listen before i go - jack will

nineteen.

i wake up before jack does, so i let him sleep. his mom and jamie are still out, so i just throw on his shirt and take my laptop out to the kitchen. i sit down at the table and open my laptop.

poetry and english literature school submission...

i type in. i click on the first link that pops up.

Welcome to La Petite Academy.

(not an actual poetry school).

i scroll through the website, and find a submission page. it asks me to submit one of my poems, so i pick one of the first ones i wrote.

" tell me why it was so easy to leave
tell me about the birds and the bees
and all the beautiful things.
tell me how the lows drown out
your happy
how you're sinking and no one
noticed.
let it be known
tell me.
share your soul with me
tell me.
how love can be so sweet
that growing old seems serene
and everything in between
tell me please. "

(don't steal these poems or i'll hunt you down and bust your kneecaps<3.)

i press submit. i doubt this will really go anywhere, but why not try? it's a long shot anyways, and even if i get in, there's no guarantee i'll want to go. i close my laptop and head back into jack's room, where i see him still sleeping. i take off the shirt that i'd put on, since i don't want him to know that i've been awake. i crawl back into bed with him, rubbing my hand over his chest softly.

"how long have you been awake, baby?" he asks, kissing my hand. "not long. i didn't mean to wake you." i say quietly, kissing his cheek. "i don't mind. besides, i get to see your pretty face." he smiles, making me blush. "you're the pretty one." i say, and he shakes his head. "you're gorgeous." he kisses my lips before resting his head on mine.

"we're home!" i hear jamie's voice from the kitchen, as jack and i stumble out of his bed to put our shirts on. "one sec jamie!" jack yells, as i rush into his closet since i can't seem to find the shirt i previously took off. the door handle rattles as jamie pushes the door open. jack's shirt is on backwards, and i close his closet door quickly so that jamie doesn't see me in my bra.

"jack? is everything okay in there?" his mom asks him from the other room. "uh- yeah." he replies. "where's y/n?" jamie asks, as jack stumbles against the closet door. "ow- uhm, she went to summer's, she should be back soon." he lies. "but i thought i just heard her-" "must've been facetime. sorry jamie." jack cuts him off, and i try to contain my laughter.

"aw man. can you let me know when she gets back? i wanna show her the cars that i got from school today." jamie says. "sure thing." jack says, as i hear his bedroom door open and close. jack opens the closet door, and i'm standing against his dresser with my hands over my mouth. "shit." i say quietly. "it's okay, he definitely didn't see anything." jack chuckles quietly. "yeah, but your mom might've." i reply with a faint laugh. he gives me a confused look.

"your shirt's on backwards genius." i chuckle, as he rolls his eyes and pulls his shirt off quickly. "damnit. oh well." he jokes, before pressing his lips against mine softly. "jack?" i say in a breath between the kiss. "yeah baby?" he replies quickly, resuming the kiss. "we need to get dressed." i break the kiss with a smile, as he groans and rolls his eyes. "ugh, fine." he sighs jokingly. "sorry." i kiss his cheek with a smile and grab one of his shirts off of a hanger, jack putting on the shirt he'd had on before.

i attempt to put on the shirt, but stop when we see jack's mom waiting for us on his bed as we open the closet door. "mom, it's not what it looks like-" jack starts, but then realizes that he probably shouldn't start with that. "what were you two doing before jamie and i got home?" she asks. "nothing. really, we took a nap, that's it." jack explains. i remain quiet, since i don't want to mess things up. "y/n, why aren't you wearing a shirt?" she asks calmly.

"i uhm- it gets hot under the blankets, so i just wore my sports bra... we didn't do anything bad mrs. will, i swear." i stutter, quickly putting on jack's shirt. "so, you two were sleeping in the same bed without shirts on?" she asks, standing up from the bed. "it's not like that-" i start, but jack cuts me off. "mom, we're 16." he says sternly, and i turn my head to look at him worriedly.

"excuse me?" she replies. "jack, stop." i tell jack, as i see him about to speak. "i'm sorry, it's just that you know that i can't sleep with a shirt on. y/n's the same way. plus, we're 16. i'm not saying that's an excuse, but we're growing up, mom." he says, slowly picking up my hand.

his mom sighs, before heading to leave his room. "mrs. will?" i say before she leaves. "yes y/n?" she turns around. "i'm sorry." i say quietly, as a slight smile grows on her face. "it's okay. and please, call me amanda." she smiles, leaving jack's room.

i sit down on jack's bed, fiddling with my hands. "y/n?" jack spoke quietly. i don't respond. "baby..." he whispers, sitting down next to me. "i don't think i can stay here, jack." i say quietly, as his faces flushes red. "what? did i do something wrong? i can fix it, i swear-" "no, jack," i say, turning and putting my hands on his. "i just don't want your mom to have to worry about things like that. it's not fair to her." i explain. "please don't go. i can fix everything, but please don't go." he sighs, a tear running down his cheek. "jack-" "please?" he whispers, putting his forehead on my shoulder, and squeezing my hands lightly.

"okay, but from now on, we can't be reckless when it comes to things like that. i don't want your mom thinking i'm having sex with you or anything like that." i say, and he nods. "what's so wrong with having sex with me y/n?" he asks sarcastically, as i roll my eyes. "shut up." i hug him, kissing his cheek.

"y/n's back! let me show you all my new cars!" jamie rushes in with a wide smile. "i can't wait!" i reply with a smile. jack wraps his arm around my waist, and kisses my cheek softly. "i love you." he whispers in my ear. "i love you back."