I've Never Told A Lie...And That Makes Me a Liar.

I Think You Should Leave.

The days following their romantic and cozy day in, had been nothing short of magical for Jack and Alex.

Their initial discomfort and hesitations had given way to something warm and genuine. As they wandered through the resort, and on different trips with the family- they were inseparable, holding hands, exchanging flirtatious glances, and stealing kisses when they felt the urge too- not just for show.

It wasn't about keeping up the charade anymore; it felt real, like the start of something beautiful and unexpected.

They spent their nights wrapped in each other's arms, sharing a bed now without hesitation. The soft press of lips against skin, whispered words of affection in the dark, and the comforting warmth of each other's presence- Jack had never felt warmth like this before, and neither had Alex.

They both knew that each other was terrified of how real their feelings were for each other. It almost seemed like neither one of them cared. They just wanted to be themselves and they wanted to keep their promise of not putting pressure on themselves or overthinking it. They just wanted to exist and be who they wanted to be... with each other.

By day twelve(two days before they were expected to leave) of the trip, Jack could hardly believe how much had changed between them.

If there was any line between what was real and what was pretend... it no longer existed. It had all blissfully blurred so completely that Jack no longer cared to distinguish between the two.

On the morning of day 12- Dean had asked Jack to join him for some mini golf—just the two of them. Jack agreed, leaving Alex behind to hang out with Mya and Zack at the arcade, as things between Zack and Alex had seemed to be ok...though parting from Alex felt odd after days of being glued together.

As Jack and Dean moved through the mini-golf course, the conversation was light at first. Dean made the usual jokes about Jack's lousy aim, and they both laughed when Dean's ball got stuck in one of the obstacles. But as they reached the final few holes, Dean's tone shifted to something more serious.

"You know, Jack," Dean started, watching Jack line up his shot.

"I've been wanting to tell you this for a while, but seeing you and Alex together... it's really something."Dean admitted.

Jack glanced up, a little taken aback- even though he was puzzled why... It's not like he wasn't expecting it- Everyone had believed them before things between them were real. Jack could only imagine how it looks now that they are together.

"Something? What do you mean?" Jack questioned.

Dean leaned on his club, smiling warmly.

"I mean, it's refreshing to see you fall in love after what happened with Zack. It's like you're a different person with Alex—more open, happier. You never really tried with Zack, not like this."Dean pointed out.

Jack's heart skipped a beat at the word "love." He focused back on the ball, trying to steady his hand, but his mind was suddenly racing, and his hands were shaking at the mere thought of the word "love".

"Dean, it's not... it's not like that," Jack said, trying to keep his voice even, but the panic was starting to set in.

"Come on, Jack," Dean said, chuckling softly.

"I've known you your whole life. I know when you're into someone. And with Alex, it's obvious. The way you look at him, the way he looks at you, the way you're so sweet and affectionate with him... It's good to see you like this. I'm proud of you, little brother. You're really trying with him." Dean said proudly.

There was a pit that was sitting in the bottom of Jack's stomach... Over the overwhelming feelings, and the fact that his brother said he's proud of him.