If I Stay✔️

65

J A C K

"I can't hear anything."

I press my ear harder against my bedroom door. There was still little to no sound, only muffled voices that I couldn't distinguish. Pulling back with a disappointed sigh, I turn my head, my eyes falling on my siblings, all four of them.

We'd chosen my room for one simple fact: out of all our bedrooms, mine was closest to the stairs. It seems like it was the wrong choice now, though (not that we had another). Knowing Alex, and Grey for that matter, one of them would have no doubt closed the dinning room and kitchen doors, making it almost impossible for us to eavesdrop.

My eyebrows furrow, an incredible amount of annoyance bubbles in my gut as I look at Lily and Kaden. They'd made themselves very comfortable, possibly a little too comfortable; both spread across my nice, fresh, clean, white bedspread with their shoes on... how disrespectful. They paid no attention to my wholehearted glare, too engrossed in their ridiculous game of thumb wars to notice. Fucking children.

What kind of animals put their dirty shoes on the bed? A nice, clean, fresh, white bed for that matter.

Killian, my favourite sibling in this moment, sat on the floor, silently. He remained respectful, clean socks on his shoeless feet, his back pressed against the the edge of the bed and knees to his chest with his face buried in a book, as usual. He wasn't as invested in our current plan as Ace and I, too innocent and naive; he believed that Zac would fill us in on whatever Carter had to say.

I believed that, too. But I also believed that Zac wouldn't share the whole story, only that parts he felt we could cope with. I respected Zac a whole lot, but when it came down to things concerning Leo, I didn't agree with the way he chose to handle things. We weren't small fragile dolls that wouldn't shatter if he shared the truth.

I was worried for Leo. I've never seen Carter so anxiously worked up, I don't know what could've happened between the two of them for Carter's main emotion to be fear rather than his stupid happy go lucky attitude, or anger.

When Car told us that Leo had asked to see him today, part of me felt relieved. Whilst I was still, somewhat, jealous that he had been Leo's first choice (except for Ace, I still don't understand why Leo would ever choose Ace), I knew that if anyone could keep things carefree, fun and light for Le, then Car would wholeheartedly be the best choice. Now... now I'm doubting my own mind.

What the fuck happened?

Ace nudges me, pulling me from my thoughts, effectively (and sadly) reminding me that he's here, too. From the second we'd entered my room and I'd enlisted myself to be the ears of the operation, Ace had decided to press himself as close as physically possible to me, claiming that four ears are better than two.

Idiot.

"You're not doing it right," Ace stupidly exclaims, further pulling my attention to him. "You suck. Move," he insults then commands, shoving me away from the door with his shoulder as he proceeds to take my previous spot.

I raise an eyebrow, clenching my jaw to hold back the wave of annoyance I feel. "I suck? If I can't hear—" He smirks and cuts me off mid sentence. "Yes, you suck. I'm sure if I ask—"
No, no, no, no, no.

"— Shut up."

"Ask who?" Kaden pipes in, stopping mid thumb war to wiggle his eyebrows at me. "Jack!" He gasps, "Do you have a girlfriend? One that you haven't told your favourite brother about?" Kade holds his chest in mock hurt.