Right Where You Are - Jack & Jack Fanfic

50

Lexi's POV

I grabbed another handful of books and put them in a box. Riley was moving out, and it was weird to be honest. My whole life it's always been me and him, we've rarely been away from each other for longer than a week. He was moving into an apartment with a couple of his best friends today, and I was just helping him pack the rest of his things. 

"You know, I'm actually gonna miss you annoying me all the time." My brother said as he took posters off his walls. 

"Aw that means so much." I laughed, but my smile quickly faded. 

"I can come over whenever right?" I asked. I taped up the box I had packed and pushed it towards the hallway before grabbing another box.

"I haven't even left yet and you already miss me." He responded, passing me photos and posters to put in the box that was on the ground in front of me. 

"But yes, you're always gonna be welcome." He smiled. I looked through the handful of pictures before putting them in the box. 

"Why do you still have this?" I asked, referring to a picture of Riley and his girlfriend at prom. 

"I don't know. It would be weird to just throw it out." He shrugged. I remembered the last time packing, when my mom, Riley and I moved here a year or so ago. It was really stressful for my mom, considering the move was to a whole new state, from Colorado to California. 

I spent the rest of the day helping Riley get all his stuff moved from the house to his apartment, which was only about twenty minutes, to the other side of town. It was now about five-thirty, and my mom had just left for work a little while ago. She's had to work nights lately. I decided to go for a walk to get the mail, since the sun was just about to set meaning it would be nice out for only a little longer. 

I got back home and went through the stack of mail, and stopped on an envelope addressed to me. It was from an Earle Casey from Nevada, a name which didn't ring a bell at all. I curiously opened it and pulled out a piece of notebook paper, and started to read what was written in blue pen. 

"Dear Lexi, 

I know you don't recognize who this is, there is no Earle Casey. However, you know me by my real name- Nathaniel Collins." 

I read the first sentence and my jaw-and stomach- dropped. Dad. He's alive.

"Yes, I'm alive and well. I've been staying in Nevada under my alias 'Earle Casey'. I know this is most likely a shock to you and I would've contacted you another way to explain everything, if it wasn't too risky. Five years ago, I escaped Sterling Correctional Facility in Colorado, and my execution was due to happen the following year. I doubt you remember that, you were only ten years old and Riley was twelve years old. Since then I've been through seven different states; although I'm not on the run anymore, I still feel safer only staying in one place a little while. 

That being said, I'm going to be in California soon. I want nothing more than to see you and Riley. I wish I could have came back home once I got on the run, but it wouldn't have worked out for long and it was simply too dangerous. Like I said, I would love to see you guys again, and you deserve to know what really happened that night that I got arrested, that night that changed everything. I'm not who I was made out to be. 

I understand if you two and your mother don't want this to happen, but if you do want it to, don't hesitate to write me back at this address. I hope to hear back from you soon.

Sincerely, 

Dad."

I was in shock but also happy to hear from my father. It didn't feel real. I knew if I told my mom, she wouldn't want me to see him. I just sat there thinking for awhile. My phone rang and interrupted my thought process. 

"Hey babe, do you still want to come over tonight?" I heard Jack's voice. 

"Um, yeah... I need to go talk to Riley first then I'll be over." I told him.

"Is everything okay?" He asked. 

"I don't know. I'll talk to you about it tonight." I sighed. 

"Okay. Well drive safe and I'll see you soon. I love you." He said. 

"I will, I love you too." I responded before hanging up. I grabbed the letter and put it back in the envelope and quickly put my shoes and jacket on. I decided to text Riley to make sure it was okay to come over. 

To Riley:
i need to come talk to you, is that okay? its important.

He responded about a minute later.

From Riley:
Of course..

I got in my car and drove over to his place, following the directions I had on my phone. My mind was still racing with thoughts the whole time I was driving. I started to feel somewhat angry that my dad had just now contacted one of us, even though he's been out of prison for five years now. And the fact that he never came back to us. Sure it might have gotten him caught if he did, but it caused our family a lot of pain. We thought he had died eight years ago. 

I parked in front of the apartment complex and got out, grabbing my purse and the letter. I knocked on the door and it opened after a few seconds. Riley answered the door and he must've noticed the expression on my face. He moved aside so I could come in.

"What happened?" He asked quietly, as I took a deep breath. I closed the door behind me.

"Dad's alive." I told him, almost in a whisper.

"What?" He asked, causing his face to go pale.