~J A C K S O N~

"WHERE IS LILY?" I question and smile when Mia invites me inside the house. It's quiet, completely quiet. Rose is probably asleep. It's always noisy or energetic here when Rose is present.

Mia smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes. "She's asleep on the sofa. We had a little argument then we talked. She fell asleep on my shoulder."

Mia guides me to the living room and I immediately notice Lily's bundled up figure on the sofa. She looks so uncomfortable yet she looks like she doesn't want to wake up anytime soon.

I don't want to wake her up.

"Can I take her to her room? I mean, if she allows anyone in." I ask, still staring at Lily's peaceful sleeping face.

"Yeah, actually her room is upstairs so if you can carry her, you can take her up to her room. Her door is never locked."

I place the food on the table and walk closer to Lily's beautiful bundled figure.

She's so gorgeous.

"I know my sister is beautiful, but the sooner she gets to her room, the less pain there will be in her neck." Mia laughs out, smiling at me. "I'll put the food away for her when she wakes up."

I chuckle, slowly scooping Lily in my arms. She stirs in her sleep, mumbling a few incoherent words that sound funnily foreign. I slowly walk up the flight of stairs, silently panting.

She is not heavy but she is also not light.

I can't help but let my eyes wander down her gorgeous face. Stopping at her lips that I finally got a taste of.

Now, I am addicted.

Like a poor druggie who struggles to get toxins in his body.

I have yet to find out what happened at the restaurant and I am determined to find out. When she almost ran out of that place, I had to try and soothe her but she was crying uncontrollable sobs.

I had this sudden urge to beat the guy.

It made me so angry.

When I finally get to her rooms door, it is slightly ajar and I use my foot to push it open.

Not having time to inspect her room, I gently set her down, throwing a blanket over her form before lying down myself.

I hope she doesn't wake up to find that I am here and than she all of a sudden won't want to see me. Lily cuddles up to my side and on instinct, I wrap my arms around her waist.

I place my lips on her forehead and then press it to her lips in a soft tendering peck. I feel her smile and when I look down, her breaths come out in silent pants.

She has a smile on her face.

"You're awake aren't you?" I question, biting my lip to hide my smile.

I hear her giggle, it sounds soft, the kind of giggle you hear when she wakes up from a very deep sleep.

"I woke up when I felt strong sexy arms wrap around me. . ." She says, her eyes opening and widening in the process.

"Sexy and strong, huh?" I smirk, leaning down but she moves her head backwards. "Don't be shy, sweetheart, it's normal to speak what is on your mind."

I wink at her and she hides her blush from me by pressing her face into my chest. "Stop calling me sweetheart." Her voice sounds muffled and I feel her smile against my chest. "It's so cliche."

"Isn't that like the whole point of it?" I question, lifting her gaze by her chin to meet mine. "I'm not the cliche type, but I'll be as cliche and romantic as ever when it comes to you."

"See? You're flirting as well!" She giggles.

I grin when she rests her head on top of my chest, her fingers drawing patterns on my jersey.

I look up at the ceiling, not being able to control my thoughts as high school invade them.

I would have asked what happened in the restaurant, but it is probably a sore subject, so not right now.

"Do you think things would have been different if my father never passed away?"

I feel the warmness of Lily's head disappear from my chest, replaced with her chin.

"No. I remember you saying that after high school, you weren't that more interested in football. So even if your dad was still here, you would have been there to help him, wouldn't you?" She asks, laying her palm flat against my chest.

I nod.

"And I would have still wanted the job and we would have seen each other a lot just like we are now. So, nothing would have been different." She kisses my chest, lying her head back down.

I think over her words.

I guess nothing would have really changed. Even after high school, I was still in love with Lily. When she rejected me and told me why she had been for the whole of senior year, I understood and made a little change to myself.

I wasn't that much interested in football anyway, it was just my friends and their ways of persuading. Well, friend now.

Austin.

I don't know when was the last time I spoke to Evan and William and all the other guys. High school had become more of a memory than a moment to remember.

There is a difference.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Lily interrupts my train of thoughts.

I raise my brow tauntingly even though she is not looking at me. "My thoughts are not that cheap."

She laughs. "Well, that's all I have."

"You know what, my thoughts for you are free," I slightly nudge her and she giggles. "I was just thinking about what you said. And you're right. Even after high school, I still had this dying crush for you. I made amends to myself. Then I was thinking about my "friends" and how all I have right now is Austin."

"Hmm," Lily hums in acknowledgement, smiling against my chest. "You were pretty hot in high school. . ."

My stomach churns in excitement, a bundle of kindling in my guts.

"So I'm not hot right now? I'm hurt." I cry out, fighting back a smile.

She laughs. "You actually kind of hotter now!"

The urge to dance in excitement tingles in my toes.

"I knew it!" I lie, laughing with Lily.

"I like this, Jack. The new-" she yawns, ". . .you. Not that the previous you had nothing to like about, but I like this. I like you. . ."

And just like that, she falls into a deep slumber.

Not long after, I zoom into sleep.

✎✎✎

I wake up to the sound of humming and soft fingertips caressing my jawline. I don't open my eyes though, it feels good actually. After a while of soft humming, Lily starts singing in delicate whispers, her voice almost singing me back to sleep.

"The smile that you gave me,
Even when you felt like dyin'

We fall apart as it gets dark
I'm in your arms in Central Park
There's nothing you-"

A weird soft sound erupts from the back of my throat and I mentally curse myself for showing Lily that I am not sleeping. That I am listening to her sing.

"You like my singing that much?"

I don't open my eyes, a small smile erupting on my face. She caught me. With a little groan to wake myself up, I speak from the heart. Or attempt to.

"If you'd like to think so, than go ahead. I'm not stopping you." I smirk. My voice sounds raspy, thicker than usual.

Lily gasps, the little sound bringing a grin upon my face. "Meanie!"

I laugh, opening my eyes and I am met with Lily's hazel ones. The same hazel eyes I fell for years ago, yet still in love with.

"I'm just kidding."

I place a kiss on her cheek, watching as her face tints a light red. She pecks my cheek as well, smirking afterwards. I just shake my head, never allowing my small smile to disappear.

We kiss cheeks as if we are friends, and we are, but in my eyes I can see this is so much more. I feel like this is so much more. I want it to be so much more.

After our little stare-off, I fish my phone out from my pocket, checking the time.

"Damn, I have to get home!" I rush, standing from the bed and running my hand through my hair that stands in all directions.

Lily frowns, glancing down at her wrist. "It's only ten."

I laugh. "And what time do you go to sleep? Plus, I have to be at the bookstore early tomorrow morning. It's not long until we close for the Christmas holidays and Linda has something to tell me. Something about the bookstore. Damn it, I doubt I am going to sleep tonight."

I watch as Lily gets off of the bed, stalking towards me. She places her hands flat on my chest, smiling up at me.

That smile is going to get me in trouble one if these days.

I will never stop admitting this but God, Lily is so gorgeous. I still can't believe I slept in the same bed as her. My dreams are finally coming true.

"Fine, I will let you go. On one condition," Lily says, biting down on her lip which captures my attention.

"Hmm-mmm," I nod, wrapping my arms around her waist and bringing her as close to me as possible. "And what's that one condition?"

The one side of her mouth lifts into a smirk and she leans in until her mouth touches my ear. "You and I go to La Bûche some time next week!"

I feel my lips part and Lily places small kisses from my ear, down to my jawline before pressing her lips to mine in a quick but passionate kiss.

My dilated pupils meet her flashing eyes.

"You know what?" I ask in a whisper, staring at Lily's tempting lips. "I remember you asking me one time, to hang out, yet we never got a chance to. Let's make this that date you asked me out on."

Lily gasps, smiling in triumph. "That was not going to be a date!" She smiles sheepishly, side-eyeing me, "it was just to hang out and catch up on times we never even spent together on!"

I laugh. "You're right about that. Except it was a date you asked me out on. Don't deny it." I brush a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I am gladly accepting your date proposal."

"Well than, if you'd like to think so, than go ahead. I'm not stopping you."

A grin erupts upon my face and I can't help but tighten my arms around this beauty. I hate when people use my words against me but Lily, she's a different story.

A very different but interesting story.

"Well well well. You're catching up!"

"Only to the best. Now shoo, before daddy Austin gets worried!" She laughs.

For one last time, I press my lips on hers. Her lips are soft and silken on mine. I can feel the soft tickle of her breath beneath my nose, her fingers carding through my hair as we breath each other in.

I really am whipped. Thanks Austin.

✎✎✎

When I get home, Austin is seated at the counter in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand and a file. He looks focused with his brows pinched together.

I decide to let him be and stroll past him but he stops me, "Lily really is doing a thing on you, isn't she?"

I grin, turning to face him but he is not looking at me. "Jealous?"

"I mean, she is taking my man away from me." He raises a brow, looking at me. I chuckle. "I never got a chance to thank you for that water and ibuprofen and that letter and everything else I don't remember. I have been in and out of the house a lot."

"Ah, yes. No problem. You kissed me by the way." I scrunch my nose up in mock disgust and his eyes widen. He starts wiping at his mouth, cursing a bunch of colourful words. I laugh out loud. "I'm just kidding."

He shows me the finger and I take a seat on the stool opposite him. We are silent for a while and it feels okay. I want to ask why he was crying that day but I refrain.

"Why were you crying?"

My stupid mouth! Grr, I mentally groan but keep my gaze on him.

"What?" He asks, seeming genuinely confused.

I lean forward, grabbing his coffee and taking a sip, "you were crying, Austin. You were drunk and crying. It was weird but I was worried."

He's quiet for a second and just stares at me, his eyes holding an unreadable expression. I'm wondering if he is contemplating whether he should properly open up to me.

Wow, look at you sounding like a high school girl. Damn, it. I probably did sound a like a girl opening up to her bee eff eff.

"I had an argument with my parents." He starts, looking away from me. "I said some pretty terrible things, things I'd rather not repeat but I told them they could find themselves another son. I regretted it after that and I felt like shit. It didn't help that I couldn't even press the call button just to apologize but instead, I got drunk. It's the biggest regret I have right now and I'm trying to call them and fix it, but they are probably so damned disappointed in me."

No matter how manly us guys can be or act to be, losing a bond with your parents is the one thing that brings out that emotional speck in your heart. It breaks you and you feel like hope is gone. Parents are the first bee eff eff's a child has and it is the worst thing, to lose your first ever best friend.

I watch as the tears start streaming down Austin's face and he tries to hide it by looking away.

"It's fucked up, you know? How as you grow, you feel so fucking distant from your parents and there is nothing you can do because it's just maturity that kicks in like puberty. But that doesn't have to change your bond with your family or some shit, right?"

"I'm sorry, Austin. It's messed up, I know but just call them. Parents feel the same way you do and it's better if you just apologize just to get it over with. To mend your heart and your relationship."

I have no idea what I am doing but I stand from my stool and adopt Austin into one of those hugs I give to Theodore when he feels sad about my dad being gone.

But this is not because his parents are gone but because he feels like he lost his parents. I understand how he feels. He has a point and he has every right to be happy and have healthy relationship with his parents.

"Thanks man, for everything."

☃️☃️☃️

are they not cute? they definitely are, omgggg. :) please vote, comment and if this is so far enjoyable, share! <3