The Loft

Part 1

PART ONE 

He could be here anysecon-

I hear a single ring at my door.

He’s here. //

I grabbed my bag, and started walking slowly down my stairs.My knees were trembling and my breathing was rapid and inconsistent. I found myself standing in front of my black door, not knowing what was going to happen when I opened it. My fingers were shaking as I began to reach for the knob. I finally turned the knob, and pulled the door open to find Jack Gilinsky standing in front of me with dark lusty eyes. He was wearing gray sweatpants and a black vans sweatshirt.

As soon as our eyes met, he slammed the door further open and pulled me towards him harshly. He wrapped his arms around my lower back and held onto me like this was the last time he would ever see me. After a second of him hugging me and me just standing there, I realize that this is real. Jack is holding me, and it’s never felt so good to be in someone’s arms. I finally put my arms around him and begin to feel tears welling up.

We’re still standing there in front of my wide-open front door, intertwined in each other when I hear him mumble,

“God, I’ve missed you so much, Lilian.”

“I’ve missed you too Jack, believe me,” I say as my voice cracks causing me to finally break and cry into his neck.

We separate from our hug, when he says to me,

“I’m still really fucking pissed, and I told myself I wouldn’t do this. But damnit. I couldn’t help myself, as soon as I saw you I wanted nothing more than to just touch you, hold you, anything.”

I stand there, still trying to comprehend Jack’s words. As I gather a thought to finally speak,

“Jack, I-“ I try to get out, but he interrupts.

As he wipes away my tears with the sleeve of his sweatshirt, he says

“Get in the car, I’ll grab your bag.”

I walk out the door into the chilly, foggy night. I see Jack bought himself a new car, of course. I walk over to the passenger side to try to get into the black matte Jeep to find it locked.

I turn around to see Jack standing behind me pushing the button on his keys to unlock the car; I turn back around to open the door. As I reach for the handle, his hand gets there first, opening the car door for me.

“Get in,” he says in a stern voice.

I slide into the passenger seat of the car as I see him walk around to the driver’s side to get in. He puts the key in ignition and starts the car, but before taking off, he just stares at me with disbelief. I am dying to know where we’re going, and what’s going on in this boy’s head. Are all the other guys going to be wherever we are headed? It’s got to be almost 3 am by now.

He finally starts driving out of my driveway and then out the gate of my apartment complex.

As soon as we get out on the highway, he speeds. He’s always been a crazy driver, no wonder he got to me so fast tonight. That brings me to the question,

How did he know where I live?
“Jack.”

“What? Are you hungry? I can stop at In-n-Out,”

“Actually yes, but I forgot my money at home and I-“

He interrupts,

“Lilian, you know I never let you pay anyways.” He breaks his concentration on the road to look at me.

As we pull into the drive thru, he orders for us both. He gets me the #2 on the menu with no ketchup, and a chocolate shake; my favorite.

He still remembers.

When we pull up to the window, Jack pays and hands me my food. I reach out for my shake as my sleeve slides up my arm. Jack sees my scars.

“Lilian, when was the last time you-” he pulls my sleeve up further and rubs my arm.

“I haven’t in a long time, I’m fine. They’re scars.

Jack, how did you find me?” I say looking straight into his eyes.

“You underestimate us.” He says, not breaking eye contact.

We get back on the road, and start heading towards downtown. Not many lights are lit up, and there are no cars or people in sight; this is a part of L.A. that I’ve only been to once. It’s the high-class part of L.A.; only people with a lot of money can live out here. There’s no way just him and Jack J have enough money to live out here, how much money could they possibly make?

We pull into a parking lot full of really nice cars. I see Cameron’s black Mercedes he bought during tour; I was with him and Nash when he bought it. I see at least 20 cars here. I look up from where we’re parked, to see a huge black and white 3-story building above us.

This is insane.

Jack turns the car off, and grabs my bag from the backseat. I sit there in amazement at what I’m surrounded by, when I see Jack open my door, waiting for me to get out.

“Where are we?” I say under my breath while trying to take in everything.

“Welcome to The Loft.” Jack says with a smirk on his face.