Confessions of a Teenage Alcoholic

Chapter 36

*Short but this one and 37 were written together, you'll see why i disconnected them*

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"Hey sweetie." My mum says to Jackson, not even acknowledging me yet.

"Hi it's nice to see you." He smiles and my dad walks over to me, shopping in his hands as he places groceries on the side

"This looks good Ives." He says, stirring the pot for me.

"Thank you, it's almost ready. I'll lay up the outside table yeah?" I ask and he smiles a nod at me.

"How are you Jackson?" My dad asks as I turn around to see my mum pull poor Jackson into a hug. I sort of loved how much they loved him.

Despite everything, they really cared about him. And it was so nice.

"I'm good. Really good actually." He replies and he's not lying, sincerity laced his words and my body warms at the fact he is in fact doing ok.

"How was your match?" My dad asks and I turn back around, letting them talk and combining all my different ingredients together, so to let that simmer on a really low heat as I grab some placemats and cutlery for outside.

When I get outside I place everything down and just take a deep breath, letting low sun hit my skin and I breathe it out slowly, I want him here so much, I just, its hard him being here.

"Hey." Jackson makes me jump and I laugh at his own shocked face, in reaction to my little gasp.

"You scared me."

"I'm sorry." He chuckles and then spreads the cutlery out so it was placed around the table. "You told your mum then?" He says quietly, continuing our conversation despite my parents coming back and being like 10 ft away from us.

"Yeah, sorry."

"No, I wasn't-" He says and I just look at him confused, I just, what does he want me to say?

"Do yous want some lemonade?" My mum calls out to us and I just send Jackson a smile and walk back in.

"I've got it don't worry, go sit down." I say to her and she just throws her hands up in surrender as a pour everyone a glass and then start dishing the pasta into bowls for everyone.

Carrying two at a time, Jackson comes in and helps me bring the drinks out, managing to hold all four at once.

Jeez. Skills.

"Thanks Ives it actually looks good." He smirks over at me as we all sit in the garden and I just glower at him.

My mum picks up on the 'actually' and Jackson explains the whole baking mishap and the rest of dinner falls into comfortable, light conversation. My heart happy for him to be here, full as my parents are so bloody kind to him.

The evening goes on and he makes no move to leave, even when I excuse myself to go grab a jumper, he stays sat with my parents in the garden, listening to the music my mum had put on and just easily chatting away.

I grab a jumper for him as well, the air had gotten chilly and well, I have at least two of his hoodies.

So just in case he's cold.

I can hear their laughter as I walk back down stairs and it is one of the best sounds. Opening the door back up and sending a soft smile at Jackson as he meets my eyes.

"That was quick." He says and I just toss him his hoodie as I take my seat.

"If you want it."