It only takes me a couple of days to get over whatever I was sick from. I don't know how, but Owen managed to stay well, and we all counted that as a miracle.
I've spent the last few days learning and working through Nothing To Lose. I'm not ecstatic to start working on yet another scene held at the HGC, but it is what it is. Madison and the guys are supposed to be filming Edge of Great next week, so I've been able to watch them rehearse for that multiple times.
It's the end of the week, and I'm exhausted. I've been trying to enjoy these days on set and at the studio, because I know I'll miss them when they're gone, but it's hard sometimes. I don't like to think that all of this is temporary- I'm not going to be working with these people forever. It makes me too sad.
When I finally am done for the day, I end up walking with Charlie out to his car. I don't really know where Owen and Sav are at, but I'm too tired to ask. Charlie was just the first person I found.
We talk for a few minutes about our day, with me complaining about having another scene in the HGC and Charlie talking about some scene he filmed with Mads and Sacha. About a few minutes into our conversation, though, he decided to bring up Owen once again.
"So, Jenny... have you decided to confess your undying love for Owen yet?" he asks, completely out of the blue.
"Charlie, why are you bringing this up?" I say, slightly annoyed.
"Okay, first of all, you didn't deny it," he smirks. "And second of all, maybe I'm interested in you and Owen's little relationship. I live for the drama."
"There's no drama. We're just friends," I object.
"Jenny, when are you going to stop hiding? You know you can trust me, right? I may be an idiot sometimes, but if for some godforsaken reason, you want to keep your feelings a secret from Owen, I can help keep that secret. You just have to say the word. Or, I can help set you two up. I have my ways."
"I don't want to be set up, Charlie. I wanna do this on my own time," I say, realizing my mistake a little too late.
"So you DO like him!" Charlie shrieks.
"Ugh, Charlie, just don't tell Owen. Like I said- my own time, okay? No setups."
He gives me a little salute. "Yes ma'am. Wait, just out of curiosity, who else knows? That you like Owen, I mean."
"Um... Sav, Madison, Jadah, and Sacha. Yeah, I think that's it," I answer, thinking back to the girl's night where I first confessed my feelings.
"Wow, Jenny, you really waited to tell me last?" he asks, acting a little hurt.
"Well in my defense, I wasn't even planning on telling you in the first place," I tease, as he crosses his arms and gives me a pouty face that makes him look like a little kid.
"Look, Jenny. We both know Owen is my best friend, but you're my friend too. If you don't want to tell him that you have feelings for him right now, then I respect that. I'll let you do it on your own time. Take it as slow as you need to. But don't think I won't try to find ways to get you two together," he smiles.
"Thanks, Charlie. I know I'm gonna tell him... sometime. I just don't know when. Every time I get close, I always end up chickening out or getting interrupted."
"Whoa, who interrupted?"
"Well," I start, not exactly wanting to go into detail about the other night. "Owen and I were talking and somehow we ended up getting super close, like, to the point where I thought we were gonna kiss and then he said my name and then Savannah barged in cause she needed medicine."
He stared at me with his mouth open for a second before he responded. "Did you tell Sav?" I shake my head no. "And you haven't talked about it since?" I shake my head again.
"I'm too scared to bring it up. Like maybe I misread the whole situation," I admit.
"Jenny, I don't know how you could possibly misread that. If you both were close enough to almost kiss... you were about to almost kiss. Owen doesn't like getting really close to people. Physically, I mean."
"I know. It's just scary, you know? I've never kissed anyone, I've never done any of this before. It's all kind of new. Maybe that's why I want to keep it a secret for now," I respond. "And before you say it, yes I know we sleep together and cuddle, but you know that's because of the nightmares. Nothing more."
"I understand. Wait- you do know he's planning on going home next weekend to visit, right? What are you going to do about the nightmares then?"
I can feel my heart drop into my stomach. He never told me he was planning on going home. What was I going to do without him there? "Um, he never told me," I responded to Charlie.
"Oh," he goes wide-eyed. "Maybe he was just waiting on the right time."
I just nod my head, still trying to process it. We don't keep secrets, well, other than the fact that I have feelings for him. So why would he keep this a secret? Almost as soon as my thoughts start spiraling, the car door opens, revealing a smiling Owen. His smile fades once he sees the expression on my face.
"You okay?" he asks as he climbs in beside me.
"Um, can we talk once we get back?" I whisper back, and he nods. He hesitantly grabs my hand, and I hesitantly let him. Even though I'm kind of mad at him, I'm still a sucker for physical touch.
The whole car ride is pretty quiet, except for Sav's music. True to his word, Charlie doesn't say anything about the conversation we had previously.
When we get back to my room, Owen immediately pulls me down on the bed, with me facing him.
"What's wrong? You got me worried, Jenny," he says.
I get to the point. "Why didn't you tell me you were planning on going home next weekend?" His eyes immediately soften into concern and regret.
"I was going to tell you, Jenny, I swear. I just wanted to break the news softly because I know you don't like being alone at night. But trust me- I have a plan for that. Seriously, I am sorry. I told Charlie first just as an idea, and I just decided on it for sure yesterday. I was going to tell you today."
"I believe you, Owen. It just struck me off guard when Charlie brought it up. Although... what's this plan you're talking about?"
"That's for me to know, and for you to find out. It's not much, but I hope it'll help a bit. I'm not going to tell you what it is just yet, but I think you'll like it. I hope," he adds with a smile.
"I'm sure I will. I'm gonna miss you, though."
"I'm not going for another week, bugaboo. And it's only for a few days. And I promise to FaceTime." he says, holding up his pinky. I interlock mine with his.
"I'm sorry, I just don't like the idea of being without you," I say. "I know I'm clingy, you don't have to remind me."
"It's okay," he reassures me. "You'll have Charlie and Sav to keep you company. And you still have me for a week until I leave." He grabs my hand again and squeezes it.
"I guess so. But I am glad you get to go visit your family, I know you miss them," I say, a little solemnly, thinking about how I know my own family doesn't miss me.
"I do miss them," he admits. "But for the record, I'm pretty clingy too. I might miss you just as much as you'll miss me."
