A Spotlight Summer (Jack Gilinsky)

Chapter Sixteen

Jack POV

"You're seriously inviting me to a party?" Kelsey's surprised voice filled my ears.

"No, it's not like that. It's just an informal get together with like ten people." I reassured her.

"Who are these ten people? Where is it? What is the dress code?"

I fought back a smile at her endless questions. Two weeks have gone by since the Nash incident and even though Kelsey's face may have healed, I could tell she was not fully better. I only catch it in flashes at certain times, but I know it's there.

"It's just gonna be some of the guys, Johnson, Sam, Cam, and then a few other girls. Sam might be bringing Janelle but who knows with those two. Come on, it will be fun."

"Jack..."

"I won't leave your side I promise."

"Fine." Kelsey admitted defeat.

The past couple of weeks have been incredible; when Kelsey and I were not together, we were on the phone, and when we were not on the phone, we were constantly thinking about the other.

"I'll pick you up around eight." I told her.

"Ok. Wait! Did you ask them if I could come?" Kelsey urgently asked.

I laughed at her paranoia. "Kelsey it's implied that you will be coming, I mean you are my..." I went silent. I stopped myself from what I was going to say-I was about to proclaim Kelsey as my girlfriend; a topic which we haven't really discussed it yet.

"Right. Of course. See you later!" Kelsey hung up the phone.

I guess I stayed silent for too long.

It's not that I didn't want Kelsey to be my girlfriend-just the thought of another guy anywhere near her makes me want to punch something. I just haven't gotten around to asking her yet.

"So she's gonna come?" Johnson asked from his usual spot on my bed.

I turned back toward him and nodded, my mind still focused on the embarrassing mishap that just happened.

"You know, these awkward situations are going to keep occurring until you finally make it official. I mean how much longer do you expect her to wait Jack?" Johnson asked.

I sighed and responded, "I don't know. I just don't want to mess anything up. What if she freaks out at the title? Everyone knows we're a thing, so making her my girlfriend isn't really a big deal."

"Ok, well while you try to reassure yourself with that bullshit statement, I'll tell you what you're really thinking. Do you really only want people to know that you two are a 'thing'? When people say that, it still technically makes those two people single. So if one were to, I don't know, infatuate Kelsey for a night and she wound up hooking up with him, she could so do that because you have somehow lost the balls to just make her your girlfriend."

"Kelsey would never get with some asshole she just met." I said through my teeth.

"...Jack how long was it before you two kissed?"

Anger bubbled through my chest. "Don't. Don't act like me and her are the same thing as that scenario you just described. And don't go around insinuating that Kelsey is some common whore who hooks up with random people."

"Once again you are missing the point of my lecture."

"Maybe you should stop lecturing me then." I said in a huff.

"Is this the part where you storm out of the room and go curse the American law because you can't have a beer?" Johnson teased.

"This is my bedroom." I stated simply.