Falling Up

13. Clueless

"Ugh," Jason groaned as he flopped onto the couch, exhausted from the day of events that unfolded.

Putting his head back on the couch, he brought his hand up, rubbing his eyes. "I don't think I can take much more of this," he mumbled under his breath to no-one in particular but himself. He barely noticed Noah sitting on the other couch until he started speaking.

"What's up with you?" asked Noah.

When he finally took his hand away from his eyes, he looked at Noah, who was staring back at him with a raised eyebrow, waiting for Jason to elaborate on his mood.

Jason let out a sigh, yet was eager to vent out some of his frustrations. "Tyrus asked me out. Again! He's relentless. It's the seventeenth time," he complained, thinking back to earlier this afternoon when Tyrus had pushed him up against the car, trying to coax a date out of him by drawing him in with his delicious, god like body.

"So you're counting?" grinned Noah. "Just admit it. You're enjoying this."

"What is he enjoying?" asked Riley as she joined Noah on the couch, a bag of potato chips in hand, as she flicked the channel on the TV.

"The attention of one handsomely rugged man who won't stop asking him out," replied Noah.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Riley, jumping to her knees on the sofa, her attention taken away from the package of chips in her hand as they almost fell carelessly to the floor.

"So, give me the gossip. It's Mr 3 o'clock, isn't it?"

"Why do you assume it's him?" asked Jason.

"He's been into you from day one," said Riley. "You're seriously so clueless sometimes."

That one word stuck with him. Clueless. Had it really been that obvious? He was well aware he wasn't the most perceptive person in the shed. If he had been more perceptive and clued in, then Riley would never have gone through what she did. That thought killed him on the inside more than his siblings would ever realise.

But he couldn't lose focus now and he couldn't wallow in self pity. He needed to do better. He promised himself he would do better. Clearing his thoughts quickly, he made sure they didn't show on his face as he let out a laugh, shrugging away the comment.

"There is no gossip. Nothing is going to happen. End of story," said Jason.

"Sure thing," smiled Riley. "Whatever you say."

"I'll give him a week," said Noah.

"Three days," chimed in Riley. "Loser does the dishes for a week."

"You're on," said Noah, shaking Riley's hand to close the deal.

"Well then, you're both going to be doing dishes for the week because nothing is going to happen," said Jason.

Riley and Noah both looked at each other, winking before letting off a laugh. They clearly didn't believe it, but Jason let them be, not wanting to argue his point any further. Noah left the conversation soon after, heading to bed while Riley and Jason continued to laze about watching TV.

Gazing at the TV, Jason let out a yawn. He wasn't really watching, more just sitting and waiting for Riley to make her way to bed. But when Jason glanced over in her direction, he noticed her shift in a nervous and fidgety way that dragged his focus away from the TV.

"Are you okay there Riley?" he asked. This was why he needed to be focused on her. She had a habit of keeping things locked up inside unless he asked her directly. It worried him she might not come to him for help if she needed it.