like lightning: jack harries

nineteen

LAURA

It was a Wednesday, which meant that I didn't need to sit in the library to do mindless intern work but instead, sit in my house and keep Peter occupied or help my grandma sort years and years of quilting materials to continue the process of turning grandmas house inside out.

Grandmas house wasn't really a mess, she just had a ton of junk. Puzzles. Mini model cars. Denim jackets. Photos. Guitars. Silverware sets. More photos. Books. Paint. Sewing machines. So much freaking stuff. And my mom couldn't get rid of anything-- I mean, this was her childhood going into a rummage sale or the trash. And the fact that Grandma was getting thinner and more ghostlike every day only made it worse.

I held up a collection of yarn to my grandma. "This pile or that pile?"

My grandma thought for a moment and pointed to the smaller mountain of yarn in the corner. I dumped the yarn and crashed into the swivel chair by the ancient sewing machine, Peter doing the same in the Yarn Mountain.

"Are we almost done grandma?" Peter groaned.

"Almost, sweetie." My grandma smiled her uneven smile, her gray braid falling off her shoulder. "You two have been doing great."

I bit my nail and glanced at Peter, who looked like the Epitome of Bored.

"Why can't Jack come over?" Peter grumbled.

"Peter, I told you, he's sick, or .... something. He probably doesn't want us bothering him." I looked down at my hands and caught my grandmas eye, seeing that she was smirking about Jack for the bajillionith time this summer.

"Well, why can't he just come to breakfast with us?"

"He means lunch, grandma, we've just been eating at that pancake place for lunch a lot lately- " I explained, my grandma nodding. "And no, he can't come with us. I told you, he's sick."

Well,  "sick", for all I knew.

"Fine, I guess." Peter scowled. I could tell that Peter really did miss Jack hanging around-- which was an anomaly in itself that Peter would miss a babysitter-- but Jack ended up being the older brother he never had. I mean, they were almost twins.

Grandma smiled sympathetically at me and I smiled weakly back, getting up from the chair.

"Peter, let's gets lunch."

"Without Jack?"

I sighed. "Without Jack."

***

**

*

Peter and I were bit of usuals at Mama Rhi's Cafe, situated at our table right by the entrance that was perfect for people watching. I ordered my usual stack of pancakes while Peter would switch between an omelet or mooch off of my pancakes.

Today Peter and I play tic-tac-toe on the back of the kids menu in crayon, Peter beating me 7 out of 10 while discussing some sort of car that he wants while I start my second cup of coffee. I start to doodle a kitten battling a ball of yarn (in symbolism of this morning) only to pause half way through when I see Jack and Amber walking through the doors.

Peter says something to me but I can't hear him because a wave of hurt hits me like a tidal wave, pushing me down into the leather seats in the booth. What was going on?

Jacks eyes hit our table and he pretends not to see me and looks at Amber instead. I look down and see my crayon shake in my hand, suddenly tempted to throw it across the table and at Jacks stupid head. I glance up for a moment to see that Peter had already met him at the door, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward our table and making Amber laugh, Jacks warm eyes lying on her with admiration and suddenly jealousy collapsing on me.

I pretend to check my phone, wanting to search Why People Pretend to Be Sick to Go Out With Amber and Why I Was Feeling So Jealous but it was too late because, when I look up, Jack was all of a sudden standing in front of me, but his eyes couldn't meet mine.

I clear my throat. He still doesn't look at me and continues to talk to Peter. Amber stands behind him, running her hand through her pretty blondish hair and smiling continuously.

"Jack." Was all I could muster out, followed by an Award Winning Glare.

He keeps talking to Peter.

"Jack."

"Oh, um, hey." He replies, but it comes out distracted and careless like I'm some sort of ghost sitting in the corner of the booth.

Then there was a pause. I keep glaring.

"You're supposed to be sick."

He doesn't hear me because Amber was telling him something. I swallow and deep a breath.

"Jack." I say loudly, causing him and Amber to finally look at me.

"What?" He chuckles.

"Are you ok now?"

"What are you talking about?"

I feel my stomach roll with anger.

"What do you mean, 'what are you talking about?' You're supposed to be--"

"Now's not a really good time, Laura." He chuckles again, touching Ambers arm and directing her away. "It was good seeing you, Peter."

I feel my mouth drop open as he saunters away, his hand still on Ambers back. I sit back in the seat and take a huge sip of coffee to drown out why all of a sudden I hated Amber so much.