jack's pov +

"hey, i'm back" i called out.

i jumped over the back of the couch to sit next to ayden and jasmine as gabriel played with his toys in front of the tv.

"what are you doing here?" kenzie walked in from the kitchen.

i looked around the room in confusion, "i live here".

"are you high?" she questioned in annoyance, noticing my reddened eyes.

"no, mom. are you?" i chuckled, taking the bag of chips on the table and instantly devouring them.

kenzie groaned a loud, "wow, you are such a dick. you know that?".

"and i'm sure you're going to tell me why".

"sofia ring a bell?" she slapped the back of my head. "you promised to take her out tonight".

just as i remembered, i threw my head back and covered my face.

"shit, shit, shit" i cursed, looking back up at kenzie. "any chance she'll understand?".

she refused to respond, shaking her head at me then walked upstairs to left this mess for me to sort out.

i checked the time and saw that it was 9pm and i still had some time to fix this. taking the remaining chips, i grabbed a hoodie and my phone, and headed out the house again.

sofia's pov +

i pulled the covers over my body as i got into bed. it was 11pm and after being let down by jack, all i wanted to do was sleep and forget this day until next year.

i'm used to spending my birthday with myself and my thoughts anyways. as i started to close my eyes, i heard little stones being thrown at my bedroom window every few seconds.

"sof!" a voice called in a loud whisper. jack's the only one that calls me that.

confused, i got out of bed with my blanket wrapped around me as i was dressed in shorts and a tank top. i opened the curtains and saw jack standing right outside our front lawn.

"sofia! i'm a dick!" he confessed as i slid up the window even further.

he stood in a grey jumper with his hood up sat just before the tips of his dark hair, and his hands in his pockets.

"can you come outside?" jack asked. "please".

letting out a small sigh, i shut the window and took myself to the front door with the blanket still covering my body.

i stayed put on the porch stairs as jack remained outside the gate with a remorseful look on his face.

"you should have just told me that you had other plans" i said. "you know and not let me wait up for you like some idiot".

"i know".

"where were you?".

he took down his hood and tugged his hands through his hair, "i lost track of time at johnson's".

chuckling to myself for being stupid, i shook my head.

"with chanel too?" i inquired. "i watched her snapchat story".

jack shrugged, "i don't use snapchat because i don't care about who's just taken three shots at a random party or who just had a healthy breakfast before the fucking gym".

helplessly, i looked down as i tried to conceal a laughter. he always so snappy, even when he's trying to apologise and i think that's one of the main things we have in common.

"and the other night, i didn't tell you that it was chanel at the door because she doesn't matter" jack explained. "but we still have an hour of your birthday left, so let me make everything up to you".

he picked up a plastic bag beside him, filled with something that i couldn't make out from
here.

i was still slightly mad at him for not having the courtesy to call and say he'd be late. but i was curious to see what he had planned.

"oh and you might wanna bring that with you too" jack pointed out my blanket. i creased my brows before going back inside.

quickly, i threw on a pair of black leggings and a cropped hoodie with sneakers. i wrapped up the blanket and returned outside.

for about three minutes or so, jack has been guiding me down the street with my eyes closed and hardly saying a word.

"jack, this is freaking me out" i complained. "you better not be inviting me to a gang bang".

"just calm down, we're almost there".

a minute later, we finally stopped and the surface beneath my feet went from the cemented pavement to patchy grass.

"okay now wait here. one second" jack left my side and i could hear him fidgeting around nearby.

"i hate this" i groaned. "just tell me what you're planning".

"fuck, you're so impatient" he laughed. "...okay, now open".

i finally opened my eyes and blinked a few times to regain a clear sight. set up in front of us was an old couch, covered with a clean sheet. it was facing a blank brick wall with a projector and laptop placed between them.

"what is this?" i turned to him with uncertainty to what i was exactly looking at.

jack hurried over to the projector and pressed a button on the top. it released a bright light and began to screen the starting credits from a familiar movie.

i let out a grin as i realised that it was the movie, clueless.

"i know that you act like a hard ass, but you said this chick flick is your favourite movie of all time" he explained. "i hate it but i thought i'd suck it up just for your birthday".

i covered my mouth with a laugh, still shocked by his effort, "where the fuck did you even get a projector?".

"i know a guy" he proudly shrugged. i didn't ask any more questions as he took me by my shoulders to sit down on the couch.

the movie's first scene began before jack picked up the plastic bag that he's been carrying this whole time.

"and i hope you're hungry" he said.

"starving, actually".

"well, i decided to bring the pizza to you".

jack took out two pizza boxes and opened them to reveal the warm and tasty aroma of the pepperoni and cheese topping.

i looked at him with the smile that's now stuck to my face and nudged his side, "i can't believe that you did this, you are such a softy".

"shhh, the movie's started" he changed the topic, flashing me a quick wink above his smirk.

it's crazy to believe that someone i know would go to this much effort for me.

all i've ever had is disappointment and abandonment on my birthday but this definitely tops every single one i've had so far.

i know that jack and i have grown closer over the past few weeks, but i just never knew that he cared about me this much.

he put his arm over my shoulder as i got comfortable next to him. i placed my blanket around on my laps with the pizza boxes on top.

he pulled me in tighter and kissed my temple before we continued to watch the movie together.

+

last night was without a doubt the best birthday present i've ever received.

i returned the favour to jack when we came back to my place, but now i just can't help but smile and gain butterflies when i think back to what he did for me.

i've been up for about an hour, unable to sleep unlike jack who was still passed out next to me.

i was starting to grow apprehensive from the text i recently received from my social worker.

she was just checking up on me and wishing me a late happy birthday, but there was still no new information about my mom.

"hey" jack groggily spoke as he finally woke up.

"hey".

i focused back on my phone as i was sitting up against the headboard. jack followed and stretched his arms before rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"heard anything yet?" he gestured to my phone. "about your mom?".

i shook my head, putting it down on the bedside table.

"she'll turn up, don't worry" he added and i let out a small smile.

"i'm not worrying. i don't really care" i partially lied. "but um, what about yours and kenzie's dad. do you know where he is?".

jack raised his eyebrows at the unexpected question. i've just always been curious on what happened to him.

"he's shacked up with a new wife and two kids in indiana" he responded.

"oh, so you've spoken to him?".

"years back, he sent a soppy ass letter saying that he hates how things turned out, how he wishes he could be in our lives and that he wants to see us".

"did you respond?".

"we didn't want to and my mom said it wouldn't be a good idea. he got her pregnant at fifteen then ditched a few years after graduating high school" jack explained. "he went to college, got a degree, moved out the southside and acted like we all never existed".

"wow" i lightly snickered, crossing my legs on the bed. "someone from this neighbourhood went to college?".

he laughed a little too, "yeah, my mom said he was pretty smart. he had big dreams and is now some hotshot business man. i don't know, i guess we were all just in the way".

"but if he sent that letter, he must care a little".

jack shook his head, frowning at the insinuation, "nah, but i did write my own response once, although i never sent it out".

i shrugged my shoulders and fiddled with the edge of jack's shirt i was wearing.

"maybe you should" i suggested.

he quickly scoffed, "no way".

"what? you have another parent who actually gives a shit. you never know, he might be questioning why you didn't reply".

"oh yeah, i'm sure that we're the first and last thing he thinks about everyday with all the new family and money he has".

i huffed at his sarcasm, "jack, but—".

"geez, can we just drop it?!" he loudly cut me off just before my bedroom door swung open.

"jordan, what the fuck did i say about knocking?!" i yelled at him, covering my lower body with my bed sheets. "get out!".

i threw a pillow at him as he shut the door again. this time he knocked and i rolled my eyes.

"go away!" i called back, although that didn't stop him from entering again anyways.

"my friends and i are starving, make us something?" he had the audacity to ask.

"are you serious right now?" i retorted. "i have school!".

"you have like a whole hour and when are you ever on time? look, i know that you and his sister stole my laughing gas and beer the other night. so you owe me".

i folded my arms across my chest, "i'm not a fucking slave".

"yeah well neither am i for all the marlboro packets i buy you".

seeing that we were quite even at this point, i gave in with a loud sigh.

"fine. now get out" i ordered.

jordan reached for the door handle with a proud smile until he frowned at jack and i in bed together.

"and you two, put some fucking clothes on" he ordered.

"you're not my parent" i sang.

"well someone around here should be".

i made a mimicking face at his words before he finally shut the door behind him.

running my hands through my messy curls, i turned to jack on his phone. i didn't mean to overstep about his dad, i just wish he'd understand how lucky he is.

"hey, are you staying for breakfast?" i cautiously asked, not knowing how mad he was.

from here, i could see him focused on a group text conversation - probably with johnson and sam.

"no, i gotta get home" he told, getting up in just his boxers. "my mom had a early shift so i need to help kenz get the little ones ready for school, take gabe to the babysitter".

"okay" i understood.

i sat watching him find his clothes and get redressed. with a flirty smirk and biting my lip, i crawled to the edge of the bed to him.

"so do you wanna skip first period today?" i wondered.

"not going" jack pulled on his hoodie.

"oh. well, i could stay home too and—".

"seriously sof, it's fine" he cut in, but chuckled slightly to lighten his words. "okay, we can spend one day without each other right?".

quickly, i frowned, "i'm not some clingy bitch".

"good" jack replied. "i'll see you".

he held the back of my head to peck a haste kiss on my cheek, then left my room without another word.

-

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