needy ; jack gilinsky

6

he frowns, "jack told me you two got into a fight, but he didn't know what to take away from it."

i raise my eyebrows with surprise, my lips spreading into a sarcastic smile. "he didn't know what to take away from it? we broke up."

his eyes widen slightly, before nodding hesitantly. "oh, okay."

"who else did he tell?"

"just me," he assures. "why didn't you tell bri? she already suspected it last night, though."

"i didn't want her to worry, or spend the rest of her night giving him a death glare."

he stands, and i step back as i sense a hug, "i'm gonna start crying again." he wraps his arms around me regardless, and i allow myself to relax in his embrace, "i feel like i've tried so hard to keep us together, and he never acknowledges it, nor does he meet the level of energy i put in."

"i know." he murmurs. "i can't even come up with an excuse, because you've seen it all. he just doesn't have his priorities together, and you don't deserve that."

"maybe i do," i shrug, pulling away as i feel my eyesight cloud with tears. "i know i could've handled it better, like talk to him where people weren't watching. i was just so mad—"

"don't try and put it on yourself, amara." he cuts off. "it was understandable. plus, this couldn't have been the only thing to push you guys into breaking up. it was building up to a certain point."

"god," i murmur, letting him go to hold onto my head. "this is draining, and tiring. i thought this would be a good year."

his phone vibrates, and he glances down at it. after taking a moment to scan the message, he looks up at me. "bri wants to come over in a few hours. will you be good?"

"yeah, sure. thanks, nate."

"no problem at all," he says. "i'm gonna go home and sleep, but i'll see you later?"

"probably. i wanted to skip tomorrow, but i have a physics test. i'm working the diner after that, so my life is great."

"cheer up, amara." he cheeses, "have fun watching the vampire diaries for the seventh time. text me if you need anything!"

"thank you," my small smile turns into a sad one as he walks farther from the house, eventually to his car parked on the street. i was hoping he'd stayed longer, but i'd rather he sleep.

i was tired of being alone, and i contemplated texting jack for a moment, maybe to ask to meet up and talk. but after a few seconds, my mind had completely shut the idea down. why should i be the first one to reach out?

instead, i waited for bri to come around. however, when she did, she'd brought along carrie, plus johnson's date, olivia.

i mentally sigh as i watch them approach, why would she bring them? carrie i'd be fine with, but i barely knew olivia. however, i chose to ignore it.

"hi," bri frowns, bringing me into a long, tight hug. i let go to the sight of olivia and carrie's sympathetic looks, and i realize she'd told them as well.

at this rate, i was sure many people knew already. i wasn't sure on how to feel, but i guess i'd see tomorrow.

i let them in, discarding my several poptart wrappers as i'd done so.

"how are you feeling?" carrie questions, and i couldn't help but give her a grateful smile.

"i'm alright. thank you guys for coming over."

"alright, so what happened?" bri asks as we sit on the couch, the girls circling around me. "how did it go down?"

i shrug, "he asked me if i wanted to talk like, ten minutes after we got to school. he took a random shot before we left, as if he wasn't the one asking me to talk."

reliving the conversation was more painful than expected, and i found myself unable to discontinue my everlasting frown. i spent the next five or so minutes describing the conversation, down to the moment i'd left.

"fuck him," was all of their first reaction's, in which i loosely agreed with at first, before my own self doubts began to play out.

"it's not all of his fault, of course. i blame myself for like, a lot of the fighting."

"at least you admitted it," bri points out. "he should've admitted it, too."

"i know this won't make things better," olivia speaks up for the first time since she'd arrived. "but, i heard him talking about you at the party last night."

"what'd he say?" bri had asked before i could.

"like," she lets out a sigh, looking down at the ground. "something about how you take everything too seriously for a high school relationship."

"i'm not surprised," i say to allow myself time to think. his statement had not only embarrassed me in front of whoever he'd said this to, but it hurt deeply, enough to put me in a loss for words.

bri had caught onto this, scoffing. "he's such an ass, amara. and he has no excuse, nor do you have any to give him."

the three of them had attempted to cheer me up, eventually dropping the conversation and resorting to showing each other memes. i'd stayed out of it, acting as if i'd been on my own phone when in reality, i was deep into my head.

and after giving them several hints for them to leave, they'd taken it, gathering their stuff. "thank you." i tell bri, and she squeezes me with a hug.

"i love you, amara. talk to me about anything you're feeling, always."

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