Annoying prick. {rewritten}

Chapter 9

Walking by jacks side was an experience I could only describe as odd. It felt like everyone was both staring at me but trying to avoid staring at me.

People instantly scurried to the side when we passed, they let us through and tried to keep their eyes to themselves.

"You have quite the reputation already don't you?" I asked glancing at a group of terrified men.

I saw the corner of jacks lip twitch up into a small smile. "I mean I've always been somewhat of an attention grabber. I've just got an atmosphere sugar."

I cringed at the word sugar but gave a polite nod. "You are quite the charismatic man."

I could feel his eyes on me and I self consciously brushed some of my hair out of my face.

"Damn I was hoping that wouldn't scar that badly-" he commented gazing down at me.

I instantly knew he was referring to the scar cutting through my eyebrow. I clenched my hands together. "It used to look a lot nastier. Modern medicine is pretty great."

He looked away a slightly irritated look on his face and I could see him fiddling with a ring. There was a thick silence as we made it to the door.

I instantly typed the code in and stepped out onto the balcony. It was a little chilly but just being here with jack in our spot again was an adrenaline rush.

He held out his hand and I looked at him weirdly for a second. He raised his eyebrow so I hesitantly placed my hand in his. I could see his ears flush a light pink and felt a cigarette in his palm.

I instantly took the cigarette and felt my face turn pink in embarrassment while he started to laugh.

"I'm sorry- I didn't see the cigarette so I was confused...I didn't mean to do that." I blurted turning away from him.

"So your first instinct when someone just holds their hand out is to put yours in it?" He questioned chuckling.

"No! Normally I don't touch people at all-" I shouted fumbling with my lighter.

"But you'll touch me?" He continued lighting a cigarette of his own.

I lifted my own to my lips and inhaled deeply not responding.

He grinned. "I'm just giving you a hard time, also has anyone ever told you your hands are fucking freezing, it was like if I held an ice cube."

"I've never let anyone hold my hands so no I haven't really heard that before."

"Wow, not a single person?"

I looked him in his Mitch-matched eyes. "Other than you now, not a single person. Remember I don't like people?"

He took a big inhale and let out a stream of smoke. "You haven't changed a bit."

"Neither have you, but how much can a person change in a few weeks." I commented glancing at glowing embers of my almost burnt out cigarette.

I could feel his eyes on me again. It was weird having him stare at me so much. When we used to share an office his eyes were always on his screen. Now they were on me and it made me uneasy.

"You really didn't handle me disappearing well did you?" He asked abruptly.

I glanced up at him and smiled sadly. "No I didn't. I remember trying to stay up that first night..I waited for that office door to open but it never did. I thought you might've died."

"Me? Die? As if." He blurted cockily.

I didn't respond and his posture changed. He stepped closer and I tensed up.

"I didnt think it would affect you much, you just always seemed so...I don't know distant." He confessed.

My eyes stung and I looked away. "For once I had a friend. You took care of me and listened to me and you always had such a carefree attitude. I didn't care at first but you...you were just you."

I sucked in a shaky breath and continued.

"You were the first person on this stupid space station to even try to get and know me. It was nice. Then we almost died and you made sure I was okay first before you went to do your own thing...it was nice to have someone who cares about me."

My eyes returned to jacks slightly flustered but also awestruck face. I ran a hand through my hair and cleared my throat.

"You were always so quiet when we worked together, I thought I was just that annoying coworker you put up with because you had to. God I was an idiot." He muttered placing his face in his hands.

"No no- I'm just incredibly difficult to read! Don't blame yourself." I told him placing a hand on his shoulder.

He looked down at me and smiled a tiny bit. "You are very hard to read....what are you thinking right now?"

I paused.

"About how anxious I am but also how glad i am that your not dead."

He was about to say something else when my echo started beeping. I glared at it angrily.

"Do you need to go?" Jack questioned lightly.

"I think I might have to..." I replied dismayed to have my time cut short.

He straightened up, I could see that his face was flushed under his mask and he had a small smile.

"I'm really sorry." I blurted.

"About what?"

"Being so angry, yelling at you, being all weird out here, just all of it."

He let out a small laugh. "It's so weird to see you let down some of those walls. Don't apologize."

I fiddled with my fingertips as I nodded.

"I want to see you again...are you free after work tomorrow?" He asked firmly.

My heart stopped and I had to take a minute before nodding quickly. "Uh yes I am...what time?"

"Five o clock meet me right here." He explained before straightening his hair and stepping toward the door.

I was slightly suprised and stood there like an idiot. "Uh yeah okay see you then-"

He smirked before sliding back into Helios and leaving me confused and dazed on the balcony.