I sit on the couch with a pillow between my arms. Grace sits in a chair across from me.
"I haven't even thought about that night in forever." I exclaim, grace sighs and bites on a pencil.
"It's only because you were nervous, you were just in a different situation, when was the last time you've been on a real date?" I shrug and rub the bridge of my nose. Graces phone rings and she answers it hesitantly.
"She isn't really in the mood to- no look okay- fine what ever, we'll be there." Grace hangs up and groans.
"We gotta end your therapy session, they want us down at the estate." I bite my lip and nod.
---
"You need?" grace says as we walk into the house or should I say mansion. She shoves her keys into her pocket. Sammy comes into view. He's in swim trunks and he's using a towel to dry his hair. I see grace falter a bit and I can't help but smirk.
"Is that a new shirt?" I hear a voice say behind me and I smile bigger. I turn around and jack has his arms open wide. I walk into them.
"It's nice to see you, it feels like forever." he says cupping my face. I lean against his hand, but then I think about Cameron's touch. How it was soft, like I was glass. I pull away from jack and he let's his finger tips slowly fall.
"What's you deal?" he says clearly shocked at my rejection. I shrug and walk past him and he follows me.
"My deal is that I'm not your girlfriend." I hear him groan.
"This is about Cameron isn't it?" I scrunch my nose up and turn around to face him, the wide height different between us makes it difficult for me to be stern.
"How do you know about him? Where you spying on me?" he sighs and takes my hands in his.
"Baby I just want you safe." I sigh and avoid his dark eyes.
"Jack, it's been a while, I'm safe."
"Then tell me what grace meant when you had that little panic attack." I really don't feel like talking about it. So I sigh and put in my best act.
"You know what, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, it was stupid of me. Yeah I had that little panic attack but it was just because I was alone and I didn't have you right by my side." Jack's features soften and he leans down and nuzzles his face into my neck as he wraps his arms engulfing me in a huge hug.
Jack's lips press against mine and I can't help but kiss back. There's a cough behind us and Jack's shoulders stiffen. He gently pulls away and turns around. Grace is standing there tapping her foot, hands on her hips.
"Why'd you want us to come?" jack smiles and takes my hand in his.
"Awe c'mon grace what's up with you, you love coming here! C'mon why not party?" Grace rolls her eyes and I watch as Sammy comes up behind her and gently massages her neck.
"Let loose girl." she closes her eyes and leans against him. I laugh and jack walks us inside.
"I didn't bring a bathing suit." I say and he laughs.
"I think you've got one in my room somewhere." We separate and I walk to his room. I successfully find a bikini that I left here from one of our visits.
"Jack I can't swim." I say hesitantly standing at the edge of the deep end." jack smiles up from the water.
"Well we have to change that, it's not convenient if that's your only option of survival." I nod and he sighs, thinking for a minute. "what about we start at the shallow and we go slowly deeper and deeper?" he swims over to the shallows to where he's standing on the stairs. He waves me over and my feet pad against the wet stone.
It's dark out and the only light is from the lights inside the pool. His long arms reach out and he takes hold of my hands.
"Nice and easy okay?" he assures me. I wrap my arms around his neck and he walks us into the water. It gets higher and higher and my breathing speeds up. His eyes meet mine.
"Calm down, I got you okay, I'm not going to let anything happen to you." he had kept his word, almost. I think he knows that now and that's why he's trying his hardest to keep me out and away from trouble.
I walk through the mansion. I expect everyone to be outside but they are actually all in the kitchen.
"Don't tell her, I don't want her to know yet." I stop and press myself against the wall so I can eavesdrop.
"She's going to need to know." Grace hisses. Someone slams there hand down on the table.
"I don't want her getting hurt." it's jack. I take in a deep breath and walk back down the hallway, so my voice is far away.
"Hey jack, do you have any coke?" I say giving their little group time to act natural. I walk into the kitchen and sure enough everyone is spread out.
Why would they want to hide something from me. Jack smiles and looks me up and down. He hands me a drink.
"Hey yo, grace has got Nash's digits?" carter yells walking out of the kitchen. Grace groans and her face blushes.
"It's nothing, I promise." sammy narrows his eyes.
"Hey betthany, I'm not staying, I'm going to go back home." I sigh. "but I just changed." Jack wraps his arm around my waist, his touch warming me up.
"Then go ahead and stay, it'll be fine." I decide to walk grace out to her car.
"Grace what little meeting was going on while I was changing. She stops and pulls on her hair.
"How much did you hear?" I shrug.
"Barely anything." She sighs and places her hands on my shoulders.
"It'll be all good." I shake my head.
"Grace don't lie to me, be honest!" She bites her lip and stares up into the sky.
"All you need to know is that, apparently Neil is back and he's looking for us."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So it might seem confusing now but it'll make sense soon.
- grace and Sammy have history
-Neil is a bad guy
- an jack and betthany are idek, not dating but more than fwb
