Serendipity [Jack Barakat|All Time Low] (one shot)

“Cindy,” Jack whines into the phone, “come on, please.”

“Jack, you act like such a child sometimes,” she replies with a laugh, as she runs a hand through a mess of dark brown bed hair.

“But you love me,” he replies, and she can hear the grin in his voice. She does love him, more than he knows. But she’d never tell him. Not ever, not in a million years. She couldn’t ruin their friendship that way, and Jack “doesn’t really do relationships.”

“You’re the only girl I’d never stand up,” he’d said to Cindy one night, and that attitude was proof enough that she did not need to share her feelings with Jack.

“That I do,” she replies as she always does, “What are we doing today, Barakat?”

“Hmm, I dunno,” he muses, “How about an amusement park?”

“Sounds lame,” Cindy replies teasingly, “but I’m in.”

“Better be,” he replies, the joking snide something Cindy is already used to.

She showers in record time and exits the bathroom to get dressed. Jack would be calling back soon to say he’s on his way, that’s just how he is—random, and always vaguely unprepared. She pulls on pink denim shorts, a black and white tank reading ‘Party On,’ a pair of classic chucks, and a set of bangles. She adds a dash of eyeliner and mascara to her eyes before sliding on Ray Bans. Right on time, Jack calls, claiming to be two minutes away. She laughs quietly, almost astonished at how well she knows her best friend.

“You were actually ready on time for once!” Jack exclaims with mock surprise once she climbs in his car.

She looks over at him, the scowl on her face only playful, “Well, I’ve learned that when making plans with you, I have to start getting ready before we even get off the phone or you’ll get mad at me for ‘taking too long,’ even though you never give me a set time for anything.”

“Wouldn’t a set time, date and place make this a date?” he asks with a smirk on his lips; if there’s anything Jack can do better than play guitar, it’s manipulate situations and make them more awkward than necessary.

Cindy simply laughs, turning her attention to the window, longing for the courage to say what she really wants to say. But “I suppose so,” is all she muses to the best friend she is hopelessly in love with.

When they arrive at the amusement park, eighty percent of the line simply lets Jack in front of them—but not without a picture and an autograph. Once they are inside the park, Jack finally picks up on his best friend’s discomfort.

“Was that crowd too big for you?”

She only nods slightly and he wraps an arm around her, placing a kiss on the top of her head, “I’m so sorry, I should’ve considered that. Please forgive me.”

Cindy looks up at Jack, a hesitant smile on her lips as she tries to fight her feelings for him to reply, “It’s fine, Jacko.”

“Oh my God, the ferris wheel!” he yells, tugging his best friend over to the line. She laughs, standing with him patiently. Five agonizing minutes later, it is their turn and they sit in a carriage together. Per usual, the ferris wheel stops at  some point. Cindy and Jack are the lucky two who end up at the highest possible spot on the ferris wheel and she, unknowingly, clings to him.

“We are terribly sorry about this,” a man says over an intercom, “but it would appear as though the ride is stuck. None of you are in danger, we just need to get the override key. Stay put, and you will be back down on the ground as soon as possible. Again, we are terribly sorry for the inconvenience.”

Cindy looks over the edge of the carriage and instantly wishes she hadn’t. She begins to shake and quiver with fear, unable to keep her hands steady enough to even grip the cold metal edge of the thing.

Jack watches her curiously, thoroughly enjoying the way the sunlight is weaving through her hair and shining on her face. He has always, always seen her as more beautiful than all other girls. What she doesn’t know is that his feelings for her are the reason why he “doesn’t do relationships.” If he’s going to commit to someone, it’s going to be her. No one else would ever be able to make him feel the way she does, ever; and Jack Bassam Barakat is not one to settle. He is going to make Cindy his. He just hasn’t figured out how, yet.

“Scared?” he whispers, looking over at her. She simply nods gravely and he pulls her closer, wrapping his arms around her a little too tightly.

“I’m about as scared as any of the boyfriends I’ve ever had are of you,” she adds with a slight laugh, trying to distract herself from her fear. Jack has always tried to protect her from the ‘bad boys.’ He’d always been right, but dating has definitely proven to be a challenge.

“There’s a reason for that,” he says softly, laughing lightly.

“And that reason would be?” she asks, not expecting the answer he gives her.

“No one else is allowed to have you.”

“Wh-what?”

“I love you,” he says quietly, “I love you so much. I’m not good or worthy enough to call myself your boyfriend, let alone ask you out, so I just—”

“Wait, Jack, you…” she interrupts, her voice trailing off.

“Come on,” he says with a slight chuckle, “You’re a smart girl; you never once suspected my motives?”

“No, not really,” Cindy replies with a chuckle of her own, “I never felt worthy of you, either.”

In a moment of complete and absolute clarity, Jack pulls Cindy against him, sending his lips crashing down on hers in a sweet—and incredibly long overdue—and tender kiss. Although most people associate getting stuck at the top of a roller coaster as unfortunate, the outcome for these two best friends could not have been any better.