"hello?" i answered a ringing call from jack.

"what are you doing later?" he randomly questioned as i walked down the street from school with his sister.

"actually, i'm—".

"good. i'll see you at 6" he abruptly interrupted.

"wait, what?" i recalled in confusion.

"i've gotta go somewhere and since you can't go too long without my presence, you're coming along and i'll pick you up at 6".

"okay. one, where exactly? and two, pick me up? you don't even have a car?".

"one, i'll tell you on the way and two, who said anything about a car?" he mimicked. "we're taking the l train".

"jack—". before i could continue, he promptly hung up the call.

i was left glancing at my screen with a million questions and a puzzled expression for kenzie to quickly notice.

"what was that all about?" she wondered.

"i don't know, but i'm apparently meeting your brother at 6".

kenzie frowned with a small smile on her lips, "didn't you already agree to go to tommy's tonight?".

i did know that i made plans to hang out with tommy on the walk to school today, but even though jack's already managed to do the same to me, i really didn't want to let him down.

"yeah, but it's fine. i can cancel" i shrugged off, before receiving a sense of judgement off her.

i rolled my eyes at the look kenzie gave as she held her hands up slightly to retreat.

six o'clock came by quicker than i thought it would. jack and i walked through the main streets to reach the station with only a hello being shared between us so far.

he glanced down at my lower height, observing my outfit, "new shorts?".

"kinda didn't know what to wear" i told, looking back at my own clothes. "you know considering you refused to tell me where we're going".

"didn't know what to wear? did you assume it was a date, miss sanchez?" he teased.

"no" i retorted, nudging his side with my elbow, "i just always prefer to be pre-informed".

he removed his finished cigarette from his lips and tossed it aside. "stop stressing - you look good, sof. you always look good".

i playfully rolled my eyes to hide my blushing cheeks and luckily the l train arrived as soon as we got to the station.

we sat down with jack in the seat by the window. he placed his hood up just behind the tips of his hair before his arm immediately flung over me.

"missed me at school today?" he beamed with a cheeky smile.

"you're hardly ever there, jack".

"i'll just take that as a yes" he replied until he let out a snicker. "so did peravich follow you around like a dog?".

i sighed at this consistent judgement and pettiness that he has over tommy, and grabbed his arm from my shoulder.

"you know, he's actually a really good guy" i said, dropping it back to his side.

"i never said he wasn't".

"good. then you should stop saying negative things about him".

jack rolled his eyes, exhaling at my response. i definitely hit a small nerve but i knew that this journey would feel even longer if we were both in a grumpy state.

i shyly fiddled with my fingers before glancing at him.

"but yeah" i spoke up. "i did miss you today".

a proud smirk grew across his lips before he returned his arm over my shoulder and pecked my cheek.

"knew it" he told as i blatantly wiped the kiss away.

he didn't hesitate to plant another one, making me let out laugh until a nearby elderly woman shushed us for being too loud - only making the situation more amusing than before.

the sun was almost completely set after spending a tiring hour on the train. we walked down the steps from the station, leaving me to frown at the much cleaner area than home.

"why are we in the northside?" i questioned.

"just come on" jack responded.

"no, seriously" i halted.

at this point i was just tired and frustrated at not having a single clue of where i am or what i'm even doing here , other than following jack around.

"you dragged me out in the evening to travel all this way on the l to then not tell me where we actually are" i complained. "are we even going anywhere or is this just another one of your games?".

"okay, i never dragged you anywhere. you agreed".

"yeah and maybe i shouldn't have because i had plans with tommy".

"for fucks sake" jack scoffed, muttering something else under his breath.

i knew that saying that would annoy him but i couldn't help it. jack didn't hesitate to leave my side and continue walking, causing me to groan a loud.

"where are you going?" i called out until his silence only forced me follow after him.

after ten minutes of trailing behind jack and not speaking, we approached a suburban neighbourhood that made ours look like more of a dump than it already is.

the houses were bigger, decorated with large windows and still painted as if brand new. the homily feel made you know that everyone here left their doors freely unlocked at night.

i grew an interest on my phone with jack still way in front. i was suddenly stopped by his arm holding me back, then followed his focus.

he was watching a family of four get out of their car across the street. they were a stereotypical mother and father with a young son and daughter, who all dressed in their best clothes that we would never be able to afford.

the kids hurried towards their white and black accented house, whilst the dad and mom hung around the car to remove a few grocery bags.

i glimpsed at jack, seeing a look of disappoint and hesitation overtake his face.

"who was that?" i asked once the family disappeared into their home.

jack ignored me for a while, still focused on the house, "it's, uh...it's my dad".

i immediately frowned. "but i thought he lived in indiana?".

"yeah so did i, but him and his family moved here about a year ago".

"so how did you find out?" i questioned, although jack kept silent. "...jack?".

"this was such a mistake" he groaned, pulling his hands down his face. "come on, let's just go".

"but we just got here" i said whilst he began to walk away. "aren't you going to talk to him or—".

"talk to him?" jack recalled as if i'd hit a nerve. "that's clearly the last thing on his mind right now".

"you don't know that. you didn't even—".

"no just stop, sof! fuck!" he yelled at me. "look, i'm sorry that i dragged you here and that i messed us up and made you realise that a peravich would be a better fucking option than me. i'm practically used to it anyways".

he promptly tried to leave my side after his rant, but i pulled him back by his hand just in time.

"wait" i cupped his face in my hands to hold his attention on me. "i chose to be here. i was tired and didn't mean to get so moody about it earlier. because to be honest, i wouldn't wanna be anywhere else".

his eyes softened at my words whilst i smiled and moved my hands down to the hem of his hoodie.

"come on, i'm starving" i mentioned with jack soon agreeing. "i think we could go to decent resturant then make a run for it".

+

i finished off my burger then ate the remainder of my fries which were ten times better than anything i've ever eaten on the southside.

i hugged my arms around me in the hoodie that jack let me burrow, whilst we sat on the top of a bench table outside the local fast food place.

"thanks for paying" i said.

"it's nothing fancy, but you really think i'd come on a date without cash?".

"it's not a date" i corrected, taking a sip of my soda.

"so you'd rather be on a date with tommy?" he nudged me, causing me to glare at him although it only made jack laugh at my reaction.

my phone vibrated in my lap with a text from kenzie asking how things are going and wondering when we'll be back.

"speaking of the devil?" jack assumed.

"no, it's kenzie actually" i locked my phone after replying. "she's just asking how i am".

"is she at home?".

"nope, hanging out with nina" i said as jack gestured some extra fries to me. being unable to resist since i'd finished mine, i took a few more.

"they're really close, aren't they?" he mentioned. "ya know, kenzie and nina".

i nodded, not wanting to say too much incase jack is still completely oblivious to their situation. i took an awkward sip of my drink just as he let out a small snicker at the silence.

i shrugged, "what?".

"she's my twin sister, sofia" he spoke in between a laugh. "you really think i didn't know that she swung both ways? i've known for years".

my head dropped with a laugh that i couldn't help. i've been trying so hard to keep kenzie's secret when jack's been in the know for way longer than i have.

"damn, what is up with you two and the peravich family?" he dusted off his hands from food with me chuckling in response.

his lips eventually curved into a tiny smile, "thanks for coming by the way".

"no problem".

"sometimes i question how you're still here, hanging out with me" he added. "i don't know how you still tolerate me even though i can be a fucking dick sometimes".

"sometimes?" i jokingly recalled until my heart skipped a beat at the small revelation in my head. "well, when you have feelings for someone...".

as if on cue, jack glanced at me. our eyes instantly met and i was reminded even more of how much i've missed him over the past few weeks.

i eventually broke our eye contact, focusing my attention on my lap.

"...you get blinded and it reaches a point where you can't imagine loosing them" i continued.

jack's hand slid onto my lap and laced into mine. i stared at how perfectly they fit together and probably wouldn't ever let go if i could.

it was approaching 10 o'clock as we finally arrived back to the southside. we stopped outside my house after jack walked me home, and i eventually left him at the gate.

"my dad decided to send a letter after all" he spoke up. i stopped and turned to face him. "he never got my letter but sent one because you know, kenz and i are eighteen now and well, he's about seven months too late".

i squinted my eye slightly, not knowing how to react to jack's vague expression.

"but that's great. right?".

he shrugged and came to sit down on the steps. i followed him, sitting closely to keep some level of warmth between us.

"he called earlier today. i yelled a lot, he apologised a lot then we grew some weird understanding" jack explained. "he actually invited us to see him and his family over spring break".

"but can i do that?" he continued, scoffing lightly at the thought. "just seeing him
before with his family...i-i couldn't even picture how kenzie and i could fit into that".

"but you won't know unless you try" i spoke, reaching over to stroke the hair at the back of his head.

a small sense of relief filled jack's face at my response. i know exactly what it's like to have only one parent or another who only shows up whenever they feel.

i gave him a small smile as his eyes travelled down to my lips. i couldn't help but lean in and attach mine to his before jack's hand cupped my cheek and slightly caressed the back of my neck.

i could tell that the amount of energy and passion that resonated in the kiss was understandable to us both. it's been a while since we've even touched each other and i know that we've both been craving to all day.

once we pulled away, our foreheads leant against the other. i took a small breath to calm my voice after the heated moment, but it somehow gave me the courage to mention something.

"this morning, you were going to say something to me but tommy called and—".

"i feel the same, sof" jack quietly answered me before i could finish. "about you".

my eyes closed for a second as a quiet relieved sigh left my lips.

"i have to get going. my mom's definitely freaking out" jack told me, rising the steps and taking my hand to help me do the same.

"but i'll text you, okay?" he said with a smirk holding onto his mouth.

his arm quickly swooped around my waist whilst he kissed me once again. i nodded - unable to stop myself from holding back a smile too - watching him leave my side.

-

it's been way too long guys i'm sorry !!

this chapter was cute, but pls don't hate me in the next chapter or so 🙂

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