This Could Be All I've Waited For

“You guys are disgusting,” Alex announced as Jack and I had ourselves a mini slap fight, before today’s signing.

I shot him a glare leaving myself open for attack which Jack too full advantage of by getting me hard on my right thigh. My attention shot back to our fight where I back handed Jack in the stomach while Alex laughed in the background.

“Ow,” Jack whined rubbing his stomach, “That one probably left a mark.”

I shrugged my shoulders and moved forward to get him again but he moved too quickly for me and grabbed my wrist and spun me around wrapping me in his arms and pressing my back against his chest. I tried to wiggle free but Jack was frustratingly stronger than me and I was unable to regain any sort of control no matter how hard I tried. I both heard and felt Jack chuckle as I struggled.

Alex gagged, “You guys,” he complained, “I just ate lunch and I’d really like to keep it down.”

“You’re so full of shit, Alex,” Jack said still holding me preventing me from getting away.

“Nope you guys are truly obnoxious,” Alex said disagreeing, “Why don’t you just get married all ready and give us all a break.” Rian shouted out his agreement while Zack let out a wolf whistle.
I felt a blush starting to form at the base of my neck and did my best to convince myself that it wasn’t a blush worthy comment while Jack chuckled lowly.

“It would be unfair to the world for two incredibly awesome people like Cady and I to be taken off the market in one finale swoop,” Jack said, “It would break so many hearts.”

I rolled my eyes at Jack, “You are so full of it,” I said finally breaking free, “I’d be murdered in two seconds.”

“That’s a shame you wouldn’t even make it to the honeymoon and isn’t that the whole point of marriage?” Alex pointed out.

Jack reached over and messed up my hair, “No one would hurt you,” he disagreed pulling his phone out of his pocket to begin texting like he had been all day. His face lit up with a smile and he asked, “Hey Cady have you decided what your tattoo should be?”

I shrugged my shoulders, “Nope I haven’t really had any time to look into it yet,” I told him, “Why?”

“What about something like this?” he asked showing me a picture on his phone of someone’s tattoo. It was Marie the little white kitten on Disney’s the Aristocats.

“That is so cute!” I gushed taking his phone from his hands to get a better look at it, “Where did you find this?” I asked.

“Marie sent it to me,” he said shrugging.

I felt my face as it changed to show how confused I was, “The kitten?” I asked not sure who he was talking about.

Jack laughed and shook his head pulling his phone from my hand only to put it back with a picture of the petite blond girl that I’d found him making out with only a couple of days ago. “Marie,” he told me pointing at the picture.

I felt the corners of my mouth pull into a frown. “Oh are you guys are friends now?” I asked trying to sound nonchalant about it, and hoping that it was working.

Jack shrugged his shoulders, “Apparently I gave her my number so I figured I’d be nice and text back and it turns out that she’s pretty cool,” he said like it was not big deal.

“You have a crush on her!” Alex accused pointing a finger at him.

Jack smiled and looked away and I felt my chest tighten in a way that was making it harder to breathe. I zoned out as Alex started jumping around teasing Jack while Jack shook his head and smiled denying it all.

I left the guys without giving much of a reason and marched towards the merch tents, I had no idea what I was actually planning on doing until I saw the logo that I had seen on the van a few nights ago. I walked up to the tent and looked around inside and saw Marie. I walked over to the table that she was sitting behind, “Marie, right?” I asked getting her attention.

When she had first turned to me she was smiling but as she realized who I was her smile lost its bright and cheerful qualities. She nodded her head, “Yeah I’m Marie,” she said answering my question.

I gave her a half-hearted smile not sure where I was going with this, “We need to talk,” I decided to say as I linked my fingers together in front of me.

Marie nodded for me to follow her behind the table and we left the tent in the hands of her co-worker. At first I couldn’t really look at her; I didn’t know why I had come here to her I didn’t have a real plan. I stared off to the side occasionally looking back to her just to make sure that she was still there.

“You’re Cady,” she finally said breaking the silence and directing all of my attention to her.

“Cadence,” I said deciding that I didn’t like her calling me by the nickname that only Jack used.

“He said you’d probably say that,” she said clearly not offended as she nodded her head.

I huffed realizing that she was actually a nice person and there was no way that I could be mean to her, “Don’t hurt him,” I pleaded.

She looked taken aback by the turn in conversation and I continued, “Don’t be like the other girls and leave him think there was something he could have done differently.”

Her arms hugged herself and she looked a little uncomfortable. “I wasn’t planning on hurting him,” she said quietly.

I nodded, “Just don’t, okay?” I knew that I was making her more uncomfortable by saying this but I wanted to get my point across. “He’s not like most guys even though he seems like it sometimes. He’s sweet and I’ll admit that he can get super over protective so don’t let that scare you off but really he’s my best friend,” I paused and met her eyes making sure she was getting all of this, “I will be the one left fixing it all and believe me I’m easily pissed and I do hold a grudge.” I left it at that and turned away from her and made my way towards the All Time Low merch tent.

“What’s up with you?” Vinny asked as I threw myself in his camping chair that he had left vacant as he sold t-shirts to fans.

I shrugged, “Not a good day,” I mumbled picking at the ripped mesh that had once been a cup holder in the chair.

Vinny glanced at my face as he picked up a shirt in the size a girl had requested, “You and Jack aren’t fighting are you?” he asked as he made the transaction.

The girl’s eyes grew wide and searched my face like it would ruin her day to hear such news. I chuckled and shook my head, “Nope, but I did meet Marie,” I said eyeing Vinny for his reaction.

He squeezed his eyes closed and he made a groaning sound as he winced; he had known.

“You could have told me,” I said smiling at the girl as she waved and took her things leaving the tent. I wasn’t necessarily upset with Vinny, but I was a little peeved that no one had bothered to tell me. I frowned a little looking at the ground, “She’s nice,” I said offhandedly.

“She isn’t you,” Vinny said turning and winking at me before continuing to make sales.

I sighed and let my head fall back so that I was looking at the ceiling of the tent. Yeah, I knew that Marie and I aren’t the same and I think that might have been what bothered me most about this whole thing. If Marie and I would have been anything alike then maybe I’d feel like I had some sort of chance… but that didn’t really make much sense either because I didn’t even want a chance; I didn’t even want Jack… Did I?