How He Saved a Life

Jack
After all the hours we had been driving, no one had bothered to speak to me. It was as if they were waiting for me to come begging for their forgiveness.
Honestly, I didn’t deserve it. They were doing such good things for me, and I shouldn’t be being given any of it. For the last few days I had been treating them like complete and utter shit. As if they had been reading my mind, there was a sudden knocking on the door. It was much softer than before.
“Jack – can I come in?” To my surprise the knocker was Alex. I needed someone to talk to, so I succumbed to my demons and let him inside my bunk. “This room fucking reeks!” was the first thing he said. Just like old times. It felt good to have some normality to balance the worry that was penetrating my soul. That didn’t mean I was going to laugh though. I needed to focus on what was currently important. Ellie.
“I don’t know what to do…” I hiccupped as I surrendered into Alex’s open arms.
This whole time I had been lying to myself. All along all I wanted was some company. I anticipated the next thing that he said to me.
"Why didn't you run for her?” He asked, though not in a stern way it was enough to set my mind racing. The truth was pathetic.
"I-I don't know okay?" I yelped trying to fight back tears. It wasn't working. My eyes were losing. He could tell I was lying. Abruptly he pulled my limp body from his chest and locked his deep chestnut eyes directly on mine. They were staring into my exposed soul.
"Barakat I've known you too long. Something made you stay inside while she walked away. You are not the type that acts with no reason. What was it?" He urged, almost shaking my body as he did so. I couldn’t lie any longer.
"I was scared okay. She's 16 and I'm 23. She doesn't need a protégé like me when she has already experienced so much shit. Above all she needs someone that can be there and not fuck her up any more. I will never be that guy," The truth exploded out of my mouth like an erupting volcano. At first Alex was strained to reply. His eyes shot to the floor in a way that shouted pity. Once he’d recovered he returned to his previous glare but this time added a softer tone to his solid voice.
"Jack you know full well that's not true. No one fucking cares how old you are or how long you'd be absent. All she needed to know is that you'd still want her when you got back. Right now she needs you more than ever. It is your time to tell her what you and I, heck everyone on this bus, knows.” He told me. I had never seen him so serious; this new side of him influenced my belief in his favour. In reality I may have been the last thing that she needed however at the same time I was the first. Two conflicting things can’t ever create a right.
But there was no harm in trying. Now was the time to shift my arse into gear.
"I know,” was all I could say before I had marched outside of my bunk into the main area of the van. Behind me I swear I could hear Alex chuckle a little, though I knew that it was only a laugh of victory.
“Matt’s already on it,” Alex made me jump as his arms met my back once more, this time in a much friendlier manner. A smile attempted to mask his obvious worry as he led me to a seat next to the others. In unison they repeated Alex’s action and for an estimate of two minutes we sat there locked in our warm embrace.
This is what best friends were for.
This is why our fans all think we’re gay.
The television was still on and replaying what I had seen earlier. No new information had been found out about Ellie, they were still commenting on the fact that her sister was dead. I’m sorry but I do not give a fuck about Constance, all I want to see are the search parties for Ellie. There weren’t any. We were the only Calvary coming to save her.
“We’re here, now go get her tiger,” A frantic Matt Flyzik disrupted my thoughts as he brought the bus to an abrupt stop. None of the men on the bus tried to stop me as I raced through the door into the fresh air. The wind whipped my speeding body while it was pulled towards the magnetised cameramen ahead.
My name was called almost a million times during my plight, but it wasn’t going to stop me. I guess I had doubted our fame in this small town, unimportant as it was at the time I was flattered. Half of these people didn’t even know who Ellie was I bet, and probably didn’t even care.
When I finally reached the news teams even they were staring at me. Nevertheless these stares weren’t out of recognition; they probably just saw me as something else to add to their pitiful story. One of the cameramen approached me.
“Can I please have the microphone a second?” I asked the same man, who in turn looked at me with the same gaze as the others. This one clearly recognised me.
“I’m sorry but the scene of a young girl’s death isn’t the appropriate scene for any type of stupid stunt you’re trying to pull,” he snarled, “you or your stupid band.”
Those words were enough to make me flip.
“Stupid? Are you calling me stupid? You’re the ones more concerned about a fucking corpse then the one that’s actually gone missing. And before you go on saying shit like ‘oh what are you to know’ I in fact love that girl. I care more about her then any of you ever will so can you please give me the micropho-” After realising that every single lens was now on me, I couldn’t finish my thoughtless outburst. Both of my now shaking hands rose to cover my overambitious tongue. A lot of people, and I mean millions, had just seen a 23 year old man admit that he loves a 16 year old. This was not going well.
I was now a nationwide paedophile. Well done Jack Barakat. A round of applause goes to you.
My legs wanted to take me as far away as they could, but there was one thing that stopped me - the young girl who had just walked out of the semi-open door of the journalist’s van. She had been found moments before I had gotten there. They hadn’t even had the chance to reveal this yet.

Ellie

“You - you what?” I stammered as I pushed past the surrounding men, mind focusing on just one person. Few watchers tried to stop me, but I brushed every single one of their reassuring fingers away. It wasn’t long until Jack and I were staring into each other’s eyes breathlessly once more. Our pupils widened just like when we had first met.
“I love you.” He breathed into my ear and lowered his head. I could sense the shame in his voice as he spoke those words to me; this was his way of saying sorry, I knew it.
Part of me wanted to shout every swear word under the sun at him, force upon him every last emotion I had felt during his absence. Meanwhile the other was just happy to see him. It didn’t want him to go away again. Stereotypically this was the side that won.
“I love you too” Finally I returned his affection, melting into the blanket that now surrounded me. To feel safe again was all I had yearned from every since I had left him.
The sudden impending police sirens didn't even give me a chance to savour my current protection. The grip around me tightened. We weren’t ready for another goodbye.
Not yet.