ON SET | FACK

FOURTEEN

RECAP:
"i don't think i can stay with you guys in the apartment. at least for a couple days."

jaeden made a confused face, shaking his head. "what?"

"i think i'm gonna stay with mama roo in her hotel room. not for long! just a couple nights. i need to, just, get my feelings under control."

"what do you mean by 'get your feelings under control', though?"

jack shrugged, his eyes softening. "i don't want them."

"you can't stop your feelings. that's not how it works. and we're filming a tv show here. what about andy? he wants you and finn spending time together."

"i know we need to work on the chemistry part, but-"

"you guys already have that chemistry; i know you do, we all do. that's why you and finn were cast as richie and eddie in the first place."

at that moment, a firework erupted above them. jack heard his name being called, and looked behind him to see finn motioning him to come over.

"come join us! you guys are slow pokes."

the two rushed to join the others, and jack shimmied in between finn and chosen. finn resorted to pulling jack onto his lap.

it caught jack by surprise, but he easily cuddled into finn. finn placed his head on jack's shoulder and wrapped his arms around him, watching the fireworks up above. jack turned to his right, making immediate eye contact with jaeden; jaeden gave him a sad smile, mouthing one word to him:

"chemistry."

☆゜*・:+* 。 *゜☆

MONDAY, JUNE 22nd, 2020.

☆゜*・:+* 。 *゜☆

andy had agreed to let jack stay with his mama for a few nights.

jack had pulled andy to the side after the fireworks, asking him for a couple days by himself, not with the others in the apartment. it took a little while, but eventually, after mumbling endless excuses, jack got what he wanted, and andy reluctantly agreed to give him time to himself.

he joined the others as they piled into the car, positioning themselves in the same seating arrangements as before. this time, it was dark out, so they could barely make out where they were going; low street lights guided them to their seats.

they were all tired, several of them sunburned, and generally high on life. they had a perfect day, (or at least, some of them did) and they all blindly buckled their seatbelts and engaged in a pointless conversation about sophia's past experiences with waterparks. jack wasn't really paying attention.

however, everyone miraculously went quiet when andy took out his phone to make a quick phone call.

jack knew it was his mom on the other side of line. he cringed internally as he heard andy discussing how jack would be going back to the hotel for a little bit, as barbara started up the van.

jack looked down at his lap; he felt embarrassed. he didn't want the others to think it was their fault he wasn't going to be staying with them (even if it was just for a couple days), even though it partly was their fault.