𝕿he silence in the car feels defeaning to the point where it seems like Jack will have to halt the car somewhere and coax Trevor into his usual overly excited and never-ending rambling state again.

He sighs sparing his friend a glance but Trevor continues staring out the window, deep in thought.

"You alive?", he laughs trying to diffuse the situation.

A few seconds pass by and then . . . .

"Why didn't you tell me?".

Jack throws him a confused glance before turning his attention back to the road.

"Tell you what?".

"That you saw her. That you helped her. That should've been the first thing out of your mouth the moment you got back".

He exhales, "I didn't think you'd want to know".

"Bullshit. Tell me the real reason".

Jack shakes his head.

"Seriously, man. I thought, well, you broke up with her so I didn't think it was worth mentioning. I thought you'd moved on?", he turns to him with a raised brow the moment they reach a red light.

Trevor tugs at his hair, exasperated.

"Well, I'd want to know either way. I'd never do that to you, no matter who broke up with who".

He sounds frustrated and honestly, deep down Jack knows why but what's the fun in simply accepting and moving on when you could get your friend to admit their stupidity instead?

"Oh? I wouldn't want to know that actually. So if you ever see any of my exes in a grocery store parking lot, do not tell me because I literally couldn't care less".

Trevor rolls his eyes, "Why would you when you have June? And you're so bad at hiding it too".

His eyes go wide, a frown dawning on his face at the sight of Trevor's satisfied smirk.

Prick.

"She's my friend. Has been since I was like, ten. Shut the fuck up".

"Whatever helps you sleep at night".

Trevor's grin only makes Jack's irritation grow and he desperately grapples at the opportunity to get back at him.

"I didn't know you were still so obsessed with Maddie".

His grin drops.

One point for Jack.

"I'm not obsessed with her. It’s just weird that you didn't tell me".

A car honks from behind making both of them realise that the signal has turned green, Jack quickly shifts the gear and takes off down the street.

"Again, I didn't want to upset you".

"I know you're lying. She said something to you, didn't she?".

His hesitation sells him out which makes Trevor twist in his seat with a scowl.

"What'd she say?".

Jack swallows.

"Nothing".

"Fucking tell me would you? I need to know, Jack. Please".

He'd be lying if he said the slight quiver in his friend's voice didn't make his heart break, didn't make him wish he wasn't driving right now so that he could reach over and pull him in for a hug.

Trevor never really opened up about why he broke up with Madeleine when he'd been so in love with her that it was honestly sickening.

But they were also so good together.

It's like they fit together, you know? Two lost pieces of the same puzzle reunited at once to make something so beautiful that anyone would gawk and grin at just the sheer amount of love they both held for each other.

Madeleine's really fun too. And mature. She seemed to balance Trevor out.

So, their breakup never felt right.

And Trevor never opened up, no matter how much his friends forced him to.

Hell, even June doesn't know the real reason why.

And if anything, June's the best at making people spill their secrets out as if she's a bloodthirsty hoarder who'd snap their necks if they didn't.

She'd be terrifying if she had superpowers.

"I didn't even get a word in before she explicitly told me 'Please don't tell him'. And I don't know what went down with you two so I just . . . I really didn't want to say anything. But mainly because she asked me not to. She just sounded so genuine that I couldn't—I thought it was better if I didn't tell you".

He goes quiet at that and Jack wishes he could take his words back.

Because it's not the normal kind of quiet, it's the kind of quiet you experience when filling in the silence comes with too much pain.

Jack really wants to say something else but he thinks better of it as they soon pull into the lake house's driveway and he sees Luke rushing out to help them unload the trunk.

"She okay?", Jack inquires, holding the door open to let both Luke and Trevor smoothly follow in with the grocery bags.

"If by okay you mean she's at the verge of strangling Cole and forcing me to hide the body then yes, she's perfectly fine. Never been better".

That comes as a fair warning to both of the newly returned boys who cautiously enter the living room only to find June hugging a pillow on the couch, watching 'The Lake House' with a pout.

Cole lounges on a nearby couch and things seem to be going . . . . well.

"Hey".

June looks up at the sound of his voice and her eyes fall to the packet of Cheetos in his hand, a grin instantly replacing the pout.

"Got everything?", she asks looking up at him with so much adoration that for a second there, his heart skips a beat.

His own lips curl into a smile when she snatches the packet from his grasp and tears into it, sighing happily as he settles beside her and throws an arm over the back of the couch.

She turns a questioning glance to him when he doesn't respond and that is when he realises that he'd been staring, completely in awe.

He coughs awkwardly in his fist and nods.

"Yep".

She smiles, munching on the puffs and looks at a weirdly silent Trevor sitting beside Cole with a blank stare directed at his fidgeting hands.

"Trev".

He doesn't look up.

June's gaze narrows.

"Trevor".

He continues staring at his hands.

"Did Jack forget to feed you or something?".

"Shut the fuck up, June".

Everything goes quiet, to the point where you could hear a pin drop and still, no one would bat an eye.

June stares at him, eyebrows pulled together and her teeth tightly beating down on her bottom lip.

Cole and Jack glance at each other in panic while Trevor's eyes stay firm on June's, shock lingering behind those blue irises because he obviously didn't mean to snap at her.

"Uh, Jack? Where's the coke I asked for?", Luke yells from the kitchen.

Jack exhales and calls out, "Check the small bag!".

June blinks, her eyes suddenly glazed but her face continues to be contorted into a frown.

"Don't you dare yell at me. Ever".

They know it's meant for Trevor but both Jack and Cole still exchange awkward glances, trying to figure out how to diffuse the situation.

Trevor, now wearing an apologetic expression on his face, rubs the back of his head.

"Sorry, I'm just", he sighs, "I got into my head. I shouldn't have yelled at you. You don't deserve that".

Wordlessly, she nods and resumes 'The Lake House' ignoring all of them to munch on the cheese puffs and stare at the screen but Jack, whose eyes have been fixed to her since he entered the room, notices her frantically blinking at times to rid herself of the tears welling up in her eyes.

He scowls looking up at Trevor who also seems to have noticed the same thing.

"What is your problem?", he mouthes at his friend who grimly shakes his head.

Luke comes in at that, peacefully drinking from his newly opened can of Coke and blissfully unaware of the mood in the room.

"You took my spot", he pokes Jack with his foot.

His older brother is about to protest when the door bell rings and all of them turn their expectant glances towards the curly haired boy, frowning with his can of Coke in hand.

"Seriously? I'm not your butler. I hate you guys", he huffs and moves to the hallway to answer the door.

A few seconds later, Quinn comes walking in, "Look who I brought!", he exclaims with a smile and everyone's attention turns to Alex shuffling in behind him with a wide smile.

"Honey, I'm home", he opens his arms wide; Cole, Jack and Trevor immediately tackling him in a hug.

"Oh my god, come here!", June yells from her place on the couch and he shoves them aside with a laugh to lean down and throw his arms around her shoulder.

She holds on to his torso, smiling as she easily hides her face in his neck.

"You missed me, didn't you?", he chokes when she hugs him so tight that it makes it difficult to breathe.

"No, I just missed your perfume".

He finally steps back, the smile ever present on his face and shrugs.

"I've heard that my favourite girl's sick".

She nods, somberly.

"And you standing here without any pain is kinda making me want to punch you but also how could I ever ruin that pretty face?".

"I'll take you book shopping?".

"It's the least you can do".

"Alright", he grins.

"We'll take you book shopping", Jack interrupts, plopping down beside June to make sure his seat is safe.

Alex looks at Trevor and Cole with a perked brow.

"We will all go book shopping", Quinn states glancing at the other boys.

"I don't read", Cole snorts.

"It's never too late to start", Luke pats his head which earns him a scowl.

"It'll be a day out", Quinn shrugs and sits on June's other side, opening his arms for her and she immediately lays her head down on his shoulder, turning back to her film.

"I'll help you get the bags", Trevor ushers Alex out, Cole following the duo, hoping to fill him in on the sudden yet entertainingly welcome changes in Jack's behaviour this summer.

Luke, still annoyed with Jack taking his seat, pushes down on his lap and the trio is grateful to escape the commotion that that simple act of rebellion unleashes in the room.

***
steph's new post has gold rush lyrics in the caption???? i'm so normal about this