Vee and Blaine left after we accomplished watching about four different movies; all of which were horror. Although I wasn’t usually scared by cheesy, overly dramatic bloody movies, I was feeling a little jumpy. Maybe it was because I was lying to my best friends, but I didn’t know how to tell them Colton and I made up, they just wouldn’t understand.

I rubbed my tired eyes and made my way over to the powder room to change into my pajamas. Never in my entire existence had I stayed the night at a guy house who’s parents weren’t home, but Mark was one of the only people I felt comfortable around. After shutting the door, I turned to look at myself in the mirror.

Two vibrant, but very tired looking green eyes stared back at my freckled face. My auburn hair was sticking out crazily in all different directions, and a red splotch from where I scratched my skin was starting to form on my neck. Pale people problems…

All in all, I didn’t see any of my sister in me. I could picture her now; blonde hair, shiny and glowing, two beautiful blue orbs watching her surroundings attentively. While her jaw ling was angular like mine, it came down to a flat edge rather than the pointy chin I had. Her skin was a silky tan color, always darker when summer came around.

We looked nothing alike; all I had of her were my memoires and pictures. Never would I be able to look in the mirror and be reminded of the beautiful, outgoing sister I had.

Pushing the thoughts from my head, I pulled my hair back into a sloppy bun and grabbed my bag. After pulling out all of my clothes and toiletries, I turned on the faucet and let the water run warm. It took a good minute or two for the water to change temperature, and in the time I managed to change into a large tee shirt and a comfortable pair of running shorts.

I grabbed my wash cloth and stuck it under the hot water before bringing it up to my face and washing off the little makeup and dirt I had on it. Once again, the water took a minute to change temperatures, and by the time I had brushed my teeth and was done getting ready Mark was nowhere to be found.

I searched every room on the lower level before heading back upstairs and knocking on his door. Seconds passed before he shouted something that sounded like come in. shrugging my shoulders; I opened the door and made my way into his room. There was a small blow up mattress on the floor next to his queen sized bed.

Mark stood by his dresser in a pair of dark blue pajama pants. His upper half was naked, and a memory of Melody instantly popped into my head.

“Is he cute?”

I was sitting on her bed in my pajamas, music blaring in the background. Melody stood by her vanity, double checking herself over in the mirror. She wore a simple yellow sundress that complimented her in ways I couldn’t explain. The clothes didn’t make her look good, she mad the clothes look good.

Melody could have made anything look good.

“When I first saw him, it was during a school play, and he had to play this shirtless roman guy. I thought I was going to melt, and he has abs!” she squealed excitedly.

I stood up and made my way over to her side. Grabbing her hair which was done in loose curls, I pulled it back and snatched up a few pins. After getting her bangs to stay back, I spun her around to face me.

“You look amazing,” I said truthfully.

My sister looked completely giddy.

“So how did he ask you out? Are you guys in any classes?”

Melody nodded. “Well after I figured out he was a drama guy I joined his impromptu class and then things just sort of fell into place. We sat next to each other, and finally after a few days of peeking looks at me he asked me out!”

“Well why wouldn’t he; you’re perfect! Now grab your bag I think I heard a car pull up.”

“Sutton, someday I’m going to help you get ready on your first date. You promise I’ll be the one to make you up?”

I nodded. Too bad that day never came…

Just as Mark looked my way, I looked away from his shirtless torso and towards the air mattress. I was just about to set my pillow down when he collapsed onto it.

“What are you doing?”

He looked at me funny. “What do you mean, I’m getting into bed?”

I sighed. “Your bed’s up there, not down here.”

“But you’re sleeping there tonight!”

“Mark we are not going to have this fight and I am not taking your bed. I’ll be fine on the air mattress.”

He shook his head stubbornly and crossed his arms over his chest.

“It’s one night, it won’t kill me to sleep down here.”

“But—“

“No buts, you get the bed and I mean it,” he told me sternly.

Giving up, I climbed onto his mattress and snuggled down into the covers. Mark’s bed was the perfect balance between soft and hard, and I knew I’d be sleeping good tonight.

The lights clicked off and the room was plunged into darkness. Mark’s retreating steps were heavy on the ground. “Thanks for letting me stay here tonight,” I whispered.

Mark laughed. “You’re welcome anytime Sutton.”

“Mark.”

“Yes?”

“You don’t have to be friends with me just because it’s what Melody would want. I understand if you—“

“The reason I’m friends with you is because I like you, not because your sister was my girlfriend, not because she would want me to. Don’t ever think that,” he warned.

I sighed. “I know but I’m just saying I’d understand if it played a part in our friendship.”

Silence filled the room, and I almost thought Mark wasn’t going to reply.

“We both lost someone we loved Sutton, that’s what brings us together, and although I wish with every fiber in my body that Melody was still here, having you has brought happiness to my life too. I guess it was just too good having both the Bran sisters in my life, but I’m lucky I still have you Sutton. And although I wish it were under different circumstances I’m glad we’ve become closer.”

A smile instantly made its way to my face. “What was it like when you were with her?”

Mark laughed. “So many things.; she made me so mad sometimes, but other times I didn’t want to let her go. And I felt like I could truly be myself around her, and everything else, all my problems just seemed to go away when I was with her.”

Colton’s gorgeous face involuntarily popped into my head. All my problems just seemed to go away when I was with her. Love, Mark loved Melody and he felt the same things I feel when I’m with Colton. But how could I love Colton, we barely knew each other? One second he was this really down to earth guy that I had no problem talking to, and the next he was someone I wouldn’t mind using as a punching bag.

She made me so mad sometimes…

“You were really in love with her, weren’t you?”

I could hear Mark nodding his head. “Whole heartedly.”

I could feel my eyes swelling up with tears and blinked them away immediately. Life without Melody would go on, but it would never be the same. Little things would always remind me of her, and no matter how hard I tried to forget the night she died, it would always be a painful reminder that she was gone.

“Goodnight Mark,” I finally said.

“Night Sutton.”

I lied awake for longer than usual thinking about my sister and all the memories we shared. As my thoughts traveled to the two very angry parents I had waiting at home, I made it my mission to fall asleep as fast as possible. Thankfully I rememberd a trick my sister taught me the night before high school started. So slowly in my head I started to count.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

I don’t remember what number I got to, but soon enough I was fast asleep.

**

The next day came buy in a blur, and before I knew it I was at school sporting one of Mark's sweatshirts and the same jeans I wore the day before. 

“See you later!” I called over to Blaine as I made my way to the media studies classroom.

Before I got to the door, Colton stopped me in my tracks. “Hey freckles,” he teased, knowing I hated the nickname he gave me.

I sighed. “Colton don’t call me tha—“

“What are you doing after school?” he interrupted.

I shrugged. “I got nothing planned.”

It was the truth, and honestly I was in no rush to get home and get yelled at by my parents.

“Good, met me at Rosewood Custard with that list of yours.”

List?

“What?”

He smiled. “Oh you know what list I’m taking about, or do you need me to spark your memories. Let’s see, number one; sneak out, number two—“

“Shut up!” I squealed, clapping my hand over his mouth.

I could feel my cheeks growing warm. “You blush so easily!” he pointed out with a cocky smirk.

“If you tell anyone about that list I was personally see to it that you get neutered!”

Colton held his hands in the air defensively. “I won’t tell anyone; as long as I get to help you accomplish each task.”

I nodded my head. ‘”Fine, what did you have in mind?”

He smirked. “I was thinking number, oh what was it, eight?”

All I could remember was that eight had something to do with kissing…

Oh God.

I hope you all get excited for the next chapter because, there may be ( you didn't hear this from me) some lip on lip, tongue in mouth action...but who knows?

Love you all and don't forget to vote!