Free Everything I Have (Everything I Want #3) by Natalie Barnes

against the cushions of the sofa again, he crosses his leg over so that his right ankle is resting on his left knee, getting comfortable.
    “Jared, you’ll have to watch the Secret Garden on your laptop or something,” he laughs.
    Jared, of course, is not even paying attention to Roger, just zoning out on one of his musician friend’s magazines.
    “It’s gay that you even know a movie called that,” he mumbles, not glancing up.
    “Fuck you, man,” Roger chuckles.
    “Ha ha. I knew you liked that shit, fucker.”
    Scooting back into the booth, I take a sip from my water and lock eyes with Roger.
    “So, what do you have planned, then?”
    I quirk my eyebrow up at him, a teasing smile playing on my lips. Roger grins back before snapping his fingers.
    “ Orgasmo! ”
    Jesus. That’s the kind of movie that’s so dumb, it’s funny. Smiling back at him, I shake my head.
    Jeff sets it up and moments later, the obnoxious theme song starts playing through the speakers. By the time the movie finishes, we have devoured four bags of popcorn, a bag of Doritos, and a pizza from earlier. Matt and Jeff are half sitting, half lying on the floor with Roger hogging up most of the couch. Jared is passed out with his head in his folded arms, lying flat against the table top. I’m actually surprised at how much fun I had with my boys, just chilling like this with everything’s that’s been going on.
    “Well, boys, I think I’m calling it a night,” I say to them as I stand.
    “Really?” Roger asks.
    Picking up the paper plates that are scattered around the table, I begin doing a light clean up before going to bed.
    “Yeah, I’m beat,” I say to him over my shoulder. Matt and Jeff say good night as they get out their Xbox controllers, but Roger… his face is impassive as he stares at me.
    “You feeling okay, Sophie?”
    I don’t know why, but his question throws me off. I pause for a brief moment before tossing the plates in the trash hidden in the cupboard.
    “Yeah, I’m fine.”
    I don’t look at him in his eyes, though, focusing on the task at hand. Need to escape to my cove now.
    “It’s just that, I don’t know…” he trails off, shrugging his shoulders.
    Closing the cupboard door lightly, I look back at him, giving him a weak smile. No fucking way Roger can pick up on this shit, because if someone like him who’s oblivious to everything, can, that means others may, too.
    “Just a stupid ear infection. I’m fine,” I lie to him again.
    His face relaxes as he shrugs his shoulders, running a hand down his stubbled face.
    “Yeah, I know.” He shakes his head real quick, waving me off. “Whatever. Forget it,” he says more to himself, which has me frozen.
    “I’m fine, Roger,” I say to him again, trying to keep his thoughts from going wherever the hell they were.
    “I know. Just thought I felt something there for a minute. You know?”
    He looks back up at me, chuckling low.
    “Fuck it. It must be the pot or something. Jeff!” Roger kicks the table on Jeff’s side, raising the bag of weed up in front of his face. “What kind of pot was this? Fuck, getting me all sensitive and shit. Now I know what it’s like to be Jared.”
    Giving him a tender but weak smile back, I say good night to him and the others again. They sing back to me in unison, “Good night, Sophia.”
    My smile turns genuine as I take in my surroundings. All of my boys chilling as we make our way through the country, doing what we fucking love to do. It will never be like this again. Fuck! My eyes are already watering again. Fucking hormones.
    Waving my hand over my shoulder, I head back to my room. After sliding the door shut, it’s pretty dark back here with the only lights coming from the passing vehicles on the highway, causing shadows of light to flicker over my walls. Grabbing my brush off the makeshift desk, I lean back against some pillows and begin brushing out my hair, unwinding from everything that went on today. My