He laughs. "She must really like you," he jokes. "I'm the motor mouth in this family." Julie is much more reserved than her half-brother, quieter and more serious. She had been quite a bit older when their mom gave them up, and shed become and adult almost immediately. No sixteen year old should have to be an adult like that, Jake can attest to that fact.

It's only when he hears the rustle of papers being ripped away that he finally turns away from his laptop properly. "Lemme see!" he demands, holding out his hand. "Yeah, he's my friend. Probably my best friend, apart from you."