The Best Part of Me -Jack Avery Fanfic.

Chapter 4

"When's your mom supposed to be getting home again?" Jonah asks as he's making us something to munch on.

"In three more days." I answer. "Why? You already tired of babysitting me?"

"No. Never, Addy." He shakes his head. "You know I'm always here for you. Even if it's to "babysit" you."

I smile to myself a bit as Cortez's ears stand at attention. There's a knock on the door but he stays where he is; stationed at my feet.

"I'll get it." I stand up and answer the door so that Jonah doesn't have to leave the stove.

I open it up to find Jack standing there with something in his hand.

"Um... hey. Jonah's just in the kitchen." I motion for him to come in.

"I'm not here for Jonah." Jack shakes his head sheepishly. "I wanted to stop by to see you."

I purse my lips in surprise. He hasn't come around for a few days. Not since I told him everything. It wasn't something unexpected. What is is that he's come back for me like this.

"Oh..." I look down at his shoes, then back up to his dark eyes. "Well... uhm..."

I step back and let him in.

Tez sniffs at Jack as he sits with me at the round dining table where I know Jonah can see us. Jonah smiles when he sees Jack with me and gives Jack one of those "hi bro" nods.

"So I uh, I found this in my stuff and thought you might want it back..." Jack puts down this small box and I reach over cautiously, half anticipating to have my arm snatched. I take the box and open it.

I feel a warmth in my chest that I haven't felt in a long time when I see the piece of dark-green sea-glass.

There's nothing inheriantly special about it. I'm sure there's billions out there like it. There's no defining marks or shape or anything. Still, Jack held onto it.

I remember back when it was found. Where I came from, our beaches are mostly rough sand and rock and we barely ever find any sea-glass or shells other than those belonging to mussles, clams, or round snails. So when Jack took me for a walk on one of their sun-bleached beaches, I was soo excited to have found the little green spot in the soft bed of glittering sand.

I remember how he chuckled at me and told me that there's a beach here that's practically flooded with this stuff, but that didn't change the pride I had to have found it. So I pocketed it and took it home and even carried it in my pocket for good-luck.

That was before we decided to date. We were just two friends who had met at school and clicked. It was my last year of school when I moved here, and the boys's too before they ultimatly left to persue their music.

"I forgot about it." I give him a little smile. "You kept it all that time."

He nods, a blush colouring his lightly-freckled cheeks. It's adorable the way he looks away all embaressed.

"Thank you, Jack." I'm soo touched by it that I feel tears prickle behind my eyes.

I take it out and flip it between my fingers; rubbing my thumb over the smoothed surface at the happy memory. I haven't remembered any fond memories for a while.

Jonah sets a plate down in front of me, points at it, and gives me the "look."

Everytime I hang with him he makes me eat. That's because the first time he seen me after everything (which was at my re-trial) I was just skin and bones. I had lost so much weight that my features had all sunken and my hair started thinning from eating barely anything.

When I was with Jack, though, I always had a bit of extra. Not too much, but enough that I was self-conscious to wear anything that showed my tummy. But it was okay. I thought it was okay because none of my friends made fun of me for it.

But I was made fun of with Kyle. He'd torment me about it all the time. I was never good enough for him. In the end all I ever did was to try and please him and even then it was never enough. I was never enough.

"Addy?"

I look up to Jack and realize I've zoned out. He watches me, concerned.

I tilt my head and pick up my fork. Jonah made one of those oven-ready lasangas.

"Sorry. Just got lost in thought."

He nods, still with worry in his face.

I pick at my plate, only about half making me feel full, then another quarter to top it off. If I eat anymore than that I know I'll end up sick.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come for a drive with Sydnie and I today." He ruffles his short hair and a small flicker of an insecure frown pulls at his lips.

It's soo odd to me to see Jack lacking his usual spunky confidance. He was never so awkward when he spoke to me. There was barely any hesitation. There was barely a second thought before he said anything.

I worry that maybe it's because he's afraid of me. Maybe he still wants to try to be close with me, but he's scared of what I've become. I don't blame him if he is. I am too.

Cortez stands up and nudges his big round head onto my lap, making me break a smile and pet him.

"I'll go."

The smile that spreads across Jack's perfect face is genuine. The flash of his bright teeth making my heart throb.

Cortez lets out a bit of a whine and pulls at my leg, looking up expectantly. He wants me to let him up on my lap. I pick up my dishes and then Jack lets Jonah know we're gonna be going for a drive.

"You're not taking your puppy?" Jack asks, surprized as I follow to the door without him.

"He's shedding right now..." I trail. Tezzy, who's sitting there patiently, pats his tail on the ground lighty.

"That's alright. I can have the car cleaned." Jack says, watching me watching my dog. "It's not a big deal."

So I reach up and grab Tez's leash and working haress.

"Man, that dog's cute. Y' know, when he doesn't want to chew off my hand." Jack comments, making my giggle. "What kind is he anyway?"

"A bull terrier." I answer, straightening up. "Shoulda seen him when he was just a tiny puppy."

I had taken a course while in prison on dog-training. It was my worker's idea. In that class, they had brought in this batch of little puppies. There was only five of us, and so they had brought in six puppies twice a week and we'd teach them basic commands and what not. I got to work with Cortez and when I got out and they suggested a support dog, I knew I wanted to see if the breeder still had my puppy.

She did and I brought home Cortez and went to "mandatory" training with him. It was mandatory because then my parole officer would just check in with me there.

I sit in the passenger seat until we pick up Sydnie. Then I insist on siting in the back with Cortez.

Sydney's soo happy to see me. We had got along really well before. She doesn't know what happened. She did try to reach out to me, but I never replied back to any of her calls or messages.

It's nice to go out with them. Sydnie acts as if there was no time lost between us. Like the past two and a half years never happened. She talks to me with such ease, catching me up on all her adventures and how much she's missed me. It's such a fresh breath of air.