Be My First 3 - Tying Ends

21. Me?! YOU!

I sat on Jack J's fuzzy blue chair while watching Jack put the DVD into the computer. I couldn't stop playing with my thumbs and messing around with the ends of my hair. I'm nervous.

"Here it is." Jack pulled up a file. He hesitantly pressed play.

"This is 12am, so we need to fast forward.." He squinted at the screen and bit the inside of his lip.

He pressed forward, and we watched the time in the top left corner flash by. 12am, 1am, 2am, 3am.. And so on. We forwarded until it was right about the time that the incident happened.

"I don't see anything." I said. The only thing I saw was the desk by the hallway, and Jack J's door. I couldn't see inside his room at all.

"Wait." Jack said, rocking back and forth in the computer chair. "Just wait."

We both stared at the screen. I thought I saw something, but it was just a fly on the computer screen. Jack swooshed it away. I adjusted my position on the edge of the bed.

"THERE!" We both yelled at the same time. Jack immediately paused the DVD, and we got a glimpse of someone with blonde hair.

"That's Ava." Jack pointed. I squinted, trying to see her face, but I couldn't.

"Press play." I said, shaking with fear.

We watched as she sneakily went into Jack J's room. The door shut.

"Uh, fast forward a little. See if she leaves."

He pressed fast forward. The next thing we saw were Sammy and Nash and doctors rushing into the room. There was no footage of the blonde girl leaving- er, Ava...

"Well it's got to be Ava. Jack obviously wasn't high enough on his pain medication to be making this up. He told us it was her."

"Okay, but you have no proof, I mean.. I don't see her face. And she was with my mom! So this doesn't make sense." I defended.

"Just settle this and call her." Jack said.

I worriedly looked at him. "I'm scared."

"Do you want me to?" He held out his hand, waiting for me to set my phone in it.

"No, no, I'll do it.." I pulled my phone out from my back pocket and went to my contacts. I looked at the little blonde princess emoji that I've had by her name ever since I got an iPhone. I pressed her number, and it began dialing.

"Hey?" She answered.

"Uh, hi.." I said quietly, staring at Jack.

Put it on speaker. He mouthed to me. I did.

"So uh, you're in Omaha right?" I asked.

"Yeah.. I'm in Ralston. Kinda the same thing though." She giggled.

"Are you lying to me?" I asked. Jack widened his eyes as if what I just said was too straight forward, but I didn't know what else to do.

"Umm, no? Why...?" She replied.

"Something happened to Jack J. He's in the hospital and he says-"

"He's in the hospital?" She cut me off. "What happened to him?"

Me and Jack exchanged weird looks.

"Um, you're the one that called me about this a while ago. You were asking about him." I said.

"No? I never called you. I had no clue he was in the hospital. Is he okay?"

I hesitated for too long, just staring at Jack with the same look that he had on his face.

"Hello?" She said.

"Ava. You called me. You asked me about Jack. What's going on?"

"No I didn't! I haven't even been on my phone all day. I've been out with our moms shopping and eating. When would I have called you?"

"Are you messing with me?" I snarled.

"No!" She defended. "I have no reason to. What's up with you lately?"

"What's up with me lately? What's up with you?! Why'd you fake your own death, huh? Why'd you disappear for weeks, why'd you make me think Nash and Cameron were after you? Huh? What's your explanation for THAT?"

"This is something that needs to be spoken about in person. Not over the phone." She hung up.

"She hung up on me!!!" I slammed my phone down onto the bed.

"I'm confused. She said she's in Omaha. We know she was in Omaha. So, who the hell was the blonde chick in Jack's room? He has no blonde enemies." Jack said.

"I don't know." I sighed. "I need to go to Omaha. Before I solve this, I need to know what's happening with Ava."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jack held my hand.

"No.. No. You have shows coming up. I need to go now." I insisted.

"I really don't feel comfortable with you going alone. Knowing that I won't be there to protect you makes me sick." He shook his head.

"You can't cancel your shows." I said.

"I would never do that, but if it's for your safety, I can reschedule." He said.

"No!" I raised my eyebrows. "You have fans who've already bought their ticket and planned for a certain date. You can't just switch it around."

"Paige.." He sighed.

"I'm going home. I'll be fine." I said.

"Okay.. I just don't want anything to happen." He looked at my eyes.

"Nothing will." I cupped his face and kissed him.

He pulled me in for a hug, and I gladly accepted. I stared at the computer screen while in his arms, looking at where he paused it on the blonde girl in the hallway.