Jacklyn Baker (called_jack) wrote in the_colony, @ 2011-01-24 20:54:00 |
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Entry tags: | ^ week 33, andrew kirke, jacklyn baker, jed bailey, john james searle, | jack and jed, | jack and searle, ~ series: traders |
Week 33 - Saturday
Characters: Jack Baker, Drew Kirke, Jed Bailey
Location: At the river and later in Jack's room
Summary: Jack runs to the river to hide after she sees Searle and Nevaeh together. Drew brings her back to face Jed.
Rating: PG for brief language
It hadn’t occurred to Jack that Searle and Nevaeh would start kissing again when the traders returned. She knew they had the last time - Searle told her that much - but Searle had also told her that he liked Bridget. Searle was so big on honesty and doing the right thing that Jack didn’t think anything would start back up between the two of them while Searle liked someone else.
That was completely wrong.
Jack intended to see if Nevaeh wanted to hang out. It was a challenge to both herself and to Searle, a way to prove she wasn’t going to be a big baby and hold what happened before against Nevaeh. Searle had pointed out to her how upset she’d been when she found out about the two of them and Jack wanted to prove it didn’t bother her. Of course, that was when she thought Searle and Nevaeh kissing was a past thing.
But there they were near where all the building was going on. Nevaeh turned to him and put her hand on his arm and then they were kissing. It didn’t last long but it seemed natural, like they’d done it enough to know what to expect.
A shock went through Jack and she turned away before either of them could see her. That explained why the two of them had been so hard to find the past day or two. Searle and Nevaeh. Nevaeh and Searle. Jack wondered if he liked her or if they were friends-with-benefits, too. Did it matter? Searle would rather be with a pregnant woman, rather kiss a girl he knew for only one day before than be her boyfriend. She’d tried so hard to put her friendship back to normal with Searle these past several weeks but this was a sudden blow of how wrong things were.
Jack wanted to hide but there was nowhere. The house was crawling with people and it was possible for anyone to overhear her crying. Even one of the traders. A stranger. She didn’t want that. The barn wasn’t any better and Jack wished that she could go away. Far away, somewhere to hide and be alone, where no one could find her because no one liked her enough to look. Somewhere she wouldn’t have to explain why she was upset.
Alone, without even Bosie, Jack went as far away as she could manage. It was over ten minutes to the river and she went to the dock at a run. By the time she made it, her muscles were aching and she was gasping for breath until gasping gave way to sobbing. She’d barely seen Searle the past couple days and this was why. Yet another girl he liked more than her.
Did he like her? Jack remembered Searle telling her she was pretty, remembered kissing him and being so sure that it was the beginning of something really good. Remembered being told they were friends-with-benefits, that he’d just been horny. Did Searle tell Nevaeh she was pretty? Did he mean it the way he hadn’t with her? If so, why? What was so wrong with her? It felt like Jack was losing him, had already lost him. She was alone.
Jack lay down on the rough wooden planks of the dock. She was going to stay here. She didn’t want to go back. Maybe time would stop and she’d be stuck here by the water forever. Alone. When crying was too much, she drifted to sleep with her arms under her head for support.
The house was in a panic when Mike told Jed that he couldn’t find Jack. Everyone was sent out to look for her after that. The property was huge, and the nearby woods just as large, but Drew had a pretty good idea where Jack might’ve gone. Molly often went to the beach when she got pensive, and no doubt after spending so much time living in close quarters they would have adopted some of the same habits.
The draft coming off the water was enough to give him chills, so he was deeply concerned to find the teenager asleep on the dock. He raced down to where she was lying, grabbing her at the shoulder and giving her a little shake.
“Jack? Jack, wake up!”
The girl moved stiffly, sitting up and running her hands up and down her arms for warmth. It was cold out here, much colder than it had been when she came down here.
Her voice was more irritable than she meant to be; she was grumpy and a little disoriented. “What?”
“You’ve been gone for two hours, everyone in the house is looking for you,” Drew said, his eyes scanning her face and body rapidly, looking for any signs of injury or hypothermia. Molly’s discover was still so fresh in his mind.
Jack rubbed her eyes with a fist. “I’m - I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”
Drew relaxed a little when she appeared to be coherent and understand him. He gave her a sympathetic smile. “Probably a bit. You really oughta tell people when you go wandering off.”
“I’m not allowed out by myself,” Jack answered, getting slowly to her feet. “Which doesn’t help when you want to be alone.”
Drew frowned a little at her. “Next time, come get me. I won’t ask questions.”
Jack just shrugged. She liked Drew enough but the idea of being watched by a boy when she was that upset was horrifying. Drew chewed his lip thoughtfully at her reaction.
“I wouldn’t have to hang out with you. I could be your alibi, y’know what I mean?”
Realization dawned. “Oh. Thank - thank you.”
Drew smiled and nodded. “Anytime.”
Jack stretched and then nodded in return. “I guess we have to go back now?” She wasn’t looking forward to having to talk to Jed about where she’d gone.
“Yeah,” he replied, his smile sympathetic again. “Sorry, hon.”
***
The moment he got the call on the walky-talky that Jack was back home, Jed took off at a sprint, Rocky barking at his heels. It didn’t matter that they’d told him she was alright, that she’d just been napping at the dock, he had to see her. And preferably yell at her.
He ran out of steam about halfway, making do with stomping angrily along by the time he got to the house. He hardly needed to say two words before finding out that she’d gone to her room to change. Going straight for her door, he knocked loud, causing Rocky to bark. “Jack, you dressed yet?” he said, his voice clipped.
The word no was on the tip of the girl’s tongue. If she thought there was any chance that answer was enough to get him to go away, she probably would have lied. Too bad Jack knew Jed well enough by now to know he’d never let her get off that easy. From where she was curled up on bed with Bosie shedding all over the sweatshirt she’d pulled on, Jack sighed.
“Yeah...”
Jed was in almost before the word was finished, Rocky giving a yelp as the door closed almost on his nose. His eyes falling on Jack, Jed felt the knot in his chest snap. She was pouting, but fine. She was fine.
Storming up to her, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a crushing hug.
“God dammit, Jack, what the hell were you thinkin’?” he snapped even as he held her tight.
She wasn’t sure whether to respond to the question or the hug. Of course she didn’t feel much like explaining. “Nothing,” she mumbled against his chest.
His throat feeling swollen, Jed had to take a moment before talking, just holding her to reassure himself she was there. Then he pulled back, his hands on her upper arms. “Jack, you don’t go runnin’ off alone, you know that. It ain’t safe. Why’d you do that?”
Jack could only meet his eyes for a moment. “I just wanted to be myself for a while. It’s okay. I mean, I’m fine.”
“No you ain’t,” Jed snapped. “You ain’t dumb, you wouldn’t wander off for no reason. And if you did, then I ain’t lettin’ you outta my sight again.”
She pulled a face - apparently Jed knew her pretty well, too. Jack wondered if it wasn’t more convenient when he thought she just liked to make trouble. “You’re really going to watch me all the time?” That part was easier to respond to.
“Gonna drag you everywhere I go. Sleep on your floor. Hell, I’ll get a leash like moms used to put on their kids.” He wasn’t being actually serious, but if she tested him, he’d have no problem following through. “You near ‘bout gave me a heart attack, kid. I ain’t lettin’ that happen again.”
Jack bit back a question about what would happen when she had to go to the bathroom. “But I’m okay,” she pointed out.
“And what about next time, huh?” he said, some of the anger returning. “If yer juss runnin’ off whenever you damn well please, then, then-- Hell, I dunno. I’d rather you shot me than scare me like that again.”
“I’m sorry,” Jack answered with a frown. “I - I didn’t mean to scare you. I told you, I just wanted to be myself. There’s too many people here.”
Jed sat hard on the bed. “There’s always too many people, and that ain’t gonna change, so you can’t go runnin’ off because of that! Jesus, Jack. What if it weren’t Drew that found you, what if it was someone bad?”
Jack fidgeted, tugging on the sleeves of her sweatshirt. “But - but they didn’t. Nobody bad, just Drew. And I was going to come back and everything.”
It was like she wasn’t even listening to him. “And what about next time?” he snapped.
“I don’t know!” Jack didn’t know what would happen next time because she’d never been upset like this. How was she supposed to know how to deal with everything when everyone was watching her and Searle would find out if she was upset?
Jack was stubborn, but the outburst was a little extreme for her. And odd. Why didn’t she know? “Jack, what happened?” he said firmly. “You ran off for a reason.”
Jack sat down next to Jed and once she was settled, Bosie laid down at her feet. “I saw Nevaeh kissing Searle,” she said quietly, staring down at her dog.
Jed’s eyes widened. That was such a small thing, it was insane that it had caused so much trouble. But if he ever saw Alice and Leo together... “Ah, kiddo,” he sighed, sliding his arm over her shoulders. “That really sucks.”
“Yeah,” she breathed. “Yeah, it really does.” She still wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about it.
After a long pause, thinking over and over what to say, Jed said lightly, “Y’know, I can beat him up if you like.”
Jack’s eyes widened at the idea of potential embarrassment. “You’re not actually going to say anything to him, are you?”
He gave a soft snort. “Not if you don’t want me to. I done my talkin’ with him weeks ago.” Jed couldn’t really blame Searle for chasing tail, after all. Just sucked that it hurt Jack.
“No...” With a sigh, she turned towards Jed and pressed her face against his shoulder. It felt like she and Searle had finally gotten back to normal except that they weren’t affectionate anymore. The two of them had never been shy about about holding hands or hugging but since a hug was what made Jack go stupid and kiss him, she didn’t think that was a good idea anymore. Losing the major source of her physical attention these days had been hard and there were very few places for her to be touched anymore than with Jed.
Giving her shoulder a squeeze, Jed pulled her close. He felt a little guilty for thinking it, but this was actually kind of nice. He liked it when Jack needed him. “She ain’t near as pretty as you, y’know,” Jed said after a while. “Only reason Searle’s with her is she’s the right age.”
She hid her frown. “I wish I could fix what was wrong with me,” Jack said, words muffled from the way she cuddled against Jed’s chest. “Then he wouldn’t like pregnant people and girls he doesn’t even know more than me.”
Jed bit his tongue to keep from laughing. After composing himself, he said, “I don’t think there’s anythin’ wrong with you. There’s gotta be somethin’ wrong with him, if he’s goin’ after pregnant people and strangers.”
Jack didn’t notice his composure slip. She wasn’t sure there was much else to say about Searle. It wasn’t that she felt any better, though and she’d have to find a way to try and forget about this hurt like she had the last time.
“I’m sorry I scared you,” she told Jed, pulling away a little to glance up at him.
“Good. You should be,” he said, though any lingering anger was long gone. He squeezed her shoulder again. “Juss don’t do it again.”
“I won’t.” Jack wanted to ask if this was really it, if she really wasn’t in anymore trouble but she had enough sense not to go looking for punishment when it seemed like she was going to get away with something.
“Alright, good.” That’s all he needed. He just didn’t want to be scared like that ever again. Uncertain, he asked, “You want me to go?”
“No.” If Jed left all she’d do is sit here and feel bad. Jack didn’t want to do that. “You want to get something to eat and maybe play cards?”
He smiled. “Sounds good to me. ‘Long as you take it easy on me with those cards. Don’t think I could take bein’ beat by a girl today.”
Jack grinned back. “I’m the one who had a bad day. And what’s so bad about losing to a girl? Boys are babies.”