Just a Summer Fling

Chapter Twelve

“Jackie,” Nick called behind me as I strutted ahead of him, arms crossed over my chest. Max was stumbling beside me, sucking on his thumb. From what I could tell, we were miles away from civilization, “Jackie, stop being stubborn and listen to me.”

I didn’t respond. After last night’s little reject scene, my heart hurt and I was exhausted of getting Nick’s stupid messages wrong. 

As he kissed me, it felt right. Everything was perfect and right. I didn’t feel that with Grant and I assumed it was time. If I was going to give up my V-card to anyone, it was going to be Nick.

Too bad he doesn’t want it. 

Is he gay? Holy fuck…. No… he’s not. Gay guys wouldn’t be so into kissing me. Right? Holy shit, he is gay. 

“For God’s sake, Jackie! STOP WALKING AND TALK TO ME!” Nick grabbed my shoulder and yanked me back, shoving me up a tree. 

He looked pissed. 

Oh, whatever. I raised an eyebrow, “You obviously don’t know when someone’s ignoring you.”

“I obviously know when someone is acting like a stubborn child! Honestly, Jackie. Stop fucking walking away from me and talk to me.” 

“If you haven’t noticed yet, I don’t want to talk. I know what you want you didn’t want and that was me.” I snapped, shoving him, trying to put some space between us.

He didn’t budge, “You don’t know how hard it was for me to say no to me_”

“Why did you say no? Huh? Because if I was going to sleep with anyone, it would be with you. I wanted you to be my first and forever. Sorry for dreaming!”

“I didn’t say no because I didn’t want you, Jackie. You weren’t ready. If I ever get the chance again, it would be somewhere perfect where it was only you and me. I would make love to you all night but do you really want to remember your first time in the middle of the woods with Max on the side?” He asked, stepping back. 

I took a deep breath, “It felt right in that moment, Nick.”

“You were confused. You just broke up with Grant and you’re going to sleep with me? I want you to sleep with me because you love me not just a summer fling.” He explained. 

“Is this just a summer fling?” I asked, my voice lower than usual. 

“Honestly, I hope not but what do you think?”

I shrugged, “I don’t know what to think.”

“Seeing you fall off the cliff, all I knew was that I wanted to save you and hold you.” He smiled, “And never let you go. I love you, Jackie…. Just so you know.”

My heart skipped a beat hearing him say he loved me, “I…. like you too.”

His smile thinned, “I guess we should get going.” He started to walk off and I followed, “I think we’re in the right track. We’ll make it back to the cabins in a day or so, Max.”

Max glanced at Nick, grinning, “O-K!”

Nick chuckled, rustling his hair. Nick’s fingers locked with Max’s and I went to Max’s right side, holding his hand from there. Nick gave me a smirk and I smiled back.


***


“Jackie? Nick? I think I found them! I found them!”

“MAX?! Where’s my baby?!”

“Calm down, Eliot. He’s right over there.”

“My baby! Max, are you okay? There’s a mark on his forehead! OHMIGOD! He’s going to get infected and die!”

“He’ll live, sweetie.”

“Jackie, wake up…” Someone shook me and I opened my sleep induced eyes. 

“Mom?” My mother’s face was hovering over mine. 

She smiled, “I can’t believe we found you guys. Liam, come carry her home. Go back to sleep, we’ll be home soon.”

I couldn’t go back to sleep. Liam picked me up and gasped, “Holy shit, you’re heavy as hell.”

Mom smacked him in the back of the head, “How many times have I told you to watch your language? Does he speak like this in your house, Eliot?”

Eliot glanced back at us, “Always. It doesn’t matter how many times you hit him, Mrs. Gold, he’ll never learn.”

“Mom, I’m a grown man. Don’t hit me in front of my child.”

“Excuse me?” Mom snapped, smoke coming out of her eyes.

“You’re screwed,” I muttered to Liam.

Mom took off her shoe and smacked Liam in the head about ten times. SMACK. SMACK. SMACKSMACKSMACK! “DON’T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT AGAIN! YOU’RE A GROWN MAN, MY ASS! I WIPED SHIT OFF YOUR BUTT SINCE YOU WERE SIX!! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!?”

“DAMN, MOM! I’m sorry!” Liam cried, flinging his hand over his head to protect himself but accidently hit Mom.

“Oh, snap.” I gasped.

“Grant, take Jackie. Liam and I need to talk.”

Liam sighed as he handed me over to Grant.

“Liam is screwed,” I told Grant as he carried me to the cabin. 

He chuckled, “I know. How are you feeling?”

“I’m hungry and tired and my leg hurts.” I pulled up my jeans, seeing a big red gash on my ankle, “Ew, that looks nasty.”

“Oh, yeah, it does. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

I shook my head, “Not that I know of.”

We entered the cabin and Grant placed me on the stool in the kitchen, “What do you want to eat?”

Mom walked into the kitchen, grinning. She probably beat Liam with a branch, “I’ll make you something, Jackie. Grant, your mother just called you.”

“I’ll be back,” Grant grinned, walking off to the living room.

Mom pulled out some veggies and began chopping, “I have one question. Did you push Max off the cliff so you could spend some time alone with Nick?”

I gaped, “I’m not that desperate to have alone time with him.”

“So, you do want some alone time with him. What happened with Grant?” Mom asked.

“We broke up.”

“And he’s still here? Awkward.”

I nodded, “He thinks we’ll get back together.”

“Will you?”

I shrugged, “I don’t know.”

“Pick who you love, okay? When I was your age, I had two guys I like at the same time. Both for different reasons but one stood out better than the other. Obviously your father but there was a lot of drama in between before we finally got together and stayed. Who knows, Jackie? Maybe neither Nick or Grant will be your forever and always,” 

“How did you know you wanted Dad?”

She stopped chopping and smiled at me, “I wanted to die if I didn’t have him. And who knows, you might not feel that way for a long time.”

I obviously didn’t feel like killing myself for anyone.

“Love is a complicated thing, Jackie. Don’t rush it.”

Stupid love and being complicated. 

Why could love be like 2 + 2 = 4?