It Started in the Summer - (Jack Grealish)

Chapter 15 - Break or Make

I went as fast as my bare feet and tight dress would allow me to, but it wasn't long before Jack had caught up with me and gently grabbed my arm to stop me going any further.

"Karly please stop!" He said, circling round and standing in front of me. I tried to duck either side of him to get past but he blocked me on both sides "I dont know what you think you saw back there, but I promise you it's not what you're thinking it is" he said desperately , his eyes pleading with mine.

"How could you do this to me? To us?" I stuttered, tears cascading down my face "I've given up everything for you? My privacy, my job..."

"You've quit your job?" Jack asked, the corners of his mouth turning up into a slight smile before remembering why we were arguing in the first place.

"Yes, I did it yesterday! I handed in my notice so I could come out here and surprise you, because I thought you loved me and wanted me to be with you all the time, supporting you and your career, but I clearly got that wrong" I wiped at the fresh tears coming out of my eyes with my knuckles.

Jack took a step closer to me and placed his hand on the side of my head trying to pull me closer to him, all I wanted to do was lean into his touch and fall into his arms, then the image of that awful girl kissing him came back into my head and I pushed his hand away. 

"I love you so much and you've just shattered my whole world" I said to him, my sadness starting to turn to anger.

"Right, come with me" Jack said forcefully, grabbing my arm and dragging me back down the steps towards the bar "we're going to clear this up once and for all. I'm not losing you over a stupid misunderstanding when I've done nothing wrong" he said angrily. I couldn't help but feel a little bit turned on by this masterful side of Jack that I'd not seen before, and although all I wanted to do was curl up on my bed and sob my heart out, I wanted to hear what she had to say.

We arrived back outside the bar and Jack led me over to a table and sat me down, wiping the gravel from my feet and putting my shoes back on for me.

"Right, wipe your tears and fix yourself up babygirl, I'm not having that bitch seeing how much she's upset you, when that was clearly her plan all along. We're going in there together and she's going to tell us both exactly what she was playing at, although I already know the answer" he said calmly.

Maybe I had got it all wrong? She was clearly into Jack, that much was obvious from our phone call the other day, but that didn't mean he was into her? Maybe when she saw me there she took full advantage of the opportunity to make me doubt Jack's feelings for me.

I fixed my mascara and powdered my face again to hide the streaks of tears that had been there moments before.

"Even when you cry, you're still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen" Jack said, kneeling in front of me still sat at the table, he leaned in and kissed my cheek gently, then stood up swiftly, holding out his hand for me to take. I took his hand and he forcefully pulled me across the gravel, almost pulling me over in his rush to get back into the bar. We climbed the wooden steps and Jack pushed the door open firmly, leading me directly to the corner where everything had gone down less than 20 minutes previously.

I could see see Ben looking at us as we made our way back across the bar and I could see the back of Jess's head. She appeared to be having a heated discussion with Taylor. Ben tapped Jess on the shoulder to let her know we were coming back and she turned to us, revealing Taylor stood there, a smug look on her face. She smiled sweetly at Jack, as though butter wouldn't melt.

"Can you tell me what that little show was all about just now?" Jack shouted at her

She looked bemused, she clearly wasn't expecting this from him