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

T.R.I.G.G.E.R - #28

Tucker

"Dude," Chase walked up next to me and gave me a slap on my shoulder. "You good, man? You were pretty beat up last night."

I nodded and pulled the last drag of cigarette before stomping it out. "I'm alright."

"They do you dirty?"

"Yeah." I sighed. "Knife to my stomach and my ankle is giving me hell. I think it's broken."

"Damn." Chase leaned against my car and stared up at the pink sky.

I could tell something was heavy on his mind. I can see that he wants to talk about it, but he's never really been able to just come out with things that bothered him.

He always kept things to himself until I pried it out of him.

"I guess we're not past this stage..." I shook my head in mock disappointment. "I shouldn't have to ask what's bothering you."

He inhaled a deep breath and crossed his arms tightly over his chest. Now I know Chase enough to know, that crossing his arms is a clear indicator for territorial issues.

In most cases, he feels that someone is a threat to what's his, or something that means a lot to him.

"Are you and Jackie together?"

Uhh...wasn't expecting that...

I couldn't control the bewildered look that claimed my face. "What-...uh, why do you think that? And where is this going?"

He shrugged. "I feel like she's everywhere. Taking everything away from me. My parents and Emma are all over her and now my best friend.

"It would help me to know what exactly is going on with you two." He let out a frustrated breath and raked his hand through his hair.

Me being me, I laughed. "You sound like a bitch."

"Whatever."

"There's nothing going on with me and Jackie." My voice dropped a little, which Chase picked up on and gave me a look. "It's difficult."

He faked a yawn and looked at me with bored eyes.

I scoffed, but I had to tell him anyway. I need to talk to someone about it if it isn't Jackie.

"I told you we were best friends six years ago before her parents were killed and she was taken away...well, that wasn't all." My chest started to feel like cast iron. "I was falling in love with her."

A tiny smile tugged at my lips and Chase rolled his eyes.

"When she left, I was expecting it to go away and it did...for a while. Then when she came back..and I saw how much she's changed...all I wanted was to see the old Jackie.

"The person she was before those people...ruined her." My irritation spiked at the thought of the people that have hurt my Jacks.

"What kind of person was she?" Chase asked.

"Jackie was an amazing person. She still is, deep down, but back then...it was different." Memories of how we were played in my mind. "She found the fun in everything around her, making it her own. She was messy and loud when she laughed or when she wanted to be heard.

"She didn't care an ounce of what people thought or said about her and despite everything that was ripping her apart on the inside...she never forgot to smile." Thinking about her made my heart thud heavily.

Chase was silent next to me, seeming to think hard about something.

"I've fallen for her all over again, man. Because I know that my best friend is still in there somewhere...and now that she's older, there's parts of her that I'm dying to meet for the first time." A heavy pressure pushed on my chest and I pulled the box of cigarettes from my pocket.