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"i knew it." his sister-sydnie?-said. she had broken the quiet.
"what?"
"i mean it wasn't that hard to see. plus you think i don't know that you and zach were holding hands through out lunch."
it was my turn to blush, noticing that i had subconsciously grabbed jack's hand. i guess i was just as worried as he was. i looked over at his mom, thinking that she might have disagreed, but she was smiling. "well, honey, i love you for you, and if zach makes you happy, then who am i to stop you?"
jack was smiling and his shoulders weren't as tense as they were 2 seconds ago. the worst was over.
it had rained after lunch so we all went inside, mom turned the heater on. reese and isla immediately ran to her room, probably to play dolls.
sydnie and kristin were telling stories of when jack was small, and ava was too young to remember. we were all laughing, while jack blushed and tried to defend himself.
a while later when we were watching a movie, kristin got up and asked jack if they could talk. i didn't get up to join them. but i was chewing on my nails the whole time he was gone.
i had fallen asleep when jack came back. he poked my shoulder and then woke up his sisters. kristin came back into the living room with a sleeping isla in her arms.
"i'll tell them you left for the night." i yawned at the front door, watching as the girls got into their car.
"thank you." kristin smiled. she pulled me into a hug. "i'm glad jack found you."
i blushed and smiled. "me too."
i turned off the living room tv and threw a blanket on top of mom and dad, and help ryan to his room. jack's back was faced toward the door so i didn't know if he was asleep, but when i laid down he pulled me into his chest. i didn't question it and accepted his warmth.
i was almost asleep when he said, "she wants me to go back with her."
i was wide awake and sitting up in a second. "what."
he sat up beside me. "i told her i didn't want to go back. she gave me the week to think about it."
"you said you weren't gonna go back." he stayed quiet. "jack?"
he took my cold hand in his warm one. in a way it was worse than a verbal answer. "you're not gonna forget about me, right?"
he didn't laugh. "zach...i don't know-i don't know if i'm gonna go back. it would be nice, to be with family. but you guys feel like actual family to me."
a question entered my thoughts in that second, but i didn't know if i should ask it. what's the worse that could happen? "how did you end up with your dad?"
he stiffened slightly, and then relaxed. "he wasn't always the nicest person." i realized he was talking about his dad. "and we was always yelling at my mom. but then he got drunk and hit her. she forgave him because it was one time. and then he continued to do. i wasn't there when it happened for the last time, i had been staying at a friends house. but i guess he pushed her to her breaking point and she took my sisters left." his breath hitched in his throat. he was crying. "i should hate her for leaving me with that monster but, it was my fault that i wasn't there. i wasn't able to contact her for a while, but then she found my number..."
i wiped his cheek and even though i know it wouldn't fix anything i said, "sorry." i wrapped my arms around him, laying us both down. i listened to his breathing, noticing that it didn't take long for it to even out. he had fallen asleep. "i truly to love you jack avery."
wow these chapters are getting short but i just really want to get this over with already.
[edit] sorry for the sudden warning but like two more chapters left
