Love, Winter (an AJR Fanfiction story)

28. Ryan

"You guys are acting so awkward lately." Jack crosses his arms, "Is something wrong?"

Me and Ally start turning red and look away in opposite directions.

"Are you guys..." Adam points at us both.

Emma's eyes widen, "You are! You guys are dating!"

Ally laughs nervously, "Well..."

I reach for her hand, and she squeezes it. I look at her, then at them, "Yes. Yes we are."

"Since when?" Adam asks, almost like he's been keeping the question inside him for a while.

"About... a week?" Ally looks at me, waiting for me to confirm.

"Probably." I shrug.

"I kind of knew it." Jack said, keeping his head up high.

"But what if it never happened?" Ally jokes.

"Huh?"

"What if we never began dating?"

"I don't know," Jack shrugs, "I guess I wouldn't talk about it."

Ally laughs.

"I was just thinking about this for a while..." I announce, "So you know how I've been to YOUR house only once, right?"

Ally nods, "Right..."

"And you always come to my house to visit the rest of us, right?"

"We all share this house, it's not just yours." Jack corrects.

Adam elbows him.

"I was just kind of wondering," I continue, "...if we, um, all of us..." I look at Jack and Emma, Adam and Mackenzie, then back to Ally, "...could visit your house? You don't have to if you-"

"Yeah." Jack interrupts, "How come we don't visit YOUR house, Ally?"

"I'm... sort of... busy?"

"Cool. So are we. That still doesn't really answer the-"

"Will you shut up and let Ryan finish?" Adam says, extremely irritated.

"Anyways," I sigh, "It's just a question that... all of us have been wondering. We're not trying to put you on the spot or anything, but it has been a few months."

"I get it. Can I talk with you, Ryan?" She looks at Jack, then back at me, "Alone?"

"...Sure?" I say hesitantly. She yanks my arm and rushes upstairs.

"First of all: Ow!" I complain as soon as she closes the door to my room.

"My sister?" She says.

"Huh? What about her?"

"I still talk with my family."

"That's good. But-"

"I'm not done yet. I... I live with my sister. The only reason I brought you to my house is because she was at work. And she told me recently that she works from home now and I want you to visit but..." she's starting to panic. I don't even know why, "... and... and... Oh my god! I just told her about you today, and she basically HATES me! She wants to meet you, but I know she'll hate you t-"

I kiss her. She quietly laughs to herself, "Sorry. I guess I got carried away, didn't I?"

"It's fine. Do I have to meet your sister?"

"She wants to. She won't leave me alone if I say no."

"Her name?"

"Grace."

"Well... then..." I start to panic, so I take I deep breath, "Tell her I'll visit on Friday."

"Mackenzie's pregnant." Jack makes me snap out of the memories of Ally.

"Wait... what?! For how long?"

"Five months." Jack scoffs. "And they didn't say a single thing about it."

"Have they told Sammy yet?"

"Of course they did." Jack replies sarcastically.

"Sorry for asking..." I mutter.

Jack checks his phone, "I'm gonna pick up the kids."

"Are you gonna tell Sammy yourself?"

"No."

"I have another question."

"Hmm?"

"Why... why do..."

"Hurry up, like I said, I gotta pick up the kids."

"Nevermind I'll ask you when you get back."

"Okay." He walks out the door.

I was gonna ask Jack... the reason why he's so stubborn. Aggressive. He was never like this. Maybe it's from becoming a father. But... I don't think I'm aggressive.

Maybe I'm just not a good father.