All The Way

Chapter Fourteen: Meet Mr. Stepdad

**Third Person POV**

Jack shoved his phone and wallet into his blue hoodie pocket, and ran out of his room.

"Bye, ma! I'll be home around eight."

"Are you going to Robin's?" she asked, looking up from her work, which was scattered across the kitchen counter.

"No. Mark is outside, waiting for me."

"Oh, you two have been spending a lot of time together," she said, a suspicious grin on her face.

"Ma!" Jack snapped, and gave her a peck goodbye. "Love you."

"Love you too, sweety."

Jack locked the door behind him, and hurried downstairs to Mark's car, which was parked outside his apartment complex.

"Hello, Juliet," Mark teased.

"So, you are going to be Romeo?"

"Yup! I've decided you are way to hot to not be Juliet," Mark teased, flashing Jack a flirtatious grin.

Something inside Jack stirred, and he laughed nervously, scratching at the side of his head. Mark pat Jack's lap and shifted the car into drive. They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Jack finally, awkwardly cleared his throat.

"So, uh... where are we going?"

"My house."

"Your house?" Jack squeaked, nerves swarming his stomach.

"Yeah, I want to introduce you to my mom," he smiled, a sad expression flashing across his face.

The butterflies that always linger in Jack's stomach transformed into raven's, thrashing and clawing at his stomach.

"M-meet your parents?"

"It's only fair. I've met your mom, it's time you met mine."

"What about your dad?"

Mark tensed, knuckles turning white as he clutched the steering wheel tighter. Jack sensed the tension in the air, and chuckled lightly.

"My dad's not around, either."

"I know, you idiot. I've been to your house a million times, and never seen another man in the house," Mark said, words a bit more cruel than he attended.

Jack swallowed, shifting nervously in his seat. "How much further?"

"We're almost there," Mark sighed, realized how insensitive he may have sounded. "I... I have a stepdad. He shouldn't be home, though."

"You don't want him to meet me?" Jack asked, slightly stung by his words.

"Fuck, no, that's not what I mean. I don't want you to meet him. Do you get what I mean?"

Jack stared at Mark, who was obviously distressed, and flustered. Jack rested his hand on Mark's bicep, giving it a slight squeeze.

"Breathe."

Jack's simple statement managed to clear Mark's spinning mind, his tense muscle relaxing against his touch. His soft voice hummed through his head, the only thing he could focus on. The only thing he wanted to focus on.

"My mom's a good woman. He's... not," Mark whispered, pulling up in front of a two story, suburban home.

Jack marveled at the cute, yet impressive home. It was a lovey shade of grey-blue, with white trim, and a rose red door. The lawn was perfectly green, a stone path leading up to the small front porch. A pearl-grey Audi sat in the driveway, along with a red Chevy Silverado. Mark tensed, heavy breaths filling the silent car. Panicked, he put the key back in the ignition.