Short Stories

(4) part dos

(This takes place after the whole room ordeal, now the group of Athena, Jack, and Esmoray are at the mall, a couple days later.)
Check out my bestie who inspired Esmoray-
LilithBarnes69

I'm sitting in a daze, staring off into nothing. My mind is stuck on how the impossible just happened, and yet we returned as if we had imagined it all. The only thing that proves it actually happened is the cut still on Jack's neck. Who started this? Will it happen again? Who's next to kill us?

"How's that healing up?" Esmoray asks Jack, this takes me back into our reality.

"Pretty well, I suppose?" He replies.

"So none of us remember how we got out?" I ask the question again.

"No, Athena, for the last time, we don't." Esmoray takes a bite of her food and rolls her eyes.

"Last thing I remember was you bandaging me." Jack comments.

"You don't remember-" I start to let my brain voice speak out of my real voice. Ah, screw it. "You don't remember me telling you that I loved you?"

"Wait, what?" Jack looks severely confused.

"Y-yeah..." I mumble.

I can see Esmoray smiling to me, holding back her laughs as she mocks how I gave myself up.

"Yes, I do remember. But as friends, right?" Jack asks.

That broke me.

"Mhm." I nod.

"Sure." Esmoray elbows Jack in the arm.

We all finish our food and head out to the car, Esmoray drove us and we were all very tired still, from the day. We get in the car and Jack gets in the backseat, I sit up front with Esmoray. She starts playing music and I get on my phone, staring down and trying to keep my thoughts about Jack away. But there he is, his contact being the first one that shows up in my texts.

Are you okay? -  Jack

Yes, why? - Me

I glance back at him, his curly hair surrounding his head that stares down at his phone. He seems so innocent, it's something about him that draws me in, yet also makes me question myself. I look back down at my phone.

You seem off since we talked - Jack

I choose to ignore it, because what am I gonna tell him? Yeah, I'm insanely in love with you. Screw every part of that.

"You guys good?" Esmoray breaks the obvious tension that's filling the car.

"Yeah." Jack mumbles from the backseat.

"Okay, so, I'm gonna go pick us up some food, is it okay if I drop y'all off at the house?" Esmoray asks.

Right... I forgot. Jack can't stay at his house right now because his house is getting renovated, the landlord sent him to me and Esmoray's.

"Sounds good." I finally say.

"Ooo, Athena." Esmoray turns up the music, and starts singing louder. "She likes roses and gold,"

I sing along with her, The windows down as we near the house. I feel calm for a bit, but then I feel the pull to Jack closing in more. I focus myself on the lyrics, on music, on anything but the weird situation I had going on.

We get to the house, and Esmoray parks the car in the driveway.

"Here, the keys, don't burn the place down without me." She winks, handing them to me.

I jump out of the car, and walk up to the front door. Jack stands awkwardly on the steps up to the house. I unlock it, and leave the door open for him. I walk inside and go to the kitchen, and pour myself a cup of chai tea. I glance over at the living room, and Jack is sitting in the armchair near the fireplace, his back to me. What do I do?

I look down at my phone and lean against the counter, then I text Esmoray.

Hey, I need some advice. How do I talk to Jack? -Me

Go wherever he is, start a normal conversation and go from there. -Esmoray

Okay... -Me

I grab my drink and go sit on the couch, Jack being faced now slightly towards me, on my right. He's fixing up his old skateboard, putting new wheels and trucks on. He doesn't even give me a look.

"Didn't know you got new stuff..." I comment, turning to him.

He raises his head and nods, then goes back to fastening the trucks on.

"Look Jack, I get it if I made things weird." He keeps his head down. "I didn't mean to, I just..."

Still, won't look up. I stand up and move the skateboard off of his lap. He looks up at me, and just smiles.

"I love you." He smiles more as he speaks.

"Wait, do you mean like..." I lose my words, not noticing that he stood up as well.

"Yes, I mean like." He laughs, pulling me into his arms. "Wanna go skateboarding later?"

"Awww!! Get it bestie!" I hear Esmoray call from the kitchen. "Y'all are cute."

"Yes, I would like that." I sigh, as he sits back down to work on his board again.

I walk to the kitchen and motion for Esmoray to come to my room.

When we get there, we both hold hands and jump up and down, like complete idiots.

"I DID ITTT!" I cheer.

"Yes, yes you did." She smiles.