like lightning: jack harries

ten

LAURA

That night I sat in my room with one of my grandmas pugs I had grown to like, paging through an old book I found downstairs that I was already getting bored of. I had shut the curtains-- regretfully, but I wasn't really in the mood for him. I didn't know why I was ignoring the texts that were lingering on my phone that I knew he sent, either.

I bit my nails and heard the door of my bedroom creak open, my mom stepping in with her pajamas on.

"Sorry to bother you, but I forgot to tell you about tomorrow."

I sat up in bed and closed my book.

"Your father and I are heading to Manchester tomorrow with your grandma for some further treatment, so you'll be on your own for a couple of days." My mom told me. "You'll be alright working at the library, I'm sure, but we've found a babysitter for Peter just in case you can't be there."

I bit my lip nervously. "Is grandma alright?"

"Oh, she's ... she's alright." My mom swallowed, smiling after. "Don't worry about it, she'll be fine."

I nodded, examining her worrisome eyes that told me things weren't entirely fine.

"There's plenty of food in the fridge, but we left you some cash just in case. I'm sure Rebecca can always help out too."

"What about the babysitter?" I asked.

"Oh, he'll just come from 8:30 to 1 the rest of the week. Help him out when you can, alright? Peter seems to ... not do so well with babysitters." My mom frowned.

"Right, right."

He?

"Anyway, I'll let you be." She told me, fanning herself. "Why don't you have your window open? It's like a furnace in here."

"I... I don't really know." I bit my lip, eyeing the window. "I don't think it's too hot in here."

"Alright. Goodnight, Laura."

"Wait mom, the babysitter is a guy?"

My mom smirked. "Oh, I'm sure you'll recognize him."

I put my head in my hands and groaned. "Mom, if it's who I think it is, I'm literally never going to talk to you again."

My mom only smiled and shut the door in a swift motion, leaving me in a slight state of despair.

*
*

The next morning was a quick one-- 1., to avoid having to greet the babysitter, and 2., I really couldn't be late again.

I tied my hair up into an unruly bun and, upon seeing my drab appearance in the large mirror that hung on my dresser, I quickly brushed a stick of lip gloss over my lips.

I winked in the mirror and headed downstairs, only wanting to go back up them when I saw who was in my kitchen.

"Hi there." Jacks face was filled suddenly filled with his stupid big dorky smile as I shriveled on bottom step of the stairs.

"Hey." I forced a smile. "Babysitter?"

He nodded and leaned against the cupboard. "Should be ... an adventure."

Jack eyed a crabby Peter, who sat at the dining table angrily eating cocoa puffs. Jack raised his eyebrows and smirked.

I let out a laugh and accepted the glare from Peter, sending him a mocking one back.

"Sorry." I mouthed to Jack as I poured coffee into a small travel thermos.

My mom came into the kitchen with 2 suitcases struggling to stay on her arms, her face red from the amount of activity she's probably done this morning. She let out a long breath and plunked them down by the door.