Life in the Shadows

23.

So, after Sam and Gilinsky got a pedicure with me, we went shopping at some little places downtown, then went back to Gilinsky's apartment, where we are now just hanging out.

"I still can't believe you made me get a pedicure," Gilinsky murmurs, running his fingers through my hair.

My head is on his lap, and my feet are on Nate's, whereas Sam is on the recliner.

"I told you, it's only fair," I answer back softly.

He laughs, and Nate snorts in amusement.

"Jack?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah?"

"When do you think I should go home?" I ask shyly, avoiding his eye contact- or any eye contact with Sam or Nate.

"Honestly, Maggie, I have no idea." he lets out a stressful breath. "What your dad did was fucked up, and it'll take more than a few days to repair the damage he's done."

"That doesn't really answer my question."

"Well, as I said, I don't really know." he pauses momentarily, making sure that he's captured all of my attention. "What I do know, though, is that you'll be safe wherever you go. Jack would never let anything happen to you at home, and we wouldn't here or anywhere else, either."

"I'm just not sure what to do at this point,"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm," I let out a shaky breath, holding in tears that are threatening to escape from my eyes, "I'm so fucking confused."

"How?" he asks gently, making sure that he's not crossing any boundaries.

"Well, firstly, nothing like this has ever happened to me. Like, I've never done anything like this before, and truthfully, I'm scared to go back home. But I also feel like I need to face the confrontation, but I don't know how or when. This is all just a messed up situation, and I don't want to be in it anymore."

"I agree, one-hundred percent," he answers quietly, seeming to be in deep thought. "You can stay here as long as you need to. I've never been through something like this either, but you're definitely welcome to stay until you're ready,"

"Thank you, Jack. For everything,"

"It's not a problem,"

"I don't know what to do; Jack says that I should come home as soon as possible, but I don't think I'll be ready to face my dad yet."

"Then don't."

"How do you expect me to do that?"

"Get Jack over here to visit, then that way, you don't have to go home," he says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's actually not a bad idea," I muse out loud.

"Look at that," Nate chimes in. "She actually listens to someone else's ideas sometimes,"

"No way," Sam gasps, feigning shock.

"Shut up," I roll my eyes. "You know, I'm not that stubborn."

"Yeah, right," Nate snorts. "That's like the smidge and a half of weed that they smuggle in We're The Millers,"

"Oh my god. I'm not that bad,"

"You're not bad, but you're so damn hardheaded. It's next to impossible to get something through your head sometimes."

"I'm not-"

"Do't try to deny it. Jack is the same exact way."

"I'm nothing like my brother."

"You two are more alike than you know. You look alike, you're both sarcastic little assholes, you can eat enough for a family of four in one sitting, and, you're both stubborn as hell."