"What you smiling at"? Jack ask coming up to me.
"Oh just nothing" I say feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.
"You sure? Because usually when someone does a smile that cute something good happened" he says with a wink.
"Gilinsky your such a flirt" I say lightly pushing his shoulder.
"Well I'm gonna go inside" Cleo says with a smirk before running inside the house. Probably locking the door.
"Well I guess we're stuck out here" I say turning around to look at him.
"I don't mind" he says shrugging his shoulders.
"Neither do I" I reply mocking his previous motions.
"Come" I say walking towards the two person swing. We both Sit down as he pushes the swing with his feet while I curl up in a ball.
"So what do you want to talk about"? He ask
"I dunno, you"? I say turning the question on him.
"I dunno either". I tilt my head back and look up at the sky as the sun starts to set a little bit seeing as it's already 5:45. I shut my eyes, feeling the cool breeze blow through my hair. Everything was quiet except for the soft creaking coming from the swing and the rustle of the leaves.
I sit there and contemplate on what to say. I've only known Jack for about a week now so I don't really know what to talk about. I don't want to accidentally bring up a touchy subject.
"You know" I start, "I've never been in love. But I've heard stories about it. I've always had this question in the back of my mind. I believe in love. I believe everyone is capable of being in love and being loved. You just have to find the right person. So I guess what I'm trying to ask is, do you believe in love"?
I turn to look at him. He seems frustrated like he's deciding on the right answer, or how to put it together.
"Honestly, I don't know anymore" he states dryly.
"What do you mean"?
"I mean just that. I don't know. People say we're to young to know what love is. So I just leave it at that".
"But you shouldn't let people tell you how to feel. You know your in love when that person is the only thing on your mind. Or how you watch the clock tick minute by minute waiting because you know you made plans to see that person. Or how every time they look at you, your heart skips a beat. Or how whenever your near them, you have to remind yourself to breathe".
"You want my honest opinion"?
"Yea" I say biting my lip. He tilts his head back to look up at the sky as I did a few minutes ago.
"I think love is dumb. A waist of time. Some people don't know the true meaning of love. They just toss the word around like a dog toy. It's meaningless to me now"
I let out a sigh before replying.
"It sounds like you've had experience"
"I do" he says looking at me. "There was this girl. She was beautiful. I really liked her. When I finally got the courage to ask her out she said yes. 11 months went by and she told me she loved me and I said it back because it was true. I did love her. Every night and every morning she told me she loved me. At the end of every conversation she told me she loved me. About 2 years into the relationship, she dumped me while she had another guys hand around her waist. I couldn't believe it. It was just too much"
Flashback
"I'm breaking up with you" Tori said as a mans hand was wrapped tightly around her waist.
"What? How"? I ask tears welling up in my eyes.
"Obviously just like this"
"But I thought you loved me"? I asked.
"Like I could ever love you" she says before walking off with this guy.
"2 years" I yell at her. She turns around on her heel as the guys arm drops from around her waist. "You wasted 2 years telling me you loved me, holding me at night, combing my hair, holding my hand, and kissing my lips. And you just dump me. 2 fucking years wasted" I finish. The guy that was standing next to Tori is no longer next to her. Next think I know, I'm on the ground holding my freshly black eye seeing as it had just been punched by this dude. He doesn't stop though. I feel a sharp pain in my stomach as it gets kicked over and over again. The kicking stops as my eyes squeeze closed trying to bare the pain as I lay on my side clutching my stomach. I can feel the warm blood coming from my lip as it drips down onto the concrete under me. I open my eyes just enough to see Tori plant a kiss on this guys lips as they walk away hand in hand. Cold tears drip from my eyes as I watch the love of my life walk away holding some guys hand. Drop after drop my tears fall as I lay on the cold concrete.
End of flashback.
"And ever since then, I've never even thought about love"
"I'm so sorry jack. I had no idea" I say tears starting in my eyes.
"It's whatever. That was a long time ago. What's done is done". He looks over to me and sees the fresh tears start to fall from my eyes. He gently reaches up and wipes away my tears. "Don't cry, things happen for a reason right"?
"Well yea" I say scooting closer to him so that there is barely space Inbetween us. "But nobody should have to go through that. It sucks. Having one person ruin something that could've became beautiful, you know? And get beaten up and just left there. Like you never even mattered"
"Yea but it doesn't matter anymore." He sighs.
I don't know what came over me but my body just moved on its own. My arms wrap around jacks torso holding him in a tight embrace. I can feel his arms come around me as he pulls me closer to him. I nuzzle my face into his neck as I speak to him.
"I'm so sorry."
"It wasn't your fault. It was my fault for falling in love"
"Don't blame yourself for falling in love. It's a beautiful thing." I don't know why Jack opened up to me the way he did. But I will make myself a promise. I swear on the pain Jack has felt, I will never leave him.
I pull away from the hug as I hear the back door swing open and a sleepy Cleo stands in the doorway.
"You guys can come in now if you want" she states before walking away. I stand up as Jack does too and we walk inside the house.
"Well I'm gonna get going" Jack tells me and Cleo. He grabs his keys off the table before giving me and Cleo each a hug goodbye before he walks out the door.
"I'm sleeping here" I say before running up the stairs to Cleo's room. I rummage through her clothes finding me some purple fuzzy pajamas to sleep in. I change into them and nuzzle into her bed as Cleo slides in next to me. I plug up my phone into her charger and turn to see Cleo already asleep. I chuckle to myself before doing the same.
