last summer - jack gilinsky

twenty three

i was very relieved when the plane actually landed in nebraska.

jack and sammy's sister emily were going to be waiting outside of the airport for me and i was very very nervous. i never got to meet emily the entire duration of my relationship with sam, as well as anyone else in his family. tonight was just a celebration of his life, followed by his wake, then the funeral two days from now.

i got my bag from baggage claim and finally i saw jack with emily. my eyes tear up and i immediately fall into jack's arms.

"rose, come on babe, let's get you to the house." he said gently, kissing my temple.

emily smiled at me and i gave her a weak smile back.

"i really wish it didn't have to be this way." i said to her as we walked towards the car.

"me too. that was my baby brother." she sighed, her eyes becoming glossy.

my heart ached not just for emily, but for annie and ben and lori, too. they lost their brother and lori lost her son. i lost my first love.

the ride into sammy's neighborhood was silent, the music playing only faintly. the tension within the car was high and i could tell we all wanted to talk, we just didn't know what to say to one another. we pulled into the driveway of the house which i assumed was sam's, several cars lined up and down the block.

"you can leave the bag in the car, this is the car we're borrowing." jack said as he climbed out of the car. i nodded silently and followed jack and emily into the house.

upon entering the house, i immediately was greeted by lori. she had tears running down her face in a constant stream, but smiled when she saw me.

"rose, it's so nice to meet you!" she laughed a little, pulling me into an embrace.

"you too." i said, hugging her.

i hugged annie next, then ben. sam's dad was last.

jack took my hand and we sat in the living room with various members of sam's family as well as jack johnson.

a girl suddenly entered the room and i saw emily's eyes roll.

"hi em! gosh, i'm so sorry." the girl said, immediately walking to emily and giving her a hug.

"thanks tara.. but what are you doing here?" emily questioned. ben shifted in his seat and even jack looked uncomfortable.

"who is she?" i whispered to jack.

"sam's ex that he left a month or two before we started going to LA." he whispered back. i felt my blood start to boil.

"i loved sam. all of you know that."

"you cheated on him when he went to jersey." johnson said bluntly. "don't act like you cared about sam just because he's gone now."

tara gasped. "but i-"

"i think you should leave." i said, everyone's eyes turning to me. annie smirked a little.

"who the hell are you?"

"i'm rose."

it was like a light bulb went on in her head as soon as i said my name.

"you're who he left me for? how old are you?" she smirked, tilting her head to the side.

"i'm eighteen."