Self-Induced Panic

Chapter Three. Weightless

I wake up feeling dazed and disoriented and with my face hurting. I stiffen when I feel someone move beside me but relax when I realize it's just Jack. As realization hits of why I'm here, memories from last night come flooding back to me. The searing pain of my father's fist coming in contact with my face again and again. The agony of having to drag myself up and off the bathroom floor after my Dad passed out hours before, and having to lug myself all the way to Jack's house.
That's where I draw the line and cut off the memories before they can take a darker route and I start think about what I did to myself in between those two awful memories...
I'm thankfully distracted by Jack as he wakes up.
"Good morning beautiful" Jack says. 'beautiful' being casually thrown out there like it was my name, it was natural for Jack to call me things like that, didn't mean anything, it was just normal for us.
"Technically it's afternoon but I'll take what I can get" I retort. I love that most about us; we can always joke with each other even during the most serious times.
"So what's the plan for breakfast, or should I say, lunch?" He asks.
"Well, there's a Bob Evan's right down the road or we could whip up something here, it's up to you. Whatever you prefer"
"Bob Evan's it is then" he declares. I laugh and then roll out of bed, careful to avoid my bruises.
"So, about what time did you show up last night, must have been late because I didn't go to bed till one and you weren't here when I went to bed and then when I wake up here you are in my arms" he asks as he rummages through a pile of clothing, searching for something decent to wear.
"I left my place at about 2 so I'd say I got here at about 230-3 o'clock and came straight to bed." I say as he decides on a pair of black skinny jeans and a plain red v-neck shirt.
"Oh and you just felt entitled to barge into my house and make yourself comfortable in my bed without asking me?" He jokingly says as he changes into the clothes he picked out.
I know he was joking but it still kind of hurt thinking about that fact that I felt like I was barging in and being a nuisance.
He could apparently see the hurt look on my face and came over and pulled me into his arms, onto his bare tattooed chest.
"Hey, you know I'm joking, right? I didn't mean it. I love having you here. Mi casa su casa. Now come on and get dressed, I'm starving."
I pull on my jeans from last night and borrow one of his plain black shirts. It's a little big but it'll do. I grab my jacket and we head outside to his car and make our way to Bob Evans for lunch, Black Veil Brides blaring in the car as we make the short trip.

Lunch was delicious. Jack ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with French fries and coffee like the little kid he is, and I just had a salad and water, which was plenty.
We ended up going back to Jack's place and hanging out and watching movies all day since it was Saturday and neither of us had work or school. On days like this I couldn't be happier. With Jack I feel weightless, like I could float up to the clouds with not a care in the world. But then the realization that I have to go home soon brings me falling back to the ground.
I don't wanna go.
"Hello, Earth to Steph."
"What, sorry" I say as I come back into reality.
"You were spaced out babe" he says."I asked if you were ready to head to bed or if you wanted me to drive you home"
"Oh sorry, yeah can I please stay another night, I really don't wanna go home" I say, dragging out the please, begging to stay.
"Of course, you already know you can. Now come on, let's get to bed, it's already midnight."
"Thank you Jack, I love you." I say. The I love you being natural for us to say to each other.
"Yeah whatever now come on I'm dead tired." He says as he drags me off the couch and leads me upstairs to his room.
I peel off my skinny jeans and change into a pair of his boxers then climb into bed with Jack right beside me and cuddle into his chest feeling warm and secure, and drift off into a peaceful and dreamless sleep.
Right before I'm completely asleep, I hear Jack sigh a soft "I love you" and with that I'm out like a light.

AUTHORS NOTE
So this one was quite a bit longer, you're welcome. I'm having so much fun writing this and I think I have a plan as to what's going to happen in the story but you're just gonna have to keep reading to find out....
Anywhore, please vote, comment, and follow please. The more votes the more inspired I am to write.
Thanks lovelys,
-A