DIE ➳ JACK JOHNSON

XIX. WHAT WE SHOULD DO

MY NEW STORY, LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME IS NOW UP. IT'S A JACK GILINSKY FANFIC.

unedited

chapter nineteen - july 17

alaska sat beside her father's bed as she silently let her quiet sobs echo throughout the room. it's quite crazy how many times her father has made her cry. although this time, she wasn't crying because she was worried about herself; it was more like she was worried for him. and it's ironic really, because if the situation were reversed, she knew her father wouldn't be this stricken by it. 

"miller, you need to leave," jake told her, placing his hand on her shoulder for comfort.

"leave?" she questioned through her tears. "you want me to leave him while he's like this."

he looked at her with sympathy. she was such a sweet soul that should never go through this kind of stuff. "he's going to wake up soon," he informed her. "he's not going to be happy when he does. you need to leave," he told her sternly, tightening his grip on her shoulder so that he could pass on to her how urgent this was. "i will take care of him when he leaves. he won't dare to anything to me. i will get him whatever he wants, so that when you do return him, he'll be lighter on you."

she sucked in a breath. "thank you," she said. "i know you have other business to take care of, so thank you for always looking out for me."

he gave her a small smile. "i got my other boys taking care of my stuff. i'm free for now, and i want nothing more than to help you with this bastard. now, just go out and have fun with your little boyfriend," he said with an amused glint in his eye.

"jake..." she whined.

he shrugged innocently, then his expression turned to something not so playful anymore. "miller, have you ever thought about telling him?"

her eyes widened at his suggestion. "tell him? no!" she exclaimed, shaking her head rapidly. "i can't-," she paused, taking a sharp breath, "i can't tell him."

"i'd feel better knowing he's there to protect you as well," he said then clarified, "whenever i'm not there."

"no. i can't tell him," she bit out, and it was final. 

she couldn't let him protect her. she couldn't let him mean more to her than he already did. what if he left? one day he'd be her shoulder to cry on, and then the next she'll just have a bare ground. what if he left? she didn't want to depend on him way more than she already was. what if he left? if he left, she wouldn't know how to pick herself up. how to carry on without him there to comfort her, to protect her.

she stood up, and walked closer to her father. she placed her palm on his arm. "please get better," she whispered, and she didn't necessarily mean from his overdose. she deeply hoped that he sobered up, and would rethink his life choices so that nothing like this would happen again. 

she walked out of the house, giving absolutely no care in the world that she only had on a pair of sweatpants and one of jack's sweatshirts that he had lended her. she wrapped her arms around herself. even though it was blazing hot outside, she felt cold. she picked up her feet, and began to walk towards the one direction that she was so sure of in life right now. the cave.

this seemed like a wake-up call for her. for the days she had been with jack, everything felt so magical. all the problems she ever had just happened to disappear. with this, it was like she had just bumped into reality, and realized that her life wasn't all that great after all.

it was pathetic, but she started to cry again. 

jack was on his way to the beach also when he spotted a girl with blue-ish hair. it didn't take him long to figure out that it was alaska. he'd always see her - especially with her bright, unique hairstyles. "alaska?" he called out. she didn't reply to him, so he walked closer to her and was about to call out her for her again when he noticed her tears. his pace quickened in alarm. he got to her, and immediately wrapped his arms around her. "it's alright. i got you, love."