Moment

March 28, 2007

Jack met Callie as she walked out of the nearest building where her last class of the day just ended. He kissed her on the forehead before taking hold of her hand. Callie swung their hands between them as they walked back towards his car.

“How was class?” Jack asked.

Callie shrugged. “Boring, we talked about deviance—“

“Callie!”

The couple turned at the sound of another male calling her name.

“Yeah Chris?” Callie asked the six foot male.

He swung his head slightly to move his bangs out of his eyes before smiling at her. “I was just wondering if we could, maybe, study for the pre-cal exam together? I really can’t get the hang of the last couple chapters. And I could help you with Econ?” he offered.

Jack tensed and glared at Chris. He didn’t like this guy trying to move in on his girl.

Callie glanced at Jack with a raised eyebrow before answering Chris, “Yeah that would be great. I think Nina needs some Econ help too, how about we all study at our place?”

“Oh, yeah, that’s cool,” he answered halfheartedly. “Tonight?” he asked hopefully.

“Can’t,” Jack interrupted. “She has plans already, with her boyfriend,” Jack explained pulling Callie closer to his body territorially.

“Yeah, tonight isn’t good. How about tomorrow afternoon?” Callie suggested.

“Sure,” Chris smiled at her. “I’ll see you then,” he sent a small smirk to Jack before grinning at Callie and waving bye.

“So anyways, how was your—“

Callie stopped and looked at Jack. “What?” she asked curiously.

Jack, who had been glaring at Chris’ figure, looked back at her. “What?”

“What’s the matter? And what was that all about back there?”

“He likes you,” Jack pointed out.

Callie stared at him then giggled. “Jealous?”

Jack looked down at her and didn’t laugh. “No I’m not,” Jack grumbled.

“Oh wow, you really are,” Callie said suddenly serious. “Jack, Chris is just a classmate and a friend. Nothing’s going on, and nothing is going to go on, okay?”

Jack crossed his arms. “He’s a guy, Callie, he’s not going to give up.”

“So what? If I got mad every time a girl flirted and fawned and tried to seduce you I would be chronically pissed off.”

“It’s not the same. I don’t see those girls every day or study with them,” Jack retorted.

Callie crossed her arms. “So you’re allowed to be jealous, but I’m not?”

“I’m not jealous!”

“You so are.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Not.”

“Are.”

“Not!”

Callie threw her hands in the air. “Jack, I like you, not him. I love you, not him. Okay? I don’t want to be with him like I am with you. I don’t. So trust me when I say, you don’t have to worry.”

Jack still looked annoyed.

“What makes you think I would choose him over you anyways?” Callie asked walking over to him and putting her arms around his thin torso.

Jack looked down at her with a sad look. “Why wouldn’t you choose him over me? He’s good looking,” he started stiffly, “And he’s smart and he’s not off on tour all the time…” he trailed off.

“Aw,” Callie cooed. “I think you’re very very sexy,” she whispered into his ear as she stood on her toes. “And he’s really not that smart, and you aren’t dumb, so why does that matter? And we make the distance thing work just fine. It makes the return home so much better,” she finished with a kiss on his cheek. “Plus you’re far more entertaining than him.”

Jack looked a bit more comforted. “I am really sexy, aren’t I?”

Callie chuckled, “Yes babe.”

“Well okay, I guess it’s okay,” Jack said feebly. “Let’s go then.”

&&&

The next day Jack and Alex sat on Callie and Nina’s couch stuffing their faces with Cheetos while watching cartoons. The girls were setting up their books and notebooks on the table when the doorbell rang.

Callie answered and invited Chris into the apartment. “Hey,” he greeted her with a hug in which made Jack narrow his eyes at him.

“Hey Nina,” he greeted her and she waved from the kitchen.

“Chris, you’ve already met Jack, my boyfriend, and this is Alex, Nina’s boyfriend. They were just leaving,” Callie said with an edge in her voice.

“What?! No way, we’re staying!” Alex and Jack whined.

“Oh get out you fat lumps,” Nina ordered, snatching the Cheetos bag from Alex’s hand and turning the TV off with the remote in her other hand. “There is no way we’ll get anything done with you two around.”

Jack and Alex both started protesting before both girls shouted, “Out!”

“Sorry,” Callie mumbled to Chris as her and Nina followed their respective males to the door.

“We’ll be good, let us stay,” Jack muttered to Callie as Alex nodded his head.

Callie and Nina both laughed making the two guys pout.

“Pwease,” Alex begged. “We promise we won’t disturb you.”

Callie and Nina looked at each other and sighed. “Disturb us once and your both cut off for a week,” Nina threatened pointing her finger at them.

“Cut off from what?” Jack asked innocently.

Callie rolled her eyes, “You know what we’re talking about. Now go sit down and be quiet.”

Jack glanced at Chris who was watching and listening. “Do you mean what we did last night? Over and over—“

“Jack,” Callie said through gritted teeth. “Either shut up and be good until we finish studying or go.”

Jack smirked before kissing Callie on the lips and then walked over to the couch with Alex and they started playing patty cake.

Jack shot a glare over at Chris as he leaned over to look at Callie’s paper and try to help her.

“Someone’s jealous,” Alex whispered.

“I am not,” Jack retorted still watching Chris flirt with Callie. He cleared his throat loudly making the three at the table look up.

Jack quickly went back to pretending he was immersed in the hand game.

“Yeah, you’ve got it bad,” Alex smirked. “But I don’t blame you; I would be all up on the dude if he was trying to get with Nina.”

“Callie told me not to worry, and I trust her, but look at him,” Jack nodded his head to the table.

Alex turned and looked then focused his attention back to Jack. “Punch him in the balls when Callie goes to the bathroom,” he said shrugging.

A silence stole over the two guys then they heard Callie say, “Chris, Nina needs help too.”

Jack smirked as he watched Chris say, “Oh yeah, sorry Nina,” and then moved over to help her.

Callie looked up and saw Jack and Alex staring. She gave Jack a reassuring smile before flipping through the pages in her notes.

“I think Callie can handle herself bro,” Alex whispered. “I don’t think we have to worry about our girls. I think they have to worry about us,” he admitted.

Jack looked at Alex, “You wouldn’t.”

“Not purposefully, but I mean, you know how it is. Plus that’s why Nina and I have an open relationship while I’m on tour. I don’t trust myself enough.”

“But I wouldn’t,” Jack replied glancing at Callie and smiling softly. “She’s too great.”

“Dude, you’re so whipped,” Alex said chuckling. “I’m not trying to sound like an asshole but me and Nina have talked about it. She’s not into anything serious either.”

“Yeah,” Jack nodded his head.

A silence took over the two while they kept playing Patty cake.

Alex missed Jack’s hand and Jack, in return, forgetting the threat from the girls, scolded Alex. Which turned into a slapping fight.

“Jack! Alex!” Callie warned through gritted teeth.

Alex smacked Jack’s face lightly which ended up with them rolling around on the floor.

“Nina get your boy toy off me!” Jack yelled as Alex pinned him.

“Alex! Jack!” Nina yelled gaining their attention.

The two looked up form their “brawl” to see Callie and Nina, hands on hips, glaring down at them.

“Up, now,” Nina ordered.

The two guys slowly got up, Jack slapping Alex once more, then Alex slapping him again…

“Out,” the two girls announced pointing at the door with glares.

“What!”

“No! It was his fault!” Alex whined.

“We warned you, now go. We’ll see you later,” Nina talked over them.

“Fine,” the two boys muttered before Alex pushed Jack out the door, but not before Jack saw Chris smirk.

“Stop pushing me!” Jack whined as the door slammed in their faces.

“I’m bored,” Alex sighed as they walked down the stair case.

“I want to know what Chris is doing” Jack muttered. “I didn’t like that smirk.”

“Well it’s your fault we got kicked out,” Alex reminded him.

“Was not,” Jack said crossing his arms and turning his head away.

“So was!” Alex yelled as they walked out the front door.

“Nuh-uh,” Jack denied.

Alex rolled his eyes then spoke up, “C’mon, let’s go up the fire escape and sneak a look.”

“Oh oh oh, can I be James Bond?”

“Dude I’m Bond, I’m the hot one,” Alex argued as they stealthily made their way to the fire escape.

“Psh, I’m Bond and Callie’s, Hallie. They’re names are even close, and James and Jack, so HA!” Jack reasoned.

“Dude no way, the ladies all want me,” Alex replied as they climbed up the escape ahead of Jack.

“No way.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Shut up, they’ll hear us,” Alex scolded as they reached the landing near the girl’s window.

They peaked into the window, Alex crouching down below Jack, after an intense battle of rock, paper, scissors to see who would get top.

“That fucker,” Jack gritted his teeth as Chris leaned over Callie’s shoulder and told her joke that now had her laughing. Nina was nowhere in sight, probably bathroom, but at that point Jack’s anger was building as he watched this guy flirt shamelessly with his girlfriend.

“Dude, seriously, kick the guy in the balls when he leaves,” Alex muttered.

Chris leaned closer to Callie just as Jack lost his balance and fell right into the window.

Callie and Chris shot up and ran to the window.

“Jack!” Callie’s voice shouted, muffled, through the window pane.

Jack and Alex were tangled against each other as they quickly stood up from the metal flooring and looked nervously at the petite brunette glaring at them.

Callie opened the window and motioned for Jack to step closer.

Jack cautiously stepped forward, looking down.

“Jack,” Callie whispered in his ear. “I’ll stop studying with him if it bothers you that much,” she whispered in his ear gently.

Jack felt guilty. “No Callie you don’t have to, I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

“Trust me, if he tries to pull anything I’ll sack him in the balls,” she muttered sneaking a glance at the other male standing behind her, watching.

Jack chuckled. “Okay.”

“Do you believe me?” she asked eyeing him carefully.

“Yeah, I do. I just don’t like that smirk,” Jack replied glancing at Chris.

She sighed, “I’ve already had to remind him I have a boyfriend once, if he does it again, I’ll make him leave, kay?”

Jack nodded. “Sorry,” he mumbled again.

She smiled. “I think it’s kind of cute how worked up you’re getting.”

“Yeah?”

Callie nodded her head before kissing Jack on the cheek. “Now you two go and let us study, we’ll go out later, okay? Oh and you’re both cut off for a week. Don’t argue.”

The two guys saluted and replied “Aye, aye Cap’n,” before she closed the window. They watched as Callie said something to Chris before he nodded and walked back over to his seat and sat down looking disappointed.

“What do you want to do now?” Alex asked as they made their way down the fire escape.

Jack shrugged, “Video games at your house?”

Alex nodded as they made their way to the parking lot.