All The Way

Chapter Twenty: The Family

*Jack's POV*

The buzzing of my cellphone laying beside me, stirred me awake. I stretched my thin limbs, the sand cold against my skin. My hand scrambled blindly around me, searching for my phone, as my eyes slowly pried themselves open. My hand caught the fabric of what I assumed to be my drawstring bag, but my eyes caught sight of something else. My stomach sank, and heart skipped a beat. Mark laid about two feet from me, wearing nothing but a pair of boxes, which were still wet from swimming around all night. Sand clung to his damp, tanned skin, the morning sun outlining his lean body. I caught myself with my jaw unhinged, and quickly looked away, at the bag in my trembling hands. Mark stirred as I dug out my phone. I had five missed calls from mom, and two unread texts from Robin. I stood up, the realization that my pants rubbed uncomfortably at my skin because of being weighted down my water, rushed over me like an ocean wave. I shuddered, the cool morning breeze chilling my bare torso. I felt naked, and gross. I wanted to pry off my wet jeans, but didn't want Mark to see me in my boxers. 

I walked towards the shoreline, where a pile of shirts and shoes lay, and searched for mine, as I called back my mom. 

"Sean! Where are you? Are you okay??"

"Yes, mom. I'm sorry I didn't call. I got caught up."

"Where are you?" she asked, as I pulled on my damp shirt. 

"At the beach. Mark, and I ran into... a few friends, and I got so caught up in having fun to call. I'm sorry," I said, honestly, thinking back to last night. 

Thinking about it now, Cry and Felix were no where to be seen, but their stuff were still here. Hmm. 

"Well, as long as you had fun, and are safe. Don't rush on coming back home. I have a date today," mom giggled on the other end. 

"Gasp! Mother, you are so scandalous," I teased, in an melodramatic, feminine voice. "Good for you, ma."

I smiled, as she chuckled on the other end, talking about her date. He sounded charming. "Well, love you, dear. Be careful."

"You too. Bye, ma."

"Bye."

I hung up, and went to open Robin's texts. 

I got a message from Jesse Cox. He's my friend's little brother, and a friend of Cry's. He told me that Cry told him that Felix was kicked out of his house because of him. Thought you would want to know.                      4hrs ago

Hey, where were you today, anyway? I thought you were coming over.         5hrs ago

"Felix was kicked out?" I said aloud, eyes moving from my screen, to the ocean in front of me. My heart hurt for a moment, somehow sympathetic towards the boy who has bullied me since moving to America.

"How did you know that?" a cool voice questioned from behind me.

I spun around, gasping in surprise, my wide eyes landing on Felix. "Where'd you come from?" 

"My car. Cry and I woke up cold, so we went to sleep in the car. Now, answer my question," Felix said, in an even tone, face remaining expressionless. 

Somehow, this look was more terrifying than when he was angry. I gulped down my fear, and answered, in a quiet voice, "My friend told me. He heard it from one of Cry's friends..."

An expression I couldn't quite explain flashed across Felix's face, a shaky breath escaping his parted lips. He rubbed at his neck, a muscle in his arm twitching, his toned chest rising and falling heavily. My cheeks burned, as I caught myself staring at his abs. Felix noticed, a blush turning his face red, as he scrambled to find his own shirt in the pile. 

"Are you okay?" I asked, my voice sincere. 

"I'm... I'm surprised he told someone," Felix admitted, not bothering to hide the hurt in his voice. 

"He said it was his fault."

Felix's eyes glinted with sadness, as he looked at me in shock. A lone tear fell from his left eye, but he bolted off towards the parking lot before I could comfort him. My stomach hurt a little, my head confused by the situation. I closed my eyes, thinking of last night to relax my nerves. 

I never thought I would be able to have so much fun, with people I hardly knew. Felix and Cry joked around all night, teasing Mark and I playfully. Of course, we teased back. We played chicken, waist deep in the water, me on Mark's shoulders, and Cry on Felix's. We raced across the sand. We even played never have I ever, and we learned a few interesting things about each other. I felt happiness that I had never felt before. I felt like I was part of a family. I felt welcomed. I felt safe. 

I smiled, a pair of warm arms wrapping around my waist. His body felt strong against my back, lips brushing over my ear, making me giggle. 

"What are you thinking about?" Mark asked, his low voice heavenly against my eardrums. 

I opened my eyes, smiling at the sun rising over the endless ocean. "Us."

"Us?"

"Yeah. I was thinking about how fun last night was. About how happy I felt. But, I think that was a once in a lifetime feeling," I sighed, turning in Mark's arms, so I could look up at him.

"Why do you think that?" he asked, a sad look on his face. 

"Felix may be mad at me. At Cry. I don't want them to fight. I don't know why I care so much, but I do. I don't want our family to be broken apart."

"You don't want last night to end?"

"No."

"It won't. I could see how happy Felix was, last night. He doesn't want it to end either. Whatever they're are going through, they will work it out. I know it."

"How are you always so calm?" I asked, cupping my hand on his cheek.

He smiled, and kissed me gently on the nose. "Because you make me calm. Being with you makes me feel at peace. Being with you, nothing else matters. Nothing can go wrong."

"Things always go wrong."

"As long as there's an us, everything will be okay."

"I love you," I breathed, wrapping my arms around him, to hug him tight. 

"I love you, too." 

I feel better.