Status: Completed
Fracture
thirteen.
"Then he confessed his undying love for me and proposed right there!" Natalie told me dramatically as she slipped her skirt off and wiggled into flannel pajama shorts.
"Stop bullshitting," I rolled my eyes and pulled a pint of Ben & Jerry's from the freezer that had been miraculously untouched.
"You said recap," She shrugged with a smirk, "I just thought I'd give you something a little more exciting."
"What really happened?" I asked, dragging a blanket from my bunk and walking to the lounge.
A few seconds later Natalie walked in with cookie dough pieces and sat down next to me on the couch, opening the box and nibbling on one.
"It's really a lot less exciting than your night. And besides, I think yours is the one we need to focus on," She offered the box to me, "I'm leaving in a few days, you'll be here 2 more months."
"I don't know what else there is to talk about, Nat," I smiled and accepted the candy.
"Was he a good kisser? Did it feel right? What happened after?" She rattled the questions off quickly.
"Yes, yes, and not much," I shrugged, turning my attention to the television.
"Oh Christ, Emily," She grabbed the remote from my hand, "I know you don't want to make some huge deal out of it, but you're underplaying it a bit, don't you think?"
I focused on nibbling the small piece of chocolate and cookie dough in my fingers, "I don't know, Nat. I just want this to be different, ya know? I took Jordan and I so seriously that I don't want to end up biting the dust because of it again."
"Jordan was a douchebag," Natalie shook her head, "Don't be worried about that shit happening again. You can't be so afraid of falling for someone!"
I bit my lip, "I just don't want to hurt that much again."
Natalie put the remote and candy down, "Emily, look... I don't think Jack's the kind of guy to screw you over. I know I've only known the kid for a few days, but the way John talks about him isn't the way I remember people talking about Jordan. That kid was bad news from the beginning. I think this kid is worth a shot, and denying him that because of an asshole who screwed you over like a year ago just isn't fair."
I took a deep breath, "I guess you're right."
Truthfully, I still didn't think it was a good idea. At the end of my junior year, my boyfriend at the time, Jordan, had cheated on me. She wasn't just some girl, she was the captain of the cheerleading team and a completely slutty bimbo. He couldn't even find someone of quality to screw around with.
I knew I should give Jack the benefit of the doubt, but it was much easier said than done. I couldn't be that embarrassed and hurt again. No relationship seemed worth it.
***
But Jack was persistent, if anything. He spent a good amount of time on our bus the next couple of days, and I couldn't ignore the fact that he was undeniably sweet and thoughtful. He was always making me laugh, and I couldn't help but open up to him.
We talked about everything; music, our childhoods, our favorite things and even our rocky relationship records. I couldn't deny it: Jack was no Jordan. And when I'd surprised myself and spilled all the details of our breakup, he had told me of all the people on earth, I was the last to deserve being treated like that.
It was those days, the last that Natalie was on tour in July, that I knew Jack was going to be a staple of the summer. Of course at the time I had no idea how he'd be a staple in my life in ways I couldn't even think up. But I truly started to believe Natalie's words, and I started to give Jack a shot.
***
"Last night on Warped Tooooour," Natalie sang as she shook me awake.
"Shut up," I covered my ears and rolled away from her.
"You're lame. Get your ass up," She pulled the blankets away.
"Jeez, Nat. You really know how to sweet talk a girl," I retorted, rubbing my eyes and yawning.
"People have always said that," She shrugged and smiled, grabbing hold of my ankles and beginning to pull me out of the bunk.
I started kicking my out of her grasp, the both of us cracking up the whole time.
"If I didn't like the two of you I'd be pretty pissed right now!" Pat whined from his bunk and pulled the curtain shut.
Natalie and I made eye contact and silently knew what was on both of our minds. I slid out of bed and the two of us tip-toed over to Pat's bunk, throwing back the curtain and attacking him. He started screaming like a preschool girl, before finally surrendering and cursing at us.
"He's feistier than you'd think," John laughed from his own bunk, stretching the best he could in the crammed space.
Natalie walked over and leaned into his bunk, "Are you going to spend the day at the tent?"
She was already dressed and showered, ready to tackle the day. She'd always been a morning and night person. It was like she never ran out of battery.
"Only for you," He smiled at her sleepily.
"Thanks, Johnny!" I rolled my eyes.
"Emily, I've already admitted how much I endlessly love you," He said seriously, making me chuckle.
I showered and got dressed quickly, blow drying my hair and putting on my makeup. I walked into the lounge about half an hour later. Natalie was sitting on John's lap, laughing and smiling. She'd definitely departed from the "I'll be gone in a few days" mentality.
She and John stood up when they noticed me rifling through the cupboards for food. I eventually settled on Lucky Charms, and Natalie ate with me while John showered and got dressed.
"You two look cozy," I told her with raised eyebrows when John had gone into the bathroom.
She shrugged her bare shoulders, her mouth full of cereal. But she seemed different, and not in a bad way. Her mood in the past few days had been elevated, something I thought impossible since her normal demeanor was already so happy.
I laughed at her incredibly vague response, "I'm happy to see that you two like that. John seems beyond infatuated."
"I don't like that word," Natalie shook her head thoughtfully, "It makes it sounds like I've drugged him with a love potion or something."
"Fine, you make him really happy," I smiled.
"I'd like to think so," She smiled back, "But I don't know what's going to happen when I leave."
"Nothing's going to happen," I shook my head, "I live in the same space as him. He'd be an idiot to try anything stupid."
"But I don't want him to not do anything just because my best friend's sleeping 10 feet away. I want him to not hook up with other chicks because he wants me. I don't know, though. It's not like we've declared ourselves together," Natalie's eyes were glued to the marshmallow bits floating in the bowl.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about," I smiled reassuringly and grabbed her hand across the table.
She looked up at me, "But if he does do something stupid, you'll be the first to tell me and cut off his balls?"
I laughed, "There's no other way I'd let it happen."
"Stop bullshitting," I rolled my eyes and pulled a pint of Ben & Jerry's from the freezer that had been miraculously untouched.
"You said recap," She shrugged with a smirk, "I just thought I'd give you something a little more exciting."
"What really happened?" I asked, dragging a blanket from my bunk and walking to the lounge.
A few seconds later Natalie walked in with cookie dough pieces and sat down next to me on the couch, opening the box and nibbling on one.
"It's really a lot less exciting than your night. And besides, I think yours is the one we need to focus on," She offered the box to me, "I'm leaving in a few days, you'll be here 2 more months."
"I don't know what else there is to talk about, Nat," I smiled and accepted the candy.
"Was he a good kisser? Did it feel right? What happened after?" She rattled the questions off quickly.
"Yes, yes, and not much," I shrugged, turning my attention to the television.
"Oh Christ, Emily," She grabbed the remote from my hand, "I know you don't want to make some huge deal out of it, but you're underplaying it a bit, don't you think?"
I focused on nibbling the small piece of chocolate and cookie dough in my fingers, "I don't know, Nat. I just want this to be different, ya know? I took Jordan and I so seriously that I don't want to end up biting the dust because of it again."
"Jordan was a douchebag," Natalie shook her head, "Don't be worried about that shit happening again. You can't be so afraid of falling for someone!"
I bit my lip, "I just don't want to hurt that much again."
Natalie put the remote and candy down, "Emily, look... I don't think Jack's the kind of guy to screw you over. I know I've only known the kid for a few days, but the way John talks about him isn't the way I remember people talking about Jordan. That kid was bad news from the beginning. I think this kid is worth a shot, and denying him that because of an asshole who screwed you over like a year ago just isn't fair."
I took a deep breath, "I guess you're right."
Truthfully, I still didn't think it was a good idea. At the end of my junior year, my boyfriend at the time, Jordan, had cheated on me. She wasn't just some girl, she was the captain of the cheerleading team and a completely slutty bimbo. He couldn't even find someone of quality to screw around with.
I knew I should give Jack the benefit of the doubt, but it was much easier said than done. I couldn't be that embarrassed and hurt again. No relationship seemed worth it.
***
But Jack was persistent, if anything. He spent a good amount of time on our bus the next couple of days, and I couldn't ignore the fact that he was undeniably sweet and thoughtful. He was always making me laugh, and I couldn't help but open up to him.
We talked about everything; music, our childhoods, our favorite things and even our rocky relationship records. I couldn't deny it: Jack was no Jordan. And when I'd surprised myself and spilled all the details of our breakup, he had told me of all the people on earth, I was the last to deserve being treated like that.
It was those days, the last that Natalie was on tour in July, that I knew Jack was going to be a staple of the summer. Of course at the time I had no idea how he'd be a staple in my life in ways I couldn't even think up. But I truly started to believe Natalie's words, and I started to give Jack a shot.
***
"Last night on Warped Tooooour," Natalie sang as she shook me awake.
"Shut up," I covered my ears and rolled away from her.
"You're lame. Get your ass up," She pulled the blankets away.
"Jeez, Nat. You really know how to sweet talk a girl," I retorted, rubbing my eyes and yawning.
"People have always said that," She shrugged and smiled, grabbing hold of my ankles and beginning to pull me out of the bunk.
I started kicking my out of her grasp, the both of us cracking up the whole time.
"If I didn't like the two of you I'd be pretty pissed right now!" Pat whined from his bunk and pulled the curtain shut.
Natalie and I made eye contact and silently knew what was on both of our minds. I slid out of bed and the two of us tip-toed over to Pat's bunk, throwing back the curtain and attacking him. He started screaming like a preschool girl, before finally surrendering and cursing at us.
"He's feistier than you'd think," John laughed from his own bunk, stretching the best he could in the crammed space.
Natalie walked over and leaned into his bunk, "Are you going to spend the day at the tent?"
She was already dressed and showered, ready to tackle the day. She'd always been a morning and night person. It was like she never ran out of battery.
"Only for you," He smiled at her sleepily.
"Thanks, Johnny!" I rolled my eyes.
"Emily, I've already admitted how much I endlessly love you," He said seriously, making me chuckle.
I showered and got dressed quickly, blow drying my hair and putting on my makeup. I walked into the lounge about half an hour later. Natalie was sitting on John's lap, laughing and smiling. She'd definitely departed from the "I'll be gone in a few days" mentality.
She and John stood up when they noticed me rifling through the cupboards for food. I eventually settled on Lucky Charms, and Natalie ate with me while John showered and got dressed.
"You two look cozy," I told her with raised eyebrows when John had gone into the bathroom.
She shrugged her bare shoulders, her mouth full of cereal. But she seemed different, and not in a bad way. Her mood in the past few days had been elevated, something I thought impossible since her normal demeanor was already so happy.
I laughed at her incredibly vague response, "I'm happy to see that you two like that. John seems beyond infatuated."
"I don't like that word," Natalie shook her head thoughtfully, "It makes it sounds like I've drugged him with a love potion or something."
"Fine, you make him really happy," I smiled.
"I'd like to think so," She smiled back, "But I don't know what's going to happen when I leave."
"Nothing's going to happen," I shook my head, "I live in the same space as him. He'd be an idiot to try anything stupid."
"But I don't want him to not do anything just because my best friend's sleeping 10 feet away. I want him to not hook up with other chicks because he wants me. I don't know, though. It's not like we've declared ourselves together," Natalie's eyes were glued to the marshmallow bits floating in the bowl.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about," I smiled reassuringly and grabbed her hand across the table.
She looked up at me, "But if he does do something stupid, you'll be the first to tell me and cut off his balls?"
I laughed, "There's no other way I'd let it happen."
♠ ♠ ♠
I know there's only a small bit about Emily and Jack, but Natalie and John's relationship will be very important down the road, so this needed to be written.As always, comments are MUCH appreciated. Thanks so much to the readers who commented last time. (: