(3) Not the Same: An All Time Low Fanfiction Romance

Chapter 63: Look Back

        "I still don't know why you had to come with us," Zack said from behind me, his eyes on Jack who was rocking on his heels, fingers tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. I turned away and pushed my key into the apartment door, twisting it a few times before it opened.

        "You offered man," Jack shrugged. "Not like I had anything better to do."

        "You couldn't hang out with your own girlfriend?" Zack questioned, following me into the apartment once I walked in, pushing the door wider as I went. I dropped my bag on the counter, leaving the keys next to it. I wouldn't have thought it was possible, but in less than a week, the apartment had gotten even messier than the last time I was here.

        "She's busy doing something, or something," Jack muttered as I turned around, seeing him leaning over, head sticking into the fridge.

        "Don't count on finding anything," I sighed. "There ws never anything to eat." Jack straightened up, letting the refrigerator door close on its own. "I don't know when Craig's going to be back, so we should get stared," I added, heading towards my room, letting them follow behind me.

        "Ah, so this is where Laur gets down and dirty," Jack said from behind me as he stepped into my room, wiggling his eyebrows at me when I turned my back to him.

        "I swear, that's the only thing that's ever on your mind," I muttered, shaking my head as I reached forward to take one of the boxes the boys had carried into my room.

        "But, you're not denying it," Jack hinted, and I rolled my eyes at him before glancing at Zack, finding his eyes on me.

        "I'm denying it now," I said, opening the box in my hands. I started folding it together, taping the bottom of it before setting it down and pushing back the flaps so it was open.

        "You can make yourself useful and start opening the other boxes," Zack said, pointing to the three or four boxes leaning by the door. Jack's lips turned down into a fake pout as he turned around, body hunced over in a sunk as he reached for them. I smiled, shaking my head at him before grabbing the box and bringing it to my closet.

        I started puling out the clothes I had hanging in the small space, folding them carefully before putting them in the box. Behind me, Zack and Jack packed up the other things I had around my room; books, DVDs, pictures, CDs, among other things.

        The room quickly lost the little decoration I'd had in it, small spots of clutter now packed up, drawers and closet empty. I had a bittersweet feeling inside, knowing that it was better that I left, but still having a feeling of sadness that I'd no longer call this place my home.

        The only thing left was the picture of Craig and I tucked in into the mirror frame that had been ignored by all three of us during our time spent here. Zack and Jack were carrying the boxes down to Zack's truck, leaving me in the clean, empty room alone. I reached for the picture, tugging it out from behind the wooden frame. There was a small crease where the picture had been tucked, tiny white lines going the length of the picture in a straight line from were it had been bent.

        I looked at the full picture, thinking that I liked it much better without the red cup now visible in Craig's hand. Biting my lip, I folded the picture back and forth along the crease a few more times before tearing it carefully, ripping off the part that I had hidden behind the frame. I dropped that part into the small wicker wastebasket and slipped the other part into the back pocket of my jeans.

        "Lauren!" Jack's voice sang out from the front of the apartment, voice echoing in the space as he dragged out my name. I turned as his face apeared in my doorway, grin on his lips.

        "You all set?" he asked, head tilted slightly, only his shoulders visible, the rest of him hidden behind the door.

        "Yeah, where's Zack?" I asked, taking steps forward, towards thed oor and Jack.

        "Bringing the last box downstairs, cause he's such a macho man. You really know how to pick them," he sighed, draping his arm around my shoulder as I walked next to him. Jack grabbed my purse off the table for me because he was walking closest to it. I laughed as he slung it over his shoulder, beaming down at me.

        "Girl, don't you just love my purse?" he asked, raising his voice. I shook my head, still laughing as I reached out, trying to grab it from his arm. He shrieked, ducking away from me, prancing further into the apartment, arms flailing in the air as he yelled something about a robber

        My hands rose to my mouth as I laughed harder, too distracted to hear the apartment door open again. I jumped as a hand landed on my waist, my laugh catching in my throat as I turned my head to meet Zack's gaze, seeing the smile on his mouth.

        "I always knew you were gay," he said loudly in Jack's direction. I turned my eyes back to him, watching as Jack stopped dancing, eyes falling on us with his goofy grin on his lips.

        "Hey man, you won't tell anyone will you?" he asked, feigning seriousness. "I've got a reputation to protect."

        I raised an eyebrow at him, hearing Zack sigh deeply. "Just give her the purse and let's go," he said. I glanced at him to see him still smiling.

        Jack let my purse slide down his arm, catching the strap in his hand before walking over and handling it to me, flipping his hair out of his eyes as he winked at me before passing us.

        I turned, my body facing Zack's. "You ready?" he asked softly as I reached for his hand, adjusting my bag on my arm.

        "Yeah," I said quietly, letting him walk ahead of me, holding my hand as I followed close behind, chewing gently on my lip. When we reached te door, I turned my head for a moment, taking a second look around. Zack stopped when I did, turning and waiting until I pulled the door shut. He pulled me gently towards him, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I leaned into him, snaking one arm around his waist, my other reaching up to grab his hand that was hanging by my shoulder, and as we walked away from the apartment, I didn't look back.