Chapter 465

"Absolutely not," Rafe growls, looking between me and Jackson. “This is ridiculous – Jackson, you can sleep in your own damn bed –“ "Again, I'm fine with that," Jackson cuts in, I think starting to get frustrated. "But Ariel would be coming with me."

All three boys look to me and I only hesitate for half a second before stepping close to Jackson's side.

"I would," I say, nodding. Because, I mean, I too had assumed that we would be sleeping separately while at school - but now that Jackson has suggested it? I really can't imagine any other way.

"Are you serious, Ariel?" Jesse gasps.

"I am," I say, nodding and holding his gaze and then Rafe's. "If you two are strident about not letting Jackson sleep here, I'll go with him."

"It's not safe!" Rafe snaps.

"Seriously, you think Jackson can't protect me? Behind a locked door?"

"But the secrecy element!" Jesse protests. "You can't sleep down there - people will see you coming and going and figure it out!"

"Which is why it makes sense for me to sleep here," Jackson says, casting out a hand. "Your hall is mostly empty - mine is full all the time." "Absolutely not, Ariel," Rafe snarls, stepping towards me with a growl. "If you go down there I will just carry you back upstairs!"

"And he will carry me back down!" I shout, frowning at my brother and stepping towards him in turn. "Don't you try to intimidate me, Rafe Sinclair, you big bully -"

"I'm not being a bully!"

"You are too! I'm my own person, I can sleep where I want to! And you're being all snarly and puffed up because you think you can scare me out of it!" Rafe pauses and steps back, realizing that I'm right - that he was using his bigger size to intimidate. But he gets over his shame quick enough and groans in frustration, turning away from me and sinking his fingers into his hair, cursing under his breath as he clearly tries to figure something out. Jesse just laughs, low and derisive, shaking his head at us. "I can't believe this is happening."

But Jackson just shrugs, meeting Jesse's gaze, clearly inviting him to do something about it. Jesse just rolls his eyes, giving in. "Fine," Rafe snaps, turning back towards us and striding back over so that he's looking Jackson right in the eye. "But I have two rules." Jackson pauses for a moment and then nods, agreeing to hear him out.

"Hello!" I say, waving my arms in the air and standing on my toes. "I exist! I'm part of this negotiation!"

But they ignore me.

"One," Rafe growls, holding up a single finger. "Absolutely no funny business. And if that defies translation, Jackson, then use your god damn imagination. You sleep in that bed, and, at most you talk. Nothing else."

"Not a problem," Jackson says, crossing his arms. "Like I said, we just want to sleep in the same space."

"I, too, consent to this!" I shout, slapping my hands on my hips, fully realizing that they're not even bothering to pretend to listen to me.

"And two," Rafe says, putting up his second finger. "No excess noise. You snore? You talk in your sleep? You so much as creek too much in the bed and you are out!"

“Rafe you are such a hypocrite!" I exclaim, stepping forward to smack him hard on the arm. He snaps his head to me at that, finally paying attention. "Jesse snores more than anyone I've ever met and you're fine with it - you sleep like a baby! Jesse could win a medal for the sonorousness and frequency with which he snores!"

"A gold medal," Jesse qualifies, crossing his arms over his chest with a proud nod.

"Yeah," Rafe snaps at me, ignoring Jesse and not contending my point. "But I've been used to Jesse snoring since we were kids! I've acclimated! He!" Rafe gestures vehemently at Jackson now, "is new! His sound are different - they'll wake me up!"

"He doesn't even snore!" I roll my eyes.noveldrama

"Yes, that's her," Jackson murmurs, pointing at me.

Rafe rolls his eyes in turn, ignoring all of these points, and snaps his attention back to Jackson. "No funny business, no excess noise. And this is a probationary period,” he growls. “Jesse and I both have veto power – either of us can say at any time that this is done. All right?"

I squeak with glee, all my previous rage wiped away the moment my brother gives in. I throw myself at Rafe, seeking a hug, but he just shoves me away. "I'll get you some pajamas," my brother murmurs, glaring hard as Jacks as he strides back to his side of the room.