About halfway through the movie, (they had decided on "Poltergeist") Ricky was goodness knows where, and Mykailla was holding onto Chris's hand tightly, cuddling close to him and burying her face in his chest, only watching the movie from the corner of her eye. Chris's arm was around her protectively.

Micah was actively trying to ignore Chris and Mykailla. 'Mykailla and Chris totally don't have a thing for each other', Micah thought to himself.

At one of the scariest parts, Mykailla pulled away from Chris a tiny bit to see better. Bad call.

A second later, she heard someone whisper 'boo' at the same time they grabbed her shoulders. She screamed, jumping halfway off the couch.

"Oh my gosh!"

It was Ricky.

Ricky and Micah started laughing. "Your-your face!" Micah laughed again, clutching his sides. Ricky was still laughing as he walked from behind the couch to sit on the armrest of the couch, arms crossed.

Chris, on the other hand, only chuckled once as he paused the movie, then pulled Mykailla down and hugged her tightly. "Hey, it's okay." He rubbed small circles on her back, and she began to shake as she clutched onto Chris.

Mykailla began to cry silently, shaking slightly more. The tears were a mix of anger and fear. Chris felt her tears on his shirt and looked down, then kissed the top of her head.

The boys were still chuckling slightly, reenacting the whole thing, completely oblivious to Mykailla.

"You guys are d*cks." Chris said, looking up at the boys and glaring. Micah chuckled again, putting his hands up.

"Come on, it was just a joke."

"Yeah, Chris. C'mon. Lighten up." Ricky said, rolling his eyes.

"You know she hates scary movies." Chris whisper yelled, to Micah mostly. "And you did it anyway. She's actually crying right now, because of you guys." He rubbed Mykailla's back again.

Micah and Ricky got serious. "Sh*t really?" Ricky asked worriedly. He didn't know she hated scary movies that much. He just thought Micah was exaggerating. He rushed over and sat next to Chris and placed a hand on Mykailla's shoulder. "Mykailla, I'm sorry."

Mykailla cringed away from him and let out a broken sob.

Ricky sighed quietly, removing his hand. "Mykailla, I didn't know you hated them that much.. It was a joke. I'm sorry."

"Mykailla?" Micah came over, frowning slightly. "It's a movie.. Calm down... Take a joke, sis."

"Y-You're an a**hole." Mykailla mumbled to Micah, hiccuping. He knew that she hated them that much, but he let Ricky scare her anyway.

Micah sighed, muttering stuff about how he needs to go to bed soon because of work. He then rubbed his temples and said at a normal tone, "Whatever. I'm going to bed." He looked to his friends briefly. "Lock the door when you guys go."

Ricky and Chris nodded.

Mykailla was just sniffling now, breathing in shakily. Ricky felt even worse.. Even if you don't like the person, doesn't mean you want to see them cry. Especially if you're the cause.

"Mykailla?" Chris asked quietly, to which she wiped her eyes and pulled away to look at him. "Ricky really is sorry. He didn't know.. I don't think."

"Yeah, if I knew-" Ricky started to apologize again, but got cut off by Mykailla leaning away from Chris and hugging him. He hugged her back, somewhat awkwardly. This is new, he thought to himself. And.. Weird.

"If I knew they scared you that much, then I wouldn't have done that." Ricky muttered.

Mykailla hugged him tighter in response.

Chris smiled a bit and patted Mykailla's shoulder lightly. "That, my friend, means you are on the road to forgiveness."

Mykailla nodded in agreement with Chris and moved back to hugging him, burying her face in his shirt once more. What? She was still a bit frightened, and Chris smelled good.

"Do you have to go now?" She asked sadly.

Chris looked at Ricky, but answered her. "No, as long as Ricky is cool with staying. I'm his ride home." Ricky shrugged as he readjusted himself so he was leaning on the armrest on his side of the couch. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, resting his chin atop. With a quiet sigh, he asked, "How long?"

Mykailla mumbled something. Chris pulled her away slightly to look at her. "What?"

"Maybe you could.. Spend the night?" Mykailla asked Chris quietly. Ricky heard, but just raised his eyebrows in response. Chris thought a minute. "... I don't think so.. I would be cool with that too, because I have nowhere to be tomorrow, and I miss my little munchkin." Chris added that last part with a smile, kissing the top of Mykailla's head. Mykailla giggled, and Chris continued. "but I'm still Ricky's ride home tonight."

Mykailla wriggled around in Chris's arms to look at Ricky. "Do you have anywhere to be tomorrow?" Ricky shook his head. "Then you need to let Chris stay.. Please.."

"... I'm going out to the porch for a smoke. I'll think on it, okay?"

"Okay.."

Ricky nodded, then stood up and left the living room for the back porch.

Mykailla and Chris watched him go, then Mykailla scooted off of Chris and sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "..Thank you, Chris."

"For what?

"Not laughing at me when Ricky scared me.."

Chris gave something between a sigh and a chuckle. "I know how much you hate horror movies. I wouldn't laugh at you.. I'm just kinda happy that you even watched it with us."

Mykailla chuckled quietly, smiling drowsily. Chris looked down at her briefly. "You tired?"

"Mhm.."

"Go on to bed then. We'll be down here."

"I'm not going up there alone, and I'm not supposed to have boys in my room after it's dark.. Micah's rule."

Chris rolled his eyes subtly, nodding. "Right. I forgot." Mykailla just nodded.

"It's stupid. I'm freakin' nineteen years old."

"Well, he is your older brother." Chris sighed.

"Right," Mykailla looked up at Chris, smirking mischievously with a hint of bitterness. "I forgot." Chris chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"Forgot what?" Ricky came back in and sat down. It was a little tight, so he smacked Mykailla's thigh lightly. "Scoot."

Mykailla mumbled something along the lines of "no".

Ricky rolled his eyes playfully. "Well, you're going to have to go upstairs anyway. It's like, eleven'o'clock, and I decided I'm cool with staying." He looked at Chris. "But I have to be home before lunch, because of Dexter." Chris nodded. Ricky yawned quietly, then sighed. He took his beanie off and stuck it in his sweater pocket, then ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm not going upstairs." Mykailla mumbled again.

"Why not?" Ricky asked. Mykailla lifted her head off of Chris's shoulder and turned to face Ricky. She gave a deadpan look.

After a minute, Ricky realized. "Oh.. Right."

"...." Mykailla sighed and leaned on Ricky's shoulder this time. He went stiff. Mykailla noticed. ".. Loosen up."

"Uhm.." Ricky started.

Mykailla huffed and readjusted herself so her head was in Ricky's lap and her everything else was in Chris's lap. She looked up at Ricky. "Also, just because we don't get along, doesn't mean you need to feel weird with me in a position such as this."

Ricky groaned. "I don't care. I do. Can you move your head. Please."

Chris chuckled quietly, and Ricky whipped his head around to glare at him. Chris just chuckled again, shaking his head. Ricky obviously had forgotten how Mykailla's mind worked. Chris kicked his feet up on the coffee table and looked up to the ceiling, then proceeded to close his eyes. His arms covered Mykailla's abdomen, her hips and thighs. She was a tiny little thing, and most of her upper body was on Ricky's legs, with her head in his lap. Ricky thumped the side of Mykailla's head lightly. "Can you move now? I asked nicely."

Mykailla smacked Ricky's leg in response for the thump. "No."

Ricky rolled his eyes subtly. "Mykailla, at least let me get comfortable." Mykailla groaned, shaking her head. Ricky sighed and lifted her head up, stretched his legs out and put them on the coffee table as well. He placed Mykailla's head back down in his lap, sighing and laying his head down on the back of the couch.

At around midnight, Chris was fast asleep, Mykailla was asleep as well, but she had moved around so her face was facing Ricky's stomach. Ricky was wide awake and staring at the ceiling. He could feel her warm breath against his skin through his thin t-shirt.

Ricky turned his head to look at Chris, then sighed quietly. He began absentmindedly running his fingers through Mykailla's hair. It was surprisingly soft. He closed his eyes again and hoped the throes of sleep would take him soon.