Flights

Five

"Jack and I have been working on a new song." Jack said as we reached the middle of the lake.

"Yeah, I've been hearing Johnson humming some tunes with Shawn." I smiled.

I loved hearing Jack talk about his songs. As soon as Jack and Jack had finished recording Paradise, Jack came over to my house and played it for me. He told me that the chorus was inspired by the time we fell in the lake, he told me that at that moment, he felt like nothing else mattered and that being there with me was his Paradise. He told me that the lyric "swear we'll never change" was about the feelings he had when he told me he loved me. He knew we'd argue and we'd have our ups and our downs, but he knew that his feelings for me would never change. He told me his dream was to one day have a world where it was just me and him forever in our own hideaway. Since then all we ever tried to do is make the song a reality. Hideaways at every place we visited; keeping the lake a secret for the past few months; songs written about each other. I had so many songs written about him, but I have never been able to share them with anyone.

Jack laughed. "He's so clever, that guy. Always coming up with the ideas."

I reached over and pressed my hand on his cheek. "You're clever too, munchkin."

He held my hand up with his and smiled. "I missed this. How long has it been since we were last here?"

"A month.. A month and a half?" I frowned.

"I'm gonna call our next song Flights." I confirmed as he arched his back and stretched his legs. "It can be my way of telling you that I'll always be with you no matter how far away I am. Sure flights will bring us together physically, but the song will represent how close you'll always be. In my thoughts, in my songs, in my life. Forever." 

I sat and stared in awe for a while before I finally spoke up. I cleared my throat. "You trying to make me cry Gilinsky?" I joked.

He laughed. "Never." 

~~~~~~~~~

"You guys up for a get together tomorrow?" Cameron said as we were about to leave with Josh from the Grier's house. 

"What kind of get together?" Jack asked as his rubbed his thumb over my hand as he held it.

"Party at Chino Hills. Couple hundred people." Cameron confirmed.

Jack looked at me and I nodded. He turned back to Cam. "For sure man, text me the details."

"Sure thing man, see you guys there." Cam smiled as we turned around and headed back to the car. 

"Pick you up at 5 tomorrow and we can go get dinner before the party?" Jack suggested.

I smiled as I leaned in and pecked him on the lips. "Sounds perfect, sleepover at your house after?"

"Even better" Jack said before he pulled me back towards him and kissed me goodnight.

"Love you" I said as I got out of the car to open the door for Josh who was impatiently waiting at the door.

"Love you more, honey" Jack said before I closed the door and waved goodbye.

In all honesty, I wasn't too excited for the party. I was scared someone would bring something that would tempt Jack; after the incident on tour, I was still pretty unsure about his ways. I pulled my phone out of Jack's hoodie and turned it on to see that Cameron had texted me as if he had read my mind.

"Party's gonna be at my house, so I'm making sure no one brings anything suspicious. Jack will be fine."

I smiled as I replied quickly.

"You're the best" 

~~~~~~~

I looked in my full body mirror to analyse my outfit. Black tank top, black skater skirt with a golden lacey overlay fabric, knee high socks and platform shoes, and an acid-washed denim jacket. I quickly applied lip gloss over my dark cherry lip stick and grabbed my bag as the doorbell rang. 

I quickly made my way downstairs and let Jack in. "Mom I'm going, I'll see you tomorrow" I yelled in the general direction of the kitchen. 

"Holy shit, Hayley you look-" Jack started as he looked me up and down.

"Okay sweetie, be safe, stay with Jack and Cam; I trust those boys, you know." My mom says as she approached the door. "Oh! Speak of the charming devil."

I was mentally facepalming. "Okay mother, see you tomorrow." 

Jack laughed as I took as step out the door. "These are for you, Mrs. Tucker" Jack handed my mom a box of expensive branded chocolates. 

My eyes widened. "Oh goodness, Jack. How thoughtful of you!" My mother beamed. "Thank you. Have fun you guys."

We got to the car and Jack opened my door for me.

"You seriously look.. Amazing, Hayley." He said as he got in on his side and revved the engine.

I smiled at him. "Thank you, baby" 

He placed one hand on my thigh and I grabbed it and intertwined our fingers. 

"Giordanno's?" He asked.

Giordanno's was the most expensive Italian restaurant in LA. The last time we went, was because he had released Distance. We went with Jack, Cam and Nash so they all split the bill between them. It was also the place Jack took me the first time I decided to give him a chance. He took me to the most expensive restaurant in LA, paid for everything; got me a rose, and I still made him work for another four months. 

"Why Giordanno's, what's the special occassion?" I asked.

He smiled as he looked at the road and squeezed my hand. "I just want to make sure you know how much you're worth, babe" 

I squeezed his hand back and smiled. "Sure. Giordanno's it is." 

"So I've been trying to write Flights the way I wanted it to sound, but it's turning into another 'let's run away together' kind of song." Jack explained as we waited for our food to arrive. "Can we just run away together so that I can get it off my mind and start writing about something else?" 

I laughed and rested my chin on my hand. "Maybe we should do just that." 

We stared at each other in awe of how lucky we both were - and we really were.

One constant that always came up whenever I'd receive hate over the internet is how lucky I was and - somehow - the word had got out that I made Jack work to get me. A lot of fans didn't think I deserve to have someone who worked so hard and no appreciate it. But I did appreciate it. It was always difficult having to hold all my thoughts and feelings in when reading through the messages I received from those girls. It was difficult having to hold in wanting to say that everyone has their shit that they have to deal with; and no one's life is as perfect as they want to make it seem. But I knew that would get rumours started and make me seem ungrateful. I often felt guilty - as if I wasn't grateful. But at the end of the day, different things get different people down, and I was allowed to dislike some of the things Jack did. But regardless - I was lucky to have him. So lucky. 

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