Jack P.O.V
I sat in Leah’s kitchen with her mum and Reed. The TV was on but I wasn’t watching it. I was thinking about coming clean, just telling Reed everything. I mean at least if I was going to loose him it would be on my terms, I couldn’t let Mariah break us up. And if anyone should tell him it should be me. I knew Hayden was getting frustrated with me because I was asking him lie for me.
Why didn’t people seem to grasp how much I loved Reed? And that I would do anything to keep him safe, he couldn’t be involved in this. He could get hurt, I didn’t know if he could take another beating. What Liam did to him was sick; no one should have to go through that. But twice?
Getting him involved means he could potentially go through it twice. My phone buzzed and I pulled it out reading the text quickly.
You missed our video date.
I didn’t reply. I put the phone away and turned back to the TV. Maury was on, some 20-year-old woman was claiming she got pregnant by a 14 year old boy. It was vile, why was she sleeping with a 14 year old? I hoped she’d go to jail. He wasn’t the father. I saw him breath out in relief, the happiness on his face was so obvious.
I wondered if there was a time I’d been that happy… they’d been several and all of them happened since I’d met the amazing boy sitting next to me. It was as if he could feel the heat from my eyes, he suddenly turned to look at me. A deep blush crawled up on his face, I thought about doing dirty things to him and I let it show through my gaze.
I heard his quiet gasp and watched as his lips parted, I could almost feel his need for me, he didn’t just want me anymore he needed me just like I needed him. I itched to touch him, but I knew that if I did, we would fxck right here in Ms Johnson’s kitchen. And I was sure she wouldn’t be too amused with us.
My phone buzzed again, gosh why couldn’t I be left alone? I pulled it out expecting another cryptic text. But it was from Allison.
Hey Jack. Me and Drew are free today, come see us, he misses you. Xx
I showed the text to Reed and he smiled. It seemed to please him the way I acted with Drew. I guess the paternal side of me was endearing… I hoped he wasn’t thinking about us adopting kids, after that pregnancy scare with Allison I’m not sure I want any kids.
“Let’s go see them, let’s go home shower clean up and go see them,” he said.
“Yeah cool, let me just go get Hayden,” I said standing up.
Leah’s mum stood up then “I think you guys should just go home, I’ll give Hayden a lift home, after his finished talking with my daughter”
“He went toilet” Reed said a confused look on his face. I caught Leah’s mum’s eye and we just smirked at his naivety. He was too adorable and taking what people say as truth was one of his best and worst traits.
“Dude it don’t take this long to go toilet, clearly he’s making her feel better about Kelly” I said.
“Something like that” Ms Johnson said. We’d walked out into the hall now and her eyes were staring upstairs as if she could see them talking.
“But I don’t… “ Reed started, I grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door, Ms Johnson waved and watched us drive off. “I don’t get it Jack”
I chuckled “I think Hayden fancies Leah”
Reed pouted “But she likes girls, Kelly in fact”
“I know, that’s what makes this hilarious”
He started laughing then “Jacky you’re so evil. Hayden will never be able to seduce Leah”
I nodded, before turning on the radio. I sang along as we drove home and Reed clapped and cheered after each song. He loved to play groupie sometimes, truthfully I liked playing with him too. I felt like I was doing something right on this planet if someone as special as Reed could be proud of me. I mean this music thing seemed to be getting serious.
I was recording with Theo, even though Reed didn’t approve. I was top of my class and my professor was sure I was on the right track. Even though I’d made quarterback again it wasn’t the same as being quarterback in high school. I didn’t feel as special, or as important to the team. I didn’t feel like I mattered, they could easily replace me.
I was getting soft and my game was getting weak. For a brief second I blamed Reed, but then I realised he’d made me such a better person and that was way more important than having my quarterback ego stroked. But since being with him again my game had been off. I shook those thoughts out of my mind; it wasn’t Reed’s fault I shouldn’t think like that.
Allison and her husband Nathan lived in a small two bedroom flat on the very edge of town, it was over by our old high school. Nathan was enrolled at the local community college and Allison worked part time. Drew was such a beautiful boy; he had Allison’s titan red hair and Nathan dark haunted eyes.
It was a strange mix, but it worked for him. Drew was going to be a ladies man I could tell. I pulled into the car park for their block. I undone my seatbelt and lead Reed to their apartment, he’d never been there before. I mean why would he? He and Allison aren’t exactly friends. Even though we did go to her wedding I think she invited Reed out of politeness and of course because he’s with me.
I pressed the buzzer to be let into the building. Nathan’s voice floated over the intercom.
“Who’s this?”
“Hey Nate it’s Jack, can I come up?”
“Yeah, come on up”
The door buzzed and I pushed it open holding the door for Reed. He grinned at me playfully, he was in such a good mood I was surprised. Wasn’t he still upset and angry with me over New York, not that he knew the whole truth, how was I supposed to tell him I used to be a drug addict… that I sometimes still was.
I smiled back at him, pinching his bum before running to the lift. The lift didn’t come in time and Reed got me back. As soon as the lift doors closed, I pulled him towards me, I kissed him hungrily, and my tongue swirled around his mouth until I could feel him melting into me. I pulled away and his cheeks were bright red, and his eyes sparkled.
I kissed his nose and we left the lift holding hands. As we came round the corner Allison and Drew were standing in their open doorway. Drew made a happy sound when he saw me and somehow managed to slip out of Allison’s grip and waddled down the hall towards me. I bent on my knee and pulled him into a hug. He smelt like nappies and pears.
“Hey handsome, how’s my favourite boy?” I asked him.
“It’s ma birt’day swoon,” he said grinning; I noticed he had missing teeth.
“I know and uncle Jack is gonna get you something special, what do you want?”
“Big, big, BIG” he giggled.
I laughed and walked towards Allison, still holding Drew. She pulled me into a hug and I breathed in her familiar smell. When I smelled Reed I thought home, safe, love but weirdly I felt at home with Allison. We’d had our differences, I blamed her for ruining my life in the past but now we we’re cool everything was sorted. She was my best friend, apart from Hayden and Ben.
I could feel Reed standing awkwardly behind me; I reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. I didn’t need to be looking at him to tell he was nervous. Normally when I came to visit Allison and Drew, Reed wasn’t with me. I don’t think he’s ever met Drew officially. Nathan liked Reed purely because it meant I wasn’t interested in Allison. He could never get over the fact that we’d had sex in high school.
I mean I had sex with a lot of girls in high school, that’s who I was back then. I sometimes think back to those times, the pre-Reed years. I don’t understand how I had so many friends and why the girls kept throwing themselves at me, over and over again. Reed is the only person I’ve ever seriously committed to. Will ever commit to, my thumb played over the ring finger of his hand I was holding.
I didn’t know if we were still getting married or if he didn’t want that anymore. He must have realised I was playing with his ring finger because he took his hand out of mine, I looked at him and he was giving me a blank face. I sighed, so I guess I wasn’t as forgiven as I thought. Nathan was standing by the kitchen counter glaring at me, but when Reed came into view he smiled.
“Hey Reed” Nathan called out very purposely from across the room.
“Hey Nate, how’s things?” Reed asked, easily slipping into that cool guy role he played around Nathan.
“I’m good man, how’s uni?”
I didn’t hear Reed’s reply because Allison started talking to me.
“So Jack… tell me what’s been going on with you? Is California really different from home?” she asked, reaching to take Drew from me. But he struggled against her so she just let me carry him.
“I love it! It’s so different everyone is so nice, the beach is beautiful, oh and I made quarterback again” I cheered.
“That’s amazing!” she looked over her shoulder to Nathan and Reed. The flat was open planned so we could see them, where they’d moved to the living room. They were talking but it was a low buzz I couldn’t really hear what they were saying. “So how’s things, have you mentioned you-know-what?”
“No” I hissed, “Not yet it’s too soon”
“So doesn’t he get suspicious over who your video calling all the time? I mean surely he’d ask h-”
“He doesn’t know about the video calls, so don’t mention it!”
She looked at me puzzled “I don’t know how you’re going to pull it off but good luck”
“It’ll all be sorted soon, I got one more person to get in contact with, and then I tell Reed to get packing”
She grinned evilly at me “Oh you evil genius, I love it!”
Drew tugged on my earlobe then, he didn’t like that I hadn’t been paying attention to him. I set him on his feet and played toys with him for the next few hours. When it reached late afternoon, we had to say goodbye, Reed and I were flying out tomorrow so my mum was making us all a goodbye dinner.
I’d caught up with her since I’d been back home. She was doing okay-ish I guess, having just broke up with her fiancée, Reed said Dom wasn’t handling it that well. He didn’t cook and hardly went into work; it was weird seeing someone act like that over MY mum. I mean she was a middle-aged heartbreaker. It was just wrong.
I wasn’t even naïve enough to hope her and my dad would ever get back together, but I did hope she was happy, and she’d be happy forever. But I don’t think I could ever get used to the idea of a stepdad. With Dom it was okay because I KNEW him, but some randomer dating my mum… no it didn’t sit right with me. But if it made her happy who was I to stand in their way?
Gemma and Ben were sitting in the front room watching reality TV trash; I left them cuddled up and went to find some food, instead I got that José kid. He was in the kitchen with my mum helping her make dinner. He saw me coming and put down the knife he was using to slice a cucumber.
“Hey Jack, erm I wanted to talk to you about something” he mumbled.
“Off the record?” I asked crossing my arms and raising my eyebrow. There was no way I was going to forget he was doing a piece on us. He nodded and I motioned for him to follow me. My mum looked after me worriedly, she knew how I got sometimes, knew that my anger sometimes got the best of me.
I shut my room door and turned to him “Speak”
“Well… I just wanted you to know that I’m writing the story in the ‘reformed Liam’ angle for the university paper. You’re the main character in this whole thing I just wanted your opinion and maybe an exclusive”
“And what about everything you heard yesterday?”
“Well it was all very dramatic, but I wont write about Leah and Kelly, its unethical plus I doubt my uni will print it. Lesbian crushing on a hot dancer ain’t exactly news worthy”
“Well it is in our group, everything seems to be more dramatic”
“I noticed that, you all seem to do what you can to make your lives the most difficult it can be. Idiotic really”
“Excuse me?” I said through gritted teeth stepping towards him.
“Well Leah fell in love with a straight girl, Ben is thinking about shacking up with Gemma, Hayden is crushing on a lesbian, Gemma is pathetically trying to get popular even though in the process she’s probably going to lose Ben, you are keeping secrets from Reed whose meant to be oh so important to you, and Reed is the most stupid of all, for letting his love for you blind him from all your faults. In fact he’s an idiot for falling for you in the first place”
I just laughed “No your stupid for coming into MY room, telling me MY boyfriend is an idiot”
“Are you going to do the exclusive or not?”
“If I say no?”
“It don’t matter, Reed’s already agreed to talk to me,” he said smugly.
“Your such an arse you know” I said.
He laughed, “It’s why all the girls cant get enough of me. You should know that Jack, you used to be an arse too”
“Then I realised there’s no need for it”
“Don’t you miss it? Being free, no shackles, no commitment, just fxcking and partying, doing what the fxck you want without anyone to worry about?”
I didn’t say anything, but he must have seen something flash in my eyes because he just smiled as if he knew my deepest darkest secret. Yeah sometimes I did miss my old life, I missed the carefree me. But that me was also never as loved as I am now, he’d never had so many stable relationships. He never had Reed, and I’ve never once regretted the trade in.
I loved Reed; I was never letting him go. The old Jack didn’t have anything to believe in, anybody to love, it was a lonely life.
“I’ll do the exclusive but we’re doing it my way” I said firmly.
“Fine”
Reed chose that moment to walk into the room; he looked at the both of us taking in the tense air “Whoa don’t fight guys, what’s going on?”
“Nothing babe” I said “I was just telling José I wanted to do the exclusive”
Reed grinned, “He needs this Jack, he wants to be a journalist we’d just be helping him out. Just do as he asks, do it for me?”
“Why do you want to do this?”
He took a deep breath “Because Liam needs this, he needs to know that I forgive him so he can let go, I need to say it so that I can let go”
“WHAT!?” I shouted outraged. “You don’t owe Liam anything, you don’t have to show him kindness”
“I didn’t have to show you kindness, but I did, and aren’t you grateful that I did?”
“Yes because you changed me for the better, but-”
“But what Jack” he said interrupting me “I changed you for the better so why cant I try change him?”
“Yes I’ve changed but I’m still the same old me, don’t forget that Reed”
“Are you threatening me?” he hissed taking a step towards me. Shock blossomed on my face and I shook my head quickly. No. He came even closer to me. “Because, you know how twisted my heart is, I find it overly sexy when you get all angry and worked up like that” he whispered into my ear nibbling the lobe.
I looked up and saw José watching us in horror “JOSÉ OUT!” I barked. He rushed out and I backed Reed up against the door. I locked it before biting my lip and looking down at him.
“Now tell me again how sexy you think I am,” I whispered before kissing his neck and sucking lightly on his spot. He moaned, hands tightly holding onto my shoulders.
I worked on marking his neck, I gave him three really dark hickeys, he was moaning and scratching up my back as I rubbed him threw his jeans, I pulled back and allowed him to peel my shirt off me. He leaned forward his lips lightly dancing over my chest; his tongue swirled around my nipples. I felt myself growing harder, getting more and more excited.
Then there was a sharp pounding on the door. “Yo Jack, let me in man, I need a shower and clean clothes man”
It was Hayden; I was guessing Ms Johnson had just dropped him back. I glanced down we were both straining against our jeans. Reed sighed, and moved back from me, fixing his shirt. I grinned evilly at him, taking up both his wrists with one of my hands. The other worked on his jeans button.
“Jack what are you doing?” he hissed.
I slipped my hand inside his jeans cupping him gently, before I started to move my hand. I watched his face; I loved watching his face when we did stuff like this. It was so… yeah. A big turn on lets just say. He opened his eyes and I could see his pupils were heavily dilated I let go of his wrists and he pounced, his mouth latching onto mine, kissing me passionately.
My knees buckled in surprise and we went down, I gasped and he used to opportunity to slip his tongue in my mouth. Heat was building up inside me and it needed a release. My hands held onto his waist, his weight pressed down on me, I rotated my hips, responded to him. Reed seemed to enjoy being in control; he kissed me down my chest, before giving me a hickey on my hipbone.
He leaned away from me to peel off his top. There was thumping on the door, I just grinned at Reed ignoring it.
“Jack for god sake man, open the door!!” Hayden growled.
Reeds hand’s found their way to my jeans button, he pulled them off me eagerly. I bit my lip at him, he stood up and I leant on my knees so I could take his jeans off. The banging on the door got more frantic and Hayden started swearing louder. Reed walked over to my drawer and rummaged threw the 2nd one down. He stood facing me in just his underwear holding lube and a condom.
“So Jack, what’ll it be top of bottom?” he asked smiling at me.
I grinned pulling him towards me, I sighed into his mouth, wrapping my arms around his waist. I could do this with Reed forever; I was going to do this with Reed forever.
-x-------------x-
NEXT CHAPTER IS BACK IN CALIFORNIA BABY!!!! BACK TO UNI AND EVRYTHING WE LEFT BEHIND, SO THIS WAS LIKE ME GETTING BACK IN TOUCH WITH ALL MY CHARACTERS, STILL ALLOWING JACK AND REED SOME SEXY TIME ;) SORRY I’VE BEEN SLACKING ON UPDATES!!!