His Priority (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Four

This chapter is a little intense. So I'm warning you to read at your own discretion. I do NOT support suicide or self harm in any way. I also don't want anyone to think that i'm making the subject seem unimportant in any way, because I take it very seriously. Of course, if you're ever having problems or feeling depressed about something always feel free to shoot me a private message. I'm a great listener. Love ya'll.

Also, I haven't edited this yet, so i'll go back later and weed a few things out. I just really wanted to get this chapter out today.

24 - The Truth

"Jack, what are you doing?" She asked as he started to pull down his blue jean pants. She immediately closed her eyes. "I'm not sleeping with you if that's what you think." She said angrily.

That earned a small laugh from Jack.

"What's so funny?" She demanded, her eyes still closed.

"It's just that when I first talked to you the night after..our 'not so one nightstand,' you said something along those lines."

"What does this have to do with anything. Just put your pants back on." She begged.

"Just open your eyes."

She shook her head. "No."

He exhaled loudly. "I won't do anything freaky, I promise. I'm not Thomas," he chuckled a little, "I just need you to look at me for a moment." He said again.

Slowly she opened her eyes, not knowing what to expect. Jack was standing a few feet away from her, with his pants on the floor, only a pair of boxers hiding his decency. She lowered her eyes a couple of inches until her breath caught.

         "This is why I was such a jerk to you." He trailed off as she stared at the prosthetic leg.

"Thomas had told me about your leg before, but I never knew..."

He pulled his pants back on. "Not many people do. Everyone knew I was in a car accident when I was younger, but none of them know how bad it actually was. Only the band and our families know the truth, everyone else just thinks I had a couple of scratches and bruises. Guess I'd have to thank Charle's for that."

        She looked him in the eyes. "You know I would've never told anyone about it, right?"

He dropped his head in embarrassment. "Deep down, I knew that you wouldn't, but I let my pride get in the way of my better judgement. I was just so scared that you'd sell me out that I flipped."

"Is that what your girlfriend did?" She asked for the first time. He had never really spoken about her, no one ever did. His green eyes met hers briefly.

"Jenna, yeah. She was kind of like you..normal," He saw the look on her face and immediately corrected himself, "Not famous?" He said and she seemed to like that word better. "Well, we dated for a few years, and it just seemed as if the relationship wasn't working out. So I suggested we take a break and she flipped out. To say she was livid would be an understatement. She threatened to tell everyone, Charles's had to eventually pay her off in order to keep her quiet. It was stressful for me, I had trusted so much in her and when she didn't get her way she was ready to air all of my secrets. It was already hard enough trying to live without my dad and sister after the accident happened, but to be reminded of it everyday by the press with the added news of my leg would've done me in."

For the first time Kaitlyn really looked at Jack. She saw that he wasn't just a famous rockstar, but he was just like any regular person battling their own demons. Just like she had been doing for so many years.

"That night at the bar I was going to take my own life." she confessed.

"What?"

She wrung her hands together. She had never told any one just how bad her problems were, but now as she sat only inches away from Jack. She felt like she could tell him anything. Like she had to tell someone in order to get this sick feeling out of her chest. "I wanted to kill myself. I had it all planned out." She repeated.

"Why?" He whispered, still not believing his own ears.

She ran a hand through her hair, laughing. "Why not? I was poor Kaitlyn. Poor, naive Kaitlyn. The girl whose parents divorced when she turned seventeen, marrying new people before starting their own little families without her. The same girl who hung out with other people who used her on a daily basis and acted oblivious. The girl who wanted people to love her so badly that she would do anything." her breathing became shallow, "Things were going so badly in my life that the night before my birthday I decided that this was it. I would go and do whatever the heck I wanted to before I gave up completely."

"And what changed?" He asked softly.

Kaitlyn glanced up, fresh tears falling down her face. "I met you." she didn't bother wiping the tears away, before continuing. "Never in a million years did I think that something so amazing could happen to someone as insignificant as me. So, of course I went along with the whole thing instead of telling the truth. I just wanted to see what life could really be like, just for once. But then I met the guys and I realized, I realized that I almost gave up something so precious. I stopped answering Thomas's phone calls and messages because every time that I got them I felt like someone actually cared about me, and I hated myself because I had almost gave all of it up."

Without a word, Jack was at the side of the bed, holding her against his chest as she sobbed loudly. His heart breaking for the woman in his arms. He rubbed her back gently, not letting her go.

"Kaityln, your life is worth so much more. Even if you didn't see it, I do, the guys do, and most importantly God does. We all love you so much."

Kaityln finally pushed back enough so that she could see Jack's face. His head was lifted to the ceiling. If she didn't know any better she would've thought that he was just too ashamed to look her in the face, but as she reached up to lower his head to hers, she saw the tears rolling off of his pale cheeks.

Her heart constricted in her chest as she took in his tear stained face. She knew that those tears were for her and he hadn't wanted her to see them. But now as she sat face to face with the man who had willing told her his fears and listened to her own, she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of peace. She wanted to be with Jack, whether he still wanted to give them a chance or not.

"Do you think we could start over? For real this time? No secrets..no doubts."

Jack pressed a hand against her cheek, brushing away the tears that still pooled from her eyes. Instead of answering, he slowly lowered his head until his lips pressed softly against hers, making her forget everything else. This was all that mattered, she concluded as he pulled away, still cradling her face in his hands.

"Why not? I think we've already gotten all of our dirty baggage out of the way." He grinned, a dimple appearing in his cheek. Kaitlyn smiled through her tears, laughing happily.

"Annnd that's a wrap." Thomas clapped loudly, snapping the love birds out of their trance. Their eyes darted to the door. Everyone was watching on with tear brimmed eyes and Dane actually had a tissue.

"I've always hated those stupid chick flicks, but you guys know just how to hit a man in the heart, you know." Dane sniffled and Lee patted his back. Kaityln and Jack were too shocked to say anything, but Thomas of course, was never known to be short for a lack of words.

He stepped into the room, a huge grin on his face as he looked back and forth between the two.

"So not to rush you guys or anything," He said, waving a hand. "But i'm gonna be the best man, right?"