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Katherine wasn't one to submit herself to others. She never threw away precious time she could never get back to spend it with a person she didn't even know she could fully trust. So why was she now sitting in a Five Guys in the middle of Times Square with Jack Kelly, the one who was notoriously known for his flirting skills and convincing girls to go to his dorm with them and leave to only never go back?
Maybe all the signs were pointing at "run while you still you can" but her gut drew her towards the opposite direction. After all, how could you get to know a person without getting to know them?
The conversation had been pleasant so far with the cliche questions of "What's your favorite color?" or "Who would play you in the movie of your life?" These questions continued until Katherine decided she wasn't going to get anywhere without making a move.
"So the cafe is a regular hangout place for you?" Katherine asked, swirling a fry in a cup of ketchup.
Jack shook his head, leaning back in his seat. "Not really. Me and da boys have dis one deli we always meet up in. The cafe is jus' Plan B."
"Oh, really? Seems like Plan A hasn't gone accordingly recently, has it?" Katherine gave him a crooked grin, setting the fry down on her half-empty plate.
"Your point?" Jack arched an eyebrow, catching her grin and the devious look in her eye.
"What I'm saying is from what I've seen, your hangout is the cafe. What's that for?"
Jack shrugged, hesitating before answering. "Da boys get on your nerves after a while."
"Now that you've brung them up," Katherine leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, "what are your friends like?"
Jack groaned jokingly, slouching slightly in his seat, "We'd be here 'till morning just explainin' 'em."
"We have time," Katherine laughed softly, observing Jack. She thought that perhaps the people he spent time with could be a key to her learning more about him.
"They's all different in their own ways. You just gots ta be with 'em for a while."
Katherine nodded in understanding. "From what I've seen, they have a lot of energy."
Jack snorted amusedly, "A lot."
"So you say they're your brothers. What about your real family?" Katherine raised an eyebrow, chewing on the inside of her bottom lip.
"Ain't much ta say there," Jack answered, suddenly quiet. "Mom left when I's a kid, and Dad was a alcoholic. I never stayed home much. Some o' da boys had kinda the same problem. Guess that's what makes us like brothers, yeah?"
Katherine frowned, a sincere look in her eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"And your folks? What's ta say of them?" Jack asked after a short period of silence, tugging his cap downwards just enough so she could still see his eyes but his face was shielded.
"I'm the youngest of seven children to two parents who argue constantly," Katherine sighed. "I know it could be worse. My father was never around and when he was he was distant. My mother stayed true to her role as Mom but never had quite the relationship with any of her children. I was the last one to move out. Things got lonely once all my siblings left. But Darcy was always there and so was my other friend Bill. I'm happy the three of us aren't separated yet."
"Lucky them," Jack said quietly. "They've known ya your whole life?"
"For as long as I've known. Our parents weren't fond of each other, but we always hung out at school. Every teenage phase we experienced together. I hate to say that the two of them have photos of my emo phase in middle school. Dark times, I tell you."
Jack laughed at her words, raising his eyebrows. "Where can I get my hands on these pictures?"
"Don't you dare, Kelly," Katherine leaned forward, pointing a finger at Jack who was still laughing in his seat. "Those pictures will no longer touch the eyes of anyone else. God, they're so embarrassing."
"Ya know," Jack mused, "that's da reason I want ta see 'em: so I can embarrass ya."
"Please," Katherine retorted, leaning back. "You sure it isn't just to have another picture of me to copy down in your sketchbook."
"Oh, come on! I thought dat was behind us!"
Katherine grinned in response, crossing her arms in front of her. "If anything, it's still far ahead." She paused, looking out the window at the busy streets of Times Square. Further down, the bright lights of the billboards lit up the city. "How about we walk through Times Square?"
"Yeah. Sure."
As Katherine and Jack tossed their meals into the trash can and stepped out into the freezing cold of the city, Katherine thought back over the conversation she had shared. If Katherine learned anything about Jack, it was that he had a troubled past, the best friends he could ask for, and a refusal to eat anything with mayonnaise on it.
Why was this person so hard to decipher? Katherine never had as much of a struggle to understand a person as she did with Jack. It almost made her want to pull away and forget about him. Yet, she felt so drawn to him despite her knowing that Jack wasn't the easiest person to work with. From flirtatious remarks to a defensive attitude, breaking through the barrier he put around himself wouldn't be easy. Yet Katherine was going to figure out was happening and why she had such a desire to know more about him.
