The J.A.C.I.E. Project (All Time Low Fanfiction | Jack Barakat)

Chapter 11

Dating somebody at your work is not smart. Especially if they are considered more senior than you. Or even worse, they are your client. Obviously I was seeing Jack before we both ended up at the same studio, so it wasn't exactly something I could have prevented. Of course, I could have ended things when we found out, but how would that have been any better? It sure as hell was an issue now. The way Jack ended things, I just knew there was no way we could go back to acting like nothing had happened.

So, I had to go through the awkward motions of messaging Justin to tell him that it would probably be best if I no longer worked on the All Time Low project. And I was mad. Mainly mad at myself for fucking up this opportunity so badly. Here I was, sabotaging my dream because I couldn't keep it in my pants.

Luckily Justin wasn't as mad at me. He would have fully had the right to fire me. But, no. Instead, he helped me out. He didn't take me off the project, he just made sure that I wouldn't be scheduled for any of the sessions Jack would be at. Still, I felt horrible. I didn't deserve Justin's kindness. This made everything harder for him too.

But it was where we were at.

My first day back after the weekend, I started after the band had left for a lunch break. That afternoon, Jack wasn't scheduled to be in. After working together in the morning, it would just be Alex in the studio after he got back from his lunch. Which meant that when I arrived it was just Justin catching me up.

He showed me what they had been working on and where they were at while I tried to take as many notes as I possibly could in my little notebook. It was very different to actually being there, though. I missed being able to actually work with people and see the process. But at least this was something, and I'd get to work with Alex later.

I had hoped that this whole thing between Jack and I would never have been brought up again. Especially since Justin said he would keep it quiet and not let everybody know why I coincidentally no longer worked whenever Jack was around. Alas, Justin had finished catching me up early and asked the dreaded question.

"So... what happened between you and Jack anyway?" He enquired, his voice lower than it was before.

I felt it coming before, but I didn't expect the question to come now. So I needed a second to collect my thoughts and truly think about what I wanted to say.

But all that came out was, "umm..."

"I don't mean to intrude," he quickly added when he noticed I was struggling.

"No, no," I shook my head, "it's okay. I'm not exactly sure what happened, actually."

He continued looking at me and I couldn't really tell what was going on in his head. Was he judging me? Did he think I was dumb for getting myself in this? Maybe he knew something I didn't? Or maybe he just wanted all the tea.

"Well, okay," I put my pen in my notebook and shut it, feeling like I had to defend myself, "we met before I started working here – before you think I sleep with clients. Because I don't. It wasn't like that. We met before I even got this internship and before they were confirmed to come here, which..." Then something hit me. "Wait. Did Jack help me get this internship?"

Justin shook his head a little as if processing my short ramblings. "No, I chose you myself."

"Okay, good," I breathed out in relief. I hadn't even considered that that could have been a possibility. "That would have made this whole thing even more awkward."

"But why keep this all a secret?"

I almost rolled my eyes at him. "Why do you think? I get to work with you and I tell you I'm seeing somebody you're working with. That wouldn't look great, would it? I wanted to keep my personal and professional lives separate."