Sweet Talk 101

It hasn’t stopped raining since two PM, and I haven’t stood up here from my recliner either. It’s weird though, the moment I started crying, the rain started. It’s already five PM, and here I am again, crying over that douche who dumped me, dying inside, and desperate to have someone I can talk to.

I decided to just stand up and go downstairs, but then I realized I was home alone… again. My family probably all went out, either working or having some fun. This wasn’t the first time I was left completely alone, but I have to understand them. My family’s a busy family, I myself am a busy person too, but today’s just… not a good day, my boyfriend for three years dumped me. It’s hard to get over him, I’ve always thought he was everything I ask for, but this afternoon I realized how blind and insensitive I was. I couldn’t even stand talking about him alone, so I decided to just call the person who’s been there for me since we’re still in diapers. He’s my best friend, he treats me like his sister. So I grabbed my phone and looked him up in the phonebook. Jack Attack! I pressed the call button.

“Hello?” I heard his sweet voice over the phone.

“Hey Jack” I was still sobbing so my voice was like, about to crack. “Are you busy?”

“Uh, no I don’t think so. Liv, are you alright?” he asked in a concerned and worried tone.

“Jack, I ju-“ my sobbing got worse and I just couldn’t help it, so he cut me off.

“I’m coming over. Five minutes. Don’t move” he told me, I nodded and hang up my phone.

I went to sit on the sofa and turned on the TV. I just kept on flipping through the channels, and I stopped when I saw the Dear Maria, Count Me In music video on MTV. It’s pretty unbelievable how big the band has gotten. The more I get to see them on TV, the prouder I become of them, especially Jack. Another music video has passed, I heard a knock on the door. I stood up and opened it.

“Liv!” Jack said as he tackled me into a hug. “Here!” he handed me a cup of Pinkberry. “Well, I could tell that you just cried, so I bought you your favorite. Team Jacky Pinkberry won’t let you down!”

I laughed, he really knows how to cheer me up. “Thanks Jack!” I said as I took a spoonful of my Pinkberry. “Come in” we both walked in to the living room. “So… where do you want to stay? Here or upstairs?” I asked, still eating from my cup of Pinkberry.

“Wherever you want, Liv.” he responded, playing with his slightly wet bangs.

“Well, let’s just stay here then” I sat on the spot next to him. “Here, take a spoonful of Jacky Pinkberry” I asked as I handed him the cup. He nodded and took the spoon.

“I myself am obsessed with Jacky Pinkberry. Damn I’m so great!” he joked as he handed me the cup after taking a spoonful of the ice cream. “So… can you tell me what happened after you finish eating that?” he asked pointing to my cup. I nodded and gave him a half and quick smile. “Good. Tell me everything, okay? You know I hate it when you keep secrets from me. I can cry” he pouted his lower lip and gave in his puppy eyes.

“Yea don’t worry. That’s why I called you, I need someone to talk” I giggled. “Urgh, I don’t think I can finish eating this now. I’ll just put this on the fridge, then we’ll talk” I said as I stood up and went to the kitchen. He nodded and continued flipping through the channels on the TV. I opened the fridge and put my cup inside the freezer. I took a glass of water then I went back to sit on the sofa beside Jack. He looked at me, but when I looked back, he immediately looked away. It’s pretty different this time, ‘cause when he does that, he’ll smirk right away, but this time he didn’t. He just looked away and that was that. I gave in a heavy smile which caused him to turn off the TV and focus on me.

“What happened?” he asked with a very concerned look on his face. “Was it him?” I nodded and I couldn’t help starting to shed tears again. He wiped my tears down my cheeks and hugged me. He rubbed my back and kept kissing my ear. I couldn’t stop sobbing and just buried my face on his shoulder. He then held my head up and kissed my forehead. “Do you mind sharing what exactly happened or do you want me to just keep on calming you down?” he asked, looking into my brown eyes.

“Both” we both smiled though I’m still sobbing so hard.

“Okay. Tell me what happened while I’m calming you down. Deal?” I nodded while he’s rubbing my head while I’m resting it onto his chest. I always feel so safe when I’m around him, even before I started dating anyone. I’ve always liked him, but there’s just no way I would stand a chance. I’m not good enough for him, and I don’t think I’ll ever be. I can’t even compare myself to the girls he dated, they’re all drop dead stunning and they’re exactly what guys like Jack have always liked.

“He dumped me this afternoon. Jack, I’m just so, so sick of being alone.” I looked down, realizing he’s been holding my hand so tight, like he wouldn’t even dare to let it go. “I’m so sick of being treated like… shit” I continued, pulling a bit away from him.

“Pshh. Who says you’re alone, Liv? If you’re alone, I wouldn’t be here” he smirked, but he was still serious. “Plus, Alex is an ass, a whore, you name them. I don’t even know why you dated him… And I hate the fact that he’s giving my best friend’s name a bad name” he said, with a slightly disgusted look on his face. I know he never liked Alex, but I’ve fallen for him, ‘cause I’d rather fall for anyone else than to wait for Jack to realize what I really feel about him, which is like waiting for nothing. “Okay, sorry if that’s a bit offensive, but it’s ju-“

“It wasn’t, Jack. You’re right” I cut him off. “But it’s just… I don’t understand why guys hate me, why they don’t care about me at all, why they don’t care about how I feel.” I said as I shook my head and looked down at my hands. Jack looked at me which caused me to look up to him. He shoved some of my brown hair strands behind my ear before he held my hands again.

“So… you don’t think I care about you? I mean, I’m a guy, I’m straight” he asked as he raised one of his thick eyebrows, making me escape a small laugh through my lips. “Look. I care about you, Olivia. I care about how you feel, and I don’t hate you. I loooooove you” he tossed his forehead to mine and we both gave in a small laugh.

“I know, Jack. You’ve always made me feel that you love me and that you care about me. And I know you’re a guy and that you’re straight. When I told you about those ‘guys’ who didn’t care for me, I’m referring to the guys I dated. We’re like, the best of friends, Jack. Of course I know how much you care about me” I reminded him, pinching his oily cheek. Of course I know how much you care about me. I know he cares about me ‘cause I’m his best friend, ‘cause I’ve been there ever since.

“Mhmm. Well, I wanna make you feel that you’re very, very special, especially for me. You don’t know how grateful I am to have you, Liv. You. Have. No. Idea” I’ve never heard anything like that from him, I couldn’t believe what I just heard. He was serious, he wasn’t kidding around or something. He wasn’t smirking. My breathing stopped after hearing those words straight from his mouth, but I didn’t want him to notice, so I just raised an eyebrow. “Olivia Baerga, take this” he said as he handed me a familiar silicone wristband with ‘BARAKAT’ written on it. It’s the Jack’s-Wife bracelet. He had that wristband since he was thirteen, I was the first person who knew about what it really means to him. He’s going to give that to the girl he’s going to marry, who’s going to have his last name soon. It doesn’t serve as an engagement ring or something, but it’s something Jack wouldn’t just give to anyone. He never gave it to even one of his ex-girlfriends, he never did. And he’s giving it to me?

“Ja-“ before I could even finish mentioning his one-syllable-name, he cut me off and pressed his lips to mine. He leaned a bit more and started touching my cheek with his thumb. He slowly pulled over from the kiss and gave me his amazing smile when we locked eyes together. “This isn’t a good joke, Jack” I mumbled, still shocked about everything that’s going on.

“Well it isn’t even one of the thousands of awkward jokes I’ve shared with you, Liv” he giggled before tossing his forehead to mine for the second time. He hugged me again but this time, I didn’t feel the pain Alex has left after he dumped me, this time I felt… happiness and relief. We both pulled over from the hug, still not letting go of each other’s hands. “I love you, Olivia Baerga. I’m not proposing YET, but I just want you to know that I care about what you feel, I care about everything about you. Please be aware of that. I LOVE YOU. This douche named Jack Bassam Barakat loves you and has been head over heels for you since we’re still babies” He leaned again and kissed me. I kissed him back and I could feel him smiling through the kiss. Did I just hear that? Jack likes me? He’s been liking me for a long time? So I’ve been getting my thoughts wrong since I met him? I can’t even… This is too dreamy, I couldn’t start believing this.

“I love you too, Jack Barakat. I’ve been heels over head for you forever, Jack. Forever” I said after we both pulled a bit over from the kiss. “But… how come you never told me that before?” I asked while he plays with my brown hair.

“I wasn’t sure if I could meet your ‘guy standards” he said shyly. “I mean, when I’m like, planning on asking you out, I couldn’t help comparing myself to the guys you dated. They’re so different from me, I was just afraid that you’ll start avoiding me once I asked you out or gave you signal or something… And you’re not just about your big and nice boobs or slender body or something, you got the whole package, Liv” he shook his head as he looked at me through his bangs.

“Pshh, you know what, we’re killing each other. I’ve always liked you, Jack, like you don’t even know how much. But it’s just that… I’ve never thought I could be good enough for you. I couldn’t even compare myself to your ex-girlfriends” I said as I smiled and kissed his cheek. “But that doesn’t really matter now, I got the Jack’s-Wife wristband and I’ll never ever take this off. Not a chance!” I mumbled as I rested my head on his chest. When silence filled the house for a few minutes, we both fell asleep.

I slowly opened my eyes, and I realized I’m still resting my head on Jack’s chest. I looked up to him and he was still sleeping peacefully. I smiled and buried my head on his chest again. I wrapped my left hand around his torso while I looked down to the wristband he gave me last night. I still couldn’t believe I got that wristband. This is just… everything I’ve been waiting for, I thought this would never happen at all. I never thought Jack feels the same way for me. Jack’s my dream guy, but I guess he wouldn’t be just a dream guy anymore, he’s my guy. We’re going to get married someday and nothing and no one could ever change that. I’m gonna be Olivia Baerga-Barakat, and I have this wristband as a proof.