On Your Side

Jenna was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Being with Eric felt natural and homey in a sense and being with John felt exciting and new. She hated that she couldn't just feel all of that for one of them. It just wasn't fair to her or them. Mostly them and that made her feel even worse.

"What are you doing?" She heard and looked over to the door where Kennedy stood with an amused grin on his lips.

Jenna sighed and pushed away from her dresser were she stood staring aimlessly in the mirror.

"My mind wondered off..."

Kennedy chuckled, "You ok?"

"Yeah, just a lot on my mind."

"Mhm, two boys I know?"

"Yep." She said as she fell onto the bed. He grinned as he leaned against the door frame with crossed arms. There was no point in lying to him. He was basically the only friend she had that she could vent to about everything and he wouldn't judge.

"Well, John will be here soon. Band meeting. Just wanted to give you a heads up."

"Thanks for that." She mumbled as he stepped further into her room. She watched him as he stepped over to her dresser, grabbing up the jacket she hadn't noticed until now.

"Is this..." He asked, confusion on his face and Jenna gave him a questionable look, not wanting to go into the story. Kennedy turned over the blue jean jacket, examining it before he smelled it. Jenna gave him a disgusted look, "Did you just smell that?"

"Yes! It's fucking Eric's! It smells like him!"

"The fact that you know what he smells like is scary..."

"Jenna, what is this doing here?" He asked sternly and she sighed, "He came by last night."

"Long enough to take his jacket off?"

She winced and he immediately let out a groan, "Jenna, did he sleep here?"

"Yeah..."

Kennedy sighed rubbing his hand down his cheek, "Jenna. Fuck."

"What?! We didn't do anything. He just slept with me. Nothing happened."

Kennedy narrowed his eyes at her, "Jenna, look, I know we've talked about this so much that it now holds no meaning, but I'm going to say it again. John really loves you and he says he's ok with this, that he's letting you make you're own decisions, but don't tell him about Eric, ok? Because he'll say he's fine, but shit like that hurts him and makes him doubt himself and I'm the one who was to deal with it."

"I wasn't going to..." Jenna mumbled and Kennedy let out a sigh as he fell beside her.

"I'm not saying this to make you feel bad, you know? I mean, I'm always on your side, but I just feel like you need to hear the truth."

"No, I get that Ken and I truly appreciate you. Everyone else is either Garrett rude or Pat nice."

Kennedy laughed "So what does that make me?"

"Just Kennedy which is the best."

He grinned and placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side and kissing her head.

"I love you, kid."

"Love you too."

"Wanna come to our boring meeting where Tim Kirch will do nothing but tell us what we can't do on tour?"

Jenna laughed, "Does that mean Garrett will get mad?"

"Most definitely."

"Mhm, well, count me in."

Kennedy laughed, grabbing her hand up and pulling her off the bed. He held onto her hand loosely as he led her down the stairs to the living room.

"Um, what are you doing with my sister?" Garrett asked, immediately going from joking around with Pat to brother mode.

"Getting her out of her room to socialize." Kennedy replied smoothly not phased by Garrett's tone.

Kennedy dropped her hand before falling onto the couch next to Jared. Jenna bit her bottom lip nervously, having felt John's eyes on her ever since she entered.

She didn't know if sitting by him was ok or not. Before she could decide on what to do Tim busted in and Pat groaned at his loud, older brother.

"If we are on time don't you think you should be?" John grumbled, clearly not feeling this whole 'meeting' thing.

"Well, if we are going by rules now, don't you think dating your band member's sister would be out of the question?" He retaliated.

Jenna immediately blushed and John rolled his eyes as Tim fell into the empty seat beside Pat giving her no choice but to sit next to John which now was incredibly awkward. She hadn't talked to him since the whole conversation at the bar.

"Why are we meeting again?" Kennedy chimed in, to help Jenna out.

"Um, because we have a tour coming up and we need to sort out the set list and what not."

"You don't need me for that." Garrett stated and he nodded, "Yeah, I do. I know none of you like this part, but we have to sort it all out before it gets here. You know the drill."

Garrett rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Kennedy's eyes immediately went to Jenna and she couldn't help but grin which caused him to chuckle.

"What is it Ken?" Tim asked and Kennedy shook his head, "Nothing, by all means continue."

Jenna giggled into her hand in order not to be heard and John glanced at her.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, Ken and I just had a bet on Garrett being the first to get mad."

"Well bet on Ken being the only one left in a while. He always is."

"Well someone has to be mature." She joked and he narrowed his eyes at her. She chuckled, patting his knee and he shook his head, "Real funny."

For the first time since she was in the living room, her eyes met his and he grinned at her as he slung his arm on the back of the couch, trying to act like he was listening. It wasn't long after that Jenna felt him playing with her hair absentmindedly and she hated how nervous it made her.

"Oh come on, why does that matter? We drink every fucking day basically." John stated in his calm voice, not caring that he was still twisting Jenna's hair between his fingers.

"Yeah and do you not remember the last show of the last tour? Yeah, let's not let that happen again." Tim glared at John and he rolled his eyes.

Of course Jenna already planned to ask him about it. What happened that show?

"That was one time. I was having a bad day. Sue me."

"Right, well, and that proves that you need to stop drinking on stage because we can't fucking read your mind and know when you are in a bad mood."

John's jaw clinched tightly and Jenna knew he was angry just by his look alone. She patted his knee, hoping to calm him and his eyes met hers.

"So, I'm done here. I'll be Garrett today and leave first." John said pushing himself from the couch and Tim groaned, "Oh come on."

"No, this is me in a bad mood." He grumbled and Jenna watched him as he felt around for his keys.

"Oh and are you planning to take my sister?" Garrett asked with a raised eyebrow and John didn't even flinch, "Yep." He replied honestly as he held out his hand for the girl.

She could only imagine how red her cheeks were as she took his hand and he pulled her from the couch.

"John can't you just fucking sit through this? You can flirt with her the rest of the day for all I care." Tim stated now annoyed.

"No thanks." He growled, pulling her out of the house and to his truck. A sigh escaped his lips once they were securely inside.

"You ok?" She asked and he breathed in, running his hand through his messy hair, "Yeah, I just, sorry..."

"For what? Tim's a douche. Everyone knows that."

He grinned weakly and he started his truck, "Yeah, I know, but still. This is why I usually skip that shit."

"Well why didn't you?" She asked as they began driving who knows where.

"Because, I knew I would get to see you."

Jenna's stomach turned into knots as she watched him focus on driving. Why must he say things like that?

"You could have seen me elsewhere you know?"

"Yeah, but not soon enough." He responded, giving her a smirk as he glanced over at her.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I missed you Jenna and waiting until who knows when to see you wasn't good enough."

"So you'd rather suffer through a meeting?"

"To see you, yes."

"I thought you didn't want to hang out with me anymore?"

"Do not twist my words, Jenna. That isn't what I said."

Jenna bit her bottom lip as she leaned back in her seat with a sigh. John didn't seem phased by his words and instead slid his hand over hers. He had decided there last encounter that he would fight for her. He had to. He had no choice really.

"I can't stay away from you, Jenna. You know that..." He mumbled and she looked back at him.

"Yeah, but you've always been addicted to things that aren't good for you." She responded, grabbing the box on cigarettes that sat on the console just to make a point.

"You're good for me Jenna. You always have been and you know that."

"Where are we going?" She asked ignoring his statement.

"To my place."

"Why?"

"Because I haven't kissed you in almost 24 hours and if I don't soon I'm going to go crazy." He stated bluntly and she blushed immediately.

She didn't speak after that and once they arrived at his house he dropped her hand only picking it back up once they were out of the truck.

John pulled her inside, shutting the door with his foot and before she knew it he had her pressed against it, his lips on hers instantly. Sure John had kissed her. Several times actually. But this definitely took her off guard.

"Yeah, I feel better already." He stated with a smirk as he pulled back to look at her.

She couldn't seem to find her voice as he brushed back her hair, kissing over her face as his fingers grasped at her sides. She tried to concentrate on breathing instead of the closeness of him, but she couldn't seem to do that for very long.

"John?" She whispered, her fingers tangling into his hair at the nape of his neck.

"What is it ladybug?" He breathed, as his forehead touched hers lightly.

"Mhm?" He mumbled, his fingers slipping under her shirt, resting on her side once more. Her breathing grew unsteady and he kissed the corner of her mouth. She had completely forgotten what she was going to say at that point.

"Jenna?" He whispered and her eyes locked with his, "I decided something last night..."

She gave him an odd look and he continued, as he grabbed her by her waist and pulled her to his chest, "I'm going to fight for you, Jenna. I have to. I-I mean, what I feel for you..." he rambled off.

She gulped down her nerves enough to find her voice, "I wish you wouldn't."

His green eyes met hers and he breathed in, "Why?"

"John, Eric asked me on a date..."

"So?" He questioned and she shrugged moving from him thanks to the awkwardness she now felt.

"You're going." He stated just to be sure and she nodded as she crossed her arms.

"I figured that much."

"And yet..."

"And yet I'm not giving up that easily, Jenna. I won't. I can't really. I am not just going to sit back and let it happen like I always do because I love you and I deserve you just as much as Eric does." John said seriously and Jenna bit her lip as she tried to contain her nerves.

"So go out with him. That's fine." He stated, falling onto the couch and all she could manage to do was stare at him. Where was this boy coming from? Things just got so much more worse and she was certain she was the only one who noticed it.