Middle of Nowhere. • j.b [CURRENTLY EDITING]

Kissed and Dismissed.

She couldn't stop thinking of Jason's soft lips touching hers. The thought of kissing him was pleasure, but dangerous. She was aware that Danny never wanted for her and Jason to cross paths, but why? Besides him being a criminal, he had good qualities. Or so, she thought. 

"Hey, you hungry?" Ricky asks, putting his head through the patio door way.

"No, I'm good." She responds, not looking at him.

"Well, there's food here if you want any."

She just nods and he walks away, closing the door.  Her thoughts were taking over her bodily functions. She didn't see Jason in that way. Why would she?

Ryan sits down in one of the patio chairs. He inhales deeply before putting his eyes on her.

"So I hear were going to Brazil. It'll be a break from this place." he tells her.

"If we go, won't there be more drama?"

"Once we get closer to finding Danny, probably." She didn't reply and he sighs, "I know you're scared but he's going to be okay. He's one of the strongest people I know. Have a little faith."

"He would always worry about losing me and now I'm in his position."

"You won't lose him. I'll make sure of that."

She glances over at him for a second. Ryan. Ryan's sweet, she was thinking to herself. She knew Danny would approve of Ryan over Jason. The way the sun reflects on him caused her to lean over and give him a kiss on his cheek. 

"Whoa." he chuckles lightly, looking at her with a surprised expression on his face.

"Sorry. It's a way we Hispanics say thank you or something." She lies, avoiding the awkwardness.

"It's cool, I don't mind." She smiles at him and he smiles back. "I'm going to go check on the Boss Man."

Terrible choice.

He gets up and walks back into the house. As soon as he walks in the kitchen, the door opens. Jason bites his bottom lip as he closes the door behind him. 

"Where have you been?" Ryan smiles, folding his arms across his chest. 

"Out."

"Out as in at the strip club."

He shakes his head. "No. I had to handle some business."

"At the strip club. - Man, I know you. You can't hide girls from me. Was she cute?"

He caved in and sighed. "Yeah. She was cute. Can I sleep now?"

"I guess. But hey, you were right about Leti - liking me."

"Oh."

"I mean, she's Danny's sister. It'd be kind of weird. I'd rather get to know her first. I wish I would have before she kissed me on my cheek."

"She's crazy. That's one bullet point you can write down."

"Don't be rude about it, Jay."

"She is!"

"You've had too much to drink, alright? Just go to sleep."

He puts his hands up in surrender. "Wait. She kissed you on the cheek? She just—-" He saw Ryan looking at him, waiting for him to finish. "Never mind."

He walks away and walks into his office. Leti walks back into the house, looking in the direction of Jason's office. 

"Was that Jason?"

"Yeah. He's uh, been drinking so give him a few hours."

**

Leti was staring at the door to his office for a few minutes. She gets up from her seat and walks into his office cautiously. She sits down in front of his desk slowly. He takes his eyes from his phone to see who it was, and continue to glance back.

"What do you want?" He asked, paying more attention to his phone than her.

"I just wanted to let you know that what happened last night shouldn't effect you trying to find Danny. I'm 17, what do I know?" She shrugs her shoulders. 

"Well, for a girl who lost her virginity at 15, I would say a lot."

She stares at him as she feels certain odd feeling running through her body. Who is he to judge? She scoffs softly.

"I didn't mean that, Leti. I'm just stressed out."

"Yeah, you're not the one losing someone close to you."

"But I know what it feels like! Just like you wish I'd stop treating you like a twelve year old. I wish you would stop acting like you're the only one going through something."

She smiles a little. 

He rolled his eyes. "What."

"You're opening up to me."

"No, I'm not."

"You kind of are. Hmm, maybe you should kiss me again." She leans back in the chair, bringing her hand up to her chin. 

He scoffs and shakes his head. "Go make out with your new boyfriend."

"Ryan?"

"He knows you like him."

"Well, that's not good because I don't like him. I don't even know him."

"That's what all the girls say until they actually do like the guy."

"Wow."

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just Danny would say something like that to me sometimes."

"Look Leti, you're lucky. - None of us here don't really have anyone to lean on. We all have each other."

"But in reality, all you have is yourself because you're aren't willing to open up."

Jason stared at her and he realized she was right. "Yeah, something like that."

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