Riptide // Jack Maynard

Chapter Seventeen

I decided it was time for another drink and went to the kitchen where Conor and Joe were sat on the kitchen counter talking.

"Where's the vodka and the pineapple juice, and the lemonade?" I asked and Conor and Joe both shrugged.

"Try this." Conor told me handing me his glass.

"What is it?"

"Rum and coke."

I shrugged and accepted it downing the whole thing.

"Whoaaa!" The two responded.

"That was mine." Conor cried.

"What's up?" Joe asked looking concerned.

"I just, er-need to loosen up a bit." I told them.

"You're not having a good time are you"

"I mean, I was.. I'm just feeling a little isolated now to be honest."

"Where's Jack gone?" Conor asked me and I nodded in Jack's direction where he was still stood hanging out with Sophia, Scarlett and the rest of the boys.

"You invited them?" Conor sighed.

"What?" Joe questioned. "I thought you would be happy I invited them."

"It's cool at clubs and that, but not at little gatherings of close friends." Conor told him. "Like I'm just here to have a good time with my mates tonight, I don't want to get laid."

"Fair enough." Joe said and then turned back to me. "Just stick with us." He said reaching his arm over his shoulder and pulling me in.

"So how is it going with Jack?" Conor then asked me.

"How is what going?" I asked.

"You know.. How are you two getting on?" Joe butted in.

"As normal... I guess?"

"I see... You don't kiss and tell?" Conor laughed.

"I have no idea what you are on about." I lied. "But if you're implying about Jack getting with someone, you've  got the wrong girl." I then said obviously talking about Jack and Sophia.

"What, no." Joe said shockingly "Nothings going to happen between them... Trust me."

"Either way it doesn't matter what I think, it's nothing to do with me."

"Demi." Joe said in a very calming tone. "Do you know why I invited you today?"

I shook my head "Why?"

"Because Jack asked me to."

"And?"

"He asked me to invite you. He said he's been texting you all week and he wanted to see you but had no idea how to initiate it."

"Right."

"Look," Conor started. "I know my brother hasn't got the best track record, but I have never seen him this way with a girl before. I keep catching him watching all your videos and when he texts you he has a mushy smile on his face. He's always been confident with girls and can go for what he wants, but with you it's different, he wants something different and doesn't know how to get there. He really likes you and he doesn't have to tell me that, I just know it, so if you do like him you don't have to worry about Sophia because if she actually tries to make a move on him he wouldn't give her the time of day with you in the picture."

I nodded. "Ok, I trust you."

Honestly, I didn't know if I did really trust them. It felt great to hear them say what they did about Jack, but they can't be so sure on his actions and for someone that doesn't have a good track record with girls and can easily go for what he wants - which I'm assuming is sex - surely he would take someone offering sex with no strings attached rather than someone who isn't comfortable with jumping straight into it and would rather take things slow. Honestly, once Jack figures that out I won't have any chance. 

God, I hated being such an unconfident, low self-esteem person. Maybe I should be more like Sophia. Maybe girls like Sophia were doing it right by not caring about opinions and doing exactly what they felt like.