(4) Out of Control: An All Time Low FanFiction Romance

Chapter 55: Wild Guess

        Jack's eyes must have met mine a hundred or so times through the rearview mirror on the drive. Maverick called dibs on the front seat automatically, leaving the rest of us to the two back rows. I didn't want to be sandwiched between Xavier and Porter, so I'd climbed all the way to the very back row, secluded from the guys who talked loudly the entire car ride. I'd wished I had my iPod with me, to try to block out some of their noise. Instead, I settled for trying to stare out the window to ignore them, but I couldn't stop myself from gazing to the driver's seat every few minutes, eyes locking with his through the rearview mirror. Even with his sunglasses on, I knew he was looking at me by the way his head was angled up. It was probably better, anyway, that I couldn't see his dark brown eyes hiding underneath.

        I couldn't get out of the Range Rover fast enough when Jack pulled into the parking lot of the hotel we were staying in. I didn't stop to marvel at its enormous size, or wonder what our room would look like. Instead, I climbed over the folded down seat, heading quickly across the parking lot to Lauren's car. She was stepping out as I neared, pulling up the trunk that she'd opened.

        "Sorry," she apologized quietly, stopping by my side. Her eyes were hidden beneath a pair of sunglasses as well, but I could have guessed they were sympathetc.

        "Whatever," I shrugged as a response, trying to brush it off, too warm and sleepy to bother arguing. I reached for my backpack, pulling it onto my shoulders before reaching for my other suitcase and duffle bag. I had the bag in my hand and was reaching for my suitcase when another hand reached in and grabbed it first, pulling it from the trunk while my hand fell to my side.

        "I'm capable of carrying my own suitcase," I pointed out bluntly, not bothering to hide the attitude in my voice. I really didn't want to deal with him right now. I turned immediately to meet Jack's eyes, his sunglasses no longer hiding his dark eyes.

        "Ah, at last. She speaks to me," he said, and started to walk away with my lugage. I groaned lightly to myself, walking quickly after him.

        "Can you just give me my suitcase?" I said angirly, trying tyo reach for it. He swung it out of my reach, turning his body to face me.

        "But then you'll stop talking to me," He said, pouting lightly, backing away with two hands firmly on the handle, holding it in front of me.

        "Exactly, now give it back," I said, reahing again. He kept swinging it out of the way, that stupid grin growing on his face as he laughed lightly, enjoying this.

        "Fine, keep the suitcase for all I fucking care!" I exclaimed, waving my hands in the air. I turned, heading for the front doors of the hotel. I didn't have to turn around to know that he ws walking behind me now.

        "I don't really get what your problem is," Jack's voice sounded from behind me, clearly annoyed. I rolled my eyes, stopping on the sidewalk around the side of the hotel, turning to glare at him.

        "That's funny, considering it's you," I snapped, standing my ground as he walked closer, making my stomach churn and heart race in a way that I hated. My stubborn personality and stupid heard were fighting a cliché battle I thought I'd never have to worry about, and it was driving me insane.

        "I don't recall what I did to piss you off so much," he said, stoping only a few inches in front of me. I pressed my mouth into a straight line, cursing to myself for no thaving some kind of come back. It was getting harder for me to stop acting.

        "Oh wait," he continued, laughing darkly. "It was because I liked you, right? Because I cared about you? I forgot, having feelings is against Natalia's rules." His eyes were cold as he oved, brushing past my motionless body. I turned a second later, watching him give my suitcase to a bellhop waiting outside, nodding a slight thank you before heading back my way.

        "I don't see how that Hunter kid kept coming back to you. You must've been something so far past amazing to him," Jack muttered quietly, slowing down beside me before he kept going. My mouth was opening and closing quickly, trying to think of something to sy, but I was momentarily stunned by Jack's anger.

        "Jack," was the first word I could get out of my mouth, and it was so quiet and rushed that I wasn't sure if he'd heard me or had understood me from a few feet away, but I saw him slow automatically and turn, his eyes finding mine again.

        I took a deep breath, knowing exactly what I wanted to say, but the words felt foreign asnd wrong, even as I thought them. As I heard them coming out of my mouth, it sounded even stranger, but it was the only thing that came to my utterly confused mind. I couldn't believe the words came out of my mouth, it was too bizarre to be trying this hard. I didn't even know if it would make a difference at this point.

        "I -- I'm sorry," I forced out, hating how pathetic I sounded.

        I was trapped between apologizing when I really had no idea what I way saying sorry for, and saying it for the hell of it, because it made Jack stop.

        "Do you even know why you're saying sorry?" he quetioned, not moving any closer. I bit my lip, knowing and hating, that he was seeing right through me.

        "I don't thik so," he continued, finally walking closer. I didn't know where any of the guys were, or Lauren, and I was cursing them for not having their normally poor timing and showing up in the middle of a conversation. The only thing I could think of was that Lauren was purposely staying by the car to try and give us this time to talk.

        "I'm going to go ahead and take a wild guess. Actually, no, I know what I'm about to say is right. You stopped this with me because you got scared. Because you felt the same way that I feel about you, and it scared the shit out of you because it's never happened before. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you've heard this a few times, but you can't turn off feelings you have for someone just because you don't want them. Especially if it's the first time you've really had strong feelings for someone. Life doesn't work that way, even if you want it to.

        "You can go ahead and pretend you don't fucking care all you want, I'm not buying it. I'll be around all summer, you can't just ignore me like you have been for the last week. You can throw yourself at oter guys all you want, I'll still be here. And I'll wait, because I now even you can't ignore this for much longer." He finished, turning and walking away before I could even get a thought across.

        I wanted to scream at him for being so stupid and annoying, and then just kiss him because I missed the way his mouth felt on mine, but I couldn't get my feet, mouth or mind to work properly. So, I let him walk away, the further he got from me, the angrier I became.

        I barely even noticed the guys come around the corner, heading towards me and walking past with a lot of curious glances. I faintly heard Xavier ask if I was coming, and I turned, following them slowly into the hotel, biting at my lip in anger.

        I hared him for calling me out like that. I hated him even more for being right.