T.R.I.G.G.E.R

T.R.I.G.G.E.R - #27

Tucker

She's afraid.

My Jackie is scared to feel love again and I won't doubt for a second that it has something to do with everyone who was supposed to love her, but let her down.

She doesn't know what love is anymore because it's been snatched away from her.

I want to give it back. I want her to be able to love again without being afraid. That's not what love is.

"What now?" Her tired voice filled my ears. "I've figured you out after all these years, but what do I do now?"

I hugged her body closer to mine, careful not to hurt my stomach.

"Don't worry about that." I told her. "I know love isn't an easy thing for you, so don't think about it. Treat every day as you always have."

"And let me guess, treat you as I always have too, right?" More tears fell from her eyes and burned on the skin of my chest. "That isn't fair to you, Tucker."

"It doesn't matter." I sighed. "My feelings are enough that I want to make things as easy as possible for you. I don't care about what's fair to me.

"If that was the case, it wouldn't be fair for me to expect a difference in how we've always been." I don't know what to do now.

Jackie knows that I see her as more than a friend, but there's no way I can act on my feelings.

Caine knows about her, and he'll hurt her to get to me if he has too. I'll only put her in more danger by displaying how I feel.

To add on to that, I still haven't figured out how to get Shannon to leave me alone.

As long as she's involved, I have no chance at an actual relationship with Jackie anyway.

"I'm gonna lose you Tucker..." She whispered sleepily. "I don't know if I can ever feel the same way you do because no one can guarantee that when things get bad, you won't leave me.

"That's the most painful way to lose someone Tuck, and I don't want it to happen to us.. Not when I just got my best friend back." Her voice faded quieter and I could tell that she was tired.

I grabbed the small quilted blanket that she had put on the coffee table for me earlier and put it over us.

"Don't think about it anymore, Jacks. You need sleep."

She nodded and whispered a quiet 'okay'.

I fell asleep with a new determination in my heart.

I'll find a way to get away from Caine and Shannon so that me and Jackie can be together.

I'll show her what love is and that she doesn't have to be afraid.

She won't ever have to worry about me leaving her, and I will never consider that.

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Chase

I'm dog tired when I pull into the driveway around midnight.

Mom and dad's car is here, but they probably haven't been home that long.

Tucker's Nissan is here also, which means he's probably staying for the night or something.

Ever since his mom left, it's been really hard for him to stay home for long. So he comes here where he says it feels more like a home.

He's like a brother to me because of how close he is to my parents and Emma.