rumours // jack maynard

nine

"You've known about this for five months and never told me!" I yell tears running down my face.

"I didn't want you to leave me! You're the last person who hasn't" My mom says also crying.

"I would've stayed. That was until you fucking spent all my scholarship money for your fucking alcohol and drugs!" I scream knowing she will get angry. Instead of screaming back at me she walks out of the room leaving me to sit in the living room by myself.

*one month later*

"You can't stop me this time" I say to my mom as she follows me to the door. "I'm done with your bullshit excuses on you're getting better when we both know you're not."

"I am getting better though" She says quietly stepping in front of me so I can't walk out the door.

"You've been the rehab five times. You are not getting better and I'm sick of having to work four jobs to pay for this house since you can't. I'm leaving." My mom begins to cry which doesn't effect me anymore. It's been a daily occurrence this past year.

"Do you not love me?" She asks through tears.

"Do you love me? Because if you did you would have gotten better instead of saying you would. If you do then you wouldn't have used my fucking scholarship money for your damn drugs!" I scream. My mom stops crying and her green eyes begin to turn dark. It scared me. I've never seen her this angry before.

"I'm sick of you blaming me for that."

"Blaming you!? Are you fucking serious!?" Before anything else could be said my mom makes contact with my face. Putting my hand against my cheek I wince in pain as tears begin to fill my eyes. My mom's face softens knowing what she's done was wrong. "Get the hell out of my way" I say and she moves knowing I'm not coming back. She calls for me, but I continue walking trying to hold back my tears.

"Kasey? Come on Kasey." I shoot up from my sleeping position noticing how that last sentence seemed very vivid. "Kasey?" The person asks again and I look around the room seeing Jack standing there with his hand on my shoulder. Looking at the clock I notice it's half past 1 in the morning.

"Why are you up?" I ask making Jack give me a confused look.

"Did you not know what you were dreaming about?" He asks and I nod feeling my face a bit damp. "I was about to fall asleep when I heard you so I came to check on you."

"Why?" I ask making Jack chuckle.

"Because you were having a nightmare and those are never fun" Jack says making me nod my head in agreement. "Trust me. I've had a few too many."

"Tell me about them?" I ask and he doesn't say anything for a while. After a couple minutes he walks over to the other side of the bed and sits down. I sit up facing him to show I'm listening.

"Most are about the accident. The trial. Me in prison. Sometimes there are rare ones where I think the same will happen with Anna. Like she'll fall in love with a boy then something bad ends up happening."

"Can I ask about the accident?" After another few minutes of silence Jack takes a deep breath and begins to speak.

"I first met Madison second year of high school. She was dating some guy named Thomas at the time. Towards the end of that school year she broke up with him to date me. He was threatening her all throughout our third and fourth year until one night she came into my bedroom telling me we needed to leave this town. I wanted to finish school since we were done in a couple days, but she didn't like that idea. In the end I sided with her and we left two days after our talk about it. We were a ways away from home without our parents knowing and the next thing I know is I'm in the hospital. Joe tells me I crashed into a tree. The look in his eyes that day scared me for life. It was like he thought I meant to kill her. A couple days later my memory came back and I remembered what actually happened, but it was too late to tell people. They all already believed me purposely killing her. Everyone besides my family. Me and Madison were singing to some random song just having a good time not thinking about that we are actually leaving our families. Next thing I know there was a car coming straight at us and I veered off a bit so it would hit me instead of her. Then I feel us getting hit from the side as well. That was the last thing I remember" Jack says not looking me in the eyes at all. Seeing him wipe his face I scoot closer to him and hold out my arms. He returns the favour and brings me into him. "I miss h-her" Jack sniffles into my shoulder. I hug him tighter trying to make him feel better knowing a hug won't do it, but it's worth a shot. We sit there in silence for a while before Jack let's go. He looks at me and tilts his head.

"What?"

"What was your nightmare about?" Jack asks making me sigh. "That's if you want to tell me. It's okay if you don't" He rambles making me chuckle. "It's weird hearing you laugh, but not seeing your face."

"Yeah it's pretty dark in here" I say and Jack gets up. He opens his blinds letting the moon bring in a little bit of light.

"Better" Jack says sitting back in front of me. I notice how puffy Jack's eyes actually are making me frown. "Can I know?" He asks.

"She used my scholarship money for alcohol and drugs. I had to get four jobs to just keep us alive. After a few months I got sick of it and sent her to rehab. She came back was fine for a few weeks then started again, so I sent her back. Four more times. After her fifth I told her I was moving to Brighton because I was sick of it. The last day we fought right before leaving she hit me so hard it left a bruise. That was the last time I talked to her" I finish looking up at Jack.

"Do you know where she is now?" He asks.

"No and I don't really care on knowing. I know to you it doesn't seem right to do, but she made my life hell and moving here fixed that. I now have two close friends which I never had back home because the thought of them meeting my mother scared me. You and Joe know all this and I don't have to worry because I don't stay in contact with her anymore."

"I feel honoured" Jack says making me laugh.

"You should you're one of the people I don't completely hate."

"Completely?"

"You are a butthole sometimes" I joke. Yawning I look behind me checking it's almost 5 in the morning. Jack starts to get up making me confused. "Where you going?"

"Back downstairs so you can sleep" Jack says stopping to look at me.

"You can stay. I don't care."

"I'm fine. I probably won't go back to sleep anyways. Go to sleep" He says starting to walk towards the door again. I stand up and grab his arm stopping him.

"This is where you're being a butthole. Plus if you can't sleep then might as well have someone to talk to" I say pulling Jack back over to the bed.

"But -" He starts before I interrupt him.

"Shut up" I say climbing into bed. Turning to face him I see his eyes closed making me roll my eyes. "Really" I say making him smile.

"Really. Now shh" Jack whispers his eyes still closed. Leaving him alone I notice the puffiness in his eyes is still there and his nose is a light red from crying earlier. Poking him in the cheek he opens his eyes. "Now what?"

"Touche" I say rolling over pretending like I'm mad. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me into him.

"Turn around" He says and I do facing him again, but this time much closer than before. "Why did you poke me?"

"Making sure you didn't have a bad dream."

"I'll be okay" Jack reassures.

"How do you know?"

"Just sleep" Jack whispers closing his eyes again. I move forward a little bit and press a kiss to his cheek.

"I know your answer just wanted to see if you would say it" I say waiting for a response.

"How can I get you to sleep?" Jack sighs.

"I'm scared it will happen again. Last time this happened I didn't sleep for two days" I whisper laying my forehead against Jack's.

"It helps when someone's next to you" Jack say barely audible.

"We go back home today."

"I know."

"Sleepover at yours?"

"Yes. Now sleep" Jack says bringing me in closer to him and I close my eyes matching my breathing with his.