Alcohol had definitely effected everyone differently.
Jordan and I were the perfect example.While I was sitting at the dining room table looking at the garage door, Jordan was dancing to some hit 2000s song in the living room and looking completely discombobulated as she did it.
Twenty seven minutes had passed since we both took our first sip and I couldn't help but keep my eyes fixed on the door waiting for James and Jack to pop their heads through and shout something completely uncalled for. I could tell Jordan didn't mind if they decided to show up or not because she was too deep into her music to feel anything.
I, on the other hand, grew more anxious each passing moment waiting for Jack to finally enter and see me.
My phone vibrated on the glass table scaring me a bit as I stared down at my dad's text message. Even after the heart to heart earlier my heart dropped just at my dad texting me. He always said everything can be said in a phone call since he was so against texting.
I clicked on the message and looking at the photo him and my mom had sent me. They both we standing in my room, it looked like everything I had packed they had willingly unpacked and even took it on themselves to cleaning my messy room. I smiled at the image and picking up my phone to text back just as soon as the garage door opened.
Shit.
I should've been watching it, now I'm completely caught off guard.
James entered first staring at his sister dance poorly in the living room while the music shook the pictures on the walls. He walked up to Jordan and began talking to her but she completely ignored him and now the two of them argued over the loud music. Jack walked in with a bag and the tip of a bottle poking out of it, he immediately ignored the two siblings arguing and made his way over to the dining room completely stunned to see me sitting here.
He didn't say anything at first just shuffled his eyes between me and my glass of unfinished wine and me again.
"So you're drinking now?" He then asked loud enough over the music, "Welcome to the dark side."
We both laughed as he pulled the bottle from the bag and picking up my glass drinking what was left in it and refilling it with the clear liquid. I watched him carefully as he did so making sure not to fill it completely up but enough to feel something. He turned back around to see Jordan and James now arguing over the remote before turning back to me and motioning for the door.
I let out a very silent shaky breath before getting up and grabbing my glass and following him towards the door. James and Jordan were to caught up in each other to even bother noticing us walking out. The music faded as I shut the door behind me and I felt like I had just given my eardrums freedom from the blasting music.
Jack led us to his car where we both sat on the hood of it. Usually the silence between us was comfortable, bearable at least, but this silence felt like there were words being thrown around but not being said. I suspected Jack's reaction to seeing me being a lot more dramatic.
I took a sip of my drink immediately dissatisfied with the taste, it wasn't at all what I expected it to be.
Jack noticed and took it upon himself to laugh a bit, "Don't drink just because everyone else is Charlie."
He motioned for the glass and I gladly gave it to him and he sipped the beverage as well without even a flinch. I probably would've applauded him if I didn't see it as a problem instead.
"Are you going to tell me why you're here or do you want me to guess?" He then asked.
"You can guess."
He looked down to me as I nervously fidgeted with my hands. Why was this suddenly the most apprehensive thing between us? Jack and I had been through too much for this one conversation to be so tension filled.
"You couldn't resist me so you knowingly missed your flight just to see my beautiful face one last time?" He then asked. I raised an eyebrow looking at the smirk on his face as I laughed a bit rolling my eyes playfully.
"I think it's you who can't resist me." I mutter making the smirk quickly turn into a sly smile as he shrugged his shoulders.
"At least I can admit it."
Jack took another sip from the glass as I watched him do so. He put the glass back on the hood of the car and letting the bitter taste settle in.
"My dad thinks deep down you're a good person, that we're all just confused teenagers trying to figure it out." I trailed off, "Except I think I had it figured out. Everything that I've been doing, the way I've been acting have only aided to a lifestyle that I didn't even know I could live. I mean, sitting on this car drinking is about the most normal thing that has happened between us these past months. And I know that you're a good person, I just need you to tell me that I'm not being crazy thinking that it can finally be normal for once. No more sneaking or hiding, no more secrets from anyone."
We now sat in silence as Jack processed all that I had just said. Once again, a very uncomfortable sitting.
"Charlie there's a fine line between being crazy and noticing how everyone reacts to you being sensible." He muttered looking into the dark garage, "This isn't a lifestyle, this is you being a teenager and being conflicted between what you want versus what your dad wanted. If this is the most normal we're going to get then I want it, cause even this has its pros."
I look up to him, "You mean other than the One direction song playing from the house?"
We both laughed a bit knowing Jordan and James were probably still arguing over the song choices made so far.
"That's the least normal thing this night." He then added. I sighed quietly leaning my head into Jack's arms as his hand now firmly gripped the inside of my thigh, I had still gotten the same feeling from every other time we touched.
He took another sip from the glass almost empty now. No intimate touching, no hidden sexual innuendos, and it almost felt like things were when we had first met.
Too subtle to act upon but to vibrant to ignore.
"Welcome home Charlie."
