He pulls into a hotel parking lot and I look at him. His eyes are almost shut and he looks exhausted.

"Baby... You should've let me drive." I say. He shakes his head. I sigh and nod. "We have to be back by at least eleven tomorrow. Keith and a crew are coming to my house tomorrow at noon."

"Okay." He says quietly, eyes shutting.

I pull ill into a hotel parking lot and look over at Jack. He needs sleep desperately.

"C'mon. We have enough money to stay a night here." I say. I get out and help him out of the car.

We go into the hotel and check out a room. We go to the elevator and Jack leans on me. I notice his eyes are shut and smile. I kiss his forehead and his eyes open.

"Go to sleep, Jacky." I say. He nods and I pick up him, carrying him bridal style to our room.

I swipe the card and go in. I lie Jack on a bed and he curls up under the covers. I smile. He's so cute and he's all mine. I put my iPod on the table next to the bed. I lie next to him and he immediately curls into my side, wrapping his arms tightly around my middle. I wrap my arm around him and kiss his head.

"I love you." He murmurs.

"I love you too." I say, smile on my face. His head rests on my chest and kiss his head again.

I reach for my iPod that I put on the bedside table and put my ear buds in. I play "If You Knew" by Joel Faviere.

•they think you're crazy. They think you're mad. They call you stupid; worthless; tell you you're not worth it. Now you're walking back to the place you call home, but you feel so alone•

I sigh and shut my eyes, music still playing in my ears. I open my eyes when Jack is poking me.

"Alex, wake up. We have four hours to get back. It's 8'clock." He says. I nod and roll out of bed.

We head down to the lobby, check out and head to the car. I get Into The drivers seat and Jack looks at me.

"You drove here. I drive back." I say. He nods and gets in on the other side. I head to the highway and glance at Jack. He's staring out the window. "You alright?"

"Yeah." He says. I nod. "Just thinking about you," I smile, but then he adds my mom into it. "And how your mom never treated you like you were her son." He says quietly.

"Whatever... your mom was always more of a mom to me than mine." I tell him.

"I'm sorry about your mom." He says. I just sigh. I feel him looking at me and I glance at him before putting my eyes back on the road.

"I don't care."

"Yes you do." He says. I glance at him again and shake my head. "Yes. You do. Alex you cried when you found she was in the hospital. You loved her even though she didn't. You loved her even though you said you hated her." I sit there quietly just driving. "Alex?"

"Okay. I loved her. But I don't know what to say now... She hated me. Always had. I guess I had faith in her saying she loved me one day. Instead she died saying she hated me and that she never once considered loving me." I explain, hurt in my voice.

"I'm sorry..." He says. I sigh and shake my head.

A few hours later we're back at Jack's. We get in my car and head to my house with five minutes to spare.

"Hurry!" I hear Rian shout. He must've gotten a call to. We run into my house and I sigh seeing a picture of my mom.

I walk over to it and sigh. I feel anger bubble up inside me and punch the picture shattering the glass. Glass sticks in my fingers and I smile as blood forms around the glass. I drop the frame and Jack runs over to me.

"Alex!" He shouts. A car beeps outside and Rian and Zack run over to us.

"They're here! Alex what did you do?!" Rian shouts. I just smile at my hand. My bloody hand.

"Jack clean him up." Zack says.

Jack grabs my arm and drags me to the kitchen. I lean against the counter and Jack starts pulling glass out of my fingers and knuckles. I wince every time, but I like the pain. Tears are brimming my eyes and I don't know why.

"Are you okay?" He asks, as I wipe my eyes with my other hand.

"Well, you're pulling glass out of my hand." I tell him.

"Why'd you punch it then?"

"It was my mom." I groan. He sighs and kisses my cheek.

"Be right back. I'm going to find gauze." He says.

I just nod and he kisses me before walking upstairs. Rian walks into the kitchen with a man. I wave my non-injured hand and then clutch my other one.

"Alex Gaskarth?" the man asks with a smile, but a look of confusion. I nod. "What did you do to your hand?"

"Punched a picture frame." I say. He furrows his eyes at me. "I don't want to explain." Jack comes in with gauze.

"I'm Keith Lazorchak." The man says. I smile. "You're Jack right?"

"Yes." He says, wrapping my hand with gauze.

"So what are we doing today?"

"It's going to be fun so don't worry."

Notes

A little short, but I wanted to update before everyone got impatient!
enjoy!
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-Jenna
title credit: After Ever After; Jon Cozart