Lights. (An AJR fanfic)

Chapter 3

I moved first, running to find the room that Kari was in. Jack followed me out and then ran to the room, already knowing exactly where she was. I followed, but he let me in the room first. Kari was there in a queen sized bed with comforters tangled up around her. She was sweating like she just ran a marathon, and as soon as she saw me, she broke down and started to sob. I ran over to her, practically jumping on top of her as I held her in my arms. I rocked slowly back and forth, one of my hands playing steadily with her hair. Jack stood at the doorway, not wanting to come closer but not wanting to leave. I looked up at him, not knowing what for, but he left quietly, shutting the door silently behind him.

"Kari. Shh," I murmured, trying to calm her down. I was reminded of how I cried in front of Jack, and how ironically the positions have changed. Except Kari refused to relax, choosing to cry in her hands and stay tense instead of leaning on me.

Jack reappeared with a glass of water and a pill. "It's to help her sleep," he explained softly before leaving again. It took a while to coax the water and pill into her, but she did take it, and I felt the light going out of her before she even passed out. I laid her down carefully, tucking the blankets around her when I noticed she was shivering.

I wanted to know what had happened to make her so hysterical, but I would have to wait if I wanted a sane answer. It was probably a nightmare, caused by whatever events occurred tonight. So I turned the lights off and left the room, but I didn't close the door all the way, so there was some light creeping in from the hallway if she woke up again. Having never been in this part of the building for very long, I had no clue where I was, but I try to retrace my steps back to the living room I was in before, hoping someone was there that could help me. I did find it, but no one was there, and I hadn't seen anyone on my way here, so I just laid on the couch and hoped for sleep to come.

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I guess I found sleep, because I woke up, and for one to wake up you must be asleep first. I didn't remember falling asleep at all and I also didn't remember how I got into this bedroom, but I hugged the sheets to myself, taking solace in the comfortable bed. The room mimicked a hotel room type layout, with a tv stand and a small flat screen tv resting on it, a dresser, a closet, and a bathroom.

I took a long, very hot shower, and by the time I came out my skin was a soft baby pink from the hot water. It was distracting enough being in an odd room, and as much as I wanted to hear what Kari has to say, I was scared to hear it as well. So I took my time washing my face, which was so well stained from my makeup that it didn't come off in the shower and I had to use soap that smells like boy. By the time I was done it was noon so I exited the room and walked along the hallways hoping to find someone or somewhere that looked familier. Just incase I didn't find anything I memorized every turn so I could double back to the bedroom if I wanted.

I heard soft voices echoing in a strange way through a door, and as I stepped closer I heard music playing too. Someone paused it and then I heard them say, "I should see if she's awake or something,"

Jack pushed the door open, so suddenly he almost hit me in the face with it, but my arm took most of the hit and I ended up just sucking my breath in and biting down on my tongue to willing the pain to fade. But it didn't, and it only got worse when Jack leads me down the hall silently, without looking at me.

"Are you okay?" He finally asked, turning around the corner, out of ear shot from whoever would be in that room with him.

"I'm okay." I let the words out with the breath I held in, making me sound not okay. My arm was pounding as if my heart had made a new home in it, and I took measured breaths to distract myself from it.

I noticed Jack was wearing another white button up shirt, but he was wearing sweatpants with it instead of jeans, and his hair looked like he at least tried to tame it.