The Quiet One

Chapter Twenty-Four- Chipmunk Dates

"You're a bad liar," He smiles, "So tell me about you,"

"Um... there's nothing to really tell..." Jack makes a face.

"How did you learn to dance like you do?"

I smile back at him, as we launch into a full conversation about each other's interests and little things about each other. He learns about my alarm clock murdering, the night we went cliff jumping when the boys were looking for us, and my dad is in that Airforce, so I never see him.

I find out that he somehow knew that I was the girl from the dance immediately which he refuses to explain, he doesn't see his dad much either, and that he doesn't want to go to his graduation because he doesn't think it's that important.

After about an hour of debating about him going to his own graduation, we make a deal.

Jack smirks, "I will walk at graduation if I get something in return..."

Without thinking I agree, "Deal, what do you need?" I smirk thinking I've won.

"A kiss." He gives me a sly smile, knowing that I just feel for his trap.

I feel myself getting nervous, "Right now...?" I nervously look around the coffee shop.

He laughs, "Not now, not that I would say no if you want to...."

I make a face at him, he laughs, "After my graduation, that should be payment enough for having to deal with that shit."

"I guess I can agree to that," I say even though I know I already agreed to it by mistake earlier.

"Good." He says as he stands up, "ready for our next stop?" Jack reaches out his hand for me to take.

I smile taking his hand and follow him out the door. I feel like someone is watching us as we get into his car but I ignore the feeling. Smiling at Jack I know that I'll be safe.

We laugh and joke as he rides, at this point I'm not even paying attention to where we're going I'm just having a great time being with Jack. This is the most confident that I've felt since Kat has left. I'm starting to think that maybe I should stay here, I can finish up school with Angie and Brandy. Then I could hang out with Jack after school.

Maybe going to New York City would be running away from what I could have here. Friends, non-competitive dance and possibly Jack. I smile as we drive along, is this what it's like to have a boyfriend?

I pause at that thought, Jack and I dating? Is that even a possibility, I wonder if he even feels that way about me... do I feel that way about Jack?

My cheeks start to heat up at the thought, Oh no... Am I starting to fall for Jack? Normally I would run from this feeling but I'm not going to anymore, I'm going to be brave. I take a breath and reach over to take his hand. I slide my fingers slowly between his and softly grip his hand as I keep chatting like I haven't done anything.

I finally look over to him and he smiles at me with a look in his eyes I will never forget. He squeezes my hand and keeps chatting back. My heart flutters, and my checks get even redder.

Before I even know it we are pulling into a familiar place, the campground that the girls and I went for a girls weekend.

Jack looks at me, "Do you think you could think your way back to that waterfall?"

I smile so widely I know I look like an idiot.

By the time we reach the waterfall, the sun is starting to set and the sky is lit up with bright colors. Jack sits on the rocks at the edge and pulls me close to him. Pulling out his phone he says, "Smile!" and takes a really bad picture of me.

"Jack!" I yell as I try to delete the picture, "That was a horrible picture!"

He just laughs, "Let's try again," he says without deleting the other picture to my disappointment.

We start taking pictures all over, my favorite was when we leaned back with our heads over the cliff and took the picture of us upside-down.

Before we knew it was getting later and starting to get really dark outside, I didn't want this day to end but I knew it had to. As we start walking back to the car, all of a sudden Jack turns to me and says, "Fuck it."

He pulls me close with his hand in the small of my back. Then before I knew it his lips meet mine and we were kissing.

He glides me backward until my back hits the hard bark of a tree with him pressed to my front. Without releasing what I'm doing my hand snake around his snack and join his lips in the most passionate kiss of my life.

Jack reaches down grabbing my thighs picking me up allowing me to wrap my legs around his waist. I have never felt like this before and I did not want it to stop.

Suddenly there was a loud snap behind Jack. He quickly put me down and pushed me behind his back so that I was hidden from whatever made the noise. My heart was going so fast I couldn't even think straight. The light outside was starting to go down making it hard to see far in the forest and I was getting really terrified by what made the noise.

Jack forces a laugh and says, "I think it was just a chipmunk or something." I give him a weird look as he turns around, I know that that noise was way too loud to be just a chipmunk.

He gives me a sad smile, "Let's get you home," He walks me back to the car with me almost hanging off of his arm in fear and adrenaline from that make-out session... or whatever that was...

The whole way home we hold hands when we pull into my driveway I pause, "Do you wanna come in for a little while...?" I don't know what has gotten into me but I don't want this night to end.

Jack gives me a sad smile with anger seeping through his eyes, "You have no idea how much I want to, but... I have something I need to take care of."

He leans in and pulls me in for a long kiss, "Sleep well cutie." He walks back to his car and takes off before I can even say anything. I'm not sure what's going on with him but something doesn't seem right. Walking into my house I sigh, it would have been nice if he would have stayed.

I pause for a moment, I don't really know what I was thinking we could do, my face gets red. No that was definitely not it. Right? I shake my head and climb into bed I'm just going to ignore that thought.

Pulling out my phone I text Jack, "Goodnight, I had a good time today"

I smile and rest my head on my pillow. I fell asleep just as there was a soft buzz from my phone. 

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Only TWO chapters left!

We're almost there, I'm so excited!