The Program

Chapter Twelve

Today, only one day after having Jack ask my mother if I could, I would be taking part in a get to know you dinner with Reid. Jack would kinda be undergoing the same with mom because Reid, I mean, Ben decided to call and tell her himself that it would be a pleasure to speak with her as well. I just thank god that Marcus already has plans.

But currently I have plans, taking place right now, a few hours before my plan involving the glorious dinner would begin. 

You see, John apparently thought it was appropriate to again come to my house without warning and bring me to his home. He grumbled a lot on the ride here, saying things about how I should have told him I went on a date with Jack and that I could have avoided all that would happen today if I had just kept my big mouth shut for once. Something about his words told me that either Jack didn't shut his own big mouth, or John was some kind of crazy stalker. I prefer to go with the first one.

So there you have it, my plans at the moment are me being at John's house. Thankfully, he got all his grumpiness out of the way before he entered the door, chewing me out big time.

"Move, you stupid cat." Milo, Jack's newly acquired cat, had brushed up against him. Which only made John smack him to the side while he said those words, continuing to rummage through drawers in the kitchen. 

"Care to explain what you're doing?" I asked. I thought he brought me here to get some answers about what's been going on lately with me and Jack, because frankly, I haven't felt like speaking a word of it to him since the whole date thing went down. 

"Isn't it obvious that i'm looking for something." He grumbled again, minutes later letting out a loud breath of air when he found what he had been looking for. 

What was now in his hands only confused me. "Um, that's a bag of skittles." I stated, watching as he opened the red package and popped a few in his mouth.

"Wow, you're really smart, you know that? With a brain like yours, i'm surprised we haven't figured out a way to stop Reid yet." He said, rolling his eyes as he ate some more. I ignored it.

"What I meant was why were you so frantically looking for skittles?"

"You'll laugh if I tell you." I was kinda glad his anger was simmering down a little.

"I normally laugh when some idiotic thing leaves your mouth. So I don't really see your point in not telling me." I told him.

He did one of his quick, breathy laughs, which was more of a release of air that stayed in his mouth too long followed by a snort, and said, "When I was little, maybe eight, I don't know really, my mom told me if some brat irritates me, meaning you at this moment, that I had to calm myself down with candy."

"I'm sorry, but that's some kind of messed up logic, John." But it did seem better than what my dad told me, which was punch the jerk and blame it on someone else. Come to think of it, John's approach was alright.

"Yeah, well, I don't know why she wanted me to do it but I works. I don't know, maybe it's because i've been doing it so long I just instinctively reach for the candy nearest me when I get mad." He held up the bag. "Which in this case would be skittles."

"That would explain why you were so freaking grumpy in the test." I mumbled and I knew he heard me, I meant for him to.

"Whatever." He spoke again. "So, do you want some?"

It was then extended toward me, but I kindly refused. "No, i'm good. If that's the thing keeping you from ripping my head off, i'd rather you have them."

"Ah, come on, if you really want some, take a few. See, i'm already in a better mood, sharing crap and what not." 

"Yes, and a pre-school teacher would be so proud to learn that you finally mastered that part of your manners." I teased. "Besides, I think I can live without having flavor covered wax in my mouth."

"God, you're being really hurtful to the candy, Lexi. What's the problem, do you not like tasting the rainbow?" 

"I choked on the rainbow once." My voice flat with a hint of a chuckle. He gave me a look at my words and I just decided to take that as my opportunity to finally mention something else. "So, figure out anything else about the paper recently?"

His face grew more serious. "Nothing besides what we did the other day. And I wanted to question Natalie and my parents on it, but literally every time I see mom and dad, Jack is around and they use it to their advantage. As far as talking to Natalie is concerned, i've seen her once since I found the paper." He paused, placing more of his treat in his mouth. "It was a few days after yours and Jack's date, she came here to tell me you passed out that day. Which I also didn't know about by the way. You should have told me."

"We basically hate each other, why would it matter whether I tell you or not?" I threw back at him. It was then he suddenly got really close to me, putting the candy down, practically a growl coming from him.

"Because I care." That was different. Seeming to realize his own words, he changed them, clearing his throat. "Whether either of us like it or not, Lexi, we're stuck in this situation. So stop acting like you're this high, mighty piece of crap and notice for once that people are suffering from your actions. Freaking tell me when something happens next time."

"Are, um, are you gonna back up now?" I muttered, hoping he would notice how close he had gotten to my face while talking. He didn't move.

"You haven't called me." He continued. "It was like you fell off the face of the earth."

"In case you hadn't noticed, I was a bit busy, what with everything going on with Jack recently." I tried prying him from me but he stood his ground.

"Yeah, that I knew. Jack wouldn't shut up about you." He replied.

"God, could you please back up? There's a thing called personal space." I suddenly snapped, sounding smaller than I wished to. He made a horrible sound and moved away, seeming to be giving me his best attempt at an apologetic glance. There was a moment of silence between us for the next few seconds, until I finally said, "So you, um, care about me, huh?"

He sent me a look, one of his eyebrows raised as he approached the skittles on the counter and shoved the packet in his pocket. "No. There's a difference between caring about you and just caring that you don't get hurt."

"I actually don't see a difference." I told him, smirking a bit on my end of this conversation. "You care about me, John Evans. Just admit it, my amazing personality finally broke through your exterior and you care."

"Again, no." He tried convincing me. "I only care that you don't get hurt. Which I hope you also care enough to make sure I don't. Like I said, we're both stuck in this situation. We both have to stick together. And did it seriously not go through your head that I was just saving my own butt? If Reid did something to you, what's to say he won't do the same to me? If you don't tell me when something happens, how am I supposed to protect myself?" Hmm, he kinda had a point.

"Fine, whatever. What do you want to know? About the fact that I blacked out after mine and Jack's date, which for your information ended on a rather strange note? Or maybe the fact that I had a dream when it happened that's still confusing me?" I asked.

"I don't want you to tell me any of that, Natalie already told me remember?" He responded. "Just remember to tell me next time when something happens, okay?"

I nodded, right as his words fully processed in my head. "Wait, Natalie told you I had a dream? But I didn't even get to tell her."

"She's still connected to your brain or something like that, at least that's what she told me. Didn't really explain much, just that it involved her knowing your thoughts in the test and that the device that helped her know them was still active." He gave me another look. "I don't suppose you know what i'm talking about, miss Natalie told you a crap load of info in the test?"

"I'm aware it was going on in there. I just didn't know she could still see my thoughts."

"Well, she can. And she told me a few more things while she was here. Like you coming to a certain realization." He gave me one of his freaking taunt filled grins as he brushed his brown hair from his eyes. "Tell me, Lexi, when exactly did you fall head over heels for my brother?"

I couldn't stop the heat that rushed to my face at his tone. "Can't a girl keep her thoughts to herself without everyone person finding out?" I huffed.

"If it helps, Jack doesn't know." He said back.

"It seems that is the case with a lot of things around here." Someone said, me instantly recognizing their voice, causing my arm to fling in the direction of John, slapping him.

"You could have told me he was here." I hissed.

"In order for one to inform of such information, one must know that information." Was all he said. 

"You know, I can hear what you guys are saying. I am literally right in front of you now." Jack spoke up. "If want me to leave, just say so, princess."

"Oh, I uh, I mean." God, I needed to quit mumbling. "Hi, Jack." I actually guess it was a good thing he was here. That only meant I could begin my plan a bit early, instead of rushing the beginning stages later on my front porch before he would enter my home.

"Hello, princess." He said again, smiling. "So, what is this other thing I don't know? Is it as juicy as this whole Reid secret? Which I assume you know about as well, John, considering the look you have."

John's look was definitely something, a mix between death glare and- wait, no, just death glare, with a slight eye twitch apparently. "You freaking told him?" He yelled. "When?"

"After our date. John, you have to hear me out. I didn't mean to-"

"Oh, you didn't mean to? God, I feel so stinking better now." He gritted his teeth and pushed me slightly, me landing on the wall behind me. "How much did you tell him?"

"Okay, calm down. This isn't something to kill her over." Jack said, suddenly beside me as my heart was racing. "Besides, I don't know anything."

"You don't?" He asked followed by a half laugh from Jack.

"The chick is stubborn." Jack told him. "Wouldn't tell me anything other than Reid is bad, whatever in the heck that's supposed to mean." John seemed to calm down after that, again silently sending an apology my way and reaching into his pocket to claim the skittles again as I rolled my eyes.

But seriously shook me up. All of the times in the test, John never really touched me, not once. And he had now, and it scared me. I decided to try and shrug it off.

"You're okay right?" Jack asked me and I said yes to him. But Jack gave me another one of those looks, the ones I couldn't really lie to, so I had to turn away. I wonder if he could tell it effected me more than I was letting on. "Huh, my girlfriend and my brother, both lying to me. I have to be the luckiest guy in the world."

"One, she's not your girlfriend." John spoke up. "Two, we're doing it for a good reason."

"Because this Reid person is so evil? Yeah, I already got that speech from Lexi." Jack said. "But she also told me she would explain it all later." Another glare from John but that one didn't last as long and didn't scare me with him pushing me this time.

"You know what, my opinion clearly doesn't matter around her anymore. Do whatever you want, Lexi. I don't care anymore because you don't. Tell him." John screamed, leaving the room. I tried to call him back but he didn't listen, already up the stairs and away from my sight.

"That was weird, even for him." Jack muttered a minute later. "So, uh, how about you give me a reason why you're here right now. I was going to be at your house in about an hour anyway."

I just stared at him. John was done, I could tell. But he didn't have to freak out on me. Especially when it came to Jack. "Oh, well, John wanted to talk."

"About secret stuff I assume." 

A small smile etched its way onto my face. It had actually fallen into place the way I needed it to, and I didn't even do anything, John did. John had just given me permission to tell Jack what I needed to. "It's not going to be so secret in a second." I grabbed his hand.

First step, tell Jack. Second step, dinner with Reid. Hopefully the plan would work from there, the plan I was basically up all night perfecting. "Huh?"

"Jack," I paused, mainly to make sure what I was doing was the right decision. One look in Jack's eyes told me it was. "Reid is, um, he's your dad."

"But you said he's evil, my dad's no-" I held a hand up, confusion coming over his face.

"Listen, he's your dad. And I don't know how or exactly why, but he sent us, and John, and many, many other teens to a freaking pixally prison." Jack let go of my hand. "But you don't remember it."

"No, but that can't be, that's not where I know you from, it's just not." His face went pale, as if seeing something sickening that had been there all along. "Wait, you drew a picture of me and we were next to a tree, glowing leaves and he sent-" I placed a hand on his shoulder. "And John, he hated us. And I built shack and the bears, I killed bears. And Danny, he was there." Sadly, yet kinda happily, getting him to remember seemed to be easier than I thought it would be. "But, Reid is so, but my dad wouldn't....."

"Jack." He looked to me. "I'm sorry."

In an instant, he wrapped me in a hug, tears rolling down his face and my own. "I remember, not, not all of it, but some." His fingers curled into my hair. "My dad is a monster."

"I know." 

"He sent us to the test."

"I know."

"He tried to kill you." This time I just nodded, dipping my head into his chest and crying. "He tried to freaking kill you, just because you could disrupt. And that thing with Luke, and Riley. God, it's coming back." He shifted and brought his hand to his head. "Dang headache." He slumped.

"Whoa, easy there." I told him.

"He tried to kill you." I just kept staring at him. He remembered, finally.

And I know what I did next was stupid, teenage drama type of acting, but I bent his head toward mine and kissed him. He didn't pull away, he didn't refuse. He did hold me, that's all that mattered. I pulled away and spoke, "Yeah, he did try to kill me. But i'm alive, Jack. And I was the one that shut down the test, by thinking of you. But right now, I need you again, not just in my thoughts okay?" He nodded. "Good, I need you to pretend I didn't tell you anything tonight while at dinner. Act normal with Reid."

"Why?" He asked, still holding his head. I brought one of my fingers up and ran it along the spot he was touching.

"I've got a plan. It might work, it might not." I answered.

"What's it for?" He questioned.

"You'll find out when it happens."

"Fine, but on one condition." I raised my eyebrow, urging him to go on, a tear still in my eye. "After tonight, he is no longer my father."

"Understandable." But why was he telling me this?

"And for what he did to you, for who he tried to take from me," He leaned his forehead against mine and whispered the next words. "I swear to god, i'm gonna kill him."

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Boom baby, another chapter written and posted. I literally just stayed up to almost freaking midnight writing this. Sorry if it's not super amazing for I am tired and will proof read a bit better tomorrow. But I just felt like I had to update for all my glorious readers. Ya'll are, plainly put, the bomb diggity.

And speaking of readers, this chapter is dedicated to iamauroranichols because she is a totally otally floatally boatally soatally awesome reader and her comments always make me laugh and/or smile like a lunatic.

Like in the last chapter she said SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS and I started singing before I even finished reading the comment. So I guess you, iamauroranichols, have this chapter dedicated to you because you caused me to sing and have the song stuck in my head for the next few hours as a result. If that's not power, I don't know what is.

But yeah, that's it, that's all I have to say. Oh wait, if anyone has seen The Maze Runner, tell me if it's as awesome as I hoped it would be. I haven't seen it yet and literally everyone I have talked to said it sucks(they haven't read the book so that might be why they feel this way). I don't know, maybe they're all lying shanks. Okay, goodnight :)