LOTF: Before and After

Phase 3: Chapter 47

During the first week of Jack's return to Dalton, he was invited to two parties; one of which was a junior party. Any ninth or tenth grader who was in attendance would've had to receive an invite from someone in an older grade. These parties were hosted by popular kids for popular kids. Jack watched as his fame as a notorious teenage runaway laid the foundation for his newfound popularity. Sure, he'd always been one of the pretty boys, the ones half the female student body batted their eyelashes mercilessly at as he walked through the halls. But the island had done the very opposite for his social status. It made people weary of him, scared to say the wrong thing or to look at him the wrong way. Some worried that any mention of anything island, plane, or military school related might send him into a fit of rage or tears. The island made him a victim, but running away had resurrected his social status as a daredevil and a rebel.

The second Friday night since his return home was one of the first few nights that he hadn't been invited some place he didn't know with people he didn't care about. Jack loved being popular more than he loved those who made him popular. He didn't care enough to know the girls who swooned over him. He called all his supposed friends 'man' to avoid having to admit that he never bothered to learn their names. He was becoming consumed with himself, with who he was to them, and how much their own social statuses depended on his acceptance of them. But this wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, though Jack pretended not to realize it. Whether he'd admit it or not, he had been in this position before. Not here, but somewhere in the middle of nowhere; not now, but not so long ago.

Jack wouldn't have had the guts to admit this to any of his classmates, but he was relieved when he got the occasional night to himself, like tonight. Sitting atop the social hierarchy of the freshman class was a full time job, or so it felt like. Jack hardly ever got a moment to himself at school, not unless he excused himself to use the bathroom. Even at home, Paige coddled him a little too much the first week he was home. She'd bombarded him with questions every time he went to leave the house, squeezing every detail about where he was going and when he'd be back out of him.

But tonight, Paige was out having dinner with a classmate from her college to discuss a project they were working on together. And much to Jack's relief, his father would be working until at least 2130 hours, if not later. Jack had the stupidly large Merridew house to himself for once, and he planned on taking full advantage.

Jack made himself a bowl of popcorn, drizzling an arguably horrendous amount of melted butter over it. That, a plate of fruit salad, and a tall glass of ice water was all he needed before propping himself in front of the TV, turning on his 3DO gaming system. He wore nothing but briefs and a pair of freshly cleaned pyjama bottoms, his hair disorderly and free of product. He was comfortable; just him, his snacks and his controller.

Jack had been playing for maybe an hour, give or take ten or fifteen minutes, when he heard a knock at the door. He paused his game in a panic, lifting himself abruptly from his relaxed position on the couch. He remembered the last time someone came to his door unexpectedly in the night. He had stupidly opened it, and all the strength in his body was drained at the discovery of her identity. His mother. What if she was back? What if she somehow managed to show up at the worst possible time? Jack dismissed that thought as he realized there would never be a good time for her to show up. He sat in silence, frozen in fear, as he hoped that whoever was out there would just go away. But that hope vanished as the door was pounded on again, rather aggressively, Jack noted. The intense banging continued, and Jack's panic festered like a disease inside him.

Jack reluctantly stood up, and stepped slowly and quietly out into the front entryway. He wasn't tall enough to see out the peephole, which had led him to opening the door for his mother all those weeks ago. He had no idea what he was going to do if it was her banging on the door now. Paige wasn't here to take control of the situation. Jack thought about his classmates, how if they'd been here with him, he would have a much braver face on right now. But here, by himself, as the deja vu pierced his damaged heart, he couldn't feel a brave bone in his body.