Straight To You

twenty-four

"Jack?" I repeat, turning to face the very boy with an expression of puzzlement. "What are you—"

Before I can get another word out, Jack cuts me off once again. This time he wraps his arms around my waist instead of shushing me, pressing me back into the wall behind us. His eyes meet mine for a split second before his lips crash onto mine, causing the books in my hands to fall to the ground with faint thuds. I'm so shocked that it hardly registers in my mind what's going on. I don't think as I find myself kissing him back, mindlessly running my fingers through Jack's hair as I pull him closer to me. His hand rests on my hip, the other sliding up my thigh before meeting the other, snaking around my waist and pulling me into his chest.

It takes a moment for it to sink in that I'm making out with Jack Crawford in some random schoolroom when I'm supposed to be finding Lana before heading to first period, which I'm going to be late for at this rate.

I force myself to pull away from Jack, which only causes him to start to press warm kisses to my neck, his arms still wrapped tightly around me. I rack my brain for a good excuse to pull away and get a word out, and I end up muttering: "Jack. My books."

Seriously. Of all the things I could have said, I chose to talk about my books. There are so many better things I could have come up with, like what the hell this room is, how Jack has a key to it, why we're making out in the random room . . . and yet I chose my stupid books that lay on the ground around us.

"It's okay," Jack murmurs in-between kisses to my neck, his lips heading north. "We'll pick them up." His teeth graze the sensitive skin along my jawline as Jack presses me back against the wall with his body again, tilting his head so that my lips meet his. My eyes flutter closed as the last of my resolve betrays me, giving way to the want I feel in this moment.

A sound somewhere between a cry and a moan escapes my lips, as I'm enjoying this at the same time I know it needs to end. I can't be making out with Jack Crawford on school property and potentially be late to class because of it without even knowing if he ended things with Lacey or not.

"Jack." I finally manage to gather the willpower to push him off of me, breathing heavily as I continue, "We can't—"

"I broke up with Lacey," Jack interrupts for the third time since he brought me here, wherever here is, grinning like a little boy on Christmas morning. "We're done. I want to be with you, Morgan."

I find myself caving at his words, my knees going weak as I find myself staring up into Jack's eyes with both parts adoration and curiosity. I think it's every girl's dream around here to be told that Jack Crawford wants to be with them, and right now it's happening to me. Falling for Jack Crawford had been completely something I wanted to avoid, but I guess it was also coincidental. Because I did fall for him, and I can't control that. 

"Lucas and I broke up, too," I assure Jack, unable to process a clear train of thought after everything else that just happened. "He, uh, didn't take it very well."

"Sounds like Lucas." Jack rolls his eyes, looking annoyed as he inquires, "He assumed it had something to do with me, didn't he?"

I don't want to talk negatively about Lucas, as I still care about him, so merely nod in response to Jack's bitter question. I don't elaborate with an explanation, as I don't feel the need to do any more harm to Lucas than I already have at this point.

Jack bites the corner of his lip as he mumbles, "Considering it's Lacey I'm talking about, she actually took the news pretty well. Then again, this wouldn't be the first time we've broken up. She probably thinks we'll be back together by the end of the month."

I raise an eyebrow at that, glancing at Jack questioningly. Jack merely smirks as he leans in close to me again, pinning me between him and the wall, caught between his arms that rest against the brick by each side of my head.