A Spotlight Summer (Jack Gilinsky)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jack POV

“Kels, you look great. If we don’t leave now, we’re going to be late.” I pressured Kelsey. The usual worried look was painted across her features as she stood wavering in front of the mirror, running her fingers through her hair and smacking her lips together.

“I know, I know. Just one second.” Kelsey huffed. She leaned forward and opened her eyes really wide, searching for any imperfection that would suddenly pop out on her face.

“She’s your best friend; I don’t think she’ll care if your eyeliner is perfect.”

Kelsey rolled her eyes at my statement and replied, “Typical guy. I don’t care what she thinks of it, I just want to make sure I look alright.”

Finally, Kelsey moved away from the mirror and looked at me with an anxious expression. Ever since her ‘revelation’ to me in the pool, she has been acting slightly different.

She thought it was subtle enough that I wouldn’t notice.

I did.

These past three days, there seemed to be a crushing weight on her shoulders that she refused to acknowledge, at least to me. I didn’t want to pressure her into telling me something that she wasn’t ready to tell me, but I don’t know how much longer I can last in the dark.

I desperately want that crease in-between her eyebrows to disappear.

I reached out, laced my fingers with hers, and led her out of my house and to my car.

The ride was silent, so I decided to fill the void.

“How long is she staying again?” I asked.

Kelsey snapped out of her daze and turned to me. “A week.”

“At least there’s the carnival tonight. She’s coming at the right time.” I continued.

Kelsey smiled, but once again, it did not reach her eyes.

Conflicted, I battled whether I should ask her what is bothering her or not.

“Do you think she’ll get along with the guys?” Kelsey worriedly asked.

“I’m sure she will.”

“I don’t know. I mean, Johnson is a lovesick puppy who doesn’t even smile anymore, Sam is probably going through Janelle withdrawals, and Cameron is just well, Cam. I don’t know, I’m just nervous.” Kelsey stopped speaking.

I stayed silent because I could tell that she wasn’t finished.

“This world, my world here is not like my world back home. I can’t explain it because I barely understand it myself. I don’t know how I suddenly was able to live this entirely different life here with you and Fiona and Johnson and everyone. It’s just…bizarre sometimes. And Jessa coming, I don’t know. I don’t think I’m the same person here as I am when I’m back home.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, not quite understanding where she was going.

“At home, I am the smart girl. Jessa and I both are. We are the girls who graduated top of our class, always excelling at anything related to academics. We aren’t spontaneous, we don’t hang out with guys, we don’t go to parties, we don’t do anything like that. And now I’m here and somehow I have turned into this person who breaks into football fields and goes fishing and camping and to parties and I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable.”

“So… are you saying you don’t like the person you are down here?” My voice stung.

The thought had been in my mind ever since the pool and I can’t seem to shake it. Was I just her person to entertain her for the summer?