"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't keep ambushing you like this it's just I-"
Jack almost immediately begins his nervous rambling as I finally approach his anxious figure. Although admittedly, I found it quite cute.
"It's okay," I laugh lightly, an attempt to ease his rather unnecessary nerves.
"I'm glad to see you," I continue earnestly.
"You are?" Jack asks quickly, quite clearly surprised.
I felt sorry for Charlie, I don't like to see anyone troubled, least of all him. But I have to remind myself that for whatever reason, he did what he did.
He chose to throw away our relationship for God knows who or why, and I couldn't simply sit around and wait for him. Hoping that maybe one day he'd realize what a mistake he'd made, and come running back to me. I had to move on.
Jack was kind and sweet. He seemed to deeply care about me, and frankly at this moment that seemed more than I could say for Charlie.
"Yeah of course, why wouldn't I be?" I ask a little confused. I don't think I've ever had a boy so nervous around me, and truthfully I thought it was sweet.
Jack smiles, his form becoming visibly less tense.
"I wanted to say sorry," he says earnestly, shoving his hands back into his pockets, a form of comfort I presume.
"Geez, you say sorry quite a bit," I smile, earning a small chuckle from the tall, slightly lanky, boy in front of me.
"I'm serious!" He laughs, his broad chest rumbling slightly.
"I shouldn't have told you all that knowing you are with Charlie, it was wrong and I'm sorry." He finishes quickly yet sincerely, running a nervous hand through his golden locks.
"It's alright," I smile, trying not to focus on Charlie's bitter eyes glaring at our figures.
"Besides, Charlie and I aren't really...together," I add quickly.
I can't deny the glimmer of hope that momentarily flashes in Jack's eye, before offering me a sympathetic expression.
"I'm sorry," he says, his tone masking a great deal of relief.
"No you're not," I chuckle.
"Hey, I'm sorry for you. I don't like to see you upset," he laughs lightly, but his words are entirely serious.
Becoming increasingly aware of the several nosy eyes that don our figures, I decide it's best we leave the hall.
I make a beeline for my dorm, grabbing my coat and slipping it over my shoulders, before I follow Jack out towards the snowy path.
"Hey, I got you something," Jack smiles eagerly, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small red box tied with a white ribbon.
"What? Why?" I ask bemused, though a smile sat stretched across my face.
"Christmas present," he replies, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"But Christmas is a month away," I furrow my brows, reaching into his icy hands to gently grab the box.
"Just open it."
My fingers slowly pull either side of the white ribbon, opening the lid of the red box.
Inside lay a gold locket with my initial carved into it. The necklace was beautiful, my finger gently traces the curved rose carved alongside the 'V.'
"Jack- I," I was truly speechless. I stood in awe of the beautiful piece of jewelry, but more importantly, at his kind and thoughtful gesture.
"You're welcome," he smiles genuinely, content with my reaction to his gift.
"I don't know if I can accept this," I say, becoming increasingly aware of the likely cost of such a gift.
"Isn't Christmas about giving?" He asks rhetorically, his lips forming a smirk.
"But-"
"-no but's, it's a gift, alright?" I slowly nod my head, pulling the delicate chain from the box.
"Here, let me," he says quickly, softly taking the necklace from its gentle grasp in my fingers, and stepping behind me.
I hold my hair up in my hands, as his arms reach around my chest. I shiver slightly as the cool locket touches my collarbone, and as Jack's warm breath fans across my exposed skin.
"A date," he says suddenly and matter of factly.
"-what?" I question, confused.
"Just one date, that's all I ask."
"I don't know- I don't think that's such a good idea," I answer truthfully, and rather caught off guard.
"Look, let me take you out once. If you hate it, we'll never do it again."
I pause, truly considering his proposition. I couldn't decide whether his timing was perfect or terrible. On the one hand, I was single, so technically I wouldn't be doing anything wrong. On the other hand, I have only been single for a very, very short while. What would Charlie think if he saw me dating so soon? I'd be crushed if he was dating other girls already...
"I can pick you up at 7:00," Jack says, a hopeful gleam in his eye.
"Alright," I breath out, before I could properly think it over, an instant sense of guilt hitting me.
~
I found myself sitting on the small bench just outside the premise of Welton. Jack's necklace fell just above my collarbone, my mitten-clad fingers twirling it nervously.
"Hey," a voice spoke softly.
"Honestly, I'm a little surprised you showed," Jack said, a small smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
Truthfully, I was too. I contemplated not going, but I had no way to contact him, and I couldn't, in good conscience, not show up.
"Here I am," I forced a light tone, but my thoughts were anything but.
The night progressed relatively smoothly. After a while it wasn't tense or awkward. It was just two good friends hanging out, aware of the potential of this becoming something more. I kind of like the no-labels concept we have going. There was no pressure to define whatever this was. Mainly because we weren't even entirely sure ourselves.
"You wore the necklace," Jack spoke incredulously, as we walked towards my dorm room back at Welton.
His rough fingers ever so gently grazed the cool material, sending goosebumps along the path it had touched.
I nodded slowly. Jack stood quite some length taller than me. My eye line meeting his chin. I looked up through hooded lashes, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding in.
Jack's gaze held mine intently. His eyes flickering from my eyes and down to my slightly parted lips. My breath hitched slightly, as my mind experienced too many emotions to properly comprehend.
A-hem, a voice clears from down the hall. We quickly pull apart, as though we had been caught doing something we shouldn't have.
Charlie stood outside his dorm room, toothbrush in hand, as he headed towards the bathroom. He slowly crossed his arms one over the other, likely to intimidate Jack, while leaning against the frame of his bedroom. His posture was relaxed, but his expression was anything but.
The hall quickly became incredibly tense. Charlie's eyes bore into Jack like a hunter to its prey.
"No overnight guests," Charlie spoke nonchalantly, pointing to a sign that read those exact words with his index finger.
Jack slowly nodded his head in understanding.
However Charlie's gaze never softened, nor did it ever meet me. He stared at Jack, until he eventually bid me farewell and sauntered down the hall. Once Jack was finally out of eyesight, Charlie's eyes met mine for the first time, instantly softening.
His lips slightly turned upwards, his small smile sad, before he quickly dropped his head, and stumbled into the bathroom.
A/n: I will start updating more often 💛💛