J.A.C.I.E.'s World (All Time Low Fanfiction | Jack Barakat)

Chapter 20

I don't know how, but Jack and I had actually made it through the week at my mom's without any major issues. Yes, my mom could still get very much on my nerves. But there wasn't a big falling out. The drum kit up in my bedroom was still untouched, which said more than words ever could.

It was an early morning on our last proper day at my mom's ranch. Both Jack and I were leaving the house, wearing boots and coats my mom had laughed at. To us, the chill was just a little too much, especially when the fog still hung over the grass fields. Even moving around didn't help too much.

"I honestly didn't think I'd be doing this every morning on a trip," Jack confessed as we walked over the dirt path to the horse stables.

"Staying with my mom comes with a price," I laughed, making sure I didn't step in mud that got a little too deep, "and the cost isn't just your mental health."

As soon as we entered the stables, Jack picked up a bucket and I grabbed the broom. By now, we had a routine. Fran was already there, petting one of the black horses before she'd guide it out to get brushed. Summers with my mom meant I had to help out on the ranch, especially with the horses. It wasn't any different now that Jack was here and we were there for a week.

"Morning," Fran smiled, her breath turning into a cloud in front of her.

"Good morning," I said back softly.

Jack, however, was too preoccupied with breathing out heavily and weirdly to form his own clouds to respond as well.

"Let me take out Apollo, and you guys can get started," Fran instructed.

Soon after, Jack and I were back to mucking out the stables. It wasn't the most pleasant of jobs, but we had gotten pretty efficient at it. Afterall, I already had some experience, and it wasn't extremely difficult. Still, it meant that breakfast and showers were left for after our morning jobs.

Just over an hour and a half later, we were making our way back to the house. The fog was letting up a little already. While the both of us were sweating and still cold in our heavy coats, my mom was up on the porch in a light night gown. She was holding out two mugs for us, which we took gratefully. My fingers tingled against the hot ceramic.

"You know, Jacie lost her virginity in that barn over there," my mom said out of nowhere, pointing in the opposite direction of where we came from.

My eyes went wide and I nearly choked on my first sip of coffee. "Mom!"

"What," she became defensive again, continuing her sick humour, "don't you think your boyfriend deserves to know that you've always been into older guys?"

"Husband," Jack corrected for the first time since we had arrived.

"Alrighty..." she smirked as she looked him up and down, "husband."

With a wink, she turned around and went back inside, leaving the two of us outside. Was she trying to ruin my relationship? There was a fine line between teasing and full out saying things that weren't meant for others to hear. She continuously took a huge step over that line.

"Is that true?" Jack asked with raised eyebrows as he drank his coffee.

I stared back at him for a second before choosing my words. "He wasn't that much older."

"But the barn is true?!"

"It's not untrue."

His mouth was open wide when he pulled away his mug, his eyes flickering between me and the barn repeatedly. I honestly didn't know why that was the part he was hung up on. He knew me by now, it shouldn't have come as too much of a shock.