Fortuitous || Jack Steele [1]

forty five

My hair is straightened and soaked from the harsh rain which still pours. The now deep brown strands are flattened against my head and fall over my ears like curtains.

The hoodie is sopping and clings to my body uncomfortably, my shirt soaked underneath as well. I can't wait to get inside and change. My broken leg wasn't supposed to get wet but unfortunately I had bigger priorities. Whoops.

Jack is the same. His hair sticks to his face and I hear the squelching of his shoes as we near the dining area entrance. Just about everyone is inside because of the storm roaring outside.

Even through the rainfall you can see our blushes. We're not being very inconspicuous.

The two of us enter the spacious room and everyone turns to us with weird expressions. Some have knowing looks, others have 'wtf' looks. There's a varying reaction between the group. We just smile casually as if nothing is going on and that everything is totally normal.

My eyes scan the room.

Bytes has eyebrows raised whilst looking between Jack and I. He wears the smallest of smiles. Surely he knows.

Lones just looks jealous that I'm always with Jack now instead of him.

JB smirks so obviously, not even hiding the awareness of what just happened between his teammate and I. He sees this as a massive victory.

Blondie glances between us curiously, his daughter on his hip.

Charlotte suspects something. She points at Jack who walks at my side before pointing her finger at me.

I shake my head to myself, looking down but the giddy smile reveals all that she needs to know. Charlotte giggles to herself, hand over mouth.

We make it to the elevators in a slight hurry to shrug off everyone's gazes. The metal doors slide open and the two of us dip inside, water dripping from our forms with each movement.

My back falls against the far wall with a sigh of relief as I wipe my face. Jack presses the button for our level and joins my side. He glances down at me.

"You reckon everyone knows?" He asks. My expression drops into a straight face.

"Do I reckon? Oh I know they know. It's not like we totally weren't flushed when we walked in," I deadpan, shaking my head in a teasing manner at him.

"Well, Maddy, I'm sorry for not being discreet but it's not like you were being discreet either." He raises an eyebrow playfully in a sort of challenge.

I face Jack and poke him in the chest with annoyance. He gently grasps my upper arms in retaliation but looks down at me fondly nonetheless. I just smirk at him with a sense of confidence as our eyes lock.

The elevator doors slide open then which gathers our attention.

There reveals my brother who just watches us with his eyes wide from our unexpected joint appearance. He rears back in the slightest, conveying his shock.

My brother then begins to stare down Jack like he usually does with guys I hang out with. It's hostile and defensive as we remain standing in the elevator wordlessly. We just want to get changed as the clothes are now chafing. I also just want to get away from Max's scrutinising stare.

I grab Jack's wrist in a firm hold and pull him along. He observes Max carefully with narrowed eyes when we pass him. I can feel the testosterone rising in just the slightest. It's barely detectable but it's definitely there and I don't want it to rise further.

I study my brother with slitted eyes before tugging Jack along with me down the hall, leaving my brother's stare on our backs. Max then heads into the elevator, not wanting it to go without him. The tensions dissipates.