You Can't Be Missed If You Never Go Away

Steff played with the tab of her coffee, impatiently waiting for Aimee to get off of her shift. The brunette finally took off her apron, putting her bag over her shoulder and walking around to the other side of the counter.

"You ready to go food shopping?"

"Yes, I am looking forward to some real vegetarian food in my tummy, not fast food and salads."

Her friend smiled, "So you've been off tour for a few days, but you still haven't said anything about it. Was is that awful?"

"It was drama filled, but I enjoyed hanging out with Jack once I broke up with Alex. Kara, she and I clicked instantly I think..."

"Wait, so the Alex you were going out with, that you wouldn't tell me the last name of, was Gaskarth?"

"I didn't want to bring up any bad memories, look Aim, I wasn't in the same class as you guys, I was a freshman the year you graduated, I don't know what he was like in high school," she stared down at the liquid in the foam cup, "I can tell you that he's still self centered."

"But you're with Jack now, so things are good?"

The blonde scrunched up her face, not wanting to lie to her friend, so she decided to tell. "You can't tell anyone, only two other people know: Jack and Kara. I'm not dating Jack, we were faking it to make Alex and Kyra jealous, not like me, I know. But I fell for Jack, I don't know how to tell him, I'm afraid he won't like me back."

"How could he not like you?" Aimee asked, pulling into the grocery store's parking lot.

"I don't know why he would, he loves Kyraleigh."

"How long are you two going to keep up the act then; until he finds a new girlfriend or what?"

"I don't know! Stop being so inquisitive, please."

"Sorry, Steff."

The blonde stepped out of the vehicle, shoving her credit card and cell into her pocket before shutting the car door. She grabbed a cart and walked into the store, her friend right behind her, holding the shopping list in her hand.

"Oh, if you have to get some of those veggie burgers, I might just have to steal one. I kinda missed them when you weren't at the apartment."

"Coming from the meat lover? I'm shocked."

The girls went through the store, trying their best to stick to the shopping list but occasionally throwing in random junk food items for their catch up/ movie night they had planned. Steff walked to the other end of the cart, her converses squeaking on the shiny store tiles.

"I'm going to go get the stuff from the frozen section, I'll meet you by the cash registers."

She was about to step out of the isle when a cart flew past, a tall figure holding onto the handle bar, gliding along with the cart. The blonde followed it with her eyes, still in shock that it almost hit her, she watched as it collided with a display, cracker boxes flying all over the isle. As she shook her head at the immature person who did it, she walked to him.

"Jack, are you five?"

His brown eyes looked through his glasses, he smiled up at her before standing, "Why hello. I haven't talked to you in a few days."

"Yeah, I know," she said rubbing her arm, watching as an employee approached them.

The man in an apron took one look at lanky boy and didn't bother to say a word, he just went to putting the display back together before his boss found it a mess. Jack grabbed the cart and went to go in the other direction.

Steff put her hand on the cart before Jack got to put his other one on, she held it with all her grip and looked up at him, "At least apologize if you're not going to help pick it back up."

"Sorry," he said bluntly before trying to move the cart, the girl let her hand drop, she turned on her heel and started to walk away. "Steff, wait!"

"What?"

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"I am not, you haven't tried to contact me, I figured you were spending time with your family."

He squinted at her, "You're lying."

"Am not."

Smirking, Jack got one foot onto the bottom of the cart and pushed off with the other, causing himself to fly down the isle again. The blonde looked at the helpless salesman who sighed, before running after the guitarist.

"What is your problem!?" she yelled at him in a hushed tone as she grabbed onto the cart again, trying to do draw any more attention to them than he already had.

"You were going to walk away again, it was the only way to keep you from doing that."

"I don't get it, we don't need to act like we're together anymore, don't act so hurt that I'm not clinging to you. No one here knows, Alex and Kyra aren't breaking up any time soon, we lost."

Jack stepped closer to her, putting his hand on her waist, "I'm not after Kyra anymore, I'm after someone else."

"Well good, because it was a dead end."

"Do you ever stop thinking and just act, Steff? Don't analyze everything," his voice was soothing, causing her to not even notice that his hand was slipping up her back and his face was growing closer.

"I did, when we hung out on tour."

He smiled at her before pressing his lips to hers, she found herself on her tiptoes, wanting to get as much of him as she could. Jack's hand was pulling her closer by the back of her neck as she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto him for dear life.

His lips slipped to her chin, causing her soft breath to fall across his cheek, "I know this isn't what you wanted, and I'm sorry for pushing myself on you," he pried her hands from his neck and went to walk away.

Steff grabbed his arms, "I have feelings for you too, Jack, and walking away wouldn't make things any easier on either of us."