jack's pov

my car reached the gates of sammy's house and i reeled down my window to push the call button outside.

"hello?".

"hey, bro. it's jack, let me in" i spoke through the speaker, before the gates instantly unlocked and slowly opened wide enough for me to drive through.

the only place that i could think of coming to right now was sammy's; it would usually be johnson's, but in this case, sam already knows everything, so i won't have to explain so much to him.

sammy opened his front door and stood with his bleach-blonde hair messy, and his eyes barely open.

"so it's..." he stared down at his watch. "...ten-thirty pm, and you've come to my house unexpectedly. is this my cue to get the beer out or...?".

i entered the house and pulled my hands down my face, "nah, this is your cue to get two beers out actually".

sammy gave me a thumbs up, then walked straight to the kitchen as i went to settle on the white, living room couch.

he eventually came back and chucked me two beers, before sitting down across the couch from me.

"so, talk to samuel" he said as he opened up the can and took a sip.

"well, you'll never guess who else was having an affair" i began and he almost choked on the alcohol in his mouth.

"no way, madison?. i nodded my head and drank my beer, just as sammy loudly smirked at my answer.

"wow, thanks man. that was definitely the reaction that i needed" i sarcastically defended.

"no, no, i'm sorry," he chuckled, then couldn't stop sniggering until i glared at him. "it's just-...are you sure?".

"well, she was hiding some guy upstairs. then, when i asked her if she slept with him, she agreed and also admitted to marrying me for the cash, so i kicked her, and the guy out".

sammy's eyes grew bigger at my explanation, "seriously?".

"she even knew about savannah and i, before you did" i added, then he sat back against the couch, with his beer still in his hand and trying to take in what i told him.

he puffed his cheeks out, "wow man, that's just-...wow" sammy responded, and i copied his action and leant back.

"are you still gonna make sure that she doesn't get her hands on any cash?" he asked, but i shook my head with disinterest.

"she's probably taken half of it from the safe at home," i said. "but, at this point i don't even care about the cash...i only care about savannah". i told him, as my mind reflected back onto what happened in her office earlier.

"wait, have you forgotten about what happened yesterday?" sammy reminded me. i immediately snapped out of my thoughts, then sat up with my elbows on my knees.

"i know, i know. and i wish that i'd opened my eyes sooner, before choosing madison over her" i complained. i tried to refrain from pulling my hair out as i covered my face and groaned, "how could i be so stupid?".

sammy smirked,"frankly, you are stupid," he agreed, then i gave him a questioning look.

"but, listen, everyone thinks that the label 'marriage' or 'spouse' means that you're supposed to be in this fairytale phase, where you love them 24/7 and block everything else out around you,"

sammy continued, and i started to drink my beer in a more excessive manner, since his words just completely outlined myself.

"i mean, you were so on and off with your fairytale phase, that you never even realised that you're meant to be with someone else" he added.

i foolishly smiled at the thought, "with savannah," i corrected, and i couldn't help, but focus on the amount of perfection that she has inside and out.

"...you know i've never even told her that i love her" i turned to sammy and said. "i mean, she told me that she loved me at one point, but i completely froze and felt like it wasn't right to tell her then".

"but you can't tell her now," he suddenly said.

"what? why not?".

sammy lightly chuckled at my confusion, "do you not know how bad it looks for you to suddenly go and tell savannah that you love her, just after you ended things with your wife?".

"so what the fuck am i supposed to do?" i argued. "nothing?".

"let her hear about it tomorrow. then if she comes to you, there you go. but if she doesn't, fight for her," sammy advised. "...and by fighting, i don't just mean, have sex with her" he pointed his finger, then i shook my head at him as i opened my second beer.

***

i decided that i couldn't wait until tomorrow to speak to savannah about everything. i need to speak to her now.

so i left sammy's house, saying that i needed to go home and rest, but instead mentally prepared mine and savannah's conversation on the way to her apartment.

i reached her front door and instantly knocked, without caring about the late time right now.

the door opened, and lauren yawned as she stood before me in pyjamas and with her hair completely messy.

"hey, where's savannah?" i asked, and tried my best to look over lauren's shoulder for her.

"she's not here," she quickly responded, but i knew that she was lying.

"well, where is she?" i played along.

lauren stood taller and folded her arms, "i'm not supposed to give out that type of information" she said and i rolled my eyes with frustration.

"seriously lauren, just let me in. i need to speak to her" i sternly spoke.

"haven't you done enough?" she retaliated.

i took in her words, and sighed as i rubbed my chin for a few seconds, "look, just give me five minutes, and if she wants me to leave, then i will".

lauren looked me in the eyes, as if to study the truth behind what i said. "...okay, fine...but she's not here".

"wait, you were serious?" i questioned.

"yes, she's staying at her parents house".

i furrowed my brows, "why?".

"to get away from you, that's why" she sassed back.

i groaned, then hurried back down the apartment hallways to get to my car, and travel to mr and mrs brooks' house.

***

i pulled up into the driveway and turned off the headlights, as i saw someone peep through the curtains upstairs.

i locked the car, then went to knock on the front door lightly. as i waited, i straightened up my loose tie a little, incase savannah's parents were the ones to open the door. but instead, it was her younger sister, andrea, who didn't look very pleased to see me.

"hi andrea, is savannah here?" i first asked.

"yes".

"well, can i speak to her?".

"no," she scoffed, then placed her hand on her hip.

i exhaled lightly, "andrea, i know that she's standing right behind that door, and i drove all this way at eleven-thirty pm. just please let me talk to her"

i begged, then she gave me the same look that lauren did, before she moved away from the door - i assumed, to let me in.

savannah was in fact standing behind the door; she stood before me in an oversized UCLA jumper and shorts. her hair was in a messy bun and she was wearing no make up, but still looked incredible to me.

i moved my eyes around the hallway, as i shut the door and started to become nostalgic to our younger days.

"where are your parents?" i wondered.

"on a plane back from indiana" savannah bluntly said.

i nodded my head then came to stand near her. the room turned quiet from me struggling to know how to begin - even though, i practiced my ass off in the car.

"...talk then" she eventually demanded.

"oh, right. so, um, i-i...i just came here to, um-"

"for god's sake jack, use your words". she impatiently spoke and folded her arms, but i just smiled slightly because she always was cute when she was angry.

"okay, so you'll, never guess what?" i started. "madison was cheating on me too...i guess she really did just want my money".

"what? am i supposed to give you a round of applause for finally facing reality?" she reacted.

"no,"

"then what do you want, jack?" she restlessly asked.

i lightly chuckled at the question. "i want you" i admitted, but savannah immediately scoffed at me.

"you have got to be kidding me?" she shook her head. "wasn't it just yesterday when you chose that gold digger over me?".

"i know, and i'm sorry about that," i placed my hands together, and tried to step a little closer, but she took one step back. "but i know that i'm supposed to be with you, savs. i love y-..."

"no, stop. don't you dare, okay. don't you dare tell me that you love me" she pointed her finger, as tears began to emerge in her eyes. "you can't possibly tell me that if madison didn't cheat on you or whatever, you'd still be here right now. answer me that, jack".

"i-i don't know," i quietly stuttered. "but i realised that i was so caught up in making my marriage work, that i never even realised that i was meant to be with you...i'm here now, isn't that what matters?".

"no! that's not all that matters. you just need to stop fucking with my emotions, jack, because i can't take it anymore!" she almost yelled, and i began to become uneasy from standing here and watching the broken look in her eyes.

"savs," i tried to say.

she wiped her eyes and quickly walked towards the door behind me, "please, just get out".

"no, i'm not leaving here until you look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me" i came closer to her.

"jack, stop".

"say it," i sternly said to her, but she shook her head.

"you know that i'm not going to say it, because it's not true," she explained. "...but, i'm not someone's second choice".

i grabbed a hold of her hands, "look, okay, i'm not sure about a lot of things, but i'm sure about you, savannah".

she released from my hold, "you know what? you were right before, jack. things were much simpler before all of this happened".

"fuck what i said, it was all bullshit" i spat.

"just go. please".

"what? so, you're just going to suddenly block out all your feelings for me?" i asked as i dropped my hands by my side.

savannah opened the door wider, "i did it before, i can do it again" she spoke without making eye contact with me.

i knew that she didn't have anything else to say, and from all her words, i knew that i couldn't say anything else to her as well.

savannah continued to stand with the door open; i could see her struggling to hold her tears back, but i don't know if she could see me struggling too.

she took a step back to make room for me to go, making it even obvious that she wanted to say no more. so i decided to take no further action, but to leave the house like she asked me to.

-

this chapter was long af omg.

pls vote, comment & share. ❤️

- anita xo