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Layne's POV

Ray drives us back to her small house on the edge of town. I haven't been in it since I was a kid, but it still looks almost exactly the same. The same nicotine stained walls. The same sink full of dishes. The same brand of empty liquor bottles strewn around the kitchen.

The same sunken in couch where Ray took my virginity.

Her dad's snoring sounds from the back of the house and I follow her into the living room. "Can I get you something?"

"What do you have?"

She rummages around in the cabinet. "Tequila?"

I laugh, "Tequila makes me take my clothes off."

"That's what I was hoping for," she pours me a shot, "Too old times."

I take it and she pours me another. I stare at it a moment, then look into her cold grey blue eyes, mischief dancing behind them, "I'm gonna regret coming over here aren't I?"

 She takes a shot herself then leans in, capturing my lips with mine.  

"Only, if you aren't three shots in."

***

KJ's POV

I park the bike in our driveway and walk around the back, needing a few moments to myself. As a teen, whenever I was over, Layne and I had spent almost all of our time in her room. Now that Vin and I stayed here however, I'd taken my time to look around the property and genuinely enjoy, like the expansive back yard and beautiful deck.

I stretch out in the grass, closing my eyes and letting the sun hit my face. I'm laying there a good ten minutes before Vin joins me, laying next to me, "Hey, Baby girl."

"Hey, Kid," he places a tender kiss on my cheek, "How was work?"

"I'm in charge of a mute and an asshole," I state, "How was your day?"

"Your girl's back," he states, "That's how my day was."

He gets up, walking back into the house.

"Vinson!" I go after him, "Hey! You're just gonna walk away from me?"

He pulls up his laptop, revealing a camera set up facing our porch. He shows a frame by frame of a girl, more hair than anything else, staring at our front door before Vin opens it and she runs off. Vin closes the laptop and turns to me, "I'm going to ask you two questions. Is this your girl? Yes or no."

It happens really fast, but I'd recognize her anywhere. Beautifully golden hair, freckles. Yeah that's her. That's Layne, "Yes."

"Is this going to complicate things between us?"

"Vin---"

"Yes or no, KJ?" he turns to me.

"I don't know," I reply honestly, "Because I don't want to lie to you, Kid. But I don't wanna tell you yes."

He nods and walks off and I don't chase after him. There's nothing I could say. I mean, we were living in her house. Nothing was stopping her from getting a key from Dil, coming back, and walking right in. And I'd be hers.

I already know I would be hers.

"What do you mean I can't see her?"

The memory hits in uncomfortable realism and I let it wash over me, closing my eyes.

The sudden call. How I flew to St. Louis the next day. How I rushed to the hospital. How Dil stopped me at the doors. Wouldn't even let me see her.

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