"So you're the Cole?" Tom starts to talk to Cole as my mom and I set the table.

After the argument in the school parking lot, we drove straight to my house.

That gave me only a few minutes to put on makeup to cover up my bruises. All the while, Cole scolded me on making sure I have my phone on me at all times with the ringer on the loudest setting. The whole time while he went on and on all I did was nod. I didn't have anything to say. Not anything he wanted to hear anyway.

"Yep." he replies. "Does Chris talk about me at home?"

"Only because her mother does." Tom jokes.

Jeremiah joins in. "It's 'Cole this' and 'Cole that' with my mom."

"Shut up, you two." my mom laughs and puts down the last plate in her hands. "Is there anything wrong with wanting to know the boy who is with my precious only daughter?" she hands me a tray of lemonade. "Take this over there, baby."

"Okay, mom." when no one was looking I took around three painkillers when we came in. Rather than be in pain, I just feel numb now. As long as no pressure is applied to any of my wounds.

"Thank you, darlin'." Cole says quietly as I lean down and offer him a drink. His eyes are attentive and loving as he watches me.

Jeremiah scoots over and takes a drink. "When you say that, mom," he takes a long annoying sip. "You really mean, whether or not it's strange to want to know the boy who is porking your precious only daughter, right?"

Cole nearly chokes on his lemonade. My mouth dries and my tongue feels like it was just rubbed with sandpaper.

"Jeremiah!" my mom yells with a surprised expression glued on her face. Even though it's her fault for always stressing that we 'speak our minds' when we were growing up.

Tom also chokes on his juice, but more because he is fighting off a laugh. His messy dark reddish-brown hair moves with him as he lurches forward.

"This is some darn good lemonade, Mrs Selvey," Cole says, avoiding the subject. Tom doesn't correct him either. "What's in it?"

"Oh..." now my mom looks surprised because nobody has ever said they liked her lemonade. I mean, I barely like it and I've been drinking it since I was a kid. "Well you know, just some lemons, water, and sugar."

"My mama makes some real good peach tea." he always praises his mother. "Maybe one day ya'll could come on over and eat with my family."

"That would be lovely." my mom beams. "I bet your mother is one of those nice, Southern Belle types." my mom is being so extra right now.

"That she is, that she is." he grins, taking another sip of his lemonade again.

An alarm sound coming from the kitchen goes off. Everyone's attention turns towards it for a while before my mom breaks the silence.

"Chris, I'll finish up the table," she tells me casually. "Can you go in the kitchen and check on the dinner?"

"Yeah, okay." I feel iffy about what I do next, but I take my chance to do it anyway. "Jer Bear, can you help me out?"

"Why do you need me, Chrissy Poo?" he retorts.

Don't start with me, jerk.

"I can't carry all that stuff out here by myself," I shrug, nonchalant. "I need your long arms and muscle to help me out... Oh wait, you're a weakling aren't you. Guess I don't need you after all. Maybe I'll just carry everything out one-by-one."

"Shut up, I'm coming." he puts his glass on the coffee table and wipes his hands on his jeans. "You're such a bitch."

"Asshole." I laugh.

"Hey," my mother yells from behind us. "Both of you put a dollar in the swear jar!"

Tom laughs out loud. "God, I love your kids."

"Need my help, Ms Selvey?" Cole offers.

I notice my mom look up. She must've thought he was talking to her for a second there.

"No, Mr Cooley," I smile. "You stay right there."

When we walk in the kitchen, I turn off the stove and grab Jeremiah by his arm. Pushing him against the far wall so my mom doesn't see us. It isn't easy considering he is bigger than me. Despite the fact that I'm two years older than he is, he's at least 4 inches taller than me.

"Jesus, Chris, what is it?" he whispers in a startled tone. Rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't talk about stuff like that, please." I try not to beg and attempt to make my voice assertive, but accommodating.

"I was just trying to be funny." he chuckles.

"Jeremiah, I'm serious!" I punch his arm. Even I know it was weak and barely phased him. I wasn't really trying to hurt him. My only objective right now is getting my point across.

He raises an eyebrow. "What are you going to do about it?" he pushes a finger into my slightly swollen cheek.

These cheap ass pain killers flowing through my system don't help at all.

"Ow." I flinch a bit.

"What do you mean 'ow'?" Jeremiah touches my cheek again and pulls it away. The tip of his index finger is lighter than the rest of his skin, revealing that I'm wearing concealer. "Why are you wearing so much make-up? You almost never wear make-up."

I rush over to the stove and take out the marinated tilapia that was baking. My bare thumb touches the pan and I wince. Jeremiah drags me over to the sink and runs the cold water over the tiny burn.

"It's nothing," I lie to him when I notice his worried expression. "It was just me being an idiot." that part isn't a lie. "I fell and bruised my cheek so I covered it to avoid embarrassment." I can't keep eye contact when I lie.

He smiles slowly. "Why did I have to be born after such a dumbass sister? I'd hate to think that some of it rubbed off on me in the womb."

I laugh and give him a hug. No matter what, I love my brother more than anything. Even though he is younger, he was there for me and mom when dad was gone and he acted as the man of the house. When Tom came along, he instantly took a liking to him. I myself wasn't so fond of him and I honestly still have mixed feelings, but even I have to admit that his arrival took a lot of stress off of Jeremiah. And it's obvious that Tom loves our mom.

"Okay, that's enough love, for now, it's weird," I state, holding back happy tears. "Help me take this food out."

I put the fish on a plate mom set up and pick it, a bowl of a variety of chopped vegetables, and seasoned bread up. Jer takes whatever is left and walks out behind me.

"You guys took forever." my mom whines, sighing obviously exaggerating.

Thanks for pointing that out, mom. Really, you're great help.

"Yeah, it took us a while because the fish didn't look done." I reply, placing my items on the table.

Jeremiah joins in my lie. "Yeah, she was just over thinking it though."

"Whatever, bitch tits." I giggle.

Mom shrieks. "Goddammit, Christina! Language!"

No one in my life is more contradictory than my mother.

"Can we eat now?" Tom puts his reference book to the side on the couch and walks to the dinner table. He keeps stretching while he walks as if he has been sitting in the same position for days. Well he kinda has, but... He doesn't have to over do it so much.

"Uh, yeah, come on." I nod. "We should start before the food gets cold."

Cole walks over to the table. "You look beautiful, Ms Selvey." he randomly compliments me.

I'm shocked for a moment. "Um, thank you, Mr Cooley." he kisses my hand.

"What happened to your finger?" he notices the redness.

"Burned it on the baking pan." I reply. I just can't shake this feeling of pure shock. Frequently he makes these little romantic moves that startle me every damn time.

He kisses my finger. "Honestly, Chris, you're so clumsy, you could trip over a cordless phone."

"Seriously, dude," Jer nods agreeing with Cole. Cole pulls out my seat and I sit. "The idiot tripped and fucked up her cheek."

"Jeremiah!" my mom and I say in unison.

Cole sits down next to me.

"Swear jar!" my mom yells. "I swear you never stop swearing! You're just like your fucking dad. Cursing like a sailor."

As they go back and forth, with each other and Tom starts eating, Cole reaches down and squeezes my thigh to get my attention.

It hurts and alerts me instantly. "Did you want me to tell the truth or something?" I ask him.

Admittedly, I am less careful with my words when around people. He never beats me or hits me in front of people. I'm sure he never will. At least I hope he never will.

He looks like he is about to say something, but my mom beats him to it.

"So how long have you guys actually been dating?" everyone is already serving themselves at this point.

Cole looks at the food as if it's from outer space, but it is understandable. I mean, here in the south it's all about greens and fried chicken and whatever the fuck. I guess it's called soul food. It's not bad tasting stuff, but being from where we lived before, we eat healthier food with less calories and more benefits. You can take the family out of California, but you can't take the California out of the family I guess.

He serves himself a modest amount. I'm sure that he doesn't know whether he will like it or not so he gets a little.

"A little over five months or so, mom." I answer while putting a tonne of vegetables on my plate.

"We've only lived here for around six." she points out.

My head starts to hurt. "Yep, that's true." I change the subject. "Tom, how is the book going?"

He looks up from his plate. "Huh?" he was so obviously in his own world. "Oh, it's okay. It's a young adult fiction about a teen girl in a... not so great relationship that gets pregnant and..."

"One second, Tommy." my mom interrupts.

"Sure," he shrugs. "Too much info was given anyway. Thanks for stopping me."

Goddammit!

"You're welcome." she blows him a kiss. "Anyways, are you guys sexually active?"

A carrot catches in my throat. "Mother, please." I try to smile, but the corner of my mouth twitches.

"At least I wasn't the one to bring it up this time," Jeremiah says with amusement in his voice. I glare at him and he just shrugs in response.

Cole keeps eating. Guess he isn't going to bail me out this time.

"I'm just curious, Chris," she tells me in her mom voice. "Like I said earlier, you are my only daughter, I just want you to be safe."

"You don't have an STD, do you?" Tom asks.

I thought you were thinking about your book, Tommy!

Cole almost looks like he wants to laugh or something. "No, sir, nothing like that."

"Well that's good, but you still have to use a condom." mom says urgently. "Do you guys use a condom?"

Oh, God, has he?

"Mom, we never said we have sex." I choke out trying to sound confident. "Moreover, I take birth control remember? So it shouldn't matter."

"Yeah," she nods, rolling her eyes. "But, do you remember the whole seven placebo pills thing and the fact that you ran out the day before yesterday. I don't even think they sell those in this town."

"You take birth control?" Cole asks me looking surprised. "What for?"

"Health reasons," I reply quickly. "Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom."

"Um, okay, baby." mom apologises as I leave the room.

"You said too much, Amanda." I can hear Tom say. "Freaked her out."

"Shut up, Tommy." she spits at him.

I make my way to the bathroom under the stairs and close the door all the way before sliding down to the floor.

Before either times Cole and I did it did I see him put on a condom. This morning I was scared and frantic so I wasn't paying attention. It all happened so fast, but it still doesn't seem like he wore one. My head spins with the very real possibility that my boyfriend has been having sex with me without protection.

He didn't know until my mother said it that I took birth control pills. Does he just not care whether or not I get pregnant? I can't get pregnant, I'm only seventeen!

Mom was right. There is very little chance that a tiny southern town like this would sell the brand of birth control that I take or any birth control other than condoms for that matter. There's only one pharmacy for Christ's sake.

I suddenly want to vomit and my head hurts. How long do birth control pills last? Has he been doing 'that' inside me? I didn't see any mixed in that blood, so maybe not.

A knock on the door makes me jolt and jump to my feet. I'm dizzy from the sudden movement.

"Chris?" crap, it's Cole.

"Yeah, what is it?" I didn't realise I had been crying as all those questions flew through my head.

"Your mama told me to come check on you," he says attempting to open the door. I also hadn't realized that I locked myself in here. "Are you okay?"

I reach to unlock the door. "I'm fine." I grab a wad of tissue and dab my face as he walks in. "I just got something in my eye and it irritated me to tears."

He closes the door. "You are so beautiful, Chris." he kisses my shoulder. I'm wearing a really loose tank blouse over my maxi skirt.

His hands roam my upper body. I gasp when his hand squeezes my breast. Turning around, I place my hands on his chest.

"Cole, stop it." I push him back as lightly as I can. "My family is waiting for us back at the dinner table."

"I wasn't going to go any further than that, Chris." he assures, pecking my lips lightly.

Sure you weren't.

"Okay." I close my eyes and he kisses me again. The kiss is very light and gentle.

"Let's go." he takes my hand and leads me out of the bathroom.

His hand is warm. "Okay."