COLLISION ➳ JACK GILINSKY

Chapter Twenty-Six

After he had told me that, I just stared at him, with eyes wide, then decreasing second by second as the silence drew longer and longer. He had told me that guys like Michael sickened him, and he hated himself for being like him, and most of all for scaring me.

My head had been against his chest, as his fingers traced up and down my arm. He had kept on murmuring short sentences under his breath, and once in a while he would speak in his normal low voice saying how I was pretty or complimenting me in other ways. He hadn't expecting me to say anything in return, and I was grateful for that. I guess he figured that I was speechless, and didn't know what to say, and I was.

I was speechless for many reasons. For one, it was Jack Gilinsky that said this. The 'player,' 'lady's man,' 'womanizer,' I didn't know what to believe, but after spending so much time with him, I kind of believed the words he said.

I realized from the amount of time I was with him, how whenever he was telling the truth, he would look me in the eyes, directly, and not avoid my gaze. I could easily tell when he was lying, because he couldn't take the guilt whenever he fibbed, so often, he would avert his gaze elsewhere. Sometimes when he tells me something heartfelt, and really meaningful, his voice would sort of come out in a whisper, almost as if he's scared to say it at all.

It had been peaceful for awhile, as the warmth from his embrace transferred to me. The tears had slowed down, and the one tear that trickled down my cheek in the slowest pace - stopping as if it knew that Jack would swoop his head down, and kiss it tenderly - was the last tear that I had let out. He had lifted his head up a bit, and stared at my lips, before inching in closer. His phone had rung, and he didn't even need to pick it up, for us to both know that it was his time to go.

We had ridden to the airport together, with his hand grasping onto mine.

Once we got there, I had been overwhelmed by the amount of fans there were. There had to have been at least 50.

I had received a text from Annie, saying that I had to act better than I have ever before, pretending to be devastated that I had to be separated from my boyfriend whom I love dearly, clinging to him, as he got the entrance, an expression on my face, that said I was going to be miserable until I got to reunite with him again, crying in his arms, and kissed him, as salty tears ran over our lips.

I didn't have to act that much, because that's what basically happened. Although, it wasn't that dramatic. I did in fact, hug him, squeezing him so tight that I felt as if my arms would break. If it hurt him or bothered him, he didn't say. He just hugged me back, resting his head on my shoulder, enjoying our little embrace until he had to leave, whispering 'I'll miss you so much' and 'Remember to keep your eyebrows on fleek,' which made me laugh, as I felt water trailing down my face. I had ignored all the paps and fans there screaming at us to get their attention, and taking pictures on the cameras of the 'star couple.' My attention was focused all on him.

As he had left into the boarding airplane, I realized that maybe I was falling for him too. Although I didn't want to admit it to anyone or myself, anytime soon.

Ever since the day I had to say a 'see you later' to him, unsure of when Cass was ready to have them back on tour, I have been sad. Not depressed nor miserable, but sad.

I wasn't cooped up in my hotel room the whole time, only going out for our concerts or meet and greets, looking over at a few pictures we had taken together constantly, crying to myself, wishing desperately for him to come back, shutting myself out from the rest of the world.

I had been out here and there, hanging with Cass, Sammy, and Nate. I did go over our pictures, smiling to myself. We did Skype or Facetime each other here and there, whenever our busy schedules didn't get in the way. And when we couldn't see each other through a screen, we would text each other.