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Chapter 5 - i'm glad you came

Jess

As Jack stretched out his hand in Jess' direction, she just eyed it up through pure apprehension. He was looking at her expectantly as though it made complete sense but to her it made none.

"Take my hand." Jack spoke up when he noticed her reluctance. "It's going to be busy in there."

Jess didn't know if he was just saying that to benefit himself or if it truly would be packed however, it didn't look like he was going to back down. So reaching her own arm out, she allowed her hand to connect with his much rougher touch. It felt like a rush of butterflies erupted inside of her as he lightly squeezed it before flashing her a cheeky smile.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." Jess nodded, avoiding his eye contact and hoping he hadn't noticed her flushed face.

After spending about an hour at Jess' place proof reading her essay as promised, herself and Jack had then headed for Aaron's fight. Jess had been talking herself out of coming since that morning yet she hadn't managed to come up with a good enough excuse to get out of it. Therefore, that was why she was here now, instead of being tucked up in bed at home.

...

As they began pushing past the many people to get inside, Jess realised that he hadn't been lying about how busy it would be. She felt her body being pushed and shoved in all directions as the smell of alcohol consumed her senses. She couldn't count the amount of times some drunken idiot had stumbled or been pushed in her direction.

Clinging onto Jack's hand even tighter, this was the first time she felt like she wanted to rely on him for some comfort. Before, he had been the one to stay clear of; he had been the one she didn't feel like she could trust however, for now her mind set had changed.

"You okay?" He turned around as they came to a stop yet he couldn't have picked a worse place.

They were by a bar, in the centre of many drunk people getting rowdy while they waited for the fight to begin. Then just as Jack was awaiting her answer, a guy who had clearly consumed too much alcohol came stumbling backwards and straight into her side. His strong built frame was twice the size of her much smaller one causing her whole body to react. She was forced in the opposite direction, with no way to stop apart from Jack's hand that she was still clinging onto.

"Woah, watch what you're fucking doing." Jack was immediately prepping to square up against this guy, as he turned around to face him.

"Jack Lawrence! Ay! It is you!" The drunk guy yelled and it took a moment for Jack to process who it was.

"Max? What the fuck? Hey man." Jack laughed as the pair shared a quick embrace.

Max was one of his teammates on the football team he played on yet someone he had not seen in a few weeks due to other commitments.

"Sorry for my fall." He slurred as he directed his gaze at Jess. "Didn't mean to fall into your arms lady."

"It's fine." Jess forced a smile, yet she really wasn't feeling all too forgiving.

There was a moment when conversation was exchanged between Jack and Max where Jess couldn't hear a thing. They were practically mumbling and with the occasional glimpses her way, she was beginning to catch hint that it was about her.

After a good five minutes of pure awkwardness, Jack and Jess were finally leaving the drunken mess and heading for a table off to the side. Jess couldn't explain the pure relief she felt to finally be out of the crowds and somewhere that she could actually hear herself think.

However, the comfortableness quickly disappeared when she scanned the room and noticed many eyes on them. They were mostly coming from girls and it was in that moment that Jess realised why.