CHAPTER TEN

When they arrived, Reagan turned off the engine and stared at the front door of their house. Jack was beside her, head turned away as he looked through the window even after they were parked.

Reagan truly did enjoy Jack's company. It wasn't only because the mere sight of his smile gave her butterflies but because Jack understood her humor, only laughed during the many times she's called him an idiot, and wanted to help her when they were hiking even though he couldn't even handle the hike himself.

As she sat there, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly for comfort, she realized sadly that she might've just lost a friend when she didn't even have much to begin with.

She didn't want to glance at Jack, unwilling to be the first one to acknowledge what happened in the waterfall, out of embarrassment that she misunderstood the situation and that she must've made Jack uncomfortable.

But before she could wallow too much in self-pity, Jack already stepped out of the vehicle and shut the door behind him. She thought she would be relieved but it only made her chest tighten.

She was afraid that Jack regretted whatever happened only an hour ago and that they were going to spend the next few days in tense, awkward silence, but just as Jack walked towards the footsteps leading to her front door, he turned and walked across the front of the car instead of walking straight ahead like Reagan expected.

Instead, he walked over to the driver's seat and opened her door for her.

The knot in her chest loosened.

He still didn't say anything but he nodded back when she sent him a smile. He shut the door behind her and Reagan locked the doors, ready to go inside the house, until the front door suddenly flew open with a loud crash.

Logan walked out the threshold, his hair damp and his camera in hand.

"Reagan," He said with a shake of his head and a deprecating expression on his face, "Do you think your father would approve of you spending an entire day with an attractive boy your age?"

"I wasn't with an attractive boy," She replied instantly.

She bit her bottom lip to hide her smile when Jack protested with a welp of, "Hey!"

"Besides," she continued, "What's there to disapprove of?"

"You tell me," Logan bit back, eyes narrowed.

"If I've done anything my father would disapprove of?"

"So you are saying there's something your father would disapprove of," Logan argued.

"No, what," She shook her head, confused, "I'm asking if there is!"

"Well if there is—"

"LOGAN!" She interrupted, exasperated with how senseless and redundant their conversation was getting.

"I just wanted to strike up a deal," He said, looking sheepish as he held up both hands in mock surrender.

"A deal for?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Secrecy," He nodded snappily, "I won't tell your dad you went running off with Jack if you promise to keep a secret in return."

"Oh no," Reagan sighed and pressed two fingers onto her temple, "What did you do?"

"What makes you think we did something?" Logan said back defensively.

"Well did you do something?"

"So what if I did something—"

"Logan threw the bus keys all the way across your house!" Zach interrupted, annoyance clear on his face as he stood on the steps leading to the front door, arms crossed, "Was it that hard to say? Fuck's sake."

"Okay, in my defense," Logan started before Reagan even got the chance to actually understand what Zach just said, "I was dared to do it."

"You did what?" Reagan blinked at him, partly confused but mostly out of disbelief. She didn't think she heard Zach correctly until Jonah walked out with the same unimpressed expression on his face.

"Corbyn said he didn't think Logan could throw something over the roof and this fool decided to try and prove him wrong," He explained, jabbing a finger at Logan, "And guess what this brilliant man decided to throw?"

"I'm older than all of you," Logan said in defense, geturing to all of them with his index finger and firmly dodging the topic, "You know that right."

"Well you aren't acting like one," Zach rolled his eyes the same time Reagan sighed and shook her head.

"Tell me you have a spare key," She whispered, fighting the urge to groan in annoyance.

"We don't have a spare key."

Reagan didn't know what else to do but laugh as she walked to her house, patting Logan on the shoulder as she mumbled, "Well then you're screwed, buddy. The other side of the house is a cliff with a 30-feet drop."

+

"You all seem awfully calm for a group of boys who just got stranded for God knows how long," Reagan said as she eyed the lot, all sat down around the dining table, peering over Logan's shoulder to look at the screen of his laptop. He was busy with with his mouse so she assumed he was editing videos like he mentioned previously.

"Hm," Jonah hummed, being the only person to acknowledge her, "Guess we are."

"Well stop it, it's annoying."

Logan spared her a glance, a small chuckle accompanying his voice, "You prefer us wreaking havoc?"

"No," She rolled her eyes, "But the fact that you don't even seem to mind is unsettling."

"I dunno," Corbyn said, taking a break from watching Logan work and taking a seat across the table, "I don't mind it here honestly."

"Me neither," Jack mumbled offhandedly and Reagan watched as all heads slowly turned to look at him, confusion evident. Jack noticed it a moment too late and when he looked up, he looked more confused than any of them. He blinked, "What?"

"Wait, so..." Daniel started slowly, "You don't mind being stuck here?"

Jack paused, probably intimidated by the heavy silence that hung around him.

"Not really," He furrowed his eyebrows, "I mean. It's not that bad right?"

"Reagan, what did you do?" Logan interrupted, shutting his laptop with one quick motion and making all eyes turn to him. It didn't even take a second before all eyes turned to her.

"What do you mean what did I do?" She asked back and from the corner of her eye, she could see Zach scowling, probably because their conversation sounded like the start of another senseless loop of comebacks.

"Be honest with me," He sighed, setting his laptop aside, "Where did you and Jack go?"

"I told you," Jack sighed, his voice sounding exhausted, and answered for her, "We just went hiking."

"Hiking, alright," Logan nodded, acting apprehensive, and Reagan could clearly see that Jack was tired of his shit. "And what happened during this—what do you call it—hiking?"

"We hiked," She deadpanned, "That's when you climb and stuff."

"Don't get smart on me," Logan glared but based on the devious smile he was terribly trying to hide, there wasn't any heat behind his words. He just genuinely enjoyed making Jack uncomfortable. "Is that all you did? Climb and stuff?"

"What do you think?" Jack breathed out boredly.

"I think you did more than just hike. I don't think you even hiked at all. All I know is that Jack wanted nothing more than to get out of this place and I don't thing hiking would have been enough to change his mind."

Reagan didn't answer. She glanced at Jack, waiting for him to say anything, but he looked like he was trying to form the words. Initially, she thought he was vaguely thinking of whatever happened between them before Logan called to ask where they were.

But she realized a second after that maybe he was more hung up on finding an answer to why he did have a change of heart and stopped begging to leave Oregon as soon as possible.

And another second after, she realized that it must've been because the concert he wanted to attend was done and he didn't have anything to rush to get to.

And the second after that one, she realized he wasn't mentioning the concert he has missed and he looked like he didn't have any intention of doing so.

"What are you trying to say, Logan?" She huffed, saving Jack from the trouble of answering.

"Nothing," He smirked, "It's just hiking doesn't take up eight hours, I don't think."

"It is when you're Jack," She shrugged innocently and Jack perked up from where he sat to glare at her.

"Wow, thanks," He said sarcastically.

"Don't change the topic," Logan suddenly interrupted like the petulant child he was, "What were you up to?"

"Hiking!" Reagan answered, her voice raising a few notches and she realized how she may have seemed a bit too defensive. Daniel and Corbyn chuckled.

"Are you sure that's all you did?"

"What do you expect me to say, Logan?" She rolled her eyes.

"That you possibly made out in the woods," He laughed and Reagan could see Jack's embarrassment all the way from where she sat, "Among other things."

Jonah snorted from where he sat and nudged Jack's shoulder. It was a small, innocent action but Jack looked beyond uncomfortable.

Reagan remembered how Jack took the spot beside hers in front of the waterfall and leaned in. But then she looked at Jack who was now sat on the dining table, firmly staring at the tabletop as if it was the most interesting thing in the world, and he couldn't even look her in the eye.

She couldn't help the sinking feeling in her chest as she realized that maybe it was only her who wanted them to kiss. Judging from how Jack was acting since that moment, looking embarrassed and regretful, he seemed to be thankful that they were interrupted and he was brought back to consciousness.

"Well we didn't," She answered to save him the trouble, "Sorry to disappoint."

Logan must've heard the slight hurt in her voice because that was that. He didn't say anything else and opened his laptop. The boys didn't seem to notice how the small gesture made her upset but judging by the way Logan continuously glanced at her as he worked, he must've been the only one to notice that he somehow struck a nerve.

I didn't proofread this forgive me pls
and i just ran out of prewritten chapters idk when i'll be able to update again :((
still amazed by how kind and supportive all of you are though :((( thank you so much

I HAVE A QUESTION
WHERE ARE YOU GUYS FROM?

I've been wanting to ask this for ages but i keep forgetting lmao
anyways i'll try to find time to write the next chapters thank you again for all the love <3