J.H. 86 | The Inevitable Nothingness

Twelve | Parker

I'M A MESS OF GIGGLES AND SQUEALS AS I DRAG JACK OUT to the rooftop, rain soaking us the second we're out in the open. He lets out a loud gasp at the immediate sensation of ice cold water drenching through his clothes.

"Parker!" He whines, loud enough over the rain that I can just hear him. "I'm gonna have to drive home soaking!"

I turn to him, smiling so bright it nearly hurts. "Live a little, Hughes."

And then I'm kicking water up at him from a large puddle on the floor, watching his mouth drop as he tries to shield himself from even more water, not that it was any use. He glares, zones in on me, and his eyes sparkle. A breathtaking smirk flitters over his features. "Oh, you're so gonna get it!"

He runs at me at full force, earning yet another squeal for me as I change directions and run away from him, but he's faster, and soon his arms are wrapped around my waist from behind, and he's lifting me up into his hold, holding me close to his chest.

The sound of his laughter in my ear is all I can focus on as he spins me around and around, finally placing me on the ground once more with a sigh.

I look up at the sky, rain pouring over my face, and turn to Jack with a smile. "Thank you, Jack."

He cocks his head to the side. "For what?"

"For making me happy," I breathe, resting my head against his chest. "For not giving up on me when you found out I was sick."

He shrugs, turns me in his arms so that I'm facing him, and wraps both arms around my waist securely. "love will come, and when love comes, love will hold you, love will call your name, and you will melt, sometimes though, love will hurt you but love will never mean to, love will play no games, cause love knows life has been hard enough already."

I suck in a breath, swallowing hard. "That's the poem I read you."

My heart thunders in my chest, how had he remembered that? Did he memorise that on purpose? To save it from a moment like this?

"I know it is," he breathed, brushing his nose to mine gently and successfully turning me into putty.

"What are you trying to say, Jack?" I whisper, heart in my throat, having a pretty decent idea but not wanting to get my hopes up.

He grins, kisses my cheek. "I think you may already know."

I shake my head, denying him. "I want you to say it."

He lifts me up, spins me around, I'm completely soaked all the way through, my clothes clinging to my skin and my hair sticking down to my forehead in a way that I'm sure looks horrible, but Jack doesn't seem to mind. His white t-shirt is completely see-through, which is a huge bonus, and his eyes glisten under the rooftop flood lights.

It's the most imperfectly perfect moment, and it's just for us.

Jack holds me close, tries to wipe some of the water from my face, pushing my hair back in the process as he takes in every single inch of me, committing me to memory, reminding himself how I'm just for him, always.

"I love you, Parker," he smiles, not the small kind either, that you know he does because he knows it looks cute. But the big, contagious kind that makes my stomach flip and forces a breathless laugh out of me, because he's gorgeous. He shakes his head incredulously, like even he can't believe himself. "I love you, I think I've loved you since I kissed you—no, since you read me poetry, no, not even then. Since I saw you, maybe."

"Jack?" I choke, tears welling in my eyes without them meaning to.

He glares at me. "Would you let me finish?"