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

Chapter 75: Fixed

        "Happy birthday, Nat!" Maverick screamed as I pushed open the apartment door. My hand was still on the knob, foot barely through the threshold.

        I cringed at the volume, but my skewed expression turned into a grin when he scooped me into a hug. I could smell the faint, lingering smoke on his shirt. The room spun around me, Jack's blurred face amused when I went around to meet his eyes.

        "Thanks Mav," I said, unable to stop from smiling when he set me down.

        Even if the day seemed like it was goign to be a pain with Kinsley, I wanted to make the best of it. I was twenty-one for God's sake. I was allowed to be as happy as I wanted.

        "Happy birthday," Porter smiled form the couch. "What are you, thirteen?"

        He mocked me for my late birthday, and I rolled my eyes in his direction, ignoring Xavier and the familiar girl sitting next to him on the couch. I was sure Zave would take her side over mine, so I wasn't going to bother to look for their attention.

        "That was so funny I forgot to fall off my fucking dinosaur, Porter," I replied, placing my hands on my hips. I felt Jack's arm bump into mine from behind, his fingers trailing down my arm lightly. "Haven't you thought of any better lines, yet?"

        "Nah, I've been using that one for years, no turning back now," he chuckled, turning his attention back to the television playing the Sox game.

        "I'm dating a younger woman," Jack said like it finally hit him.

        "Congratulations on solving the mystery, Nancy Drew," I muttered, glancing at him from the corner of my eye. His thick eyebrows raised, turning his head towards me, mouth turned up on one side.

        "Sassy," Maverick commented as he wandered to the kitchen that was off to the right. "Not a good way to start off your birthday."

        "No, a good way to start my birthday is to wake up in peace," I pointed out. "I always hated when you guys would wake me up at five AM and scare the shit out of me."

        "It was always at nine-thirty you big baby," Zave laughed from his seat, shaking his head.

        I was surprised to hear him address me. I directed my attention at him, sitting on the couch with Kinsley's legs draped over his lap. His hand moved slowly against the skin exposed by her shorts, his eyes finding mine.

        "What's the difference?" I questioned in bewilderment. "The morning is the morning no matter what."

        "We know, you're contagious, sun-shine personality is just a reminder," Jack said, scratching the back of his neck. I looked at him, glaring. He went from searching the carpet to looking in my eyes, innocence spread across his face. "What? You know it's true."

        "So, what are you guys up to?" Porter asked casually, phone in his lap after finishing a text.

        Matt allowed us to have the next two days off. He tried to be kind in letting me have my birthday off, and he wanted me to have time to recover from the post-party hangover, even though I was sure I wasn't doing anything too crazy, he wanted to leave the space open, just in case.

        "Uh, we haven't really talked about it yet. I just came to shower and change," I shrugged, wandering into the kitchen where Maverick was still making himself breakfast.

        Jack followed, one hand wrapping around my waist, palm pressed to my stomach, causing my bacnk to bump into his chest. He kissed the side of my cheek when I turned, and I rolled my eyes at him.

        I was sort of expecting some kind of snide comment from Kinsley, especially because she didn't get her way. We were a lot alike that way. We both wanted things, and when we didn't get them, we didn't like it.

        "What's the plan for tonight?" Maverick asked sarcastically. I hesitated with my fingers on the door of the refrigerator.

               Oh, come on, Maverick. You can't be that stupid.

        Apparently he was, with this curious expression left on his face as Jack looked over at him sadly. For once, he wasn't the only one left in the dark.

        "We're still figuring that out," Jack said cautiously, playing it off coolly. I appreciated his efforts, but it didn't cut any of the tension in the room.

        "Didn't you say you wanted to go out to dinner?"

        I was shocked to hear her speak at all.

        I turne away from the fridge to the entrance of the kitchen. Xavier stood behind Kinsley, almost giving her a shove into the space. She moved forward a little, and Jack backed against the counter to leave the pathway clear for us.

        "That's what I was hoping to do," I said quietly, biting my cheek.

        She nodded, running a finger through her hair lightly. Her jaw was set, and I shuffled awkwardly and stared at my sandal covered feet.

        "There's uh.." she paused quickly, clearing her throat. "There's a nice restaurant down the street Zave and I ate at last week. I had a really good margarita there, so if you want, maybe I could make us reservations, but only if that's what you want to do."

        I let out a small breath, mouth turning up on one side lightly. My heart rate returned to normal, and I let out a laugh before nodding eagerly.

        And that was enough for the both of us. That was exactly what we needed to be okay with each other again. It never took much to get over our fights, we were so close that apologies weren't really necessary.

        "Yeah, that'd be great."

        And just like that, we were fixed.