𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝘆 (𝗯𝘅𝗯)

Twenty Eight

Jaxon walks out of his bedroom at eleven at night to grab a cup of water. He sees Mia sitting at the island, doing some work.

Jaxon grabs himself a cup, filling it up with water.

Mia looks up from her textbook. "Hey."

Jaxon glances back and nods. "Hi."

"Look...I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude about it, okay? I just had a bad day and was taking it off on you. I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"They seem nice...Your friends? Yeah, they seem super nice and they're both really pretty."

Jaxon nods. "Yeah, they are."

Mia gives a small smile. Jaxon smiles back. "Night."

*
Jaxon was walking with Chantel to class. "She's literally being a bitch. I mean, we've been friends for years I don't understand what's happening."

"You think...You know how people like, go through things and are mean but don't realize it? You think she may be homesick?"

"I don't know. It's weird. I mean...We've had arguments like all friends but now it's like...I can't even speak to her."

Chantel frowns. "She seems like she'd be nice. I don't know. I like to think the best of everyone...I'm sorry she's being so mean."

"It's fine." Jaxon feels his phone start vibrating and reaches into his back pocket. He smiles at Shawn's name on the screen.

"Hi, baby."

"Hey, babe. So I was thinking about your birthday coming up and-."

"My birthday? I don't even wanna celeb-."

Chantel smiles widely and grabs Jaxon's arm. "Your birthday is coming up? Oh my god, when?"

Jaxon looks at Chantel and shrugs. "Just-."

Shawn clears his throat over the phone. "Princess?

"I don't know, Shawn. I wasn't really planning on doing anything this year. Could we just stay in?"

Chantel frowns and shakes his head. "Gross, no-." She reaches over, grabbing Jaxon's phone, smiling. "Hey, Jaxon's boyfriend. I have a plan can I give you my number?"

Jaxon looks at her and smiles, shaking his head back at her. "I hate you."

**
Jaxon walks into the house a drink in his hands. He sees Mia sitting at the table doing school work.

He furrows his brows, closing the front door behind him. "You're home...Early?" He looks down at his Apple-Watch, the time reading two pm. "You usually get home around four or five."

Mia looks up and nods. "I...Realized what I was doing is wrong. Wanna do better, you know?"

Jaxon nods and lets out a sigh. "Yeah."

"Wanna study together?"

Jaxon shrugs his shoulders and nods. "Uhm sure. Just let me get some comfy clothes on first."

Mia nods back and looks back down to her textbooks. Jaxon walks past her to go into his bedroom to change his clothes.

He slips his shirt over his head, pausing and sitting down on his bed to text Shawn. It was weird that she was just now choosing to act right.

He shakes his head, throwing his phone down on the bed to grab a hoodie to put on. He then puts on some sweatpants.

He walks back out into the dining room with his book bag. He smiles and sits down next to Mia. "So? How was your day?"

**
Gavin walks in the house next, just having got off of work. He groans, throwing his shoes off and sitting down on the couch.

Mia smiles and gets up from where she and Jaxon were still at the table doing some work.

"Hi, babe. Can we talk, please?"

Gavin opens his eyes, looking up at Mia. He hesitates before sitting up. "Sure. Let's go to the room."

Jaxon watches as the two walk away to their room to talk. He raises his eyebrows at the two.

Shawn walks into the house shortly after, holding an iced coffee for Jaxon. He smiles at him, setting the coffee down in front of him. "Hi, princess."

Jaxon smiles back and leans up to kiss him once. "Hey, baby. How was work?"

Shawn brings his hands up to his work shirt, undoing the buttons. "Ugh. Busy. I'm tired of washing dishes."

Jaxon tilts his head. "I'm sure you're a great dishwasher."

Shawn throws the shirt over the back of the chair, taking a seat next to Jaxon. "What're you working on?"

"The design for the dress Kirstin, Chantel, and I are working on. Do you like it?"

Shawn glances at the sketchbook, nodding. "Mhm. You're talented."

"Oh! Guess what?"

Shawn throws his arm around Jaxon's chair, leaning back. "Hm?"

Jaxon leans in to whisper. "Mia's home. She and Gavin are talking. Think they'll work it out?"

"She's home?" Shawn reaches down, grabbing Jaxon's wrist to read his watch. "Damn, it's mad early."

"I know. I think she might actually be trying to change. That'll be...Nice."

"I guess so. The fighting will stop. I'll finally be able to sleep through the whole fucking night."

"Oh, yeah. That'll be great. You're very cranky when you don't get enough sleep."

"As anyone should be." Shawn brings his hand up to crack his knuckles.

Jaxon lets out a huff, turning back to his sketchbook. Shawn grabs his phone from his front pocket to scroll on it.

*
Mia sits on the bed, crossing his legs. Gavin smiles softly and sits next to her, fidgeting with his hands.

"You wanna go first?"

Mia looks up from where she was staring at Gavin's hands, nodding. "Sure...Uhm. Can I start by saying sorry? I know I've been kinda distant...Okay, very distant."

"Can I know why? Like...Are you like...bored of me?"

"What!? No! I guess I just...Wanted to be my own person but...I wanna be with you as well."

Gavin takes a long breath, sitting up a little bit. "What does that even mean? I understand wanting space but...You been like completely disconnected from me and the others."

"I know...I just tend to do that a lot without noticing. Sometimes I guess I'm not aware of when I'm hurting others."

"I'm others. I'm your boyfriend, Mia. If you're getting bored of me then tell me instead of letting me get hurt."

"I'm not! I swear it! I'm just trying to find myself and I didn't realize I was hurting others and for that, I'm sorry, Gav."

Gavin nods and looks back down. "I think...It'll take us a while to get back to where we were but...I'm willing to try."

"...Me too. If you'll let me."

**