Like a Train Wreck - 40. Chapter 40: Another Goodbye

"I can't believe no one told me about this." Kyah stared at the dead bodies.

"Oh sure, think of yourself. I'm the one that's going to go down for this!" Ryder reached over and yanked at Kyah's hair.

"Ow! What was that for?!" She looked over at Ryder.

"Putting some of your DNA in the room. You want to be in it so bad." Ryder held up the few strands of hair and went to drop them in Kyler's hand.

"Stop!" Miracle grabbed Ryders wrist. "If you do that, it'll ruin it! I am telling you, the plan me and Jaemin came up with can still work..so long as it's not fucked up anymore."

"The plan?" Jaemin looked at Miracle and then sat at the table beside Tristan who had been quiet since he had gotten there with the other two.

"My phone has a record where I called Jordan. Now I can still make out like me and him were hooking up. Just like we talked about doing in Georgia...except this time no Hilton and no balcony." Miracle stared at the bodies helplessly. "Just...a hammer instead." He slowly shrugged. "Kyler followed Jordan, busted in, knocked him with the hammer, tried to get me and I had to smash his face, Jaemin, you got here just in time to see my self defense, I freaked out, we called our friends for my own emotional support..."

"That's a stretch..." Tristan looked at Miracle. "If you're going to try to pull that, might want to at least mess the room up a little more if you want to pull off the struggle over the hammer effect."

"And better you didn't call your friends..." Kyah looked up. "Better we leave and you call the cops." Kyah rubbed her head from where Ryder yanked at her hair.

"To late for that, your car is outside and people, or at least the hotel person, could of seen you pull in." Jaemin shook his head.

"Okay, the more we worry over it, the more we wait, it's going to look like we're planning something. We're just going to have to go with it. Flip the table over, knock things around, just mess the room up." Miracle grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket.

"Don't get mad..." Tristan looked at Jaemin. "I hate the idea...but if we beat him up a little...might really help."

"The fuck?" Jaemin looked at Tristan.

"No..it's brilliant." Miracle said. "I mean...who the hell would ever think of it? Kind of twisted in a way.." He slowly nodded. "Who would really go that far to cover up a murder when they already seemingly have good enough evidence, a phone call to prove a meeting, a witness to back up their self defense story...Kyler was attacked from the front, it kind of was really self defense in a way and Jordan was attacked from behind, it all lines up. So who would think of even going that far?"

Jaemin shook his head. "I don't think it's a good idea. You know what they say about people that try to hard. Lets just keep it simple."

"He's got a point, people that try to hard always blow it." Kyah slowly shook her head. "Like over acting in a drama movie...you come out like a bad soap star."

"Fine, we can't waste time debating it, mess up the room." Miracle said.

Ryder looked around and patted Tristan's shoulder. "Get up."

Tristan stood up and then shoved the chair over and then he grabbed the table.

"To much." Ryder shook his head.

"What about the other chair?" Tristan asked.

"Symmetry? That's a little OCD." Kyah said.

Jaemin stood up and shoved the ash tray off the table and let it spill onto the floor in a mess. "That fits, subtle..."

Miracle walked over and yanked at one of the lamp shades of one of the lamps mounted on the wall next to the door and half tears it off. "Okay, is that good?"

"Lets hope, call them." Kyah nodded.

Miracle dialed emergency dispatch and brought the phone up to his ear.

"911 emergency, what is your location?" The female dispatcher asked, keeping a stiff yet highly professional tone.

"Hi...I'm at the...the Mountain Edge Hotel...and..." Miracle started breathing heavily and he looked around. "They're dead!" He let out dramatically with a burst of a cry as he shut his eyes tightly.

"Okay, calm down, who is dead, what happened?" The woman asked, keeping that calm tone.

"My friend Jordan." Miracle cried in such realistic agony. "He's dead...I'll never see him again, oh my god! If only he'd stayed away!" He sniffled.

"Okay listen, I need you to focus, what room are you in?"

"Room 19." Miracle said, taking deep breaths. "Just send them please."

"They are on their way."

"Thank you." Miracle pulled the phone away and hung up and then looked up and noticed everyone staring at him. He looked around. "What?"

"You should be a drama major in college." Tristan said.

"I agree, what a performance." Ryder said.

Miracle cracked a smile. "Oh guys...that is so sweet! I'll buy you some hershey kisses!"

Kyah laughed and then looked towards the open door, hearing the sirens. "For murder, they waste no time. What do we do?"

"Just look serious and stay quiet, I arrived and barely saw it, just enough to know it was self defense, you guys arrived to late to see anything but the crime scene." Jaemin nodded.

Miracle's smile faded as he heard several cars pull up and then doors began to slam as several cops and crime scene investigators rushed the room, one detective came in and spotted Miracle on the bed and noted the tears, assuming him to be the one that called it in.

"Hi, my name is Detective Gregory." He held his hand out.

Miracle looked at the man's hand and then looked down at his phone and fiddled with it. "I'm Miracle."

Lucas Gregory looked at his hand and then dropped it and sat down beside Miracle. "That's a nice name, a lucky name, unique."

Miracle looked at the Detective. "My friend just died..." He shook his head. "Why are we talking about, my bizzare at best, name?"

"Because sometimes it helps to hear positive things when something traumatic happens. I didn't want to rush you, traumatize you again."

Miracle sniffled and nodded before he looked down and tears streamed down his face again. "Thanks for the consideration." His voice started to break up. "But it's to late, if only I had kept him away..." He looked at the Detective. "There are things about me..and men and obsession. Yet they never love me but it seems like they always have to have me, like a contest, like they have to be the winner." He looked down and reached for the Detectives hand and then he looked up into his eyes. "But I care for them anyway. They are people, they deserve to be cared for...and no one deserves for this to happen." He pulled his hand away.

Lucas looked down at their hands and then up at Miracle but made no sign to move or any sign at all of what he was feeling or thinking, maybe one could see concern, even a little sympathy but that was about it.

"I invited him here, Jordan and..well Kyler had found out that I had been messing around." Miracle reached up and wiped at his eyes but then burst out another sob. "I don't belong to anyone. I have that right, don't I?" He asked and then started to wonder if he was really acting at all. "I mean...Kyler didn't love me, we weren't together, what right did he have to get into my business with Jordan?"

The Detective nodded.

"Miracle sighed and looked around. "So I guess some how Kyler found out and followed him. I opened the door and Jordan came in and I turned around and swung the door to close it...and Kyler just rushed in, hit Jordan over the head with it. I guess then, in that moment, he knew it was over, I would turn him in and he came after me." Miracle started crying again. "I was so scared..."

"I came in just as it ended." Jaemin walked over to the bed and sat beside Miracle. "They were fighting over the hammer and some how during the struggle it hit Kyler."

Lucas looked at Jaemin and then over at Miracle. "It had to have been more than an accidental slip to do that much damage."

Miracle looked at the Detective. "Well...to elaborate, I tried to run out the door and he slammed it shut and we fought and I grabbed the hammer and fell down...I bumped the table and knocked the chair over." He nodded towards the mess at the table. "So I was scared, I knew he wouldn't let me out of the room so...so I just threw the hammer and it hit him, the first time. Well I tried to run for the door again but he grabbed me again and...I snatched onto that lamp." He nodded to the messed up wall lamp. "But he dragged me over there by the sinks and asked me if I wanted to live.." Miracle sighed nervously.

Jaemin's eyebrows lifted as Miracle weaved a story around every little piece of mess they made.

"Go on." Detective Gregory encouraged.

"Well...naturally I told him that I did." He looked over at the Detective with fright. "He said I had to come with him, that we had to run, he wiped his finger prints off the hammer and made me put mine all over it. I knew what...what he was doing. He was making sure he had something to hold me with forever. He said he would...he would make sure I never got caught. He started twisting the whole story." Miracle started crying again as he slowly rocked back and forth. "He started to sound like he really believed it himself." Miracle looked around, knowing he could only drag out this story for so long before he had to figure out a way to justify how badly Kylers face had been beaten.

"Detective..." Miracle looked at him. "This is a hotel room, a little hotel room, I made two attempts to escape, he was framing me for a murder he did and then he was starting to kidnap me, is it murder if I had to steal the hammer and hurt him enough to get away? Is it murder if I didn't mean for him to die?" This was a risk he had to take.

Lucas pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. "Technically murder is murder unless you are being harmed or are about to be harmed when the person dies. Technically there were plenty of things you could do as a kidnap victim, for one you were playing along, keeping it safe, that is smart. He said he was leaving with you, it would of possibly presented a lot of opportunities to have gotten help. In certain circumstances a kidnap situation might call for it as a last resort but not something like that."

Miracle looked at him. "So I'm going to jail then?"

The Detective took a drag from his cigarette and gave a side glance to Miracle and then a wink with a slight smile while the cigarette hung from his lips before he pulled it away with his fingers. "I'll write up a good statement for you."

Miracle looked up at him, shocked. "What? Why? You don't even know me." Jaemin looked equally as surprised.

"Well for me, it only took a few minutes talking to you to understand that you've had it pretty rough. You did what you felt like you had to do. And prison is not where you belong." The man stood up. "Stay out of trouble from now on, okay?" He walked away to go over the crime scene.

"That's easier said than done." Jaemin mumbled. "Lets go gather our thoughts." He stood up.

It wasn't long before the group of teens sat in a semi circular red cushioned bench at Pizza Hut with a large meat lovers pizza in the middle of the table, several slices having been taken and eaten.

"So what happens now?" Ryder asked.

"Do you think he knows?" Jaemin asked Miracle.

"Eric?" Miracle took a deep breath and sighed. "I would of trusted Jordan not to tell. He genuinely wanted me, I know he did. Kyler though, he was loyal, I would be surprised if he didn't report it." He shook his head.

"Does this mean you guys have to run again?" Tristan asked.

"Probably." Jaemin stared at Miracle.

"Give up another life, huh?" Miracle tried to smile in a strong manner but it quickly faded and he looked down at the table. "Maybe it's not worth it, maybe we would be better off just going home." He suddenly felt the urge to cry. "I miss everyone." He looked up and then around. "Not to say you guys haven't been great it's just..."

"We're newbies." Ryder smiled and then wrapped an arm around Miracle and hugged him. "It's okay, we don't mind that. You made our lives exciting for a little while."

Miracle looked at Ryder and nodded. "Sorry anyway."

"Oh, stop the acting!" Tristan waved a hand. "You're the King bitch and you know you love it!" He then bowed his head and gestured his arm across his chest. "And we are your loyal knights!" He then started laughing.

Miracle looked at Tristan and grinned. "You better always remember that."

"Want me to punch stamp it into his brain for ya?" Ryder asked with a grin and pulled away from Miracle and motioned a punch in Tristan's direction.

"Not necessary." Miracle laughed and took another slice of pizza.

Jaemin smiled, it made him happy to see Miracle happy, though he could only think about what they would most likely have to do and the idea of having to uproot Miracle from yet another life tore him up inside.

December 2008

"Are you ready?" Miracle asked as he stood in the living room of the small two story house.

"Yeah." Jaemin came down the stairs, throwing his leather jacket on. "Though this probably isn't a good idea."

"How can we live in Nevada and not go to the Area 51 signs? I've like..dreamed of doing that." Miracle grinned. "Maybe I can even throw our car keys over the line and force the guard guys to come fetch them for us."

"We would probably still get in trouble for that. We'll go to the signs but nothings going across the line." Jaemin placed his hands on Miracle's shoulders. "I'm sorry if you've felt so isolated, not many outings, no school, it's just I don't want to let you get attached again."

Miracle looked down and nodded. "I just wonder when we can be sure that it's safe." He looked up at Jaemin. "You only get one senior year...and eventually you can't go back and redo it, at least not the normal way." Miracle shook his head. "Lets just go, okay? I can't get into this or...you know, I'll cry and be a mess."

Jaemin nodded. "I understand and I don't want to rob you of that Miracle, I don't want to rob you of anything but...I also don't want to break you." He looked into his eyes and then leaned in to lightly kiss him. "I just wonder if that's even avoidable now." He moved away and grabbed the keys off the table beside the door.

Miracle stood there and then looked over at the small table top christmas tree that they had lit up, glowing in the darkness of the room. and he brought his hands up and started to cover his face and then he froze, feeling like if he moved, he would fall apart.

"Are you ready?" Jaemin turned around to see Miracle looking at the tree and then he walked over and around him. "That reminds me, I have your gift for you." He reached into the pocket of his jacket. "It's not much but...when I saw it, I knew that it belonged with you." He pulled out a long white box and took the cover off to reveal a gold chain necklace with a black, gold bordered tear drop shaped locket and in the middle of the pendant in gold writing it said; The moment you're free is the moment I live to see.

"Open it." Jaemin smiled.

Miracle read the front of it and then opened the locket and inside was a picture of himself on the beach as a child running at the edge of the ocean with the sun shining down on him. He then looked at the other side and there were more words scrolled on a white background; And the moment you're this happy again is the moment I'll know I fulfilled my destiny, Love always, Jaemin.

Miracle started breathing heavily and he trembled and looked up at Jaemin and then he started to silently cry. He slowly closed the locket and held it tightly to his chest and shook his head. "How do you know any of this will ever be?"

"Because I hope for it." Jaemin stepped closer. "Every night, I watch you sleep and I hope for it." He smiled. "And I think about how I saved you and the first time I looked into your eyes, you were all bloody and beaten but even then, under all that, I knew you were beautiful."

Miracle shook his head and stepped back until he fell against the door and then he slid onto the floor and shut his eyes tightly. "I want to go home...that's what I want more than anything in the world."

Jaemin lowered to his knees in front of Miracle. "I know you do. I want that too. I really do. I want it more for you than anything because I know that is what would make you so happy."

He opened his eyes and looked at Jaemin and took in several quick breaths. "Thank you, for my gift." He looked down at it. "It's perfect, you made it perfect."

"It's like...the heart of the ocean but...instead it's the heart of Miracle." Jaemin said.

Miracle looked at him and then burst out a short laugh. "Okay, that was corny."

"It worked." Jaemin smiled. "So do you still want to go to those stupid signs or stay here, have some hot chocolate and enjoy christmas?"

"Lots of marsh mellows?"

"Triple."

Miracle grinned. "You win."

Jaemin stood up and Miracle stood up and then Miracle's eyes widened. "Wait...thats perfect."

"What?" Jaemin asked and he looked rather concerned about what kind of wacky plot Miracle was coming up with now.

"If we get Eric to chase us into Area 51...they'll either use deadly force to kill him, the sign says so or he'll be charged." Miracle stared at Jaemin.

"Yeah, for trespassing. How long would that hold him?"

"Depends on how deep we get him in there and how much he sees." Miracle started to grin.

"But that would require us going with him to lure him into it and he's not stupid Miracle, he would probably slam on his breaks, let us keep right on going and laugh. Besides he doesn't do his own dirty work, he hires people." Jaemin sighed. "It was a nice thought but not realistic."

"Wait..." Miracle looked at Jaemin. "Hired people...it could still work. If they still see us drive in there, they'll assume the base used deadly force and made us disappear, maybe his hired people follow us and see us go past the limit and then hear gun fire."

"Again...bad idea. It's our lives..."

"Not if we're blow up dolls with tinted windows." He looked around thoughtfully. "A rock on the gas pedal would send the car straight on down the path, we would just need to figure out how to switch ourselves out with the fakes without being seen by anyone."

Jaemin's shoulders slumped. "Blow up dolls?"

"Thank Brad for the inspiration."

"I'm not thanking Brad for anything, brother or not." Jaemin turned around and started walking towards the kitchen. "You obsess over your crazy plan, I'm making the coa-coa!"

"It's not crazy! Just wait till I work out the technical difficulties!" He looked at his christmas present and then walked over and sat down on the couch.

January 2009

"Wow...I rather like you as a blonde, I didn't think you could pull it off. It's hot." Jaemin grinned when Miracle came out of the bathroom.

Miracle grinned. "Well thank you. I'm glad I don't regret it. Though I do regret the fear of regretting."

He grabbed the unopened brown hair dye and threw it in the trash after adjusting the tie to the comfy white robe that he wore. He then jumped on the bed next to Jaemin.

"Well it's a new years change." He leaned up and started kissing the side of Miracle's neck. "What do you think this years got in store for us?"

"Hopefully that my mind will actually come up with a good solution?" Miracle laughed and tilted his head to the side.

"I never said I didn't like your wacky ones, sad thing about them is that most of them could work, they always just have one little snag though." Jaemin started massaging Miracle's shoulders.

"Well I want to get back into school." Miracle turned around to look at Jaemin and brought a finger to his lips. "I know you want to protect me from attachment and so far this senior year has sucked but it would be worse if I didn't have one at all. I think it's worth the risk. And...while the possibility of endings always suck, the beginnings are always interesting, I believe that."

Jaemin nodded. "I know better than to argue with you. When you want it..."

"I get it." Miracle finished the sentence and nodded.

"Well what kind of people do you think we'll meet? We have to make it different this time."

"Well at least we have my Mom's house." Miracle laid back in bed. "We could do themes...or wear somethings incredibly wild and attention grabbing." He gasped and then grinned. "Oh yes...that's what I want to do."

Jaemin laughed. "What would you wear? I already think you're designing in your head." He propped his head up with his hand.

"Hmm..." Miracle stared at the ceiling. "Leather boyshorts...chain belt, handcuffs...leather vest, lots of rhinestones, shiny is always good and matching boots. Oh and the leather cop hat and black out sunglasses!" He laughed. "And a black pistol water gun so I can shoot the first jock that pisses me off."

Jaemin grinned at Miracle. "Then all you'd have to hope for is a pole next to a lunch room table, I'll bring the music and you'd have it ready to go."

Miracle laughed. "That would be something!" His eyes lit up even more. "In fact, I could wear a trench coat the whole day, take a cane and act like a blind person all day, poking around while I walk and then...surprise!"

"Nice idea..." Jaemin said sarcastically and laughed.

"What?" Miracle looked over at him. "You don't think I would do it?"

"Come on, you freaked out over your school introduction. Sterling told me all about it, you wanted to die." Jaemin laughed.

"That was a figure of speech." He pointed at Jaemin and smiled and then looked down. "I miss Sterling. We should skype, just take the risk. I mean I would think he would know..." Miracle sighed. "No, he probably wouldn't, even being as smart as he is."

"That's right, all it takes is a pop up to get in." Jaemin brushed through Miracle's short blonde strands of hair.

"I don't care...I'm doing it anyway." Miracle sat up and got off the bed. "Let him send people, I'll just kill them too."

"Miracle, thats naive. You were lucky with that one Detective, I am still shocked that he did that for you."

Miracle stood at the dresser and picked up his locket and opened it. "So...I'll just make them all feel sorry for me if I have to."

"They're not all like that. Some are real hard asses and some...have no pity on a killer no matter what excuse or story they give. Women have killed their husbands because of years of abuse and it wasn't self defense, they felt like it was their only way to get away because the man would most likely stalk them and make their life hell and never let them go and Detectives and cops and the system didn't give a fuck about any of that, they just tell her she could of left, she chose not to, she goes to prison."

Miracle slowly closed the locket. "Well...then we learn from the experts." He turned around to look at Jaemin. "They made Robin's parents die and got away with it. They made Cody's Mom disappear."

Jaemin was quiet for several moments. "I wonder what happened to his Mom."

"Well if we skype Sterling, maybe we can find out." Miracle suggested.

Jaemin sighed in defeat. "Okay but you do understand the risk? Your Mom's house was our last stop, if we have to run from here, we're on our own..."

Miracle stared at Jaemin. "I have a Dad too." He looked down at the locket and opened it again. "I remember the day this picture was taken. My Mom took it while me and him were playing with a beach ball, the wind blew it away and I was running to get it." He looked up at Jaemin. "And then my parents kissed and we all went out into the waves and splashed in them together."

Jaemin slowly nodded. "That's a nice memory. You don't know where he is though, if he's even still alive."

"If he is...I will find him." Miracle closed the locket again. "Some how...I'll find him." Miracle paused and then smiled. "He'll be our hero."

Miracle signed the paper on the clip board at the libraries front desk and then grabbed Jaemin's hand and lead him over to one of the computers and he smiled and sat down. "Grab one of the other chairs." He said and then pulled up Skype and logged in.

"I hope he is home." Miracle said as Jaemin pulled a chair up beside him and sat down. Miracle then clicked on Sterling's name and watched skype dial him up.

Sterling heard his skype alerting him from his computer and walked over to it. "Miracle?" He smiled and quickly sat down and answered it. "Oh my god! It is you guys! Where..." He shook his head. "Never mind! It feels like it's been forever. And Miracle, you went blonde! Actually works for you."

Miracle smiled. "Yeah, I know, like a thousand miles and a hundred years or something." He grinned and then ran his fingers through his short strands of hair. "And yeah, I know, I was surprised I liked it."

"I miss you, both of you. We all do. Life is incredibly boring here now." Sterling laughed. "Jasmine is always so grouchy at lunch, she picks at her food with her fork trying to think of ways to get rid of Eric so her fun can come back."

"For real?" Jaemin grinned. "What has she come up with? Miracle keeps doing that too."

"Well actually one of her ideas was inspired by what happened to Robin." Sterling said.

"How so?" Miracle asked.

"Strap Miracle with dynamite, send him right to Eric for a confession on recorder or he'll blow them both up." Sterling said.

"Won't work, he'll call Miracle's bluff." Jaemin said.

Miracle rolled his eyes. "He says no to every idea and has yet to even toss out an idea of his own."

"Another was to poison him. Again inspiration from the day Robin died. Miracle was practically so intimately close with him, if he had it on him, he could of probably done it that day." Sterling said.

Miracle turned around and lifted a finger. "Let me guess, Jae. It won't work because since I've run he will know I'm up to no good like Lucy Ricardo."

Jaemin closed his mouth and then nodded. "What I was going to say, with the exception of Lucy." He said after a seconds pause.

"Oh wow...not even finishing sentences but reading minds. This runaway has really bonded you two." Sterling laughed.

Miracle laughed and looked at Sterling. "Maybe. I'm home sick though, truly home sick. I'd be vomiting a flood if the symptoms of it were physical."

"We all miss you guys, we really do, probably just as much as we hope you miss us." Sterling smiled. "Although, I have to say there might be a little work around Jaemin's found flaw in Jasmine's last idea."

Miracle's eyes lit up. "Yes..." Miracle grinned.

"Oh so you two read minds now?" Jaemin gestured between Miracle and the screen.

"Well he was my first official american boyfriend." Miracle paused. "Or maybe my first boyfriend ever..." He paused in confusion. "Whatever, I get his idea. If we play it off that you took me hostage and forced me away, then Eric will trust me and it won't look like I run. I just have to 'escape' from you."

"Kind of sounds like you really would like to escape from me, especially if it gets you a ticket home." Jaemin stared at Miracle. "Would you really pay the price of Eric just to go home?"

Miracle stared at Jaemin and shook his head. "What? Of course not."

"Dude, how could you say something like that?" Sterling looked over at Jaemin.

"How could I?" He looked at the computer and then over at Miracle. "Well I've come last in everything and lets not forget about Kevin."

"Oh my god." Miracle lowered his head and shook it. "Are you really dragging Kevin back out?" He looked up at Jaemin. "Jordan told you why I did that."

"Oh yes, Jordan, the psychologist. You know, was it just me or did you actually sound broken up about him being dead?" Jaemin asked.

"Woah, wait. Jordan is dead?" Sterling asked.

"Shut up!" Miracle looked at Jaemin with wide eyes and then looked around. "This is a public library. And I was really broken up, some of the things I said to that Detective were really hurtful for me, not everything I said related to Jordan and Kyler, I did a lot of dialogue when I gave my statement."

Jaemin closed his eyes momentarily when he realized he messed up. "Yeah, okay." His eyes opened. "Fine, sure, okay. What about how you had so much fun flashing your sex tape around at your appointment with him? I mean you did that didn't you? Might aswell have, you did it with everyone else and the therapy office is where all our baggage falls out."

Miracle crossed his arms. "So what if I did? It was for shock value."

"So you admit it." Jaemin grinned sarcastically.

"You know that night that Ryder got our hotel room, the first night? You went and got in the shower. I hugged him...and he got so tense, he wanted me." Miracle grinned. "I could of had him too, wasn't a bad looking guy.." He then leaned close to Jaemin. "And I would love to ride...a Ryder." He laughed a little and then looked at the computer. "I'll skype you later." He stood up and started walking off.

Jaemin watched Miracle walk off and then looked over at Sterling. "What the fuck? He risks it all to see you and then pulls this."

Sterling's eyes shifted to the side and he pulled up his hands. "I'm not taking sides but you did...kind of initiate it in all truth." He sighed. "Jae, you got some insecurities but we all have them and with someone like Miracle, it's very reasonable, more than reasonable. Especially if he pulled something like that with...who ever Ryder is while you were just in the next room taking a shower."

"I didn't even know about it." Jaemin looked at Sterling. "Didn't even fucking know."

Miracle walked outside the library and sat on one of the available stone benches and pulled out a cigarette and brought it to his lips and then lit it up. He shoved the pack and the lighter back into the pocket of his jeans and took a drag while he looked around, watching as a car passed by every now and then, traffic so much slower and emptier than New York, though his time in West Virginia had made him used to it.

"Saw that argument, it was fun to watch." A man walked over, older but not much, his mid thirties at the latest, he didn't appear to be wealthy or anything. In fact he looked more like the type to work in an auto shop more than anything.

Miracle looked up at the man and stared at him for a couple of seconds. "What all did you hear?"

"All of it." The man grinned and sat next to Miracle, a can of bud light in his hand.

"Do you normally do that? Go to the library and spy on people? And smuggle those in? How? Your pocket?"

"Not to spy...but I do smuggle a couple of these around." He patted his second jean pocket where another can was stored.

"But you just wanted to spy on me?" Miracle looked away. "God, should I ever be surprised anymore?"

"Don't talk to God, talk to me." The man said.

Miracle looked at the man and then started to laugh. "I don't even know your name."

"What do you want to call me? I think you're the creative type."

"What if I wanted to call you God instead, bow down and pray to you?" Miracle asked, sarcastically.

"You'd be in a good position." The man grinned.

"Of course I would." Miracle looked over when Jaemin came out of the library. "Oh hey, Jae, I want you to meet God. He has finally graced our Earth."

"God?" Jaemin looked over at the man, unimpressed and at the same time confused.

The man grinned and upnodded to Jaemin. "That's right, I'm God." He took a sip of his beer.

"Sure you are.." Jaemin said, weirded out.

"Your boy said so."

"Oh really?" Jaemin looked at Miracle. "How interesting."

"He said he's going to bow down and pray to me."

Miracle looked off towards the road, trying to contain the urge to grin the best that he could.

"Yeah?" Jaemin looked at them and pulled the car keys out and swung the ring around his finger. "Well tell him to pray for a ride home...and if he manages to get that to pray for a way into the house." Jaemin turned around and started for the parking lot.

"If I prayed for it, I would get it." Miracle spoke up and then grinned. "Why don't you turn around, Jae. Let me tell you why your plan won't work."

Jaemin stopped and turned around. "Hmm?"

"You see...Ryder gave both of us that car so while we can play tug of war over that, the house is my Mom's." Miracle nodded.

"Working my miracles already, ya see?" The man laughed and took another drink.

Jaemin looked at the man. "Shut up, if you think he really likes you then you're a fool."

"And he likes you? Making plays while you're in the shower. And what did you plan to go to his Mom's house and do? Get dinner ready?" The man stood up.

"Do you really want to start with me?" Jaemin started to approach him. "You will regret it."

Miracle finished off his cigarette and threw it on the ground and stood up to get in between them. "Guys, seriously?" He pressed a hand on both of their chests and pushed them apart.

"Nah, he wants to get his ass kicked two blocks down, I'll show him how it's done." Jaemin kept his gaze on the man. "Hell I'd love to know his name first though, God, sure isn't it."

Miracle's eyes widened. "Could be...look at my name..."

"Miracle, no one names their kid, God." Jaemin stepped back.

"The name Jesus is in the baby name dictionary." Miracle looked at Jaemin.

"But not God." Jaemin argued and then looked at the man. "So surrender your name for your own well being."

"Surrender my name?" The man started laughing. "That was so impacting! I kind of feel like you should have a sword and a crown with that line!"

"My stress levels..." Miracle mumbled.

"I tell you what. You meet me at this party tonight...and then the mystery will be over." He pulled out a piece of paper with an address and handed it out to Jaemin. "I've been looking for someone cool to spread the word. Until then, God invited you." The man grinned and tossed his empty beer can to the ground and headed back into the library.

Miracle watched the man go back inside and then looked at Jaemin, wondering how he would react.

Jaemin took the paper and looked at it before crumbling it up. "We're not going."

"Why?" Miracle asked.

"Because he's a jack ass. Because of your pattern, because I'm not going to play your baby sitter or get pissed when you decide to get wasted and..." He trailed off.

Miracle's eyes narrowed. "And what?" He stepped closer. "Finish it."

Jaemin frowned and looked away. "I can't believe I even thought about saying it."

"Saying what?"

"When you decide to get wasted and turn into a slut." Jaemin looked at Miracle with a deeply hurt and apologetic expression. "I hate myself now."

Miracle stared at him quietly and then slowly shook his head. "Don't..." He shrugged. "When it's the truth, it's the truth and the truth always comes out whether we want it to or not. I know you'd never want to truly hurt me."

"Can I just take you home?"

Miracle nodded. "Yeah, lets go home."