Brooke has been acting kind of strange all night… I was noticing the way she withdrew from the group, unlike her usual crazy and outgoing self. I wasn’t the most socially…gifted, so to say, but I could read people like books. I guess whatever greater power up there was trying to make up for my inability to be cool, calm, and collected.

I noticed that she’s been like this since, well, the kiss with Alex. Though I mean, that’s normal right? I’d be feeling awkward if I had to kiss my best friend, who had a girlfriend. Actually, I’d be feeling pretty fucking embarrassed if I kissed anyone here, and I was glad that the game ended before anything could land on me.

My thoughts briefly fluttered to ones of Jack, and I felt my cheeks grow warm. Thankfully, even though it was warm and we were by the fire, the cool air from the ocean produced a chill, and I had an excuse for flushed cheeks.

“Your face is red, shrimp. Are you cold?” Speaking of the devil, Jack sat down next to me. He has this new thing of calling me shrimp, probably because I’m a whole foot and a few inches shorter than he is. I flipped him off, but shrugged a little.

“Is it? I guess…I guess I am cold then.” I was a terrible liar. My palms got cold and shaky and my face reddened even more.

I never took Jack as the type to be chivalrous. Yeah, he was a great guy, but him holding doors open for people and giving cold girls his jacket was something I never pictured. Well, I was wrong.

He gracefully—for a totem pole—shrugged his jacket off of his shoulders, and draped it around mine.

“Here.” He was looking around everywhere but me, completely obvious to the fact that he was avoiding my eyes. I couldn’t help but think that it was really fucking cute.

I giggled. Are you fucking kidding me, Jane? Really? Did you just fucking giggle? I am disappointed in myself Lord have fucking mercy.

The jacket smelt of smores and beer and something sweet that could only be Jack, and I took a deep breath of it in. In the back of my mind, I thought about how I could really get used to the scent.

∆∆∆

Through half-lidded eyes and tired ears, I heard Brooke tossing and turning all night in her bed. I thought about asking if she was okay, but I was so fucking tired that I don’t think I had control over my mouth muscles. The room went dark, as a familiar nightmare filled my subconscious mind.

In the morning, I woke up with a jolt, sweaty and teary-eyed. Shit, I hope Brooke isn’t up ye—…where’s Brooke? She was no where in sight. Her bed was a bit messy, but it didn’t look like anyone had been there for a while. Well, I guess this is to my advantage. I decided to clean myself up, wash away the tears and act like it never happened. Things were much easier that way.

My curiosity took over me, and I figured I’d go look for her. I mean, it was only 6 AM. Why on earth would she willingly be awake? I straightened out my pajama pants and small tank top, threw on my fuzzy purple slippers, and slipped out of the room.

The house held an eerie silence about it, and I knew everyone was still asleep. Descending down the stairs, I saw Brooke’s head fly up as she looked at me. I noticed Alex, asleep on the couch, and eyed them back and forth.

“Well, well. What do we have here?”

She flipped me off and grinned back, and we walked outside onto the deck. We talked idly for a few minutes, and I realized she wasn’t really herself, again.

“Hey…you okay, Brooke?”

She didn’t answer, she was staring off into space.

“Brooke?”

“Huh? What, yeah, I’m fine. I didn’t sleep much, Alex is a fucking annoying ass.” She grinned, and I smiled back. I didn’t push the subject, even though I knew she wasn’t fine, no matter how she assured me. Something was on her mind, I was sure of it.

“Well, I’m here for you, alright? If you need someone, or something.”

I saw a genuine smile, and before we could continue, Rian called us in to eat, before Jack and Alex gobbled everything in sight.

"Alright, let's get some food because Jane is fucking hungry and if those idiots eat everything in sight I may bite someone!" I winked, and we walked inside, eager to have breakfast.

∆∆∆

“I will kick your asses into tomorrow if you attempt to throw me in. Deal?”

Alex, Rian, and Zack nodded, backing away from me. We were all relaxing on the beach, because the sun was shining and it was a gorgeous day. Brooke, Kara, and Lisa were in the water, and I was lying on a towel, trying to get some sun. I was really self-conscious, they all had such gorgeous swimmers bodies, and well, I don’t think I did. Subconsciously, I pulled a towel over me slightly.

Anyway, Jack was having none of my nonsense. “I’M NOT SCARED OF YOU!” He bent down next to me, ready to hoist me over his shoulder.

“JACK DO NOT TOUCH ME HOLY FUCK I WILL EAT ALL YOUR MOTHER FUCKING BURRITOS DO YOU HEAR ME!?!?!”

The rest of the guys were smirking and rolling their eyes, before going back to their small game of some sort of football.

Scooping me up into his arms, he ignored my protests. “JACK YOU ARE LIKE A STICK I AM GOING TO BREAK YOU! PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT BEFORE YOU GET LIKE A HERNIA OR SOME—“

“HEY, HEY. I HAVE MUSCLES TOO YOU KNOW.”

“YEAH, MAYBE IN YOUR ASS, BUT THAT DOESN’T HELP YOU HERE.”

We were yelling back and forth at each other, as he carried me closer and closer to the ocean. The girls began looking over and chuckling, feeling both sorry for me, and amused by the situation.

“Yeah, well, it’s not like you’re heavy or anything. Seriously, do you eat? I mean I see the amounts of food you consume but damn, where does it go?” He lowered his voice back to normal.

“No! Are you joking, oh my God I’m like a whale compared to the rest of the girls…” I started off loud, but ended up mumbling. I hoped I didn’t sound like I was fishing for compliments, because I hadn’t even meant to say anything. I felt my face flame up.

“Are you joking? Damn, I guess all that shit on Oprah about teenage girls with self-issues was true…” He started walking into the water, and paused, talking in an even quieter voice than before. I briefly thought about how it was possible for Jack to be this quiet.

“Brooke, Lisa, and Kara are gorgeous. But I dunno,” he shrugged, “I think you’re the prettiest.”

I didn’t have time to comprehend, because I was thrown into the ocean. I heard Brooke’s laughter as I found my way to the surface, rubbing my eyes clear of water.

Jack was grinning at me, boasting about how I was now in the water thanks to him. It was like that short, sweet scene was made up by the figments of my imagination. Everyone else seemed so unaffected, including Jack, so I pushed the thoughts out of my head, and the butterflies out of my stomach.

∆∆∆

Brooke and I were in our room, getting ready for the small movie night we were going to have downstairs. We figured we could have a bon fire every other night, and spend the rest doing things like this, and maybe going out.

I was sporting my loose fitted tee shirt with the big heart on it, and shorts. Brooke teased me about how short they were. She was wearing a really cute pajama outfit of shorts and a tank top with a zebra on it. We were all going to be watching some horror movie, and I was excited. This might sound weird to you, but I was hoping that I’d have a change in dreams for at least the night. Anything was better than my usual.

I was snapped out of my thoughts at the smell of popcorn, and Brooke and I grinned at each other as we ran down the stairs to get good seats.

“JANE JANE JANE JANE LOOK I SAVED YOU A SEAT YOU HAVE TO SIT NEXT TO ME BECAUSE YOU’RE MY PROPERTY OKAY NO ONE ELSE CAN SIT BY JANE!” Jack was doing that possessive joke again, which everyone was pretty used to. He began pouting as I looked around for somewhere to sit with Brooke.

“Go ahead before he has an aneurism, I’ll sit next to Kara and Rian. They don’t mind my thirdwheeling. And if anything, Zack is open for cuddles.” Brooke grinned at me, and nudged me over to Jack. I heard a ‘fuck yes’ from Zack, and we all laughed. I was pulled down onto the couch in a fluid motion, and I let out a grunt of pain.

“Uh, ow? God damn, I’m not going to run away, but now I see why I would want to…” I laughed as he pouted again, setting me down on the couch the correct way. I made myself comfortable and listening to him babble on about how he loved this movie. Hopefully, it’d be as good as he said it was.

The movie, actually, was a lot scarier than we had originally thought. Lisa went upstairs to sleep, she refused to watch the rest. I couldn’t blame her, I was freaking out and I’m not the type to really be scared by movies. I wasn’t buried into Jack’s chest or anything, this wasn’t some clichéd moment. I did, however, have a fistful of his shirt in my hand, and I had my eyes shut tight.

See, the thing about Jack is that he’s so unpredictable. One minute he’s crazy and loud and childish, and the next…

Well, he’s an attractive, husky-voiced male with sweet words.

“Are you scared? Relax Jane, it’s a movie. Open your eyes, I promise I wont let anything hurt you.”

I felt my heart beat speed up and I peeked my eyes open. I cleared my throat. “Yeah…it’s just a movie…I uh, I’m fine.” I sat up a little straighter so I wasn’t really leaning on him, and I looked around.

Sometime during when Lisa left, Alex had migrated over to Brooke. I don’t know if anyone really noticed, but she was asleep. My eyes were wide as saucers as Alex stared at her with this…this look in his eyes. It wasn’t the look of friendship, that’s for sure.

Ohhhhhh shit……just…ignore it, Jane. It’s none of your business. Maybe Alex is drunk. Or something.

I forced myself to look away, and focus on the TV. Someone was getting into a car accident. My heart started to ache as unwanted memories flooded my mind. Don’t cry, Jane. Don’t you dare cry.

I squeezed my eyes shut and hid in Jack’s shoulder, taking in that scent that was growing familiar. I heard him chuckle, and I relaxed as I focused on breathing. What’s done was done, and nothing could change it, not even a million tears.

“Don’t worry, scary scene is over Jane.” His voice was a little teasing, and I flipped him off, composing myself.

“Sorry, I don’t like car accidents.” I mumbled, leaning away from him and yawning.

“If you’re tired you can rest on my shoulder. I mean…you don’t have to or anything…just you know…like…if you were tired…or something…” He was doing that thing where he looked away, and I realized it was because of embarrassment. I chuckled; it was really cute.

“Why not? Rian and Kara are hogging the pillows.” I leaned against him, getting comfortable. He might have been tall and lanky, but he wasn’t uncomfortable.

Have I mentioned that I could get used to this? Because honestly, I really could.
Now, I don’t necessarily know if that’s good or not yet.