Lyrical Love Letter
We fight because we cant say what we mean.
Looking back Missy wondered what would have happened if they hadn't stopped at Hess for gas, if everyone hadn't piled out of the car to stretch their legs, if Missy and Jack hadn't separated from the group, staying close to each other like conspirators. If Missy had only suggested they return to the car sooner. Maybe then Alex wouldn't have come looking for her, maybe then things would be different.
But they weren't.
"Hey what are you two--" Jack and Missy propelled like magnets away from each other. There weren't two guiltier looking people in that moment then Jack and Missy as they stared at Alex in surprise. "What's going on here?" Alex's eyes flickered between the two expectantly. "Well?" he prompted when neither offered an explanation.
"I, um..." Missy began uneasy as she wracked her mind for an explanation. She didn't want Alex to find out she was fooling around with his best friend in the parking lot of Hess. Hell, from the way her heart was jumping Missy was beginning to wonder whether or not she wanted to tell him at all. "I thought I had something in my hair, Jack was getting it out for me."
Alex glanced between them suspiciously and then his shoulders relaxed. He nodded to himself, accepting his cousin’s excuse. "All right then." he said simply. "For a minute there I thought I actually caught you two together. Weird right?" he laughed to himself.
"So weird." Missy agreed her voice strained.
"I mean, you two actually together would just be weird. Not to mention I'd have to kill you Barakat." Alex joked but Jack paled, fortunately it went unnoticed to his friend. "C'mon Juliette and J are getting restless. I can't say for certainty they won't leave without us."
Alex turned to walk away, leaving the...whatever they were at the moment, to commence a silent but clear conversation. Jack glanced at her, hurt and annoyance evident in his face. His eyebrows furrowed together and an evident frown was pasted to his face before he turned and followed Alex back toward the car.
With Alex's back to them Missy chanced a glance at Jack who in turn glared at her before brushing past the girl and stomping after his friend.
"What?" Missy demanded in a hiss as she fought to keep pace with the long legged boy.
But Jack refused to acknowledge the girl no matter how much the voice inside his head desperately wanted to. "Jack," she snapped, demanding his attention. If there was one thing Missy didn't tolerate it was being ignored. But Jack never turned around, never uttered another word as the climbed back into the car, shunning Missy into silence.
Because Rian and Kara had chosen to ride with Declan for the remainder of the ride it meant Jack and Missy had no choice but to ride with Alex, Juliette, and Jonnie. Missy glanced at Jack in annoyance as she slid into the car beside him. Juliette glanced at the two in the rearview mirror, seeming to be the only one who noticed the tension between them. Missy caught Juliette's eye then looked away, her eyes fixing on something out the window.
"Jack do you have fifty cents for the toll? Its your turn to pay it.” Juliette questioned, glancing at the boy in the rearview mirror. She hoped to catch his gaze, to see some subliminal message of what was really taking place in the back seat filled with so much tension.
“Yeah I’ve got it,” He reached into the pocket of his skinny jeans and grabbed a fist full of change, a dollar, and pocket lint. “Here,” He muttered reaching to the front and handing Alex the two quarters. Jack’s gaze flickered to the rearview mirror and sure enough Juliette’s eagle eyes were watching him curiously, hoping for some sign as to what was going on. But Jack just tore his gaze from hers, leaned back in his seat, and watched the passing trees blur by.
“Jack,” Missy mumbled, nudging him with her arm. Juliette had slowed to a stop and threw the change into the slot while Alex grumbled about the lack of radio reception. Neither were paying any mind to the two in the backseat. It was the perfect, and only, opportunity Missy would have to talk to Jack. But it became quite obvious that Jack didn’t have the same idea, he refused to even acknowledge Missy. “Please Jack,” She reached for his hand but he pulled way. The action stung but it had effectively gotten Jack’s attention. He turned toward her, guarded and hurt.
“What the hell could you possibly want to talk about?” He hissed lowly, for Jack was also all to aware of who sat just feet in front of them.
“Back there…” Missy trailed off, stumbling to find the words to make everything right again. “I froze Jack. I didn’t mean to. It’s just Alex, he’s very protective of me; he and Logan are the closest thing I have to brothers. If Alex reacted badly to this,” She gestured lamely between the two of them. “I’d rather not be in a car on a trip to the west coast where we will be stuck together for a week.”
“Don’t try to blame this on Alex.” He seethed. His anger startled Missy, I mean, this was Jack here—anger just didn’t fit into his genetic makeup well. “You’re a big girl Miss, you’re entitled to make your own decisions whether Alex likes them or not. Are you seriously going to live your life based on what Logan and Alex do or don’t approve of?”
“No,” Missy stated indignantly, her voice flat.
“Then why didn’t you just tell him the freakin’ truth?” Jack questioned in frustration.
“I don’t—I don’t know. I don’t know, okay?!” Missy spat back equally frustrated. Why couldn’t Jack just get over it, he could be such a girl sometimes.
“What don’t you know?”
“Nice going,” Jack grumbled turning back away toward the window.
“Mind your own fucking business Alex!” Missy burst, startling even Juliette who eyed Missy like she’d grown a second head.
“What the he—“
But Juliette cut Alex off, “Alright this isn’t going to work.” She announced flashing her lights to Declan and then pulling over to the side of the road. She threw open the driver’s door and walked to Declan who had gotten out to meet her.
“What’s going on?” Declan questioned in confusion as cars whizzed by them. One who took the time to honk was politely given the finger by the male Barkalow.
“I don’t know,” Juliette admitted with a sigh. “Something is going on with Missy and Jack.”
“Really?” Declan retorted smirking. “Are you just catching on to that fact?”
“No asshole but Alex might be. Missy and Jack aren’t exactly getting along and having them going at it in the backseat with an oblivious Alex isn’t exactly a good idea. I’m not playing referee to my boyfriend, his best friend, and his cousin while I’m driving down the freeway doing 95. I’m not doing it Declan. Talk to them!”
“About what?!”
“How fucking dangerous it is to play with fire, Deck.” Her voice raised an octave. Juliette was headed to Cali for a lot of reasons but one of them would not be trying to keep Missy and Alex on speaking terms; it was hard enough for Juliette to hold one family together.
“Alright, alright, calm down.” Declan muttered easily. He turned and opened the backdoor to his car. “May the sickly cute couple please exit the vehicle.” When no one moved he added, “That means you Rian and Kara.”
“What’s going on?” Kara wondered sliding out of the car.
“I don’t really know nor do I care to.” Declan sighed climbing back into the driver’s seat.
“Your riding with me,” Juliette announced heading back for her car, leaving her cousin and Kara to follow.
“Why?”
“Because Missy and Jack keep dicking around and now they’re fighting or something. Alex knows nothing about anything so having him find out everything in the passenger seat of my car is not something I want to deal with while driving to California.” Juliette explained as they reached her Impala. She grabbed the handle to the door and opened it, revealing a sulking Juliette and a scowling Jack. “Out.” She stated simply.
“Excuse me?” Missy questioned.
“You heard me,” Juliette stated. “I’m kicking you out of my car. You’re riding with Declan, Zack, and Jonnie. I’m sure the five of you can have a good long conversation about playing with fire.” She threw Missy a look and a look of realization crossed her face.
‘Thank you,’ She mouthed gratefully as she stepped out of the car after Jack.
“mmhmm,” Juliette sighed noncommittally as Rian and Kara took their spots, Juliette slid back into her familiar spot behind the wheel.
“Why did you throw Jack and Miss out?” Alex questioned in confusion as Juliette maneuvered the car back onto the road.
“I think J, Declan, Zack wanted to have a word with them.” Was all she would say on the matter.
Juliette knew that the tit for tat going on in the backseat of Declan’s car was not going to last long, just like it wasn’t going to take long for Jonnie to get to the bottom of what was going on. Juliette just hoped that whatever was was going on would be over by the time they reached Mr. Posen’s office.
But they weren't.
"Hey what are you two--" Jack and Missy propelled like magnets away from each other. There weren't two guiltier looking people in that moment then Jack and Missy as they stared at Alex in surprise. "What's going on here?" Alex's eyes flickered between the two expectantly. "Well?" he prompted when neither offered an explanation.
"I, um..." Missy began uneasy as she wracked her mind for an explanation. She didn't want Alex to find out she was fooling around with his best friend in the parking lot of Hess. Hell, from the way her heart was jumping Missy was beginning to wonder whether or not she wanted to tell him at all. "I thought I had something in my hair, Jack was getting it out for me."
Alex glanced between them suspiciously and then his shoulders relaxed. He nodded to himself, accepting his cousin’s excuse. "All right then." he said simply. "For a minute there I thought I actually caught you two together. Weird right?" he laughed to himself.
"So weird." Missy agreed her voice strained.
"I mean, you two actually together would just be weird. Not to mention I'd have to kill you Barakat." Alex joked but Jack paled, fortunately it went unnoticed to his friend. "C'mon Juliette and J are getting restless. I can't say for certainty they won't leave without us."
Alex turned to walk away, leaving the...whatever they were at the moment, to commence a silent but clear conversation. Jack glanced at her, hurt and annoyance evident in his face. His eyebrows furrowed together and an evident frown was pasted to his face before he turned and followed Alex back toward the car.
With Alex's back to them Missy chanced a glance at Jack who in turn glared at her before brushing past the girl and stomping after his friend.
"What?" Missy demanded in a hiss as she fought to keep pace with the long legged boy.
But Jack refused to acknowledge the girl no matter how much the voice inside his head desperately wanted to. "Jack," she snapped, demanding his attention. If there was one thing Missy didn't tolerate it was being ignored. But Jack never turned around, never uttered another word as the climbed back into the car, shunning Missy into silence.
Because Rian and Kara had chosen to ride with Declan for the remainder of the ride it meant Jack and Missy had no choice but to ride with Alex, Juliette, and Jonnie. Missy glanced at Jack in annoyance as she slid into the car beside him. Juliette glanced at the two in the rearview mirror, seeming to be the only one who noticed the tension between them. Missy caught Juliette's eye then looked away, her eyes fixing on something out the window.
"Jack do you have fifty cents for the toll? Its your turn to pay it.” Juliette questioned, glancing at the boy in the rearview mirror. She hoped to catch his gaze, to see some subliminal message of what was really taking place in the back seat filled with so much tension.
“Yeah I’ve got it,” He reached into the pocket of his skinny jeans and grabbed a fist full of change, a dollar, and pocket lint. “Here,” He muttered reaching to the front and handing Alex the two quarters. Jack’s gaze flickered to the rearview mirror and sure enough Juliette’s eagle eyes were watching him curiously, hoping for some sign as to what was going on. But Jack just tore his gaze from hers, leaned back in his seat, and watched the passing trees blur by.
“Jack,” Missy mumbled, nudging him with her arm. Juliette had slowed to a stop and threw the change into the slot while Alex grumbled about the lack of radio reception. Neither were paying any mind to the two in the backseat. It was the perfect, and only, opportunity Missy would have to talk to Jack. But it became quite obvious that Jack didn’t have the same idea, he refused to even acknowledge Missy. “Please Jack,” She reached for his hand but he pulled way. The action stung but it had effectively gotten Jack’s attention. He turned toward her, guarded and hurt.
“What the hell could you possibly want to talk about?” He hissed lowly, for Jack was also all to aware of who sat just feet in front of them.
“Back there…” Missy trailed off, stumbling to find the words to make everything right again. “I froze Jack. I didn’t mean to. It’s just Alex, he’s very protective of me; he and Logan are the closest thing I have to brothers. If Alex reacted badly to this,” She gestured lamely between the two of them. “I’d rather not be in a car on a trip to the west coast where we will be stuck together for a week.”
“Don’t try to blame this on Alex.” He seethed. His anger startled Missy, I mean, this was Jack here—anger just didn’t fit into his genetic makeup well. “You’re a big girl Miss, you’re entitled to make your own decisions whether Alex likes them or not. Are you seriously going to live your life based on what Logan and Alex do or don’t approve of?”
“No,” Missy stated indignantly, her voice flat.
“Then why didn’t you just tell him the freakin’ truth?” Jack questioned in frustration.
“I don’t—I don’t know. I don’t know, okay?!” Missy spat back equally frustrated. Why couldn’t Jack just get over it, he could be such a girl sometimes.
“What don’t you know?”
“Nice going,” Jack grumbled turning back away toward the window.
“Mind your own fucking business Alex!” Missy burst, startling even Juliette who eyed Missy like she’d grown a second head.
“What the he—“
But Juliette cut Alex off, “Alright this isn’t going to work.” She announced flashing her lights to Declan and then pulling over to the side of the road. She threw open the driver’s door and walked to Declan who had gotten out to meet her.
“What’s going on?” Declan questioned in confusion as cars whizzed by them. One who took the time to honk was politely given the finger by the male Barkalow.
“I don’t know,” Juliette admitted with a sigh. “Something is going on with Missy and Jack.”
“Really?” Declan retorted smirking. “Are you just catching on to that fact?”
“No asshole but Alex might be. Missy and Jack aren’t exactly getting along and having them going at it in the backseat with an oblivious Alex isn’t exactly a good idea. I’m not playing referee to my boyfriend, his best friend, and his cousin while I’m driving down the freeway doing 95. I’m not doing it Declan. Talk to them!”
“About what?!”
“How fucking dangerous it is to play with fire, Deck.” Her voice raised an octave. Juliette was headed to Cali for a lot of reasons but one of them would not be trying to keep Missy and Alex on speaking terms; it was hard enough for Juliette to hold one family together.
“Alright, alright, calm down.” Declan muttered easily. He turned and opened the backdoor to his car. “May the sickly cute couple please exit the vehicle.” When no one moved he added, “That means you Rian and Kara.”
“What’s going on?” Kara wondered sliding out of the car.
“I don’t really know nor do I care to.” Declan sighed climbing back into the driver’s seat.
“Your riding with me,” Juliette announced heading back for her car, leaving her cousin and Kara to follow.
“Why?”
“Because Missy and Jack keep dicking around and now they’re fighting or something. Alex knows nothing about anything so having him find out everything in the passenger seat of my car is not something I want to deal with while driving to California.” Juliette explained as they reached her Impala. She grabbed the handle to the door and opened it, revealing a sulking Juliette and a scowling Jack. “Out.” She stated simply.
“Excuse me?” Missy questioned.
“You heard me,” Juliette stated. “I’m kicking you out of my car. You’re riding with Declan, Zack, and Jonnie. I’m sure the five of you can have a good long conversation about playing with fire.” She threw Missy a look and a look of realization crossed her face.
‘Thank you,’ She mouthed gratefully as she stepped out of the car after Jack.
“mmhmm,” Juliette sighed noncommittally as Rian and Kara took their spots, Juliette slid back into her familiar spot behind the wheel.
“Why did you throw Jack and Miss out?” Alex questioned in confusion as Juliette maneuvered the car back onto the road.
“I think J, Declan, Zack wanted to have a word with them.” Was all she would say on the matter.
Juliette knew that the tit for tat going on in the backseat of Declan’s car was not going to last long, just like it wasn’t going to take long for Jonnie to get to the bottom of what was going on. Juliette just hoped that whatever was was going on would be over by the time they reached Mr. Posen’s office.