𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑴𝑶𝑵 𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑺𝑬, cmb ✓

- 𝟐𝟎 -

C M B

"These emotions, they just won't fray
Where do I fit
In your life, in your everyday"
Slip - Tate McRae

"You're killing it Corbs!" Christian says as I finish off my 50th pull up. He hands me a towel for me to wipe off my sweat. Christian, Daniel, and I have been at the gym all morning doing different workouts and going on the different equipment.

"It's 'cause he's got a new motivation, and it starts with the letter L." Daniel smirks as he takes a drink from his water bottle. I roll my eyes at him while drying up my face. "Oh a new lady I'm assuming?" Christian says with a grin. Those two really are related.

"Lara to be more specific." Daniel says teasingly. "And she has a name!" Christian says, patting me on the back. I feel my face burn as if it wasn't already hot enough in here. "So I take it things are going good?" Christian asks as we grab our gym bags from the locker room.

"Yeah things are going great. I mean, she's great, she's so easy to talk to it's just effortless when I'm with her." I say. I laugh at Daniel's "Awww" as he walks into the bathroom.

"Well that's great man, I'm happy for ya. You deserve to be happy and I'm glad you are." he says, putting back his lock on the locker. "Thanks Christian. I am happy, it's a nice feeling honestly."

"I mean who doesn't love love?" he says, making us both chuckle. We walk out of the locker room to meet Daniel at the front door. We all head into Christian's car as we head back to the house.

Christian brought me back home while him and Daniel went to his house to hang out with some friends. I didn't feel like tagging along anyway because I was in desperate need of a shower, especially since Lara's coming later with my phone. Not that I think she would, but I hope she didn't forget. There are mainly two reasons why I hope she doesn't forget. Reason one, I wouldn't get to see her. Reason two, I wouldn't get my phone, therefore not being able to call or text her either. But knowing Lara, I know she didn't forget.

I walk into the front door to be welcomed by an empty house. I know that Jonah and Eben are on their way to a party in Malibu, so they're long gone by now. I'm pretty sure Jack's still at Gabbie's since he usually stays the weekend at her place. And Zach is either still asleep or playing video games somewhere in the house.

I walk past the kitchen to put my water bottle in the sink when I see my phone on the island. I find a post it note stuck onto my screen with Lara's handwriting on it.

Sorry I couldn't stay for long. Call me when you can <3 Lara

I guess I don't have to rush into the shower anymore or get changed. It probably means nothing, she's probably busy or has some plans for the day that she already committed to. I take my phone and the note in hand, and walk up the stairs to go to my room.

"If you and Gabbie broke up a long time ago, would you have kissed Lara?" I hear Zach say down the hall. It's coming from Jack's room, his door is wide opened. I don't go in, instead I wait for Jack's answer. Except, he doesn't answer for a while. What kind of question is that? Why would Zach even think to ask that? Jack and Gabbie have been together for what feels like forever, if anything were to change between them, it would've been that they're engaged.

"What?" I say as I stand by his door, catching both of their attention. Zach looks at me with a blank stare, his mouth slightly open. Jack on the other hand doesn't make any eye contact with me and keeps his head low. "Was Lara here earlier?" I ask them, now seeing where the post it comes into play.

"Yeah she left about 20 minutes ago..." Zach says. I look at Jack to see if he's ever gonna speak up, but nothing. "Did she say anything or?"

"She came to drop off your phone.." Jack says quietly. He rubs the back of his neck, his gaze still to the floor. "Oh okay..is that it?" I ask. Zach looks at Jack, who still hasn't made any eye contact with anyone.

"Jack and Gab broke up-" Zach blurts out. Immediately, Jack's head pops up as he shoots Zach a look.

"Zach!" Suddenly guilt floods throughout my body. Maybe what I heard about Lara was a mistake, maybe I'm just thinking about her so much that I heard her name in the question. "Oh man Jack I'm so sorry, I didn't know..."

"No it's okay, no one did. I-It just happened...I mean like, we broke up this morning." he says. A dull expression appears on his face - broken. Jack's rarely like this ever. The last time he looked this upset was when he had to keep Gab's pregnancy a secret and deal with management being on his back 24/7. "So who else knows?" I ask, taking a seat on a nearby stool near his closet.

"Uh you, Zach and...well, Lara." he says. I look at him to see his eyes lowered, his expression guilty. So something did happen then..."So that's why she stayed for a bit?" I see Zach who's looking at Jack, as if there's something more. "Nothing happened, don't worry Corbs." Zach says. I look at Jack who looks like crap. I feel bad for him not gonna lie, in a snap of a finger, he lost his girlfriend and daughter for who knows how long.

"Yeah...we just talked." Jack says after him, but his face says something else.

"Oh okay well I'm gonna head in the shower, I'll see you guys later." I tell them as I walk out of the room. Even if anything did happen, it shouldn't bother me right? It's not like Lara's my girlfriend. We only went on one date. A date was never a big deal to me before. So what makes this time any different?

It was just one date...

It was just one kiss...

So why am I feeling so wrong?

It's not like I'm jealous or anything...Her and Jack only talked anyways. It's not like he kissed her. And even if they did kiss, Jack wouldn't do that. Lara just helped him cope with the breakup as a good friend. Nothing wrong with that...

Suddenly, Lara's words from our date echo through my mind.

"Can't miss something I never had right?"

She was never mine in the first place. So why should I care what will or won't happen? She isn't some item for sale or an object for me to fight over. And you know what, I don't care if she talks to other guys when I'm not there or if she calls another guy after hanging up with me. I don't care if she talks with another guy until midnight or has the same deep conversations with someone who's not me. I don't care...Well I shouldn't care.

But I do.

I don't want to admit it, but I do.

I shouldn't be jealous 'cause she's not even mine.

So don't be jealous.

If only it were that easy...

2 Messages from Jack

i almost kissed lara, but nothing happened i swear. it was a stupid mistake and i'm sorry
just thought you should know the truth

I look at my phone to see Jack's texts. I should feel relieved right? Shouldn't I be somewhat glad that nothing happened? I mean, I guess I am. But it's not like it changes anything. Just because nothing happened doesn't change the fact that Lara isn't taken. It doesn't change the fact that literally anybody could fall in love with her and she'd feel the same way.

It doesn't change the fact that she isn't mine...

Yet.

My screen lights up again, and I assume it's another text from Jack. However it's not from Jack...it's from a brunette with hazel eyes like Lara, but just a few years older.

What could Magnolia Carpenter want from me?

. . .