She'll Be A Secret You Can Keep-Jack Barakat

I yawned and exited the hotel bed, looking for my bag. The boys were all still asleep, and I took it as my opportunity to have some alone time. Oh, and maybe call Jack without Garrett interrupting.

I didn’t know how he did it, but every time I talked to Jack—whether it was in person, on the phone, or through text—Garrett always managed to find me and tell me I had something to do or he needed me for something. It was like he had a Jack radar or something.

I finally found my duffle, and unzipped it, pulling out an old high school t-shirt and white shorts. After grabbing my clothes, I picked up my make up bag, and headed into the bathroom, ready for a shower. I showered, washing my hair and body, not knowing when I would have the chance to shower again. The joys of van life.

I shut off the water and wrapped a towel firmly around my body. The door opened, and Garrett walked in wearing nothing but his gray boxers and an old gray hoodie.

“Do you mind?” I asked him, using one hand to brush my teeth, the other
Holding my towel on.
“Not really,” he yawned, hopping up on the bathroom counter.

“Well I do,” I said with a mouth full of toothpaste. I watched the spit slip down my chin as I brushed my top front teeth.

"Now that's attractive, Lexie." he laughed. I spit and stuck my tongue out at him.

“I don't like you." I responded lamely. It was too early in the morning to think of a proper comeback.

“Why not?” he asked, swinging his legs back and forth.

"Well for starters you're kind of annoying."

“Aw, I’m sorry,” he said, hopping of the counter and hugging me.

“Stop,” I laughed. “You’re gonna make my towel fall!”

"well, it's not like I've never seen you naked." he teased, playing with the bottom of the towel.

"you realize the boys could easily be awake by now and hve heard that." I pointed out.

“Hey, you promised you wouldn’t tell John about that!"

“Yeah, but you’re bugging me right now." I shot back

“Sorry,” he said, kissing my forehead.

“You will be." I said with a Mischevious grin.

"huh?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

“John! Garrett’s trying to get me naked!” I yelled. Garrett's face quickly turned a ghostly pale.

"wha-Lex-no!" he yelled. John appeared in the doorway.

“Hands off of her!" John yelled, his face red.

"I told you." I grinned.

“I hate you, Lexie."

“Better run." I said in a sing-song voice. Garrett gulped seeing just how angry John was.

“Gosh, look at the time. I gotta go...." he tried, pushing past John and running out of the hotel room. John was very quick to follow him. I dressed quickly and grabbed my phone off the bed. I needed to tell Jack about this one. We had been texting Nonstop lately.

"I'm gonna go get breakfast.“ I lied, waving goodbye to Pat, Kennedy, and Jared as I left the room. I headed down to the lobby, and saw John chasing Garrett in the parking lot as he weaved between the cars. I laughed and dialed Jack’s number, I knew he'd get as much of a kick out of this as I was.

“Hello?” an unfamiliar voice asked.

“is Jack there?” I asked.

“Jacky, it’s your girlfriend!” the guy said. “You guys gonna start sexting and being naughty with each other?" I laughed, suddenly hearing Jack in the background begging for his phone

“Alex, do you want to get murdered! That's JohnOh's baby sister!"

“Oh-oh, Jesus." he said to me. “Don’t tell Johnathon, please."

“Hi,"  Jack said. “I apologize for Alex...he’s an idiot.”

“Don’t worry about it; I thought it was kinda funny,” I said, seeing Garrett run back in the hotel. I laughed as the parents sitting in the breakfast room glared at him and covered their children's eyes, clearly not taking in the glory that was a half naked Garrett Nickelsen. John ran in behind him and they both dashed in the elevator.

“So what are you up to?” Jack asked.

“Well, a lot."

“Yeah?"

“well, I was brushing me teeth after I took a shower. Then Garrett came in, started making perverted comments, like typical Garrett would, and then I called John on him. So now Garrett is running around the hotel, only in his boxers, I might add, while John is chasing after him, fully prepared to kill him.

“Wow,” Jack laughed. “I'd love to see what John Oh would do to Alex if he heard what he said to you."

“let me meet him first, if I don't like him, then I'll call John.

“excellent!"

--

I lay on my back in the van, dangling my feet off the end of the row of seats. Jared had driven up in the van, and we were driving to the SanFrancisco venue. All of the boys were in the gas station, and I took this opportunity to text Jack and make plans to hang out once we both got to the venue. The van door opened, and I quickly shoved my phone between the seat cushions. Garrett came in and sat on top of my legs.

“You’re very mean." he said, pointing his finger in my face.

“Me? Never!" I replied, giving him a smile.

“Yes, you are. And I’m going to get you back.”

“Sure, Garrett." I laughed.

“And you won’t even see it coming.” I continued to laugh and rolled my eyes. John got in the passenger seat with a 5 hour energy shot in hand.

“Want one?" he offered. I shook my head, and he noticed how close Garrett was to me. He had become a little paranoid after the hotel incident. “Garrett, what are you doing to my sister."

"Hey, Lexie, remember When you broke John's guitar at the last venue?"

John's eyes went wide. "you what?" he asked slowly.

“Garrett, you little bitch!" I yelled, pushing him off of me. He fell to the floor, laughing. “I didn’t tell him about you taking my virginity, so why are you telling him about the guitar?"

“He took what!?" John yelled.

"oops," I muttered. 
“Fuck." Garrett groaned.

“That’s what got you in this mess." Pat  snickered.

“You are both so dead!" John yelled. I pushed Garrett out of the van, and we both began running through the gas station parking lot.

“sorry, I didn't mean to tell John about us." I said as we ran away from my brother.

“Well, now your brother’s gonna kill me twice. Once for this morning, twice for cashing your V-card."

“you realize that's three times."  I told him. I was exhausted. I bent over, placing my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. Garrett also stopped, his breathing just as hard.

“What’s wrong with you guys?” jared asked as he cane out of the gas station.
“John found out about Garrett taking my virginity." I answered.
"Gee, I thought everyone knew about that." he muttered.
"Thanks for that, Jared." Garrett groaned.
My phone suddenly vibrated and fell from my pocket.
"I'll get it." Garrett said, picking up my phone and dusting it off.
"you have a new text from Ja-wait." he looked at me slowly, obviously pissed.
"Jack as in Jack Barakat?" 

I nodded, watching as he became more and more pissed.

Well shit.