bad expectations | jfg

73

A/N this isn't the last chapter:) this is the second to last, and then the epilogue. oki. btw sorry for any misspellings or anything bc i'm not editing this. 

"Don't do that." Jack snaps as he continues to push his nose into my neck, in front of his family.

I pierce my lips together in attempt to force myself to keep a straight face, "Stop."

"That's not fair. It's Christmas, don't deny me."

I raise my hand to push his cheek away. I'm all for kissing, obviously. But that's all he wants to do in front of his family for some reason, I don't get it.

David thought it'd be a wonderful idea to actually go to a family party with Jack's actual relatives. It has only been an hour, but an hour filled with mumbling curses about how his dad is a "mother fucking douchebag."

It's been interesting because Jack literally doesn't know any of the aunts or uncles that come up to him. I know if I wasn't here he would have a neutral expression towards all of them a mumble a "oh, hi." But I made sure that every time someone knew came up to us, he spoke with some enthusiasm.

I was also his excuse to put extra into the conversation. "Oh, erm, this is uh, my girlfriend." It was nice hearing him say it, even if it was filled with stutters.

"I don't even remember my dad ever talking to any of these people." Jack huffs as he leans over the kitchen counter.

He's wearing a flannel and jeans because he really didn't have anything "Christmas-y." With the addition of a backwards SnapBack, not my idea.

"Maybe it was before you were born and he's using this to make up for lost time?" I come to my own conclusion and smile at the passing thirty-to-forty year olds.

The house is a normal size and really cozy. 'Aunt Claire' owns it, or Mrs. Finnegan to me; David told me to call her that if I did see her tonight.

But it's filled with people, Jack always told me that he didn't know anything about his uncles or aunts or cousins, but apparently he has loads.

"Maybe." He mumbles and stands up straight again, crossing his arms, leaning his back against the edge of the counter, and biting his lip.

I stare at him for awhile. Even though he wouldn't admit it, all these people make him sad. I know he's sad that he couldn't have spent more time with his family as a child, it puts him in a unhappy mood and I wish I knew how to comfort him about this stuff.

I wish I could say everything about making him feel better comes naturally to me because we were simply, "made for each other," but that's not the case. Jack has always been hard to figure out. I've figured out the majority of him, just not all of him. Not yet.

"Can I ask you something?" His eyes are still on the floor in front of him as he speaks.

"Yeah-"

"Jacky!" An older and vaguely familiar voice rings throughout my ears and I turn my head.

The short frame and black hair flash my memory. Oh. Aunt Claire.

It's weird seeing her now. Not that I know anything about her, but I remember seeing her in a grocery store once, with Jack. As my brain digs deeper into the memory, that moment was the first time Jack had called me his girlfriend. Wow, that was a long time ago.

"Hi, Aunt Claire." His voice is low and he's obviously irritated that he didn't get to continue speaking to me.

I smile at her, giving her more of a welcoming than her nephew.