Unscripted (Jack & Crutchie)

Chapter 42 - A Plan

Criticism spot! :)

Crutchie's POV

I woke up from Jack moving as he stretched. I rubbed my eyes and looked up at him, smiling.

"Oh, I didn't mean to wake you," Jack said, immediately beginning to play with my hair.

"It's okay, I had to wake up soon anyways," I kept smiling as I spoke, feeling exhausted. "Aren't you gonna get up?" I asked, as Jack usually did so minutes after he woke up.

"No, I want to lay here for a bit." He said with a smile, taking me by surprise.

I settled back down and closed my eyes again, as Jack kept playing with my hair. Even once the morning bell rang he stayed put, his breathing relaxing as he began to fall back asleep. As much as I wanted to stay there, I knew I should wake him, as he'd be upset if we were late.

"Hey, the bell rang a few minutes ago." I said, making him open his eyes and look at me. "You don't like to be late," I couldn't help but smile as I looked at him, and he did the same back.

He got up and grabbed our clothes as usual, but as I took my shirt he laid beside me for the day, I noticed it had short sleeves. I hesitated for a minute, staring at it.

"H- uhm," I began, and Jack looked at me. He quickly noticed what I was upset about, grabbing one of his own flannels and handing it to me.

"Here, wear this as a jacket. If you're hot, you can take it off." He smiled kindly as I took it, however, despite his expression, I felt like he was annoyed. I tried to hide the fact that I felt this way, but as Jack didn't go back to finish getting ready, I could already tell I failed. "Hey, what's wrong?" He knelt down a bit, looking at me with concern.

"Just stupid feelings. I'll get over them, it's okay." I said, smiling.

"I want you to tell me anyways, please. I don't want you to end up doing this again." He said, motioning to my arm. I sighed and looked away from him, hesitating a bit.

"I just feel annoying. That's all." I mumbled, not making eye contact.

"Remember that talk we had a while back? About how whenever you feel like you're a burden or anything like that, you need to trust and listen to me when I say you aren't?" He said, and I nodded slowly. "This is one of those times." He spoke gently, and I looked back at him. He stood up and finished changing, and I did the same.

As usual, the three other guys joined us on our walk, and we somehow got on the topic of what we want to do with the rest of our lives. I wasn't exactly sure how we arrived at this topic, as I had spaced out for a bit somewhere in the middle, but I was taken back in when Race asked Jack what he'd want to do.

"I want to be a painter in Santa Fe," he said with a smile, but Specs and Romeo both groaned in annoyance. Jack's smile quickly dropped, and he looked forward again, seeming ashamed of his answer.

"Not this again," Romeo teased, and I felt myself grow angry.

"You're never actually goin' to Sante Fe! You know you'll stay here," Specs said, truly not trying to be mean.

"Why'd you ask him if you were gonna react like that?" I said, catching Jack off guard a bit as I defended him.

"I thought he had finally dropped the whole thing," Romeo said, and I could tell that Race was torn between the two groups, wanting to stay neutral. "What about you, Crutchie? You ain't got many options I suppose," he continued, making me clutch the handle of my crutch tightly in rage.

"I really get why you and Tommy got along so well," I spat, and I could feel Jack grow worried as I got angrier.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Romeo asked, stopping dead in his tracks to face me.