𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑦, - 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑥 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟

𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗

July 17th

Dear Diary,
   
    My mother and I were on the way to the park to tell Jack our idea.
    "Jack!" I said, finally seeing him, walking into the park. I grabbed his arm and he smiled.
    "'Ello, love. What is this all about?" He asked.
    "We're gonna run away! Remember? I told you last night." I said, putting my head on his shoulder. He wasn't much taller than me.
    "Oh, right! Sorry I forgot. And I wouldn't really consider it to be running away. I think that you're just moving out to live with us." He laughed.
    "Well, my father doesn't know." Then I heard my mother's voice.
    "I told him."
    I looked at her in surprise. "You-you told him? Why?" I let go of Jack's arm. "We're all going to get in trouble."
    "I wouldn't have said anything if he didn't threaten Jack! I'm not going to tell you what he said, but all I'm going to say is that it wasn't nice."
    I looked at Jack and frowned. "Alright, I guess we'll have to deal with that. When we get there, Jack, you can go upstairs and relax and I'll wait for him." If he comes. I thought.

    We got to the house earlier than I expected. I didn't think my mother grew up so close to where I used to live.
    Jack, my mother and I went inside.  It was beautiful. A chandelier hung from the ceiling near the door. There were at least 4 different rooms coming from the front. The staircase was one of the typical spiral staircases you would find in almost every rich household around here. I took my suitcase and Jack's hand and ran upstairs. I was startled by my sudden movements. I glanced back at my mother, who was smiling at us. I'm so happy she accepted us.
    "Come on!" I said, pulling Jack into the first bedroom on the left. The bed was huge. A large window sat in the back of the room. The backyard was full of trees.
    "Wait," Jack started, "does this mean we will- we'll be sleeping together?" He stuttered. It sounded like he didn't want to.
    "Yeah, unless you don't want to. There must be at least three bedrooms here. You can take one of those if you'd like."
    "No, I'm not saying that I don't want to. It's just," he sighed and paused for a moment, "I've never slept with a girl before. I don't know if I'll make you uncomfortable or anything."
    "So what? You won't make me uncomfortable. I would've told you to take another room if you were to make me uncomfortable. Then, there would be no point in dating, would there?" I laughed. "Now come on. Lay here with me." I patted the left side of the bed. He laid down and sighed.
    "Thank you." Jack said. His smile was beautiful.
    "For what?"
    "Everything. You've changed my life, even though we've only been dating for a few weeks. I mean, we've known each other for months, and I've liked you ever since then. So just, thank you."
    Instead of replying, I pecked his lips and smiled. "Do you want to cuddle?" I asked in my, I really want something face. He smiled.
    "Okay. I don't know how, like with a person, but I could try." He turned over to his side. I can't believe I was teaching my boyfriend how to cuddle someone. This was unbelievable but so cute at the same time.
    "Have you ever cuddled a stuffie? Like a stuffed animal before? You just said you don't know how to cuddle a person, so I'm guessing you've hugged something while sleeping before." That was too much information in one sentence. I don't know if he could handle that.
    "I used to sleep with stuffed animals, so I know what you're talking about."
    "Okay, so just pretend I'm a stuffed animal, if you wish. Hug me like that." I moved back to get closer to him so it was easier for him to reach me.
    "Well, you are my stuffed animal." I looked back at him as he smirked.
    "Jack..." I whined and he laughed. His warm pair of arms wrapped around my stomach and he moved really close to me. I hummed into the pillow and laughed. "This is comfy." I said.
    "Of course it is. I'm cuddling you, otherwise I would've refused." He kissed my cheek from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder.

July 18th

Dear Diary,

    There was a loud rap at the door and it wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Jack and I were already awake, so I sat up and glanced at him.
    "I'll get it, love. You stay here." It better not be him. I thought as I went downstairs. The hammering continued. "I'm coming, I'm coming." I unlocked the door from both the top and bottom and opened it.
    No.
    "What are you doing here?" He asked me, stepping inside. I couldn't stop him.
    "How did you know where I was?" I said, angrily slamming the door. He really shouldn't be here.
    "Your mother decided to be a good person for once and tell me where you were. You need to come back home. You ran away."
    "What if I don't want to come back to you? What if I don't want to come back to your stupid, strict rules, your restriction you put on your only, grown daughter? I keep telling you that you can't control my life! I really thought I was going overboard with this, but I couldn't stop, "You can't tell me what to do! I'm twenty-three years old! I think that I should have the right to do as I please, to work where I want and to love who I want!" I enunciated that for Jack. He deserved it. He deserved me and I deserved him.
    "I don't care what you say about it." My father said, "you are my daughter, and you will do as I say. Now come one, you're coming back home and you shall only live with me. Your mother can stay with your lamplighter lover of yours."
    I started to yell at him again, "why does it matter that he is a lamplighter? He enjoys what he does and that's all that matters! Who cares about his financial situation? I don't but apparently you do!" He cut me off.
    "I care about it because you need to learn to be a financially strong human being, unlike me when I was your age! My family told me nothing! I had to rely on your mother, which was a forced marriage by the way, to help me work out my financial struggles!" His breathing was heavy and it scared me.
    They were forced to marry each other? No wonder they hate each other so much.
    "Why were you forced to marry each other?" I asked.
    "That's not the point. The point is, if you don't come with me, then you won't be able to see your boyfriend again, do you understand me?"
    "But I want to know!" I didn't even listen to what he just said, "I don't want to be rich when I grow up! I want to be like a normal person in London, with an average amount of money. Being rich stresses me out because people will always ask me for money, especially for being from the richest family in London! I can't do this anymore!"
    "Do you want to see your boyfriend again or not?"
    I sighed. "Yes, I would love to see Jack again." I looked behind me and there he was, but he hid behind the stairs when I turned around. I frowned.
    "Then come with me."
    "But how long will I have to stay with you?" I asked.
    "However long I tell you to stay. I get to make that decision. For the last time, are you coming with me or not?"
    "Yes, father." I replied.
    "Get your ass out this door then." He pushed me out the door with his feet. He didn't let me grab my suitcase or say goodbye to my mother. He didn't let me say goodbye to the one I love the most.
    He didn't let me say goodbye to Jack.