CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

They were in the parking lot once again. Jack was joking about how going to parking lot for milkshakes before and after Ritter Falls hikes should be a tradition.

She was sat cross legged in the backseat, burger on one hand and plastic cup of milkshake balanced on Jack's forehead while he was laid down across most of the seat with his head rested on her lap.

He was picking apart a chicken wing from the styrofoam  container and they sat there, talking idly and eating cheap takeout for breakfast while a rocket to the moon was playing on his phone.

(Cherry was old and didn't have an aux cord—Jack made fun of Reagan for an entire half hour because of it.)

It felt domestic and familiar and Reagan's heart felt at peace.

"Here, taste this," Jack said, bring up his own drink to her lips. Reagan takes a sip of the nutty milkshake—roasted nuts, it was awful—and made a face.

Jack laughed, "You got foam on your nose."

Before Reagan even had any time to react, Jack darted up and licked it off and Reagan automatically recoiled, scrunching her nose, "Gross."

"Shut up," He rolled his eyes, no actual heat to his words, and continued eating his piece of chicken wing, "It was cute."

Reagan couldn't help but stare down at him fondly.

"Who knew?" She mused, "Behind your nirvana shirts and dog chains and affliction for heavy metal, Jack Avery is actually a disgustingly hopeless romantic?"

True to his word, he exaggeratedly batted his eyelashes at her, "Only when it comes to you."

Reagan fake-gagged and Jack just laughed in response.

"Hey, you know," she started after a beat of silence, "I think I started liking you here. In this parking lot."

"Really?" Jack paused from eating, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"Yea," she continued, feeling her cheeks heat up at the admission, "When you barged into my car at God knows what time and acted so nervous."

"I was nervous," He stared back blankly and she chuckled.

"Yea, so was I," She hummed and put a hand on his cheek, "It was the first time I realized wow, this asshole is actually pretty attractive."

Jack scoffed and rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

"Beat you to it," He shot back, "Had a crush on you the moment you stepped on the stupid bus."

"Yea, as if!" She scoffed and laughed, "You barely looked at me!"

"Because I was pissed off!" He laughed back, taking both hand and putting it either side her face to make Reagan look at him, "But do you really think I'd go through the trouble of looking for your dumb car at 11 o'clock in this sketchy parking lot if I didn't?"

"Well," she shrugged, "I was your ride home."

"Then do you really think," He rolled his eyes, "I would offer to join you in your stupid hike if I wasn't just looking for an excuse to spend time with you."

"Please," She chuckled, "You've been looking for signal since you got here! And you keep complaining about having nothing to do!"

"God, you're dense," He chuckled up at her, "I've been looking for excuses to get you alone since I got here."

She rolled her eyes but she couldn't stop the grin forcing it's way through her lips, "Charming."

"I wish we didn't waste those few days," He scrunched his nose, "It was so stupid. The fight or whatever. We could've spent more time making out."

Reagan couldn't help herself from laughing out loud.

+

They got home just in time and Reagan had to admit that Jack was a pretty good driver. Not as good as her, of course, but good enough.

Her opinion was partially influenced by how good he looked when he was on the driver's seat though; one hand on the wheel and the other on her thigh.

By the time they got to her house, Zach was sat on the porch steps and the moment he caught site of the car he yelled out, "You assholes!"

Reagan would've been worried if only Jack didn't laugh out loud from beside her.

Zach angrily marched over to the car before it was even parked and snarled Jack, yanking open the door and pulling out of his seat and onto the pavement.

Jack was, thankfully, quick in putting the gear at neutral and Reagan didn't realize that Zach wasn't truly hostile until they were on the ground, the younger one straddling Jack into a chokehold, and Jack was laughing out of his mind.

"I cannot believe," He snarled, "You hate me enough to leave me with these idiots for an entire night!"

Reagan couldn't help but laugh out loud at Zach's statement.

By the time Reagan pulled the handbrakes, got out of her seat and onto the driver's, Jack was the one wrestling the violent Zach under him.

"Please," Jack chuckled, "You would've done the same with me if you had the chance."

Zach shoved him off and scoffed, "I didn't have the chance, that's what I'm upset about."

Reagan shook her head while laughing under her breath before she shut her door and parked the car.

By the time they were all inside, the boys were all inside the living room, sprawled out on the floor and huddled over something Reagan couldn't quite make out.

The first one to greet them was Corbyn who took one look at Jack and yelled out, "Asshole!"

"Geez," he breathed out as he took a seat on one of the couches and pulled Reagan onto his lap (she heated up), "Why is everyone mean to me today?"

"Because you're hogging up all our Reagan time," Zach scoffed, "We're entitled to spending time with her too, you know."

Jonah clicked his tongue, "Yeah, entitled isn't the word."

"Shut up, dad," Zach glared.

"Well," Jack said, "If there is any Reagan time entitlement around here, I deserve more time allowance than any of you."

Daniel looked absolutely offended and he scoffed, "And what gives you the right to claim that?"

"She likes me more than any of you," Jack said childishly and stuck out his tongue for emphasis.

Reagan shook her head and shrugged, "Well, I'm not entirely sure that's true."

Zach yelled out, "Ha!", threw a chess piece at Jack's forehead, and stuck out his tongue with the same level of immaturity.

Reagan didn't notice it at first but when her eyes caught a glimpse of the book with fading pages they were huddled around, all the color drained from her face.

"You did not."

HI IM UPDATING IN A COFFEE SHOP HOW CLICHE??? HOPE DANIEL IS HERE JKS BUT I READ ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS AND I'LL TRY TO RESPOND TO ALL OF THEM ONCE I CAN :(( sorry im shit at keeping contact AND updating but half of the next chapter is already written out and i have a rough outline of the rest of the story :D

also anw questions
- what was ur favorite scene in this story so far
- do u have a fav character
- whats your age & location if youre comfortable with sharing :D
- how do u think will this story end (they never see each other again/jack moves to oregon/reagan joins jack in touring/jack dies idfK)

thank u so much to those who still read thisss i hope i wont disappoint (and i'll try my best to be more active from now on) ❤️