He brushed her hair away from her face ever so lightly, and she squirmed a bit before sighing. He was glad they'd arrive soon, so she won't have a stiff neck and nag him about not being caring enough. Taking one last glance to see her looking peaceful, he was glad she chose to call him. "Oh, Jess you act too strong some days", he ran a hand through his hair let out a breath and returned his focus to the road, he still had some distance to cover.
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Jessica woke up to fresh air and chirping birds, she inhaled deeply the scent of saltwater and wished to stay forever in this place. She kept her eyes closed and smiled on hearing footsteps approaching she quickly tried to pretend she was still asleep.
" I know you're awake I would have called the doctor but that's me being your mum," he said rolling his eyes.
"But, you're my mother Nick", she replied pouting.
He cringed at her words and shouted" No!".
"Stop being so dramatic she said.
" Nah dramatic is some side leaving you a thousand missed calls, messages and voicemails. There's a crazy girl, but she's just regular crazy"
"I can't deal with any of that right now please"
"I understand I'll send them a text and switch off your phone".
She smiled and mouthed him a thank you before skipping out of the room. The rest of the morning was spent eating, chatting and reminiscing times they shared.
" You know that's not true Jess, you had a crush on me, I'm awesome to remember" raising his eyebrows at her.
"No way I wasn't", she responded her eyes wide open.
" Fine I'll let it slide only if you get changed, and we go swimming".
"Fine", Jess rolled her eyes and got up
" I know you just want to tire me out with some lousy race, but I'll indulge you."
She stepped out grinning then begun running towards the water taking off the shirt she had on to reveal her bikini. She called out," the last one to the water is going to kiss me my ass, literally".
Nick who was wearing just shorts took off after her, "there's no way you'd kiss your ass, cheater" a Few seconds behind her, he was in the water saying "I let you win, you know".
She came closer to him, all is fair in love and way."
"Oh! Then this is war", and the dunked her into the water, and she came up sputtering. He laughed and swam away from her, and she followed him visibly pissed.
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" Stella, I'm lost is she hurt, dead, in danger?" Jack was freaking out not hearing from Jessica all day.
"I haven't seen her in a couple of days but I don't think it's that bad as you're thinking", Stella replied.
" I don't know what to think okay?" He was pacing around Stella's dorm room.
Just as she was about to reply their phones buzzed signalling a message was sent. Jack rushed to read the message and his face became hard. "How's she fine? I mean she just ups and leaves and I'm supposed to be convinced by a freaking stupid text?" The thing about Jack was that he had control issues and Jessica was pushing his buttons. Stella tried to calm. Him down with a few words, but he only got more violent and punched the wall of her dorm room. Clenching her jaw she said, "Jessica this better be worth it".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
" Hey Jess here you go", Nick brought out a book from his bag and gave it to her. They had been out of the water, freshly showered and now sharing pizza for dinner. "Thank you so much, you know me so well", she gave him a peck.
" Of course I know you better than you know yourself" with that he snatched the last slice of pizza from the box and Jessica was pouting and fake slapping him.
"Greedy goblin" she snared. He chuckled and said now serious stuff," start talking why'd you call me?"
"Could we forget this? I mean you flew me in a private jet just to save and be my prince charming can we focus on that?" Jessica was trying to avoid it but it was pointless trying to shelf anything with Nick. He was her best friend and knew the best and worst of her. "Jess your fantasies won't get you out of everything" he deadpanned.
"Nick, I love you but you want me to hate you", she was crying wolf because he didn't indulge her.
" Nah you'll love me forever. Jessica, there's school and the dramatic guy is the boyfriend I'm guessing. You can't run away from all that without reason. Jessica cringed as the word boyfriend had stabbed her, Nick noticed and decided to press on the matter; "It's the boyfriend huh so tell me."
Jessica gave up and spoke "Not him exactly we were kinda a-a you know uhm making out", Nick smirked at her teasingly she hissed and continued" It's just then I remembered Ace and not just that I felt Jack arms like Ace's and I panicked then I sent him home but the got too lonely" Jessica had blown into a full-on rant and Nick just listened that was what Jessica loved that he didn't judge her but just listened. After a while, he moved his seat closer to hers and hugged her. "Jessica, you can be fragile sometimes okay? You can be weak and let it go through you"
"I know but I'm just" she broke out in a sob, and he hushed her. "One step at a time" which was something she wasn't doing these days.
After a few minutes of silence, she moved to sit on her own and said, "it was just so overwhelming you know? One moment I was single and healing then I find myself in a relationship and a dark part of me comes glaring at me."
"Then be honest with yourself, let go and discuss maybe not everything but the things that can affect you and Jack's relationship." Nick kept talking to her about the best way to go patting her on the back. Jessica felt relieved that was what Nick brought her constantly, "peace" the very reason she won't trade him. He let her go speak to Jack something she had to do to set him at ease. "Jess? There's ice cream in the fridge", Nick called out. Jessica jumped and giggled running off to the kitchen to kidnap all of it. " Thanks, Nick I love you and just you", she said already stuffing her mouth.