I rushed to close my curtains. I stepped back slowly from the window, trying to figure out if I saw Paxton or if it was just a figment of my imagination because I'm tired. It wouldn't be the first time my mind has played tricks on me.

            But it was so real. He was there. His white hair was drenched, his blue eyes looked like they were glowing against the lightning.

            I placed a hand to my chest, feeling the erratic feel of my heartbeat.

            I couldn't sleep even if I tried right now. I ran to my closet and yanked out my sweatshirt. I pulled it over my head and put the hood in place. I slipped on my shoes and ran down the stairs in nothing but my pajama shorts and my sweatshirt. I opened the door quietly and took of running the second I closed it.

            I took off in Jack's direction. When I made it to his door, I rang the doorbell and banged on the door like my life depended on it. I looked around me, feeling my paranoia heighten at the thought of Paxton still watching.

            When the door opened, Jack's eyes widened at the sight of me. "What are you doing?"

He took another look at my face and grabbed my arm. He pulled me inside and closed the door behind us. His touch was light against me and I hated when he let me go. "What's wrong, Juliet? You're soaked."

            "I need to talk to you." I managed. "I think I saw something and I didn't know who else to go to." Maybe the cops?

            He gestured towards the stairs. I followed him up and into his room. I was still shivering because I was soaked after fifteen seconds in a thunderstorm. Jack moved around his room, going to his dresser. He pulled out one of his t-shirts and handed it to me. "Thank you." I said softly.

            Jack turned around long enough for me to change into the t-shirt. I left the shorts on because the shirt barely reached the middle of my thighs. "Paxton was outside my window." I said once I was finished.

            He turned around quickly, "What? At three in the morning?"

            "When I looked again, he was gone. But, Jack, I swear it was him. I don't know too many people at his age with hair whiter than my grandmas." Not the time to joke. But it was true.

            "What was he doing?"

            "He was just standing there and only god knows for how long." I swallowed the lump in my throat. "You told me to tell you and I didn't think..." I trailed off.

            Jack shook his head and grabbed my hand. He brought me back to his bed and sat down on the edge with me beside him. "No, I'm glad you're here." He said. "I'll talk to him." I wonder what his idea of talking is.

            He stood up and walked into his closet. When he returned, he had a blanket in his hands. He wrapped it around my shoulders and I pulled it close. I mumbled another thank you and he smiled a little in return. "What does he want with me?" I asked Jack once he was sitting next to me again.

            "I couldn't tell you, Juliet." He sighed. "I'll make sure he doesn't bother you again." And again, don't know what his definition of that is.

            "Can I stay here tonight?" I asked before I could stop myself. "I can sleep on the couch again."

His brown eyes softened as he nodded. "But I'll sleep on that couch." He pointed to the other side of his room. "And you'll take the bed."

            "Are you sure? I don't want—"

            "I'm sure." He stood up and went over to his couch. "If you need anything, just wake me up."

            I stood up and walked to one side of the bed. I looked at Jack, who was turned so he was facing the couch. I debated on which side to sleep on because I know Jack favors a side unless he just sleeps in the middle. And when I got into his bed, his scent enveloped me. I moved more towards the middle, the smell still lingering around me, not that I'm complaining.

            I struggled to fall asleep. The dim lighting from his bathroom barely lit up the room. I tossed and turned, eventually settling on staring at the ceiling. I let out a long breath and turned on my side to face Jack. He laid on his back now. I can barely see the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

            When I finally closed my eyes, the sight of white hair flashed in my mind and my eyes opened again.

            This was going to be a long night.

            Sleep did finally take over, but when I woke up, I wasn't in Jack's bed. But I wasn't home. Jack's scent still surrounded me and was oddly strong. The surface beneath me was solid and warm. I was too afraid to open my eyes because I know what I was going to be facing.

            But I opened my eyes slowly and tilted my head up. Jack was asleep underneath me and my eyes widened with sudden realization.

            Oh, god.

            I was wedged between him and the couch. My head rested on his shoulder, his arm tight around my waist. It took me another minute to register what happened. I don't even remember moving.

            Shoot, I can't even remember why I moved.

            I jolted up, almost stumbling off the couch. Jack woke up and caught my arm before I fell on my butt. "I have to go." I said quickly, shaking my arm from his grasp. I got off the couch again and took off running.           

            "Juliet!" Jack called out and I heard his footsteps close behind me. But I didn't stop. "Please, wait!"

            I had my hand on the door handle, ready to bolt when his hand wrapped around my wrist. He pulled me away from the door and I tugged my arm out of his grasp. "I told you I can't do this." I turned around to face him. "I can't...with you, I just can't—"

            What happened next was nothing less than a shock.      

            Jack pulled me close, his hands caressing my face gently as he kissed me. I couldn't think of anything else than the soft burning feel of his lips against mine. His hands caressing me gently. It was everything I thought it would be and then some.

            I responded as I thought I would. I responded in a way I didn't want to. I didn't want to be weak under Jack's touch, but I was. I felt like I was melting. Jack wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer so I was flush against his chest. When he pulled away, he leaned his forehead against mine, his thumb idly tracing my bottom lip. "Why did you do that?" I whispered.

            "To get you to shut up." He dropped his hands and took a step back.

            "Don't do it again."

I turned around and walked out without another word. I wanted to ignore that feeling fluttering in my stomach, but it felt impossible.

            I walked to my house and up the stairs to my room. I was thankful it was still early because no one was awake yet. And that means they don't know I was gone from three in the morning until now.

            I still felt Jack around me as I stepped into my room. I looked down at my clothes, noticing I was still wearing Jack's shirt. I couldn't find the will to take it off. So I just climbed in my bed and buried myself beneath my blankets. I shouldn't have gone there last night. I should've stayed in my own bed.

            I shouldn't have kissed him back.

            Sleep took over again, but it wasn't long before James was waking me up. I didn't want to move and face the light of day. I wanted to wallow in my room alone. "Don't you have work today?" James asked.

            "Yeah." I croaked. "But I'm calling out."

            "Are you sick?"

            "Tired." I mumbled and threw a blanket over my head.

I felt the bed dip beside me and I removed the blanket from my face long enough to look at him. "Well, you should be happy to know that Meredith is already gone to meet some friends."

            "And you're going to spend another day inside?" I couldn't help but smile a little.

            "She likes going out during the day, I like going out at night. And besides, you're here now to keep my entertained."

I buried my face in my pillow, "You're a child."

            "I already have a pile of movies waiting, so get up."

I moved my head to look at him again, "You're seriously staying home all day?"

He shrugged, "Not much else to do."

            "I'll be down in a minute."

            James didn't say anything else and walked out of my room.

            I waited a bit before getting out of bed and walking to my bathroom. I brushed my teeth and too the braid out of my hair. I put that mess into a ponytail and walked downstairs. Before I went into the living room, I walked into the kitchen to find my grandparents. They sat at the breakfast table, my grandpa with a newspaper and my grandma on her laptop. "Good to see you up." Grandma smiled.

            I returned the smile and kissed the top of her head, "It's good to see you guys are actually home."

            "Probably not for long. There's an auction that your Grandpa wants to go to. So we'll probably leave soon." She eyed me for a moment. She glanced at the fridge and back to me, "Your schedule says you work today. Everything okay?"

            "Just not feeling well, Grandma."

She gave me a smile and a pat of the arm, "We all need days off."

            Of course I had to agree.

            I walked into the living room and James was already prepared. Not sure what the first movie is that we would be watching, but it's not like I'll be able to concentrate on it anyway. "Do you want to tell me what's really bothering you?" I didn't think James even noticed I wasn't paying attention to the movie. Last I checked he was really into it.

            "I'm fine." I said flatly and kept my eyes on the screen.

            "Lies."

Then I looked at him, "I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

            "You can talk to me, Juliet." He said seriously. "I wouldn't tell anyone, you know that."

            "I know." I said truthfully. "I just don't want to think about it, if that makes sense."

James nodded, "Makes perfect sense. But you've been thinking about it for the past twenty minutes."

            "It's just..." I trailed to collect my thoughts, "I did something really stupid."

James's eyebrow perked, "Oh? You don't strike me as the type of person to do something 'stupid'." He put quotations around the word stupid. "What did you do that could've been so stupid?" He exaggerated.

            I scooted closed to James on the couch and dropped my voice down to a low whisper. "You have to promise me. You can't tell anyone."

            "This must be serious."

            "Just promise." How old am I?

            "I promise I won't say anything. Now, what is it? Did you kill someone?"

I rolled my eyes, "No, Idiot."

He made the gesture for me to continue.

            "Jack kissed me—"

            "I knew it!" He clapped his hands together, making me jump. "Sorry, but I do have a sister and I do know when she's lying." He pointed to my face. "Your face is as red as the other day."

            "It only happened a few hours ago." I mumbled.

James's smile faded, "So, why exactly was it stupid? I'm confused."

I hesitated, "I kissed him back."     

            "Still confused."

            I scooted back to my side of the couch and wrapped my arms around my legs. I buried my face between my knees and breathed, "I can't forget who he is and what he's done." I lifted my head to look at James.

His expression hasn't changed, "I'm not good at this stuff." He laughed a little. "But maybe you're too quick to judge because he's on house arrest—"

            "For murder—"

            "He's a suspect, there's a difference."

I scoffed, "You sound just like Lindy."

James smiled a little, "Then she's a good friend."

            I thought I would feel better about telling someone, but it didn't help at all. If anything, I feel worse for walking out on him. I wanted to go to his house and apologize, but I wasn't going to.

When Meredith got home, James left. He didn't leave until he asked me if I was okay a million times. And I am okay; I just can't stop thinking about it. I can't stop thinking about how it made me feel and how I want to feel like that again. I need to push these feelings and thoughts back, but something won't let it. And it's myself.

            I sat at my window, with the same book I've been trying to read for the past two weeks. Except this time, I can actually concentrate on it.  I guess talking to James did help in a way. I can't believe I even told James I kissed Jack. I don't want to tell Lindy, and I told James, who has only been in my life again for a few weeks. James did feel like a brother, in an odd way.

            My gaze tore away from my book and I looked over at the McKinnon's. I wondered what Jack was thinking about or if he's thinking about me at all. But the sight of white hair in Jack's room made my breath hitch in my throat. Paxton stood in Jack's room and Jack stood in front of him. Paxton stood firm with his arms crossed against his chest while Jack spoke. Jack was livid while Paxton remained calm.

            I closed my curtains and got into bed, ready to fall asleep. It was barely ten minutes when my phone rang on my bedside table. I leaned over the other side of my bed, looking down at the lit up screen.

Jack's name flashed across the screen for only a few seconds before my phone went dim.

My phone vibrated again, Jack's name displayed on the screen.

I hesitated, but answered it this time.

———

I think this is my favorite chapter that I've written so far if I'm being honest, omg. I hope you guys liked it! Let me know what you think?

You guys are the best! :)

Song: Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift (I can't link it because it's not on youtube, but listen to the cover by Madilyn Bailey, because it's absolutely beautiful.) But if you have it on your phone, that's great. :)