prove it - j.g

chapter eight: "keyword, was"

jack gilinsky

there was no way that i could tell her how im beginning to feel, but fuck. this girl makes my brain shift to her in any given situation. i see a person with blue eyes, i think about her. i see a person with light brown hair, i think about her.

she walked up the car and opened the door, a smile on her face as she sees me.

"hey jack."

"hey, how was school?" i ask, watching her put the seatbelt over her body.

she shrugs, "alright, i guess."

though i have only been in vanessa's life for a short amount of time, i easily picked up on how she acted when she was lying or uneasy. the sudden change in her tone of voice was one clue, while there was also an evident look of being upset on her face.

i just nod my head, beginning to drive to her house.

"do you think you could stay with me?" vanessa suddenly asks, looking over at me as i drove.

"if you want me to. for how long?" i ponder, glancing over at her emotionless face.

she shrugs, "i don't know. your company surprised me, it makes me feel happy."

her statement placed a small smile on my face as i watched the road, "what do you mean it surprised you?"

"when you came and met me while i was swimming the first night, i was unsure about you. keyword, was. you've surprised me" she shrugs, trying her best to explain herself.

i nod, "understandable. you surprised me too. you seemed like you didn't really care about anybody."

she bites her bottom lip and nods, "i come across that way, definitely. i don't mean to, it just kind of happens i guess."

we pull up to her house, as i park the car. she gets out, as do i, and we both walk up to her front door.

"you know you and your family are coming over on the weekend, right?" i suddenly ask vanessa as she unlocks the door.

she shook her head, "we are?"

i nod, "my parents told me last night. your parents, you, and possibly your brother."

vanessa looks at me with her eyebrows furrowed, "have you ever met my younger brother?"

"i don't think so" i respond, "i don't even know his name, so i don't think i have."

"dylan, but you're not missing much" she laughs, placing her backpack by the stairs, "make yourself comfortable. do you want anything?"

i shake my head, "no thanks, it's okay."

she returns back into the living room with a glass of water, "why were you by my school this afternoon?"

"it's on my way home from jack's house" i respond.

she sits on the couch, setting herself down on the opposite side of the couch as me, "oh really?"

i nod, "yeah. him and i had to talk about our tour since we're going to la in a week to talk with our manager and finalize some things."

as i said that, her face slightly dropped, "when are you guys going on tour?"

"we leave in just over a month" i answer her, observing her facial expressions.

she looked up from her glass of water and stared at me. after i responded, she had nothing else to say so she remained looking into my eyes.

after a few more minutes of her and i looking into each other's eyes, she sighed and reverted her eyes to her glass, "how long is your tour?"

"eight months with some breaks in between."

i could tell that it had shocked her, almost to the point of her wanting to express something verbally, but she held back.