"Homework."

Jackson let out a long sigh and turned back to his notebook, staring at the equations in his book and absorbing nothing.

Harley had her hair twisted on top her head, a pen shoved through it to hold it in place as she blew a tiny bubble with her gum. He couldn't help but watch her in study mode, her eyebrows furrowed together as she concentrated.

"Unless I somehow got a tattoo of the quadratic formula on my face," Harley hummed, tapping her pen against her cheek. "I think you should pay attention to your work."

"I'd rather watch you do your homework." He whispered, a grin growing on his face as she turned her head to stare at him. "What?"

"I need to focus, and I can't with you looking at me like that." She stifled a yawn, making him frown.

"Let's take a nap."

"What? Jackson, I have to finish this." Harley shook her head, chewing on the inside of her lip.

Jackson didn't know if he was the only one who really noticed how tired she was all the time, with school and cross country. It didn't help that she wasn't allowed caffeine, with her heart condition.

If he looked hard enough, he could see the dark circles hidden expertly under her concealer.

But not expertly enough.

"I promise, we can finish after you get a least an hour nap." He sighed when she just scoffed. "Fine. Thirty minutes."

"Can't I just finish-"

"Harley."

"Fine, okay." Harley slammed her text book shut, pulling the pen out of her hair. "Thirty minutes, that's it."

"Got it." He moved the homework off his bed and settled back against his pillows, holding his arms out. "Come on."

"This isn't fair, what you're doing to me." She mumbled, crawling over and laying down next to him, her head on his chest. "I don't force you to take unnecessary naps."

"When was the last time you slept well?" Jackson shifted slightly, his hand finding her hair. "And I mean at a decent time, without waking up throughout the night."

"Last Tuesday." She yawned, after a moment of hesitation.

"Then it's necessary." He argued, practically feeling her eye roll. She let out an annoyed sigh, and squirmed a little, her face contorted into a look of discomfort. He had totally blanked at how hard it was for her to fall asleep, coming up with a solution. "Talk to me. Fill me in on all the gossip or something."

"Well," Harley took a deep breath, rubbing her nose. He knew if he got her distracted, she would fall asleep easier. "Lydia's parents are getting a divorce."

"I think we all saw that coming."

"Uh, Erica and I have doctors' appointments on Thursday." She continued, closing her eyes as he rubbed circles into her back. "I think they're putting me on blood thinners again, which means I'm gonna get really skinny."

"You'll still be hot." Jackson whispered, making her smack his chest lightly and chuckle.

She continued on for about ten minutes, talking about things from what shoes she got to who broke up with who.

"And Danny..." Harley trailed off, her breathing slowing down as she fell asleep.

It wasn't long until he did too.

● ● ●

"Jackson, sweetie." Jackson nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw his mother leaning over him, the boy blinking awake. "What did I say about her staying over?"

"We took a thirty minute nap." Jackson reached over to grab his phone, his eyes widening when he saw it was almost ten o'clock at night. "Shit, Har."

He shook Harley gently, his girlfriend just mumbling something and snuggling closer into him. He looked up at his mom with a pleading look, the woman just returning a stern one.

"Harley." Jackson pinched her leg, the girl jolting and smacking him with a yelp.

"What?" Harley rubbed her eyes, looking over at Jackson's mom. "Oh, Mrs.Whittemore I'm so sorry, I'll just-"

"How about I have my husband drive you home, dear?" The older woman forced a smile onto her face, Harley nodding frantically.

Harley got along with Jackson's father, but his mother, not so much.

The blonde practically jumped out of bed and started packing her things, Jackson giving her an apologetic look.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She gave him a small smile, grabbing her shoes and rushing out the door.

The moment she left the room, his mother turn back towards him, her fake smile dropping.

"Never again, you hear me?"

"Yeah, whatever."