On My Way • Why Don't We | ✓

twenty four

July 9, 2017 ; Denver, Colorado
Evelyn

I nervously pace outside of Jack's hotel room. The hallway echoes with my footsteps as they pad across the carpet.

I run through the possibilities. As soon as Jack returned to the hotel, he returned to his room in silence. His pained expression and lack of words rung throughout the group's silence. After staying shut in his room for hours, I decided to confront him, yet I can't bring myself to knock on the door.

"Hey," A soft voice finds me in the hallway, and I visibly jump.

"Daniel," I respond, surprised by his presence. After slipping past Nova, who has fallen silent the past few days, I hadn't expected anyone to find me.

"Do you," He motions toward the door, "Do you need to talk to him?"

I search for the proper words. After Jack confided in me, I restrained from sharing his worries without his permission, "I'm just worried."

"Why?" Daniel forces a smile, and I notice a pained expression crosses his face.

"He's hurting," I worry, "I just don't know how to talk to him. With you, it's always so easy, but this is new territory. I just want to know he's okay."

"He'll be okay; we're all here for him," Daniel attempts to sound confident, but his voice shakes, "I don't understand what happened . . . "

I shake my head, "He was worried this morning, about Elizabeth and all, and I think something happened: She hurt him."

"He should have talked to us," This time, Daniel begins pacing, "We're always there to talk to him. Why didn't he . . . "

I shake my head, "He needed to talk to someone out of the band. He was calling his mom, and I overheard. It's nothing personal, Daniel; he was stressed and worried."

Daniel falls silent at my words, and I worry that I said something wrong, but he just stares at the door, "Okay," I notice the quiet bitterness that has intertwined itself into his words, "But, we need to talk to him."

Before I can stop him, he knocks gently on the door. I rush to stop him, but to my surprise, the door swings open slowly.

"Oh," Jack stares at both of us dumbly. His eyes are red and puffy, and his hair is has lost its curl and is flattened against his head.

Shaking, I pull Jack into a hug without saying a word. He wraps his arms around my neck before letting go, "I'm okay," His voice shakes as he looks at me in the eyes.

"What happened?" Daniel asks quietly, and Jack shakes his head, stepping back for us to enter the room fully.

I shut the door quietly, and Jack sits down on the bed, sadness still evident on his face.

A heavy silence fills the room as we both wait patiently for Jack to gather his thoughts.

He stares at his lap for a long moment, "She cheated on me," He starts off shakily, "All this time, we've been talking, and she knew; she knew she loved him," A sob wracks throughout his body.

"I am so sorry," Daniel whispers, the words barely slipping past his lips.

"She deserves to be happy, but she should have told me. It would have been better than cruciating awkwardness. It would have been better than my hours spent worrying that I was the problem."

"I," I'm stunned as his words tumble down, "None of this is your fault. This entire situation is complicated, and we're always here for you. I hope you know that," Daniel wraps an arm around his friend, and the two of them sit in silence.

"You're a good guy," Daniel consoles, "You deserve a girl that makes you happy. Remember that."

"Thank you," Jack manages to chuckle quietly, "I was so wrapped up in the tour that I lost track of how much I can trust you guys."

"I'm just glad you're okay," Daniel responds, "Besides, I'm willing to share my best friend."

The three of us laugh. A knock surprises the three of us.

"Come in," Jack calls. He looks better than when we first stopped by his room. I rush to open the door, pulling it open. Three boys stand in the doorway, all of them with looks of worry etched on their face.

"You have company," I call to Jack, "I'll let you guys talk," I say while letting them in.

"Take care," I call before closing the door behind me, only hearing the muffled sound of chuckles and voices.

. . .

Jack

I stare at my four best friends, who look at me with looks of worry.

The painful ache that impedes upon my heart still remains, but I can smile as they mess around.

"Maybe, it's for the best," Corbyn chimes in. He settled down onto my bed shortly after arriving, and for past half hour, they've been trying to convince me that Elizabeth cheating was fate.

"Yeah, I mean once Jelena breaks up Selena will need a new man, and you won't be tied down," Zach nudges me, and I laugh at this.

"Ah, the Avery laughs," Jonah spins around in the office chair across from me, "We're always here, man."

"Thanks, guys. I couldn't do it without you," I murmur as our conversation winds down.

"You know," Daniel tells Corbyn, "You might need to talk to your girlfriend about her friends. No hate to Elizabeth, but I can't have anyone else breaking Jack's heart."

"Whoa, whoa, no hate to Christina, here," I quickly jump in, "And neither to Eliza. We're done, but she'll be happy with him, and I'll deal."

"Daniel has a point," Corbyn ignores my comment, "But, that means Nova, Evelyn, and River apply to the situation too. We need to start background checks."

"Sounds perfect," Zach agrees with the two.

"You're not so perfect," Jonah sings, spinning around once more.

"You're not so perfect, now," Corbyn and Daniel join in.

"Really, guys?" I shake my head.

"Hey, singing is good for the soul," Zach responds to my comment, and I raise both arms.

"Alright, alright."

"You're not so perfect," The five of us sing together.

"I got no time to deal with your negativity . . . " Zach begins his part, and my mind drifts away from the four boys surrounding me.

As lucky as I am to have such amazing friends, my heart still hurts. I liked Elizabeth, and I believed and hoped that maybe we would be something. Now that those dreams have been torn away from me, my heart continues to sink, and I can't help but wonder: Will I ever truly find someone?

Shaking that minuscule worry, I remind myself that Elizabeth was one girl, but the little worm remains implanted in the back of my head.

But, instead of dwelling on all the things I can't control, instead of dwelling on all the events that have already passed, I turn my attention to my four best friends and send my thanks to the wonderful people that have shaped my life.