Under A Paper Moon.

Another month passed, November rolled into December and the rush of Christmas rambled in. Long-awaited Christmas lights roamed streets, flaring through the early dark nights and home decorations were assembled. Soon schools would get off for their three week break and youngsters couldn't wait for the surprise of Mr. Clause to come shooting down their chimneys.
It was the fifteenth of December and since I started to stay home I picked up photography more and started to draw. It's like routine nowadays: I get up, spend an hour watching cartoons, talk to Jack during his lunch from school, get dressed and make dinner, walk about town and take pictures, come home to be greeted by Jack and Alex (or occasionally one of the other guys and girls.). Then I'd move on and spend some time with them before they leave, I'd have 'couple time' with Jack before he went home and I slept. Routine.

I laid back on my couch now and tried to sleep just for an hour. I've been getting more and more tired lately and I'm either constantly hungry or constantly turned off food. I took about twenty minutes trying to get myself positioned just right on the couch before something or someone barged through my front door screaming absolute jibberish. I groaned inwardly and opened my eyes to be greeted with Jack's brown one's and him smiling eagerly over me. I smiled involuntarily and he pecked my lips quickly.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" My voice was raspy, and I sat up slowly while he went out to close my front door then to plop down beside me, making the couch dip.

"It closed early due to the snow or whatever," He smiled extremely happy and wiggled around a little in some sort of a happy dance, "Now we can hang out!"

I laughed and looked over at him, Jack was the sort of person where no matter how much of a bad mood you were in, just being with him would cheer you up and make you smile. I sort of zoned out but I had my cheek in my hand, just staring and smiling at Jack. He was using massive hand gestures and different voices to represent each of the guys and what they were saying, he just made me really happy.

"Rayne?" I looked up when his fingers clicked in front of my face.

"Yes?"

"Were you even listening to a word I was saying?"

"No." I breathed, still a little airy-fairy from the moment. Jack chuckled and pulled me into him and pressed his lips to mine. The moment just took my breath away. My legs were placed on either side of his as I straddled him, his arms twirled around my waist as my hands got lost in his hair. My bump caused a gap between us but we didn't care. We pulled away and I became really shy for absolutely no reason and I buried my face into the crook of his neck, my cheeks were burning.

"Are you OK?" Jack laughed and slipped his hand under my shirt and ran circles into my back with his fingers, I just nodded, breathing a small 'yeah' into his neck. He chuckled and then moved his lips to the skin under my ear and down my neck before leaning his head back so he could see my face.
"You're adorable.. Beautiful, you know that?"

I smiled and kissed him once more, "I love you."

"I love you too, now, we're going out."



I never realised how cold it was until Jack insisted on taking me out. Considering on the lack of layers Jack was wearing I thought it would be fine. Boy, was I wrong.

We were seated in the local Diner a few mere blocks from my house. It was real home-y here, it was more of a family restaurant than just a teenage knock-off one. We were in a booth near enough to the back where it was dimmed more so than the rest of the place. Through the chattering going on about us, it was actually quite romantic. Jack insisted that we stay here so we can watch some people play music and have a full dinner, apparantly all on him.

There was a comfortable silence as we ate our main meal and Jack's foot ran along my jean-clad leg. I looked up to him when I had most of the spaghetti finished, he had the same dish and tried slurping up the spaghetti noodles and hanging them off his fork so he could catch them at the ends, the meat mixed with sauce ended up falling off the fork and onto his face. By the end of the main course he was destroyed. He basically eats like a small child.

"Desert?" Jack asked with a massive smile on his face, and when I nodded he threw his fists into the air and screamed 'ice-cream', which definitely turned heads. I couldn't contain my laughter.
After we ordered, Jack moved so he was right beside me and he slipped his arm around my shoulders to pull me to him. His other hand rested on my bump. I couldn't help but smile.

"So, d'ya want to come to a get together at Alex's tomorrow? It's just going to be us, the other guys and girls." Jack looked down at me, his forehead touched mine.

I smiled, "Are the words 'get together' another way of Alex saying 'sleepover'?"

Jack laughed and nodded, "So you comin'? It'll be fun."

I smiled, "Sure, not a big deal for me since he's right next door.. I'll come."

Jack pecked my cheek and the waitress came with the ice-cream. Jack literally swallowed his like a vacuum. That kid just swallows food and doesn't gain a pound. But believe me when I say he is lanky but weighs a tonne. I placed the last spoonful into my mouth and gathering my scarf and wallet, clapping as the acoustic singer who played tonight finished her cover of Evanesence's My Immortal and stepping offstage. As we left the booth I tipped the girl twenty bucks and she smiled brightly and gave a 'thank you'.
Leaving the Diner I knew I was getting some odd stares from people but all I could do was ignore them, right?

"Back to your place or mine?" Jack linked his fingers with mine, as we stepped out the front door.

"Mine? I don't need my mom flipping out for when she gets home, or my dad, since it is dark." I looked around at the car park and for every breath I took an icy cloud formed from my mouth.

"Ok, c'mon." Jack smiled and we walked down the steps. He ended up pulling me to him and pressing his arm around my waist to keep me warm and safe.

We were about halfway home and it softened into a comfortable silence. Ahead of me was dark as the street lights were dim but I knew I was about ten minutes from my own house.

"Rayne?" I looked up at Jack and he was looking ahead of the both of us, his face had a serious etch to it, I nibbled on my lip.

"Yeah?"

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Where's this coming from?" I chuckled and kicked some ice from under my boot.

"I.. I don't know, I just want to make sure."

I nodded, "I know I can tell you anything, there's no need to wo-" My voice faltered as I slipped on a sheet of ice under my body. I yelped as I hit the pavement, hard, and the impact literally made my whole body jolt and spasm.
"Oh my-"

"Are you OK? Can you stand? Will I call help?" Jack fretted and my hand flew to my stomach before I overcame with pain, a buzz of shock flew from my stomach, around the small of my back and jumped up my spine.

"J-Jack, the baby."