Wanna Live It Up Just Because

Jack sat down on the opposite side of Arpeggio, placing the tray of food on the table. She reached over and grabbed her chicken sandwich. She bit her lip as she opened it. Jack watched her; she looked nervous and excited. It was just a chicken sandwich but it meant that much to her. He held back a laugh when she poked the exposed sandwich.

"It's dead, cutie, you can eat it," he teased.

Concentration broken, she looked up at him, blushing.

"I know," she mumbled.

She picked it up, taking a small bite of the sandwich. Her eyes lit up. It was better than she thought it would be.

"Like it?" Jack asked, eating a few of his fries.

She nodded enthusiastically, taking another bite of the sandwich.

"So what's your favorite color?" Jack asked.

"Blue," Arpeggio answered.

"Like the color in your hair?" he asked.

"Yeah," she fiddled with a bright blue strand.

Jack took a bite of his sandwich. He held out his container of fries to her. She took one, placing it in her mouth without hesitation. If the sandwich was good, she was sure the fries would be just as good. Her suspicion was right. She had to admit, she was enjoying the fast food.

"If I recall correctly, your hair wasn't that color when I first saw you," Jack said.

"I was eleven when you first saw me; I wasn't allowed to dye my hair."

"Was that before or after your parents passed away?"

"Six months after."

Arpeggio didn't cry about her parents anymore. They were gone and no amount of tears would bring them back. Her memories of them were fond ones; they never abused her, they took care of all her medical needs, they were proud of her no matter what.

Even after that time she got in a fight at school.

"So Neon was in full, uptight sister mode by then?"

"Kind of. She got more controlling as the years went by."

"I don't know how you stand it."

"I don't blame her for the way she is. You have to understand where she's coming from. I'm the only family she has left. After Armand died, she went into this depression where she wouldn't leave her room for about a month other than to go to school and work. When she decided to leave her room, she told she loved me and she didn't want me to die either," Arpeggio took a break to take another bite of her sandwich. After she swallowed, she continued, "When I tried to kill myself, she started controlling everything. I can see where she's coming from; she can't help but be controlling."

"You're too understanding to just be seventeen," Jack commented.

"I guess," Arpeggio shrugged.

"I can see where Neon's coming from. I'd hate for you to die too," he reached over the table, pushing a few strands of hair behind her ears, "All things considered, I probably wouldn't let you leave the house though."

Arpeggio flushed, ducking her head into her chest. She bit her lip. Something about Jack made her insides act weird and she couldn't stop the feeling. Not that she wanted to but she did want to know why it was happening.

She would ask Neon when they were alone.

"I'm guessing you don't have a boyfriend," Jack stated.

"I've never had one," Arpeggio peaked up from under her fringe to look at him.

Jack's eyebrows shot up into his bangs. He was expecting her to have had at least one. She was seventeen after all.

"Are you not allowed to date?"

"Neon's not that crazy. No one's ever been interested," Arpeggio shrugged again, finishing the rest of the sandwich.

She couldn't be serious. What guy was dumb enough not to try to get with her? Jack couldn't pin point a flaw that would cause anyone to want to avoid her. Sure she was diabetic, but that shouldn't affect anything. That shouldn't even be a factor.

That was their loss. Jack was going to be the one to have her and he wasn't going to give her up once he did.

"I should get you back to Neon," Jack said.

He didn't want their time to end but it had to. Neon was going to kill him.

"Probably," Arpeggio mumbled.

Neon must have noticed she was gone by now. Arpeggio was not excited to face her. Hopefully, she would understand.

They stood. Jack threw their wrappers in the trash can and grabbed Arpeggio's hand. She didn't protest, which made Jack smile. He led her out of the restaurant. From a distance, Arpeggio could see Neon yelling and pacing.

This wasn't going to go well.

Arpeggio clenched Jack's hand. Maybe she shouldn't have agreed to going.

"It's going to be okay," Jack whispered.

She hoped he was right.

They crossed the street, still hand-in-hand. As they approached the group, Jack dropped her hand. He didn't need her getting in more trouble than necessary. The corners of Arpeggio's lips tugged downward at the loss of warmth.

"What were you thinking?" Neon asked when Jack and Arpeggio reached the group.

Her voice was calm. Demanding, but still calm. At least she wasn't yelling.

"I was hungry," Arpeggio answered.

"You couldn't at least tell me you were leaving?"

"You wouldn't let me go to McDonald's if I told you."

"You're right, I wouldn't. Don't you know what could have happened if you ate the wrong thing? Do you want to go to the hospital?"

"I know what I can eat at McDonald's," Arpeggio snapped.

There was an awkward silence. No one had heard Arpeggio snap at anyone before. Even she was shocked that she had that outburst.

"I'm sorry," Arpeggio mumbled, looking at her feet.

"No, its okay. I'm sorry. I'm just worried," Neon said.

Neon felt a sense of pride in her sister finally standing up for herself. After seventeen years, she was growing a bit of a backbone.

"I know," Arpeggio mumbled.

"Did you have fun?"

Arpeggio nodded, kicking the blades of grass. Jack placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

"Jack, thanks for taking care of her food. I still hate you so don't touch her," Neon stated.

Jack kept his hand on Arpeggio's shoulder, "No problem."

Neon glared at his hand, willing it to remove itself from her little sister's shoulder. She had seen Jack hurt girls in the past. She had seen the way he had broken hearts without remorse. Her sister wasn't going to be one of those girls; she wouldn’t allow it.

The whole group had been like that in high school. They had a new girl each week. Neon couldn't stand it. That was one of the reasons she hated them. Plus, Alex tried to get her to cheat on Armand when they first started dating.

The interviewer walked back to the group.

"Let's start the next interview," he said.

The boys of All Time Low nodded. Jack took his hand off of Arpeggio's shoulder. They stood in front of the camera, awaiting the first question.

Arpeggio decided she would stay up to watch Jack's interview but when they were finished, she would be taking a nap on the ground. It was the least she could do for what he had done for her earlier.