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It Takes More
Nineteen; Please don’t tell me that I’m the only one that’s vulnerable.
After spending the rest of the afternoon fooling around in the pool, the five of us made our way back upstairs. I called dibs on the shower, not wanting to sit around in my dripping clothes. Stepping out of the white bathtub, I belatedly realized I didn’t have a change of clothes. I wrapped a fuzzy towel around myself, clutching it tightly to my chest before opening the bathroom door.
Jack was sitting in a chair by the window as he talked to the camera on his laptop while Alex lay back on the far bed still in his wet swim trunks, watching the television screen. I walked between the beds and TV, grabbing my wrinkled jeans from the back of the second chair at the small table.
“Why don’t you have any clothes on?” Jack asked condescendingly.
I held up the denim in my hands. “I’m working on it. But I do have a bit of a situation—” I trailed off.
Jack cocked an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation, as I heard my best friends voice. “Why the Hell didn’t you tell me you were going all the way to New York?” Marla scolded through the computer.
I moved to where I was standing behind Jack, one hand holding my jeans as the other held my towel in place. “Sorry, Mar. I didn’t want you to talk me out of it, or ruin the surprise by calling Jack,” I explained. She nodded with a thoughtful smile as I looked at Jack. “Remember how I didn’t bring anything with me?” I asked with an innocent smile. He nodded, though he didn’t respond. “Well—I’m in need of a change of clothes,” I continued.
“You can borrow one of my shirts,” Alex offered from behind me.
Turning, I offered him a smile. “Thanks, Alex.”
After tossing Alex’s v-neck over my still-damp bra, I exited the bathroom to find it empty except for a now fully dressed Alex. “Where’d Jack go?” I asked as I braided my drying hair to the side of my head and took a seat at the foot of the first bed.
“He went across the hall.” After a short, awkward pause, he offered, “If you need some clothes, I could take you shopping.”
I bit my lip, looking at him out of the corner of my eye. “Uh, that would be great, actually.”
He half-smiled as he stood, tucking his wallet into his pocket before stepping into his shoes. I tentatively followed him out of the hotel room to the elevator. Inside, he pushed the button for the first floor before leaning back against the wall and stuffing his hands in his pockets. He didn’t look my way, or even acknowledge that I was standing just a foot and a half away from him.
As I switched my gaze from his passive face to the descending floor numbers repeatedly, I couldn’t help but think if I was too late. Had my hurtful, though completely false, words done their intended damage? Did he think I was truly over him? Did he give up hope?
Before I could begin to contemplate, never mind finding any answers, to the questions and doubt running through my head, a ding signaling our arrival in the lobby sounded overhead. Again I followed Alex, being sure to stay just a two steps behind him at all times.
“Where the fuck were you guys?” Jack asked when we made it back to the hotel room.
“Alex took me to find a few outfits so I don’t have to keep borrowing you guys’ clothes,” I answered. I watched as Jack looked only at Alex, a silent question in the air. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Alex shrug before sitting on the farthest bed.
“So,” I began. Both pairs of brown eyes looked to me expectantly. “What’re the sleeping arrangements?”
Alex looked away, his face blank. Jack seemed to think for a minute. “Well, you can have one of the beds, obviously. I can sleep on the floor, unless Alex will let me share with him,” Jack answered. I nodded before picking a new pair of pajamas from one of the bags at my feet and walking into the bathroom.
As I was changing from Alex’s shirt and my dirty jeans, I could hear the boys’ faint voices from the other room.
“—know what your doing, right?” Jack’s hushed voice asked. I didn’t hear a response from Alex, if there was one, before Jack spoke again. “Look, I know you got bitched at enough for last week already. As much as I’d like to stay out of your love life, she’s my sister—”
“Believe me, Jack. I know,” Alex sighed.
I chose that moment to unlock the bathroom door, making an appearance in the now silent hotel room. “So, what’s your schedule for the next few days?” I asked lightheartedly as I leaned against the headboard of the first bed.
“Well,” Jack started, still looking at Alex for a second before turning to me. “We start recording tomorrow. It’ll be pretty boring, but you’re welcome to come with.”
“Sounds like a plan.” I scooted down the bed as I prepared to fall asleep.
Jack was sitting in a chair by the window as he talked to the camera on his laptop while Alex lay back on the far bed still in his wet swim trunks, watching the television screen. I walked between the beds and TV, grabbing my wrinkled jeans from the back of the second chair at the small table.
“Why don’t you have any clothes on?” Jack asked condescendingly.
I held up the denim in my hands. “I’m working on it. But I do have a bit of a situation—” I trailed off.
Jack cocked an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation, as I heard my best friends voice. “Why the Hell didn’t you tell me you were going all the way to New York?” Marla scolded through the computer.
I moved to where I was standing behind Jack, one hand holding my jeans as the other held my towel in place. “Sorry, Mar. I didn’t want you to talk me out of it, or ruin the surprise by calling Jack,” I explained. She nodded with a thoughtful smile as I looked at Jack. “Remember how I didn’t bring anything with me?” I asked with an innocent smile. He nodded, though he didn’t respond. “Well—I’m in need of a change of clothes,” I continued.
“You can borrow one of my shirts,” Alex offered from behind me.
Turning, I offered him a smile. “Thanks, Alex.”
After tossing Alex’s v-neck over my still-damp bra, I exited the bathroom to find it empty except for a now fully dressed Alex. “Where’d Jack go?” I asked as I braided my drying hair to the side of my head and took a seat at the foot of the first bed.
“He went across the hall.” After a short, awkward pause, he offered, “If you need some clothes, I could take you shopping.”
I bit my lip, looking at him out of the corner of my eye. “Uh, that would be great, actually.”
He half-smiled as he stood, tucking his wallet into his pocket before stepping into his shoes. I tentatively followed him out of the hotel room to the elevator. Inside, he pushed the button for the first floor before leaning back against the wall and stuffing his hands in his pockets. He didn’t look my way, or even acknowledge that I was standing just a foot and a half away from him.
As I switched my gaze from his passive face to the descending floor numbers repeatedly, I couldn’t help but think if I was too late. Had my hurtful, though completely false, words done their intended damage? Did he think I was truly over him? Did he give up hope?
Before I could begin to contemplate, never mind finding any answers, to the questions and doubt running through my head, a ding signaling our arrival in the lobby sounded overhead. Again I followed Alex, being sure to stay just a two steps behind him at all times.
~~~
“Where the fuck were you guys?” Jack asked when we made it back to the hotel room.
“Alex took me to find a few outfits so I don’t have to keep borrowing you guys’ clothes,” I answered. I watched as Jack looked only at Alex, a silent question in the air. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Alex shrug before sitting on the farthest bed.
“So,” I began. Both pairs of brown eyes looked to me expectantly. “What’re the sleeping arrangements?”
Alex looked away, his face blank. Jack seemed to think for a minute. “Well, you can have one of the beds, obviously. I can sleep on the floor, unless Alex will let me share with him,” Jack answered. I nodded before picking a new pair of pajamas from one of the bags at my feet and walking into the bathroom.
As I was changing from Alex’s shirt and my dirty jeans, I could hear the boys’ faint voices from the other room.
“—know what your doing, right?” Jack’s hushed voice asked. I didn’t hear a response from Alex, if there was one, before Jack spoke again. “Look, I know you got bitched at enough for last week already. As much as I’d like to stay out of your love life, she’s my sister—”
“Believe me, Jack. I know,” Alex sighed.
I chose that moment to unlock the bathroom door, making an appearance in the now silent hotel room. “So, what’s your schedule for the next few days?” I asked lightheartedly as I leaned against the headboard of the first bed.
“Well,” Jack started, still looking at Alex for a second before turning to me. “We start recording tomorrow. It’ll be pretty boring, but you’re welcome to come with.”
“Sounds like a plan.” I scooted down the bed as I prepared to fall asleep.
♠ ♠ ♠
Alex is almost as sweet as he was in high school, though he's keeping his distance. And so is Elena, for now, but not for long.As soon as big brother leaves them alone again, there's bound to be a heart to heart. Or at least a screaming match, or two. You'll have to stay tuned to find out which. ;)