"Dean, I'm so sorry," I say, hugging him.
"For what?"
I pull back. "You said he's getting out."
"In three years. I told the prison I want to be notified before his release."
"So they denied the parole?"
"Hell, yeah." Dean's face breaks out in a smile. "The bastard's not getting out for another three years."
"Dean, that's great!" I hug him.
The door opens and Jake walks in. "What's going on?"
Dean didn't tell Jake about the parole hearing and doesn't want him to know.
"Found out I got an A on a test," Dean says, smiling at him.
"Isn't that exciting?" I say, playing along.
"I guess." Jake walks past us to the kitchen. "No one gets that excited when I get an A."
"Because you get them all the time," Dean says. "But if you want, Brook and I will give you a hug next time you get an A."
"I'll pass." He opens the fridge. "We need groceries."
"We'll get some tonight."
"I'm hungry right now."
"Let's go out."
"Go out to eat?" Jake says, closing the fridge. "Seriously?"
"It'll have to be fast food, but yeah, let's go. We'll celebrate my A. This is a big deal."
"Dude, how bad are your grades?" Jake says, walking to his room. "I need to grab a sweatshirt."
"I'm going to head home," I say, giving Dean a kiss.
"You don't want to go with us?"
"Not tonight. I have a physics test tomorrow and someone distracted me when I was trying to study."
"Sorry. I won't do it again."
"You better," I say, giving him a sexy smile as I leave.
Back at home, I find my mom making dinner. "You're not working tonight?"
"I'm going back at six. I thought we'd have dinner before I go." She was stirring something on the stove but stops and turns to me. "Were you with Dean again?"
"Yeah, we were studying," I say as I look through the mail. I usually get stuff from colleges but today I didn't.
"Brook, I think you're spending too much time with that boy."
"Mom, I've told you. He's just a friend."
