Stay ≫ Jack Gilinsky

chapter fifty three - figure something out

I happily welcome Hayes in and he takes a seat at the table whilst I walk around the room, pretending to tidy up but in reality, just avoiding conversation.

"I miss you" he mumbles.

I realise that escaping conversation seems to be out of the question today so I take a seat opposite him.

"I miss you too, just please, if you came in here to talk to me about Jack. Can it wait? I've already had two confrontations about it today and I'm not ready for a third"

Hayes chuckles, "okay drama queen, I didn't come here to talk about him".

"Well then, you are officially my only friend as of right now" I laugh.

Hayes leans back victoriously, "it was bound to happen lets be honest, I'm the loyal one"

I genuinely laugh for what seems like the first time in ages and it feels nice to forget about everything.

We talk about the most random things for around an hour before someone walks in and I realise I had left the door open after Hayes.

"Okay, what did I do? Everyone's giving me evil looks" Jack walks in rolling his eyes.

A weird feeling churns inside of me at the sight of him. However, I am more than happy at his layed back manner.

I look over to Hayes awkwardly and expect him to shoot Jack the same look that he had described, but he just laughs.

It seems as though Hayes is the only one who accepts Jack and isn't trying to get me away from him. He is a good friend.

"You can chill up here with the rest of the rejects" Hayes replies.

"What did you guys do to piss everyone off?" Jack says whilst taking the seat next to me.

"I kissed you" I say abruptly which causes both of them both to burst in to fits of laughter.

"Seriously?" Jack says in between laughs, "that's why they're mad?"

"Apparently. Andrea was giving me attitude and Sammy yelled at me"

"Then I yelled at Sammy for yelling at Sarah" Hayes says and I look at him shocked.

"Hayes, you didn't tell me that" I say.

"You didn't have to do that" I add.

"Yeah I did, he was being a dick" Hayes shrugs, "he's just in love with you and can't handle the fact that you don't feel the same".

I ignore the comment and we continue the conversation, diverting from the fact that everyone on the bus hates us.

I start scrolling through my phone, replying to comments and tweets when I come across Sammy's tweet from five minutes ago, he retweeted a text post:

A girl will go back to the same dude that fucked her over 100 times before admiting that a better one is standing right in front of her.

He writes "Lol I'm out" with it.

I notice Jack's clenched fist on the table resting near where I am holding my phone. I rub my hand gently over his to calm him, knowing that he probably wants to rip Sammy's head off right about now.

"I don't think that of you"

His clench softens and he looks at me kindly, "thank you".

Hayes leave shortly after, leaving Jack and I in a comfortable silence.

"Okay so there was something that I wanted to talk to you about" he says softly, looking straight at me.

I nod for him to continue and he looks down at his hands.

"Apparently the tour has gone bankrupt and Ken is just days away from shutting it down"

"Can't say I'm surprised, he's postponed like five events"

"No, I mean. What I'm trying to say is. Don't go back home when tour ends, we're just starting to work and I don't want to lose you now"

I look down to my hands, "Jack, I don't exactly have anywhere else to go"

He rests his hand on my thigh and ignores me.

"Come to LA, with me. Andrea's going to USC so you can stay with her for the rest of the summer. If you're comfortable with it then you could even stay with Johnson and I"

This is all too much to take in. My first time ever visiting California was around two weeks ago and it lasted all of 14 hours.

"Wait, I thought you were going to stay with Taylor after tour?"

"Yeah but thats not until school starts"

"You don't even go to school"

"Yeah but he does, he's transferring to a new one in September"

Jack looks like a kid in a candy store, his speech is rapid and it seems as though his though process is tripping over his words

"Okay so let me get this straight. Tour has gone to shit and now you're going to LA for the remainder of the summer before you go stay with Taylor and a bunch of other guys when school starts even though you don't go to school"

"Makes perfect sense" I say.

"And I want you to come"

Truth be told, Andrea had already offered me a place in her apartment for the last week of summer after tour before returning to school. However, I have a funny feeling that the offer has expired due to our current situation.

"I'll try my best, Andrea isn't so happy with me right now though"

Jack's childish grin fades and he moves his hand.

"I'm sorry, I know you don't like being rushed in to things. I'm also sorry if I put up any sort of wall between you and Andrea. It's probably my fault"

"She's mad at me, not you" I raise his chin with my hand.

"She's mad at you because she hates me" Jack rolls his eyes.

I pause for a minute and step back to review his offer about LA, and to be honest, something about it intrigues me. Maybe it's just Jack himself.

"I'll figure something out"

***

Author's note:

Sorry for the really long wait, I've been on vacation so it's been hard to get wifi. I'm starting to regain inspiration which is good because I was in a bit of a rut.

I love you all and thanks for all of your support as per usual xxx