Burn Into Me (Into Me Series Book Two)

Chapter Fifteen - News

Jackson's POV

"Why are you smiling so much?" Riley asks, sliding a mug of black coffee toward me. "It's starting to creep me the fuck out man."
I snap out of my daydream to look at him, "Shut up."
"He's right, you know," Connor says, picking up his coffee cup and taking a drink. "You have been smiling a fuck ton today. What's up with you?"
"Nothing's up with me. I'm just sitting here. You guys are the ones making it seem like something's up," I snip in a harsh tone, narrowing my eyes at Riley in particular. I look back down at the pen in my hands and flip it through my fingers.
"I'm with them, you are acting weird," Jordan adds.
"Did you guys find someone to replace Tony yet?" I ask Connor, forcing a subject change. I accidentally fling my pen across the table, cursing at myself silently. I pick up the coffee mug and take a long drag, the warm spreading through my hand.
"Ugh, no. All of the applicants have been shit," Connor groans, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. "I mean, it's not like there are big shoes to fill or anything."
"Word," Riley hums in agreement while tapping his pen on the table.

The director is late. Again. I'm giving him five more minutes before I leave. I have shit I need to do today and they got me fucked up if they think that I'm staying late. I want to be with Jet, celebrating in the best way we know how.

"Hey, Boss," a familiar voice says from the doorway.
Connor and I turn our heads to look at where the voice came from as we say, "Yeah?"
"Uh, sorry, I meant Jackson," Heath stumbles.
"What's up, man?" I wonder, leaning back in my chair to get a better view of him.
"Um... I swear I didn't mean to, but..." he admits, looking over his shoulder down the hallway. His face is almost as red as his hair.
"Oh what did you do?" I sigh, feeling like the dad of the group once again.

I mean... I am the dad of the group... but they don't know that yet. I'm a dad. I'm gonna be a dad. I'm going to have a kid. A mini me mixed with a mini Jet. I can't fucking wait.

A rush of excitement overtakes me and I have to try really hard not to smile because I'm supposed to be looking super pissed off and disappointed right now. It's basically fucking killing me to keep this inside but Jet said it was only okay to tell Connor and Riley until she reaches the second trimester. I've been trying to tell them all damn day but Jordan won't go the fuck away. He keeps finding ways to get out of my attempts to get rid of him for a minute. It's pissing me off.

"So you know how you told us NOT to build our own obstacle course and to refrain from horseplay?" he drags, eyes refusing to meet mine.
"Yes..." I miff, cocking my eyebrow in what Jet calls my "signature annoyed/pissed off face."
"About that. Uhhhh..." he stammers.
"Who's hurt and how bad?" I question in an annoyed voice, grabbing the bridge of my nose where a headache starts to form.
"Umm... Nyx," he admits, looking guilty. "We were climbing a stack of plyo boxes-"
"A stack?!" Connor blurts.
"Jesus fucking Christ," Riley mutters.
"And we were climbing them and then Nyx, I don't even know, she lik-"
"Ay! Try again," I snip, making Heath's eyebrows shoot up.
"Nyx, she-"
"Nope! Try again!" I say shortly.
"She-"
"Dude! Pronouns!" I shout, getting pissed. "It's not that fucking difficult to respect their pronouns. They respect yours so why are you not respecting theirs?"
"Sorry! They..." he starts, looking at the ground in shame.
"Good, continue," I nod.

"They fell off the tower and hit the ground really hard and there was this crack and... well... uh..." Heath drags.
"Oh my fucking god, spit it out already!" Connor shouts.
"Their knee looks like a fucking softball," Heath finishes quickly. "I think they sprained it."
"Are you fucking kidding me, Heath?!" I rage, standing. "Of all the idiotic, stupid, birdbrained, imbecilic, moronic, thick-witted, senseless, asinine, foolish, unintelligent, dumbass things you could have done!!!"
"I know, I'm sorry," he whimpers, shifting his eyes down.
"They're our best close-range aim!" I fume, taking a few steps toward him. "I left Mac in charge, where was he?"
"He told us not to do it. And we told him to fuck off. And he told us to have fun getting our asses kicked by you and then he left," he deadpans.