Your Eyes Shine Like The Stars At Night

>SCARLETT’S POV<

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I could hear muffled footsteps outside the bathroom door. I lifted my head from the toilet bowl to stop and listen to the shuffling of feet. They didn’t sound close by, so I assumed it was just the owner or someone from the venue management team wandering around. As I finished up what I was doing, I was about to pull my finger out of my mouth when all of a sudden, the door swung open.

Jack.

The look on his face broke my heart. His jaw was dropped, and his eyes were wide. Concern and sadness were written all over his face. I felt like the biggest bitch on Earth. Not only had I lied to him and all of our friends for weeks, but now he was witnessing it. Jack was seeing the proof of my lies, and the miserable pain I felt was something I couldn’t even describe.

Standing up from my position on my knees on the tile floor, I flushed the toilet and immediately ran to the sinks to wash my face and hands. Jack still stood idle in the doorway, shock all over his face. Silence overtook us.

My reflection killed me; no matter how many times I tried to look in the mirror hanging on the wall, I couldn’t stand to see it for a second longer. I dropped my head and rested my hands on either side of the sink, listening as I heard Jack’s footsteps slowly come closer and closer.

Finally, I tilted my head upward, glancing at the reflected image in the glass in front of me, seeing Jack standing directly behind me. “Scarlett,” he whispered sadly.

Not knowing how to reply or what to say or do, I just turned around and he caught me in his arms. I gave in to everything I had once held near to me, letting everything go and letting the walls crumble. Nothing was holding me back anymore as I leaned into Jack’s awaiting chest and wrapped my shaking arms around his torso, staining his white shirt with my makeup and tears. His hands rubbed my back soothingly as I shook and trembled and cried.

Pressing his cheek to my head, he whispered, “It’s okay, Scarlett. Everything will be fine.” His lips grazed my ear, and he kissed it softly, making me melt even in my current condition. Minutes passed, maybe even hours, I’m not sure, as we stood together, holding each other close.

“I’m so sorry, Jack. So, so sorry…” I choked out, shaking my head.

“Don’t be sorry. I understand. Come on, let’s go back to the bus.” He led me by my waist out of the bathroom and out of the venue. Tears were still flowing from my hazel eyes, and my arms were wrapped tightly around Jack’s torso; I was too afraid to let go of him. He made me feel safe. I didn’t even look at where I was going; I just nuzzled my head into his shoulder as he guided me through the parking lot.

A deep breath escaped his lips. “We’re here,” he informed me quietly.

I removed my head from his shoulder and saw our buses. Looking down at the pavement and avoiding eye contact, I said, “Thanks, Jack. So much.” I gazed into his chocolate brown eyes, and continued. “I’m so sorry. I can’t even apologize enough. What I did to you…there’s no excuse.”

He cut me off. “Scarlett, don’t apologize. I get it,” he said softly.

“Jack, no,” I shook my head. “I need to say this. I lied to you, and to everyone. I’ve had this problem for years. And up until we left for tour, I was doing great with keeping it under control. I was almost to the point where I didn’t ever do it. But once I got into the band, since The Catastrophe was already so huge, I suddenly felt…I don’t know…insecure. And I didn’t want people to see me being fat or ugly, so I just…relapsed. I ruined all the progress I’ve made over the years, and just threw it down the drain. Then when you came along, I felt even more pressurized, because what guy wants to date a chubby girl? I really wanted you to like me, but the more you tried to help me, the more I pushed you away. I thought that if you knew what I did, you wouldn’t like me. Then that intervention just pushed me over the edge. I lost it,” I explained. Finally, everything I had wanted to say to him was out in the open. This only thing I was worried about was his reaction.

Jack grabbed both of my hands in both of his and looked into my eyes. “You’re not fat, you’re not ugly. And you weren’t before, either. You’re gorgeous, Scarlett. Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.” He flashed me a small, forgiving smile. That smile marked the happiest moment I’d had in months.

He leaned down, kissing me softly, but with more passion than I had ever felt in a single kiss. It was sweet, it was innocent, but it held more meaning than any of the words we had said to each other. He pulled back, squeezing my hands tighter. He gave me yet another adorable smile, which I returned. “It’s getting late, and I’m pretty tired.”

“Me too,” I agreed.

“Sleep on my bus?” he asked hopefully. With a nod of my head, I smiled.

Hand in hand, we sauntered back to All Time Low’s bus, and I noticed that everyone was asleep at this point. Snores and heavy breathing could be heard as soon as we stepped into the bunk area.

I saw Brittany’s purse on the floor, so I assumed she had come back from our bus and was sleeping in Alex’s bunk. “Where do I sleep?”

“My bunk,” Jack chuckled.

Thankfully, his was on the bottom, so I didn’t have to climb up and possibly wake someone in the process. I clambered in, getting comfortable under the covers. Jack slid in beside me, wrapping an arm around my waist and holding me close. I twirled his hair in my fingers, messing it up a little.

“Night, Scarlett,” Jack yawned, almost asleep.

“Night, Jack.”

It was the most restful night’s sleep I’d had all tour.

-------

A beam of light struck my closed eyelids, burning my pupils. “What the hell?” I muttered angrily, half-asleep. I squinted my eyes, looking around for the source of the illumination.

Snickers and laughs were coming from outside the bunk, and somehow, through all of this, Jack was still sound asleep.

I reached over his body, careful not to disturb him, and whipped the curtain open. Rian, Zack, and Matt were doubled over in laughter, and I saw Zack holding a flashlight. “What the fuck, you guys?” I spat, grabbing my ponytail holder off my wrist and snapping it at him. Alex looked as though he was trying to stifle a laugh, only because Brittany was standing there keeping him in line. She sent an apologetic smile in my direction.

“We just thought we’d initiate you into the All Time Low family, seeing as you apparently slept on our bus last night with a certain guitarist of ours,” Rian laughed.

I rolled my eyes, lightly shaking Jack to wake him up. “I didn’t sleep with him,” I mumbled, watching as Jack’s eyes finally opened. The laughing didn’t even faze him as he sat up straight.

“Oh sure you didn’t,” Alex chuckled. Brittany scoffed, slapping his chest. He immediately dropped his smile, making his girlfriend happy.

“Go away, assfucks,” I whined. They eventually cleared out, leaving Jack and I alone in his bunk.

Jack just looked at me and laughed. “Don’t complain; they’re your friends, too.”

“I know; it’s sad,” I chuckled.

His face became serious, and he looked at me with concern. “So, how are you feeling today?”

I shrugged. “Better. But, still not great.”

He looked down at his hands, which were now holding mine and looked to be in thought. Finally, he looked up at me with a smirk. “Hey, I have an idea that will make you feel better.”

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. “Such as…?”

“Wanna go to the carnival?”

“The carnival?” I chuckled in disbelief.

He just nodded, smiling wider than ever.

“How old are you?” I inquired with a laugh.

“Too young to stop going to the carnival,” he answered with a cheeky grin.