believe me!" I had never yelled at Jaelyn before. "You're not the one that has to deal with this shit every fucking day!"

"What is going on in here?" Nan demanded, stepping into the living room.

"Nothing." I snapped, not taking my eyes off Jaelyn.

"I can hear you in the basement. Something is going on." She pressed.

Jaelyn hadn't moved from where she stood when I started yelling at her. I shook my head, releasing a tense breath.

"Everything's fine Nan."

She stood there, her eyes darting between Jaelyn and I, not believing me. Luckily though, she didn't push, instead she pointed a finger at me.

"Behave yourself." She scolded.

I nodded my head. "Yes ma'am."

We both waited until her footsteps faded down the creaky stairs to the basement.

"Listen.." I started at the same time Jae said "I should go."

I shook my head, dropping my eyes to my lap as I sighed. Of course she was going to leave. She never stuck around when things weren't fun.

"Yeah." I mumbled. "I'll see ya tomorrow."

My words sent her moving toward her coat. I didn't know what I expected. But this wasn't it. She didn't even say anything before she walked out the door.