"So tell me again why you're moving in with my girlfriend." Zac asked as he carefully held one end of a bookshelf and braced himself at the top of the stairs so as to not drop it directly on his older brother.
Isaac, holding the other end and guiding it down the attic stairs grinned, "Because it's fun to make your life even more complicated than it already is."
Melissa was standing behind Zac holding a box of books and tapping her foot. "Seriously guys, haven't you discussed this about seventeen times today? Zac, Isaac and Katie are writing a book together and need to spend as much time as they can working on it. Isaac is beginning to feel like a pathetic freeloader still living with his parents and would like to start a life living with a roommate that he already knows and gets along with. And besides, you and Katie aren't really together anymore anyway. All you do is hang out, watch movies, and if you ask me, she's never going to forgive herself for what she did. Oh, and you two are the slowest furniture movers on the face of the planet."
Zac winced as he helped lower the dresser down another step. "We're just trying to avoid repeating the incident that happened that year during spring cleaning when we dropped the dresser down the stairs and it fell through the wall at the bottom. I think we gave mom a mini heart attack that day. And, I didn't ask for your opinion."
Isaac pulled the dresser down a few more stairs before he joined in the conversation. "Zac, tell her before I drop the dresser, let it fall, and blame it on you."
"What?" Melissa continued to follow them down the stairs with the box of books. "Dammit this is getting heavy."
"Katie and I broke up." He sighed. "We've just been hanging out as friends. A few weeks ago we talked about it and decided it would never really work out. It was more her decision than mine. You're right. She couldn't get over what she did and... I couldn't either. I tried though."
Melissa smiled. "You impressed me through the whole thing, Zac. You're more mature than I thought. I know you were really pissed and hurt about it but you just sucked it up, helped Carter and Taylor, and never flipped out on Katie. By the way," She dropped the box of books on the stairs and grabbed the back of Zac's pants, yanking them up. "You're pants are falling down and I'm been staring at your ass for the last five minutes."
Zac blushed and let go of the dresser for a moment to run his hand across the spot where Melissa had touched. "Uhm, thanks."
The dresser dropped with a "thud" at the bottom of the stairs, landing on Isaac's foot. He pulled his foot out from underneathe and swore loudly. "Dammit, Zac, why'd you let go?"
"I was fixing my pants." He blushed again. Isaac didn't see Melissa pull his pants up and Zac was relieved when she didn't say anything. "We were at the bottom anyway."
"Yeah. Thank God for that." Isaac rolled his eyes. "Come on, we have another flight of steps to go."
Zac sighed and grabbed the dresser again. He had no idea why Melissa was effecting him the way she was. Ever since the day when he had his labret piercing donw he found himself watching her. Most of the time he watched her read. He spent three hours one day pretending to read a book on the couch next to her, counting how long it took her to turn a page. She constantly amazed him with her vocabulary and the ease at which she talked to people. He saw a lot of Carter in her but it was a more gentle side of Carter. Melissa was quieter, but with a confidence that left him speechless.
On the other hand, he was terrified to let anybody become aware of his infatuation. This was Meli. This was Carter's little sister. It was too weird and he wasn't even sure if it was something he would ever be able to pursue. He loved Melissa. He always had. But it was because she was a constant in his life, like family. It was just too weird.
"Damn." Melissa laughed as they finally go to the bottom of the second set of stairs. "You guys blazed through that one. Zac, what are you thinking about? You're in your own little moving world."
That was another thing that he loved about her. She was always asking people what they were thinking about, like it was the most fascinating thing to her. And she really listened when they told her. She really wanted to know.
Zac shrugged. "I was trying to figure out a bet to make with you that would force you to lose and have to tell me where you're pierced."
"Never gonna happen." Melissa laughed and handed him the box of books.
Isaac looked back and forth between them. "Uhm, did I miss something?"
Taylor leaned forward and kissed Carter lightly on her lips. "Thanks for helping today, I know you feel like shit."
Carter had been fighting a severe sinus infection for about two weeks and had a fever that made her have to sit down every ten minutes. However, she still managed to carry the light boxes to the truck they were borrowing from Jesse and carry them into the apartment that Isaac would be renting with Katie. She still wasn't sure how she felt about the situation but she was going to be supportive.
Carter and Taylor had driven the first load of boxes to the apartment and left them in the living room. They were now standing in the kitchen waiting for Carter to get her second wind. He had his arm around her shoulder and was about to kiss her again when the back door opened and Katie walked in carrying a huge box. She dropped it onto the floor and blushed.
"Sorry. I didn't know you guys would be here." She started to turn around. "I'll come back later."
"No, it's cool." Taylor said. "You're living here too. Do you need help carrying your stuff in?"
Taylor's heart was pounding in his chest. Not because he was nervous around Katie, she was his best friend. It was because he missed her. She had done exactly what she said and stayed away from him and Carter. But he missed her and Carter knew it. That was why he wasn't surprised when Carter stepped towards her and grabbed her hand. "Come on, we need to talk."
Katie gave Taylor a look that almost made him laugh. She looked terrified but she followed Carter into the living room and even sat down across from her on the floor.
"So how's the book going." Carter asked, nervously.
Katie laughed. "Slow."
"Ok, I'm just going to throw this right out there. Please don't stay away from Taylor anymore. He missed you and I love him and I hate it when he's sad. I know you guys both had a weird moment and you screwed up and ... it's over. It's done. We're adults and we've gotten over it."
Katie looked for a moment as if she was about to cry. "I don't understand why you're so nice to me... and why Taylor misses me. It was my fault... the kiss. I figured he'd hate me."
"Kate, just stop. Don't talk about what happened. The point is, you are Taylor's best friend. Just like Zac is my best friend..." She frowned. "Sorry. I hate that you and Zac broke up."
"You know about that?"
"Of course. I mean, Zac tells me everything. I just don't want the breakup to be because of me. I don't what you to give up on a relationship because you're afraid I'm going to not like you."
Katie stared at the floor for a minute. "It wasn't because of you. I haven't told Zac because I've hurt him enough but..."
"What? You can tell me. I mean, I know we haven't exactly been friends lately but I really want that to change. There's very few people in this town, in our circle of peers that don't suck. They're either crazy, hate me, or are in love with Taylor. I don't want to lose you."
She smiled. "Thanks. It's just that... I know nothing will ever come of it and it's not that I even want anything to come of it but..." She paused. "Isaac is... he's just..."
Carter smiled. "A great guy. And he adores you."
"But nothing can ever come of it. And I'll never EVER try to pursue it. There isn't even an it to pursue. It's just a feeling. I can make it go away."
"Why can't anything ever come of it?"
"Because Zac is my ex. Taylor is my best friend... who I accidentally kissed. And Isaac is my, well, I guess he's kind of a co-worker. And he's a brother to the other two. It's the most fucked up situation in the world."
Carter laughed. "It's not. The most fucked up situation in the world is the crap I've gone through with those boys. I grew up joined at the hip with Zac, and I will die joined at the hup with Zac. Taylor is the love of my life but it took me a while to realize that, switching back and forth between him and Zac. And Isaac, yeah I made out with him too. You and me are like kindred spirits if you ask me."
"I guess." She sighed. "Does life with these guys ever get any easier?"
"No. But that's what makes it interesting."
"So what do I do?" Katie fell backwards on the floor and sprawled out on her back.
"You give it time. The last thing you want to do is jump into something with Isaac when Zac is having a bit of a hard time getting over you. It's not like he has any other girl in his life to help him get over you and I just don't want him to hurt anymore. Let Isaac pursue it. He will eventually... unless he's more of a moron than I think he is. And Zac will probably be more ok with it if Isaac goes for it first. And just... talk to Taylor. Please?"
Katie sat back up. "You're exactly what Taylor says you are, you know?"
"What does he say about me?" Carter smiled. "You know, other than the fact that I'm breathtaking and stuff."
"That you're the most complicated, confusing, frustrating, but wonderful person in the world. And that getting to know you is difficult but all worth it. He always wanted us to be friends." She paused. "Can we?"
"We already were." Carter smiled and stood up. She offered a hand to Katie and pulled her up. Then she gave her a quick hug. "Come on. Let's go make sure Taylor isn't standing in the kitchen with a glass up to the door listening to all this."
Katie laughed and followed her into the kitchen. "Ok, Taylor, you can help me with my box now."
Carter giggled. "Dirty."
"Nice." Taylor and Katie said at the same time, and with that, Carter knew everything between the three of them was going to be ok.