Ashley
"I'm really going to miss you." I told Jack, opening the trunk of his SUV for him so he could fetch his two large travel suitcases and his backpack for the plane.
He smiled at me, almost as if satisfied with my sadness, I guess it meant that I cared, "It's only three weeks."
"Only." I repeated, following he and Kassie through the parking garage at Raleigh-Durham International Airport to the tune of the cars driving overhead, scurring to their drop off sites before time was up.
"We can text all day," he reminded me, "And call me whenever you want."
"What about me?" Kassie chimed in, sounding a hint of annoyed with the two of us, but mostly just left out of our love-fest.
Jack smiled wide, "You too, little sis."
Kassie rolled her eyes and let out a chuckle.
"It's only three weeks." Jack reminded me, once again. He was leaving today and going to California for an entire month; staying with O2L and doing some work with different companies out there.
Last night, I had reminded Kian that Jack didn't know that he and I were talking so much, and I intended to keep it that way. Jack would be really concerned if he was to find out that I was talking a twenty year old guy when I'm only sixteen. I guess it was different since Jack was eighteen. Plus, I'm still not sure how I feel about either of them.
Do I like Jack as more than a friend? Do I want a relationship with him?
And what about Kian? That's even more confusing for me.
"You know, Jack is coming to Cali tomorrow. A whole month." Kian had reminded me on the phone last night during one of our routine late night calls.
I looked down at my lap, "I know."
"He's staying here."
"I know."
Kian hesitated, like he wasn't sure if he should continue discussing Jack's trip or not, "It's going to be fun."
"Do me a favor," I requested, "Please don't mention to Jack anything about us."
"Us?"
I nodded, then told him, "About you and I talking all the time like this."
"What's wrong with us talking all the time?" Kian asked, concern taking over his tone.
"Jack is like my older brother, he worries a lot." I told him. That was certainly not a lie, Jack is protective of me like an older brother. However, I've never looked at someone who I considered an older brother and thought about how it would be to make out with him.
"He has nothing to worry about." Kian insisted, his concern slowly hardening into anger.
"Kian, please," I said, "Just keep this on the DL."
I snapped out of my flashback quickly, Kassie, Jack and I were already sitting around at Terminal 221, Raleigh-Durham to LAX. Jack was directly next to me, two headphones in and a Lana Del Rey song playing just loud enough for me to hear. His eyes were closed lightly and he looked deep in thought. He looked so attractive. Kassie was across from us two, her eyes focused on Jack's MacBook Air which was plugged into the outlet built into the table just to her left.
I got up slowly, my sweatpants that I decided to wear to be comfy detaching from the seat and breaking the static that my sitting had caused. I plopped myself down next to Kassie, causing her to pause the Shaytards YouTube video that she was watching and pop out both headphones.
"Hey." I said warmly and quietly. The terminal was exceptionally quiet, the flight seemed pretty small and the people around were keeping very to themselves.
Kassie gave me a half-smile, "Hey."
"What am I gonna do?"
Kassie raised an eyebrow, "End world hunger."
That famous Kassie sarcastic comment earned a laugh from me, but then my face returned to serious, "I mean about Kian and Jack."
She put a finger up to my chest, "You need to figure out what's going on in that stupid, teenage heart of yours."
I shook my head and looked at my feet in my favorite grey Vans.
"It won't be easy," Kassie continued, "But you're going to have to let one of them go."
"Why?" I asked, although I already knew why.
"Liking them both is hurting you, I can see it."
The amplified voice of a woman in a flight attendant outfit cut the quiet in the terminal right in half, "Flight 459 to Los Angeles International Airport will begin boarding with coach patrons in less than five minutes. Kindly check in any remaining baggage with the luggage officials and ready your boarding passes."
Kassie looked at me breifly, then got up and shook Jack's shoulder until he opened one glassy eye and popped out a headphone. Kassie told him, "Five minutes."
Jack looked at me for a moment, smiling as best he could while he packed away his iPhone and his headphones in his The North Face carry on backpack.
I opened my arms as I stood, making it obvious that I wanted a hug, which Jack got quickly. He pulled me tight into his chest, giving me room to rest my head down onto him for a moment. Jack pecked my cheek with a kiss, being quick like he didn't want anyone to see what he had done.
"I'm going to miss you." I told him for the millionth time.
"I'm going to miss you, too." He told me, to my suprise. I expected for him to tell me that he would only be gone for a month like a broken record, but he didn't. He said he was going to miss me.
Without holding back, my emotions took over me and I kissed his lips. Jack didn't pull away, he kissed me back, not worry about who would see like when he had kissed my freckled cheek a few minutes ago. This may be the longest three weeks of my life.
