last summer - jack gilinsky

nineteen

i woke up the next morning to see jack still in bed, also asleep. elsewhere, i could hear sam laughing.

july 21st, 2014

"dude, that's sick!" a boy laughed. i turned around to see what the commotion could be, seeing a tall boy with a hat on laughing at one of his friends who had just eaten a handful of sand.

"he's cute." julie grinned, nudging me. "and he's looking over here."

i looked over again and sure enough, he was biting his lip and looking over.

you're in high school now, rose. time to do something new. i rose to my feet and watched as julie's jaw dropped while i walked over to the group of boys.

"hi, i noticed you've been staring." i said confidently, acting as if it bothered me.

"oh, no, uh —"

"i'm rosalina." i reached my hand out, his face scrunching in confusion before he shook my hand.

"sam."

"so, did you tell him to eat that sand?"

i peeked out of the window, seeing jack j and nate as well as sam sitting out near the pool, all watching a video on nate's phone. sam was laughing hysterically, while nate grinned like an idiot.

july 21st, 2014 — night

"you know, you're a really cool girl." sam laughed as we walked side by side away from the santa monica pier.

"why thank you." i laughed. our hands brushed and he took my hand into his, causing my heart rate to increase.

"really. i mean that."

we both stopped in our tracks and he leaned in, our lips meeting gently.

i headed down the stairs, wearing only jack's t shirt. i slipped outside, the sound of the door opening causing all three boys to look up.

"hey sammy, can i talk to you?" i requested, jack j raising his eyebrows.

"yeah, sure." he said, standing up and walking inside. i head into the hallway, where no one could see us.

"do you think about it? when you see me?" i blurted out.

"the fact that i let you go? yes, all of the time, rosie. i'm fuckin' sorry, okay?" he began to rant. "i was young, and stupid, but it kills me to see you with anyone else. i love you."

it felt as if my heart was being ripped from my chest when the three words slipped from his mouth again. this time, we weren't in bed. this time he was saying it from his heart.

October 1st, 2014

"i think i love him." i said to julie as i finished the last curl in my hair.

"tell him tonight!"

i smiled at my reflection, waiting for the moment sam would arrive.
-
"what's going on in your head?" sam asked, running his hands through my hair.

"i.. i love you, sam." i confessed, pulling the covers to my chest and sitting up, searching his face for a response.

"you do?"

"yes. i do, and -"

he cut me off by pressing his lips to mine. "i love you too." he said.

-

"say something rose." sam begged, looking at me.

"i don't know what to say." i whispered. "sammy.."

i reached up and cupped his cheek, his hand following mine and holding my wrist gently.

"i don't know why you're with him." sam said harshly, stepping back from me. "i could treat you so much better."

jack j's pov

i snuck to where i heard their voices, hiding behind a wall across the hall from where they were standing.

"treat me better?" rose scoffed.

"jack will probably be back with madison next week!" sam said, taking a step closer to her. i prepared myself to intervene in case he wanted to lay a hand on her.

"don't say that."

"it's the truth, rosalina."

rose stood there in silence, a tear streaking down her cheek.

"i need time to think." she attempted to walk by him but he stepped in front of her and slammed his lips down against hers.

that's when i went back outside. i'm not getting involved in this shit, too.

rose's pov

"sammy i-" i pulled away quickly, my lips tingling.

"think."

this time, he walked off and went back outside, leaving me to attempt to process what just happened.

i didn't cheat on jack. we are not technically together. he never asked me to be his girlfriend.

i repeated those three sentences in my head over and over again as i walked up the stairs to our room. jack was still asleep, his chest rising and falling with each breath he took. how would i feel if madison kissed jack?

heartbroken.

i loved sammy, but i love jack.