viii.

Daydreamer

We stopped to get some food and drinks at a gas station. Of course, Justin got a couple of beers, making Gabe pay for it because he ran out of money.

"How do you deal with him, Gabe?" I joked.

Gabe just laughed and smiled. "He's like a little child. You just have to hope they'll mature, and until then you have to be patient with them." He told me.

"And how do you do that? Mature them." I asked.

"Just hope. You'd think he'd grow up eventually, but at this point I'm pretty sure he is stopping himself." Gabe joked.

Then Justin came up behind us. "I see you guys are talking about me." He said, acting sad.

I just laughed.

"Yeah, how you won't grow up." Gabe told him.

"I'm mature enough." Justin told him, blowing out his cheeks.

"You won't even wear a suit." Gabe teased.

"It's society that needs to grow up." Justin whispered under his breath as we entered the bus.

Jack looked up from his phone and smiled. "Hey, did you guys get me anything?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I got you a Red Bull." I said, passing him it.

"Thanks Marina, you're the best." He said, catching it.

"Are we ready to go to the next place?" Gabe asked.

"I'm ready." Justin said.

Just as Gabe told the driver to go, a knock was on our bus.

"Hey guys." Gabe greeted. I couldn't see who is was, nor could I hear.

"Marina!" Someone yelled. Coming up the stairs was Mike, and behind him Tony.

"Hey you guys." I said, getting up and hugging them both.

"Is it okay if we stay on your bus guys? Our's is full of drama queens." Tony smiled.

"Sure that's cool. Is that cool with you guys?" Jack said.

"That's fine with me." Gabe said.

"More people! Ugh!" Justin wined.

"Grow up Justin." Gabe snapped.

"I'm cool with it." I said.

The whole ride to the next place was fun. Tony and Jack played guitar together, which it one of the most amazing things ever, Justin and Gabe argued, and Mike told me all about the fans he's met. It was nice to just be able to see everybody get along, except Gabe and Justin, that's impossible.

"I want a decent meal." Justin groaned.

"You're on Warped Tour Justin, we don't even have decent showers." Gabe said.

"I just want some food that isn't fried." Justin complained.

"We could stay in a hotel tonight. I know a pretty cheap one where we could stay." Tony said lightly.

"That's perfect. We could have a decent shower then!" Justin said excited.

"Then it's final." Jack said. "We're going to a hotel tonight."

~~~

"Tony, Mike, Gabe, and Justin get to the suite. Marina and I get the single room." Jack said, handling the keys out.

"I'm going to have to share a bathroom with Justin?" Gabe asked, displeased.

Mike just laughed. "We all are. Suite is two rooms connected to one bathroom." Mike said.

"I can't get away from Justin can I?" Gabe sighed.

Everyone took their handful of bathroom products and change of clothes to their rooms. I followed Jack to ours, and it opened into a same room, with a bathroom, and a queen size bed.

"I hope you don't mind sharing with me." Jack said, shutting the door behind me.

"It's fine. Who goes first?" I asked. I sat my clothes on the floor beside the bed, and looked at Jack.

"You can. I have to go talk to the boys." Jack told me.

I grabbed my bathroom things, and walked into the bathroom. The shower was nice and refreshing. It let me reflect on everything that happened. All about Vic, Kellin, Brendon, Lizzi, and Jack. Jack, he's amazing. He's been there for me the whole way. I couldn't ask for anymore than that. He hasn't pressured me, hurt me, or tried changing me. He accepted me for me. Once this is all done, I don't know what I'll do without Jack.

I finished the shower, and I looked for a towel to dry off with. Of course, I had forgotten to get a towel, as well as my clothes. I just stood in the shower thinking about what to do. I could go and get a towel since Jack was gone, but freeze to death in the process. Or just stand here and die.

Deciding on the first one, I walked out of the bathroom, not hearing Jack, I ran into the main room, and tried looking for the towel. I walked around it shivering and naked, until I found it. Just my luck though, the lock on our door click. I yanked the towel off the rack and wrapped it around me faster than I thought I could.

"Hi." I said, staring wide eyed at Jack, him doing the same.

"Did I interrupt something?" He asked, still standing in the doorway.

"Kind of forgot a towel." I told him.

He just nodded. "I see. Want me to go back outside?" He said awkardly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'd like that." I said, running my free hand through my wet hair.

He nodded and walked back out.

I rushed to get my clothes on, and dry off before telling Jack to come back in. He just came back in smiling and laughing.

"I better be getting my shower now." He said, going into the bathroom.

I just laid in bed. I snuggled under the covers and waited for Jack to get out of the shower.

"Marina." I heard Jack say from behind the bathroom door.

"Yeah." I yelled to him.

"I forgot my clothes. So close your eyes if looking at my body will make you want me." He joked.

I laughed. "You can come out." I told him, closing my eyes. I heard the door click and walking.

"You know I'm in a towel right?" He said.

I opened my eyes and look at him. His towel was hanging loosly on his hips, and his tattooed arms and chest glistened in the light.

"Like what you see?" He joked.

I just laughed, and turned over in the bed, and snuggled into the covers. I listened to the bathroom door close, then open again and a new weight on the other side of the bed.

"Goodnight Marina." Jack said.

"Goodnight Jack." I said.

It stayed silent, until he spoke again. "Marina, are you having fun?" Jack asked me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, turning towards him.

"I mean, after all of what has happened, are you happy at the end of the day?" He sleepily asked.

"When I'm with Gabe, Justin, and you I am beyond happy, but it's everyone else. They're so full of drama." I sighed.

Under the covers, Jack grabbed my hands. "I just don't want you to regret this journey. Marina, I care about you. I really do, and I don’t want you forgetting about me." He said. He let go of one of my hands, and placing it on my cheek.

"I won't forget about you Jack. I promise." I told him as he raked his hand through my hair. "I care."

He smiled a little, and I returned it. We just stared at each other.

"I really like you Marina." Jack smiled.

"I really like you too."

~~~

"I hate you Justin!" Gabe screaming, walking into the hotel lobby.

Jack and I woke up this morning and got ready. Once we were finished we decided to wait for the other guys, so we could all get breakfast together. We called their room, thankfully Tony answered, and told them to meet us in the lobby.

"I'm sorry Gabe!" Justin shouted.

"What did he do?" Jack asked Gabe.

Gabe growled. "Wouldn't shut up for a minute last night. Then he takes half an hour in the shower because I was going next. I really hate him." Gabe complained.

Jack just patted his shoulder. "So where does everyone want to eat?" Jack asked once Mike and Tony arrived.

"I'm good with some Barn Breakfast." Gabe said, as Justin's stomach growled.

"I see Justin isn't opposed to that idea. Is that cool with everybody else?" Jack asked. Everyone nodded. "Then let's go."

~~~

"I don't want to go back on the smelly bus." Justin complained.

"I cleaned it yesterday!" Gabe yelled as we stepped on the bus.

"Whatever, it smells like you." Justin joked, smiling at Gabe.

"Bite my tongue." Gabe whispered under his breath as he walked to the back of the bus.

Everybody else walked onto the bus,  and sat on the sofa. During breakfast, they got the schedule for the day. The whole time they were talking about hanging together, and seeing some shows. Jack kept making sure that every plan they did was cool with me. Of course I agreed.  

"Marina, after our set, I have a surprise." Jack whispered in my ear while everyone was talking.

I just nodded and smiled, trying to listen into the conversation again. I just watched everybody's mouths move, but nobody's voice came out. The only voice in the room I heard was Jack's. When he wasn't talking all I could hear was our conversation last night, or think about what he whispered into my ear.

Because he was what I cared about.

~~~

I watched as they performed. Kellin sang, and all the girls were on him. I just zoned him out. I listened to the instruments. I could hear Justin on the bass and Gabe on the drums. They were both amazing.

But Jack was the best.

After they finished, I managed to get to where Jack said he'd meet me up at. He smiled as he saw me coming. I ran up to him and hugged him.

"Did you have fun?" He asked, drawing away.

"Yes! You were amazing!" I said excited.

"We were?" He asked confused.

"Yeah, why wouldn't you?" I asked, confused as well.

"Because Kellin missed like every note." He said.

"I wasn't listening to Kellin. I don't care about him. I was listening to you guys." I told him.

He smiled, bigger than I've ever seen, and kissed my forehead. "That means a lot Marina." He whispered in my ear. He pulled away and grabbed my hand in his, and walked with me.

"So where are you taking me?" I asked.

He smiled down at me. "It's a surprise for a reason." He said as he winked.

I looked forward again as we pass through crowds of people. A couple stopped Jack for a hug, but it went by pretty fast. Then we arrived at a fence. He climbed over the fence, and I just stared at him.

"I'll help you over." He said, wondering why I wasn't following.

"It's not that." I said. Every time I went over a fence, it never ended well.

"What's wrong?" He asked. He grabbed the fence, and pushed himself against it talking to me.

"Just that every time I go over one of them, something bad happens." I told him, bringing my arms up to hug my body, feeling nervous.

"I promise I won't let him hurt you Marina. I won't let him do something like that again. Marina remember last night?" He asked.

I nodded, blushing a little at the thought.

He continued. "Just trust me that I won't let that happen."

I trusted him.

"Okay." I breathed. I lifted myself on the fence, sitting on top. Jack was holding is arms out.

"You can do it Marina." He said.

I trusted him, enough that I jumped off and fell into his arms.

Like the perfect fairy tale.

"Now the surprise." He said, seeming really excited. He started running, dragging my along. I almost fell a couple of time, but he'd always slow down a little for me.

"Where are we going?" I yelled, laughing.

He turned behind to look at me. It seemed to go in slow motion, like in the movies. He was smiling, the best smile anyone could have. That smile that gave me butterflies.

The smile that I loved.

He kept running, laughing.

Then he stopped. "We're here." He said. I looked around. It didn't look very special. It was really quite though, and it didn't have trash coating the leaves.

"What's so surprising about this?" I asked, smiling up at him.

He grabbed both of my hands in his. "It's a surprise because we're all alone. All alone in nature. Not in some cheap hotel, tour bus, or parking lot. We're all alone together, without any interruptions." He said intimately.

We stared into each other's eyes. Then he busted into laughter, which confused me.

"What?" I asked, really confused now.

"What I said was really cheesy." He laughed.

I giggled a little. "It was." I said, trying to suppress my laughter.

"Well, I got you a better surprise. Do you actually think I'd go all the way out here for something dumb like that?" He said, still laughing a little.

"I dunno, your cheesy sometimes." I said.

"I'm cheesy?! When?!" He asked childish.

"You're sounding like Justin." I told him, lifting my arms to hide behind, laughing.

"Oh god. Okay, well close your eyes so I can give you the real surprise before I turn into Justin." He smiled.

I closed my eyes as I heard the leaves under his feet move. He came behind me, and something fell onto my chest, and then a chain laid on my neck. I heard him fumbling with a clip until he let out a sighed, and his footsteps came back. "You can open your eyes now." He said.

I opened my eyes and looked down at the necklace. I busted into laughter. "Really Jack, 'Sleeping With Sirens' charm, with a 'Jack' charm behind it." I laughed.

"It just so everyone knows who your favorite is." He smiled.

"What if Justin is?" I teased.

Jack just stepped closer and grabbed my hands. "We all know he isn't." Jack said, leaning forward.

"But what if he is?" I teased again, looking into Jack slowly closing eyes.

"Let's stop talking about Justin." Jack said.

And we stopped. Maybe because my lips were claimed by someone else, or because I was speechless.

It was both.

The butterflies in my stomach went crazy, and my heart was beating so fast. I didn't know what to do, but hold on to Jack's hands tight. My body wanted to stay like this forever. The feeling of his lips on mine. Something so simple, so meaningful.

I whimpered a little when his lips left mine, but hovered over them slightly. "Am I your favorite now?" He asked, his voice so husky, so deep, so him.

"Yes." I said, grabbing his neck and attaching our lips back together.

I've never felt more safe, more cared, more trusted, more loved than now.

~~~