"Wait, college? What?" Jack's eyebrows furrow and I scoff at his ignorant words.
God, he still looks good. I hate myself for still thinking that. He cheated on you. Get over him.
"Thank you for making me feel like I don't exist, bud." I sarcastically say.
He narrows his eyes at me, looking more lost and confused as ever. Does he not realize I'm about to blow up on him? The anger is literally eating me alive. I continue on as he just stares.
"I appreciate it and I'd appreciate it even more if you didn't act like you were better than everyone else you see." I blurt.
That burn was so fire, I swear people on the other side of the world felt hurt. Sam whistles through his teeth and Johnson mumbles something about how they're gonna be in the car.
I don't want to fight with Jack. I've got my life together and had some peace in it. I don't want him to ruin that. I want to make amends with him and not feel the tension rise between us.
"I don't act like that?" He tells me and I raise my eyebrows, letting out a laugh.
I also think that just because he has money, he thinks he can be cocky. Money does not give you the permission to act you're more superior than others.
"Sure." I drag out the word.
"Let's not make a scene." Jack murmurs quietly to me, stepping forward towards me.
"You're the one starting it." I snap, taking a step back.
"Me?" He asks in disbelief. "I'm the one starting this argument? All I ask was that you left to go to college in a different state and then you accused me of acting like I'm better than everyone."
"Whatever, Jack." I mutter.
I can't be all nice and sweet to him. Not after our history. I hop into the backseat of the car next to Johnson; why isn't Johnson driving if this is his car? I buckle myself in and shift in my seat to grab my phone from my back pocket.
So, it is true. He didn't know I left the state. I can't say that I'm happy about that because that made me feel like total shit. The least he could've done was congratulate me for getting into that college.
"We have much to catch up on." Johnson says, his voice taking me from my thoughts.
"That indeed." Sam lifts one finger up, still driving.
"Of course." I smile. "After I see my parents though. I'll drive to your guys' place afterwards."
They nod their heads, except for Jack, who's preoccupied on his phone. I want to kick the back of his head. God damn him.
"Where did you even go anyway?" Jack asks me and I snap my head up to look at him, but his eyes are still fixed on his screen.
"NYU." I tell him and that's when he looks back.
"Nice."
"My flight was exhausting." I complain, resting my head on Johnson's shoulder.
"I bet it was." Johnson says.
"Of course it's going to be exhausting flying across the country." Sam adds and then begins to turn up the volume. "This is my shit!"
"Sam, I'm gonna go deaf, bro. Turn it the fuck down." Jack says.
Jack reaches over without even letting Sam have a second to respond. Wow, he's not even that hype or fun anymore?
"Someone's a Debby Downer." Johnson blurts, making me laugh a little.
"Definitely not a Debby Downer." Jack says. "It's just that this song is overplayed."
"It's not." I say to him and he turns to glare back at me.
Geez, I didn't mean to upset him even more. All I said were two words. Just two. He's still short tempered, I see.
We shortly arrive at my house and I thank them, but Sam insists on helping me with my tiny luggage. I let him and I don't know why he's being so polite. Doesn't he have a girl to be with since him and Auburn didn't work out?
"Thank you, Sam." I give him one last big hug. "I'll see you in, like, maybe an hour?"
"Or sooner?" He clicks his tongue, walking backwards to his car, making me laugh.
I step inside of the house and call out for my mom, dad, and brother. I hear no reply which is kind of sketchy to me. I thought they'd be here for me when I returned. Maybe they went to the store?
I walk further into the kitchen, looking around at the airy and emptiness. It feels like they haven't been here for a few days which confuses me even more. I see some papers with arrows on them lead to one giant sheet with a note on it.
They couldn't have texted me? Like hello, this is twenty fifteen. I lift the note with my hand so I can see the neat writing on it. At least it's not sloppy and it's understandable.
Hey college student,
Your father, Kaiden, and I all had to take a trip to Arizona for a wedding and some other things. Your father wants to go to a museum, too. I left $100 behind this note and if this isn't enough to last you the entire time we're gone, borrow money from that nice boy Jack Johnson :) sorry for not being able to be home for your return. Congrats on finishing your first year of college! We will celebrate when we get back.
- love mom
She's so cheesy with that college student stuff and so old schooled with this note on the fridge. I don't even have to think twice about who made the paper arrows. I know Kaiden gave them a lecture on how I'd never see the note unless he did that.
I stuff the money into my purse and take my luggage upstairs to unpack and put all of my clothes away. My room is untouched and is exactly how it was when I left it. I start by laying my luggage down on the floor and take the clothing out.
I shove everything into my dresser and drawers, not bothering to fold them or anything. Nothing needs to look presentable, because I doubt I'm going to have anyone over anytime soon.
I just got dropped off and now I guess I'll just go to Sam's. I should make it there just right after they do. I drive in my ugly silver Toyota all the way to Sam's house. Music blaring through my rundown speakers.
Soon I reach Sam's house. As I predicted, they just got here. They all look confused as I pull up. The flash would be jealous of how fast I am at driving.
"No one was home and isn't gonna be home for a few days." I shrug my shoulders. "I didn't want to hang around alone."
"Okay, feel free to hang with us." Sam gives me a big smile.
Since I've saw him earlier, he hasn't stopped being kind to me nor has he stopped smiling. Maybe he likes me again? I hope it's not that because I don't want to be stuck in that position again.
"We were just about to get food, want to go, too?" Johnson asks, being nice and fitting me in.
Should I really be spending my money already? And on fast food?
"They left me a hundred dollars. I am not going to spend it on McDonald's." I laugh.
"I'll pay for you." Jack offers and I purse my lips together.
"You don't have to." I shake my head, nervously putting a strand of loose hair behind my hair.
He'd spend his money on me? Especially for McDonald's? It's like he read my mind with the words I hear from his perfect mouth. I wish he didn't look like a Greek god. This is so much harder than it should be.
"We're not going to get fast food though." Jack chuckles and it feels so nice to hear that noise again. "We're actually going out to eat." He tells me, walking to his car. "I need to talk to you, ride with me."
I look at Johnson who I'd hope would back me up, but he just gets into Sam's car with him again. Why did they get out of the car and then just get in again? I walk over to the passenger side of Jack's black G-Class and this is going to be an awkward ride.
"Why didn't you tell me that you left?" He asks me right when I get into the car.
"We didn't end on good terms, so I didn't want to talk?" I say as more of a question than statement, but it's true.
He should know this by now. Why would I want to converse with a cheater? The awkwardness is covered up by No Role Modelz playing from Jack's phone, which is plugged in.
"It would have be nice to know instead of finding out that the love of my life just fucking disappeared."
"You can't say that I'm the love of your life, Jack, and I thought that you would eventually find out." I snap, even though there's no reason to.
My feel my heart literally skip a beat when I hear him say 'love of my life'. I'm already falling for him again by just looking at him. He continues to speak and I listen closely.
"The guys wouldn't tell me shit. I asked them almost everyday where you were." He tells me. "But now I guess that doesn't matter."
He grips and ungrips the steering wheel, his jaw clenches and I can see that he's growing more and more angry with each passing second. Am I being completely oblivious?
"Is it because you have that other girl?" I ask, quietly, not meaning for it to actually come out of my mouth.
Fuck, I hope he doesn't say yes. I don't want my heart immediately broken within less than an hour of coming back home. I watch as confusion waves over his face, like he doesn't understand what I'm saying.
"What other girl?" His eyebrows furrow as he looks at me for a split second.
I bite my bottom lip to suppress my answer. How do I word this or explain? He might not remember, but there's also that small chance that he will.
"The girl- you know- who practically broke us up."
"Brianna? Big ass but plain personality." He shrugs, following Sam's car and I purse my lips together. "Jack and Brianna doesn't have a nice ring to it. Plus, she didn't break us up. I told you the truth and you didn't want to forgive me."
I want to ask him what does have a nice ring to it, but I'm afraid of rejection. Rejection from him.
"You blatantly tried to make me jealous."
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