How Jack Wrote The Universe (Revised)

6.00

Day nine

JACK has bore his eyes on the clock for half an hour now. Since it's only two in the afternoon, on a Tuesday, only a couple of customers decorated the shop; an old woman and a group of kids probably in their thirteens.

And it pisses him off. They are either too loud or too quiet, too awkward or too timid. They are the exact replica of what him and his friends used to be back in their middle year where no one wrote article, no one sung for a living, and no one lied to each other.

Back when there are trust, pixie dust, and . . .

The bell on the front door suddenly chimed. Making Jack immediately straighten his stance to greet and serve the upcoming costumer. Though when he sees that it's only Bonny, he immediately sinks back to his seat.

Ever since the fight between Ari and Jack; Jack has been ignoring the Indian boy and Mark but not Bonny. He figured he doesn't know shit to get involved in it so he let it slide.

After a few calls last night, the two - Jack and Bonny - agrees to skip class this day since, well, Jack isn't really up to avoiding and pretending his one very best friend doesn't exist. He's been avoiding Ari since the fight, and everything after that became either too awkward or too annoying.

"Hey, Bon. What's up?" He asks as the boy settled in front of him up on a stool chair.

The Chinese boy then brings up a brown folder he's been clutching on the moment he arrived. And with one look to Jack, he quickly says, voice hoarse;

"I found some things about Ladi's family."

Immediately, Jack's heart pace fastens.

"Is this it?" He asks as he looks at the brown folder.

After receiving a quiet nod from Bonny, he quickly pulls it on his side and opens the folder. A bunch of paper is clipped in the folder; having various graphs about the Quinns. He pays it no mind and starts browsing the paper, looking for names of the family member.

Henrich Quinn
Deanna Winfrey Quinn
Lara Dinah Quinn
Alexandrea Quinn

"So, she has a sister?" Jack asks, his gaze still fixed on the names under the Personal Information.

The Chinese boy grumbles under his breath, "Yes. Though I think they're only half sisters."

"Right." Jack sighs before looking up to Bonny. Squinting his eyes at him, he asks, "Aren't you going to get trouble for getting this? I mean, this is from the States Information, right?"

The boy grins, "No, as long as my cousin doesn't find out and I'll bring it back."

Jack chuckles while shaking his head. He stays silent for a while, the light smile still on his face, as he continuously browse the folder. While he does, he accidentally flips over to the last page that reveals a family picture of the Quinns.

His eyes immediatelly largens when he sees two familiar faces: One is Ladi's, while the other one is Alex'. The girl he met two days ago.

"What? Did you see something?" Bonny quickly inquires after noticing the immediate change of mood from Jack.

Looking up as he looks hasty, the boy answers him, "I've got to go."

____

Jack taps his foot lightly on the tiled floor. He's been waiting for Alex in the lobby for about five minutes now after running from their cafe -- leaving a confused Bonny -- to the local motel after seeing the family picture. He knows it's her; Ladi's sister. The girl he gave a lift two days before was Ladi's sister. Alexandrea Quinn.

And he can't believe it. The girl he just met two days before has all the answers he needs. And she's right here.

"Jack?" Quickly looking up from the ground, he sees Alex standing in front of him, wearing jeans and a white shirt.

Standing up, he walks over to the girl. "What's up? What do you need me for?" Alex asks, obviously confused.

"You're Ladi's sister, aren't you?"

A horrified expression emerges from the brunette's face. "H-how do you know her?"

"Why did she commit suicide?"

A single tear falls down from her face. She quickly wipes it off using her hands before saying, "Let's not talk about it here."

____

The two arrives in a diner just across the motel. She gets a coffee while he gets none. Jack just wants everything to be over with. After a week of exhaustion, he'll finallly get all the answers he needs.

"Why do you ask about her?" Alex breaks the silence as she stirs the coffee in front of her.

"I was task to make an article about her."

The girl rolls her eyes out of annoyance and irritation. She doesn't like anyone talking about her sister. It makes the guilt all pop out and the anger she's tried burying, explode.

"So? Just make some bullshit about who she is. How awesome and gre--"

"Journalism is about truth-"

"Bullshit. You're just nosy."

"No, I just want to know the truth. She has it all, the face, the beauty, everything. But why did she commit suicide?"

"So, you're curious?" She asks once more, annoyed and pissed.

"Please, Alex. Tell me. I'm practically begging here."

Sighing, she licks her lower lip.

"Ladi - Ladi is my step sister. And she commited suicide because of me."

"W-wha--"

"Let me finish. Before moving to Jacksons, back in Forks, she was really a well-known girl. Especially since middle year started. She was beautiful and smart, and practically has everything. But then before middle year started, her biological dad started sending her letters. But our mom refused to gave the letters to her. Ladi never liked my dad. She blames her for our mom and his dad's break up."

"Because of that, her rebellious phase started. She got into the wrong crowd in the middle year and . . . became a bully. Her first target was my best friend, Elise. She bullied her because of me. She hated me and my dad so she made my life a living hell."

"No one talked to me out of fear of being bullied, except Elise. And that's where it started. All the physical bullying. Verbal. Emotional. It was so harsh, Elise . . . Elise commited suicide."

Alex is crying so hard at this point as Jack stares at her dumbfoundedly. As if his world is falling apart. Everything she's known of. Everything she is to him -- gone.

"Ladi changed. She changed herself out of grief and guilt. She even moved after eight grade. She moved here to Jacksons but I never stopped blaming her. No one stopped blaming her. Our whole family. Everyone in Forks knew about it, and they never stopped blaming her."

"I never stopped blaming her even until the last time I saw her. Even if she completely changed. It was all my fault."

With that, she's a complete ruin of guilt and grief.

"You're lying." Is all his reply. "That can't be her. Ladi - Ladi is a kind person. She stopped bullying in Hayden--"

"She did that out of guilt!" She screams, earning a lot of look from the people eating in the diner.

"You're lying! Liar!" He screams back before storming out of the diner.