There Will Be Rain

Jack

Once I’d left Isobelle’s house I breathed out a long, overdue breath; that girl was everything I could possibly ask for and I, Jack Barakat had well and fucking truly ruined everything. I ran down the road of her street with my head full of confused thoughts, yes I liked her but what I had done was wrong – wasn’t it?

She had literally just found out that the person she thought she loved had cheated on her, completely destroying her. I was a friend, a friend and nothing more but that didn’t stop me taking advantage of the state he had left her in. Isobelle was fragile and vulnerable; the kiss she had sprung upon me mere minutes previous was nothing more than a simple rebound, a mixture of confused feeling and misinterpretations. I just used that to my advantage, I took them confused emotions and quite possibly just broke Isobelle even more than she was before.

Stupid Jack

I whispered to myself as the continued pace my legs were running at, inevitably in a few minutes caused the familiar grey and black of the tour bus to appear before my dark chocolate eyes. I boarded the bus quickly and ran to the bunks; all several pairs of eyes followed me in angst before I closed the curtains across. I just wanted to disappear.

&&
1 week later

My wish of wanting to disappear couldn’t have come sooner, since we departed Isobelle’s town a week ago we haven’t been in contact at all – it was killing me. I was missing the way her hand cupped my face gently when we kissed, I missed her scent of DKNY apple, the way her lips moved against mine like they were made to fit mine perfectly – but most of all, most of all…I missed her.

Sighing to no one but myself I rolled out of my bunk, trudging slowly towards the bathroom which was thankfully empty. You had to fight like fuck normally just to get five minutes in the bathroom – I and Alex always took the longest. Staring hard into the mirror I was confronted with my worn out reflection, not wanting to make any effort what so ever with my hair, I left it in the flat state that it was.

After brushing my teeth and washing my face I walked back out into the bunk area, pulling out some clothes from under my bunk and getting changed. I eventually decided with minimal effort to pick a pair of dark blue skinnies and a GK top – basically whatever was on the top of the pile.

Just as I pulled the top over my head I heard the distance ringing of my phone, someone was calling me. Instantly I rushed into the front longue to retrieve my iphone, jumping to the conclusion it was Isobelle. My face frowned when the ID alerted me to the fact it was Jemma.

“Hello, Jemma?”

“JACK BARAKAT YOU COMPLETE AND UTTER CLASS A, ARSEHOLE!”

Wincing at the sheer level of her tone, I pulled my iphone a couple of inches away from my ear, scrunching my face up as I did so. I didn’t need or want this.

“She shut herself in her room all this week since you left, It was worse than before you came to see her. I got fed up and kind of broke my way in. She told me what happened, how the fuck! Could you be so stupid, you know what she’s like”

Feeling somewhat angry at Jemma’s rant I tried to compose myself, I needed my point of view to be put forward.

“Jemma that’s exactly why I did what I did, she just broke up with Oli and I abused that fact. Even if she was the one to kiss me”

I whispered the last sentence and trailed off the conversation. I heard Jemma’s sigh reach my ears from down the phone and I could just imagine her pushing her brown bangs out of the way with her fingers. She was drumming her fingers on a worktop in the distance; she was contemplating what to say next.

“Listen Jack I’m not going to get in the middle of this, but it’s not what you think. You need to talk to her…the sooner the better”

She added the last part with a bold emphasis surrounding it, she sighed once more and I sucked in some air through my clenched teeth. Easier said than done. I said my goodbyes and promises before I ended the call, chewing the inside of my cheek while fiddling with my phone.

Suddenly my thought pattern was disturbed by the enthuastic shouts that emitted from a certain red headed, lead singer. Alex burst onto the bus, shortly followed by a not so cheery Zack and Rian. Apart from me, Alex was the closest to another energetic child as you were going to get.

“Dude you’re up, we got some breakfast if you want some?”

Alex commented whilst nodding and lifting the plastic bag full of food that he was carrying, Zack and Rian eyeing me with suspicion and caution. I assumed they knew all about what had happened I mean Zack had Isobelle’s number from me, or I’m guessing Alex had filled them in from Jemma since she had found out.

“Nah I’m alright Bro, I’m just going to hang out in the back lounge for a while”

Dismissing myself I walked quickly towards the back of the tour bus, desperate to avoid prying questions and concerned glares. Sitting down on the couch I pulled out my electric guitar from its stand, it was the one I would play tonight it was my lucky guitar. It would also be the one I played tonight in London our last show.

Alex suddenly burst through the door just as I was making sure my guitar was in tune, laughing her crossed the space between us and took the guitar from my hands effortlessly tuning the guitar ready to emit a flawless melody.

“Something’s up Bro, don’t lie to me and say nothing. Because you’re pretending to tune and you can’t tune for shit”

“I kissed her Alex, a week ago when I went over to see her. She told me she broke up with her boyfriend because he was cheating on her and I told her he was a douche and she was all these amazing things, and then…and then she kissed me – and I left. Now I feel guilty because I took advantage and Jemma said she is just as bad as before”

Alex sucked in his bottom lip taking it between his teeth, it was this thinking expression. Eventually after what seemed like forever, his lip jutted back out. Placing one supportive arm on my shoulder, he gave the best advice a best friend could.

“I had no idea man, it would explain why you’ve been acting crap all week though. But you need to tell Isobelle what you just told me”

He smiled at me weakly but with some reassurance behind it, before handing my phone over into my hand. He engulfed me in a quick hug before leaving me alone to do what he had advised. Scrolling down my contacts I decided to try her home phone first, if she saw my name flash up on her mobile she’d reject the call for sure.

The monotone ringing dial made its way through my ears as I waited to be connected, in that little time I desperately searched my mind for what to say. The tone cut out as a feminine sound answered with a formal greeting.

“Hello this is Mrs Green speaking how may I help you?”

“Urm oh sorry I was actually wondering if Isobelle was there?”

“Urm no sorry, who is this?”

Of course I was so stupid she would have warned her mother to ask who I was before she accepted any calls to her home phone. She was outsmarting me.

“I’m just a friend”

“Oh well no she doesn’t live here anymore”

Her mother spoke in a tone that sounded a tad annoyed, I suddenly remembered that Isobelle wasn’t too fond of her parents and I was slowly beginning to see why as Mrs Green got very impatient with this continuing conversation.
“Oh do you know where she is?”

“No I don’t and quite frankly I don’t care. All I know from the note she left is that she moved somewhere to London with her friend Jemma. Now if you don’t mind. Goodbye”

With that the static replaced the voice that shocked me, how could someone not care where their daughter was. I locked my phone back up and contemplated calling Isobelle’s mobile, but I couldn’t. I knew she would probably answer, I knew she would almost definitely be pissed and I definitely didn’t have the guts to face that situation.

&&

The flashing lights blinded me as I positioned myself behind the see through curtain, my silhouette standing large as the beats off Rian’s drum began to kick in. Alex soon followed and so did Zack and me, this was our last show for a while in the UK and I was determined to let this be awesome.

The curtain dropped on cue just as the adrenaline that was building in my body kicked in, the intro to Lost in Stereo began and I ran across the stage failing my legs about jumping, whilst Alex flawlessly sang the first line. At that moment everything seemed to drain from my body, every bad thought, feeling and emotion – gone.

The song finished and feeling the excitement pulsing through my veins I took my mic in my one hand, the other resting on my lucky guitar and spoke the words I was dying to release.

“Can I have some tea and scones?”

The crowd erupted and screamed into responses of “yes” and the rest I couldn’t even register what they were screaming. Alex laughed beside me as a smirk lay upon his lips, his signature smirk.

“Jack you know the audience won’t give you tea and scones, they’ll be too busy getting naked for me”

He shouted huskily into his mic as I watched as about a thousand fan girls screamed and fanned themselves down in front of me. Shaking my head I always was astonished to see just how many girls would go weak at the knees at Alex Gaskarth’s charm.

“Do you want us to get nakey?”

I mocked in a British accent which made the crowd scream even louder at the thought of a naked All Time Low, fans sometimes…I love them and their imaginations to death. Alex again laughed at my accent before replying in the same way, only his accent was a lot better considering he did come from Essex.

“Do you want us to get our willies out?”

We both looked at one another and laughed, sending each other a look of understanding and with that the show continued to progress in such a manner. However every now and then my brain was flooded with thoughts of Isobelle, I tried to push them aside but knowing that she was in London somewhere with Jemma made it that little bit harder.

So after the show finished and we said our thanks I ran off the stage drenched in sweat, my fringe stuck to my forehead as I pulled out my iphone. I decided upon opening a new text, thinking that I would text her considering as I didn’t have the guts to speak to her on the phone. I kept it as simple and to the point as possible.

I’m sorry I ran away. I shouldn’t of taken advantage x

Over thinking too much I pushed my phone back into my pocket and went to the showers backstage to clean up, within half an hour I was in fresh clothes and resting, phone on my stomach, along the couch in the dressing room. Zack and Alex popped their heads around the side of the door knocking against the open door, turning my head slightly to acknowledge them I was met by their gaze.

“Dude after party in town, you down?”

“Nah I think I’ll just meet you guys back on the bus later”

“Alright dude, your loss”

Zack said as he walked off down the hallway, Alex analyzed me skeptically before I gave him a half hearted smile to say I’d be fine. He shrugged before walked a few steps before I heard his retreating foot falls, his head popping back round the door only this time he wore a genuine smirk.

“Oh by the way you have a visitor”

He ran off down the hall and out of the venue as I took on a look of confusion, just as I was about to get up off the couch a petite figure appeared in the doorway making her way forward. Her jet black hair backcombed and resting before her bust, wearing a pair of short dungarees and a Mickey Mouse tee, she spoke timidly.

“Hey Jack great show tonight but I think we need to talk”

Closing my agape mouth I shuffled up on the couch indicating for her to sit down, and she did. Her green eyes meeting mine as they swirled with questioning.

“Hey Isobelle, listen I know what I did was wrong I shouldn’t of kissed you back when you were like that. You had just broken up with Oliver and I’m just so sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Looking up to meet her eyes I noticed she was smiling, why the fuck was she smiling when I was apologizing for being such a dick. I was about to continue but she cut me off she leant forward and her scent that I missed instantly hit my nostrils.

“Jack shut up and listen, because I will only say this once, I was upset about Oliver cheating yes. But I kissed you because I wanted to. That night at the party on Young Guns bus and correct me if I’m wrong, but I felt something. Even if I was still with Oliver I would still feel this way about you, I did on that bus. I was glad you kissed me back, but I understood why you ran away. I think I’m falling for you Jack Barakat.”

A huge grin broke out across my face for the first time in weeks with every word she spoke, I felt it too on the bus but I thought I was stupid for even considering such a thing. She liked me even when she was with Oli, I thought I would never be allowed to have her for myself, but here she was, with me.

This time it was my turn to make the move, as I was sitting down on the couch I took her hand in mine and pulled her down towards me. Her legs moved to either side of my legs as she straddled me, I rested my forehead against hers as I held our gaze – her green eyes sparkling with excitement, mine matching.

Brushing my fingers through her hair and around to the back of her neck I smiled before crashing her lips down onto mine, softly. Teasing my tongue against the bottom of her lip she let me in as our tongues battled for dominance.

My hands trailed down to her hips as she rested on my lap, her hair gently tickling the sides of my face as she cupped my face with her hands. Honestly in the few minutes we were kissing I couldn’t breathe, I felt my heart beat uncontrollably and my stomach doing back flips. She had sent me into some sort of spell and I was weak under her control. This kiss was pure magic.

After a while she pulled away from the kiss her emerald eyes finding mine once more, my eyes remained shut but eventually from the shock prized themselves back open. She giggled lightly as a light pink blush crept upon her cheeks, biting down on the material of her cardigan – it was so fucking cute.

“Jack?”

“Yeah”

I spoke my voice raspy and dry as I swallowed to gain back some composure. She smirked at the state I was left in after the kiss before pushing back her fringe with her Jack Skellington, painted nails.

“Sorry yeah”

“Please don’t take up acting, ever. You can’t and will never be able to pull off the British accent”

She teased as I faked mock hurt; I caused another giggle to escape from her lips. I was happy, happy that I had made Isobelle so happy, and happy that she had made me this happy. I had the only girl I thought I could only dream after. She was now a reality.

I was about to retaliate with some witty remark so as I parted my lips slightly, she must have seen it coming. Because before I could respond, my lips were silenced by the pair of lips I’d been missing, the pair of lips I’d been longing for, Isobelle’s.