crossways: a jack hughes story

chapter 20

after your shower, you put on the clothes you wore to bed last night back on. you don't bother doing your hair, and forget makeup.

you crawl back into bed. you feel numb; you can't think straight. you don't wanna eat, talk, or do anything for that matter.

carly and cole try to get you out, but you don't budge. they brought you back chick-fil-a for you to eat in the hotel room.

"do you wanna talk?" carly asks.

"there's nothing more to talk about. he did what he did. and i'll never forgive him."

"oh zoe, i'm so sorry this happened."

"what am i supposed to do? i don't go back to school for another month. all my stuff is in his room, but i can't go back there."

"well, you could."

"but i don't want to. i don't want to see him anytime soon."

"hey cole, is there any way you could distract jack for about an hour? just get him out of his house." carly asks cole.

"um, i can try." cole takes out his phone and texts jack.

"what did you say??" asks carly.

"i just asked if he wanted to get dinner or something tonight."

"where am i supposed to stay for another month? i really don't wanna go back home." you sigh, more tears form in your eyes as you were looking forward to spending the rest of summer at jack's.

"you could always stay at my apartment in montreal, carly was gonna come back there for the rest of the summer anyways." says cole.

"thanks, but i feel like i'd be intruding on you two."

"no, no. there's two bedrooms, it'd be fine."

"okay. i'll think about it." you smile to cole.

cole's phone lights up and everyone's eyes quickly shift to his screen.

"it's jack."

"what did he say?!" says carly.

cole's face drops.

"oh no." you say.

"he said that he can't because he doesn't feel good."

"because he doesn't feel good?! what a lame excuse. he should say because he feels awful for what he did to the love of his life!"

"maybe he doesn't want cole to know what happened." says carly.

"how would cole not know? jack knows i'm with you two. and does he not remember cole was there?"

cole and carly just shrug their shoulders.

"oh no." you say, looking down at your phone.

"what??" asks carly.

"jack just asked if i can come over. he said just to talk."

"that's weird." carly says.

"should i go?"

"you have to go. it's a good opportunity to get your stuff, and get an explanation." says carly.

"i can drive you over there if you want." offers cole.

you take cole up on his offer, and he drives you to jack's house. he waits in the driveway while you go in, you could be five minutes or an hour. but he waits anyway.

you walk up to the front door and knock. you've never been this mad, nervous, and hurt before; and all at the same time, too.

you knock twice and then the door opens. jack opens it. he looks like he hasn't gotten any sleep since last night. his eye bags are prominent, his eyes are red, and his expression is depressing. he's wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, and he's tucked his messy hair into a beanie.