𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐏𝐎𝐕

We have been on vacation for a total of twenty-one days. It's crazy to think we've been here for almost three weeks, and our time here is coming to an end in just two weeks. Our days have been filled with laughter, trying new things, inching out of our comfort zones, and meeting new friends. People that actually have been keeping tabs on us, even though we haven't seen each other in roughly eleven days.

Although we haven't seen the guys in almost two weeks, Jax has made it clear I'm still on his mind daily. Waking up to those thoughtful good morning messages, the heartfelt wishes for a great day, and random conversations about nothing in particular that carry on until one of us eventually drifts off to sleep. As the days move closer to the end of our vacation, the reminder that this is temporary twists violently in the pit of my stomach. How can you spend this much time with a group of guys that you think are your friends to possibly never see them again? We'll only be left with the memories of these last few weeks, which sounds better than nothing—but I'm not so sure.

While laying in bed, I stretch my arms over my head, trying to will myself to actually get up. My heart clenches with anticipation when my eyes land on my phone while it rests on the nightstand, taunting me to check it.

Turning over in the bed, I swipe the device from its resting place and check the notifications. The screen is completely empty aside from the few spam emails letting me know there's 'hot MILF's' in my area and another with a promise of a loan of over ten grand.

How is there absolutely nothing? Nothing from my mom, Trevor, or even Jax. I quickly open my text messages from Jax, hoping maybe the notification just didn't pop up on the homepage.

Jaxon: Sleep tight, Al. We'll talk more tomorrow.

The timestamp mocks me while it reads July 21st at 1:15 AM. My eyebrows pull together while I stare at the screen, hoping a new message might just appear. I know we were up for a while last night since, but he's usually up by now.

I hop off the bed and dress quickly in a pair of jean shorts and a loose striped tank top. I tuck my phone into my back pocket before descending the stairs slowly. When I enter the kitchen, Ana and Nora stand by the island with steaming cups of coffee in hand while they're deep in conversation.

"Good morning, Al! You look adorable," Nora exclaims.

I look down at my outfit and give her a small smile. "Oh, thanks, Nor. I just... threw it on," I say with a hint of confusion. I wonder how many cups she's had already, given how energetic she is while I feel like the walking dead.

"Coffee's fresh! We just made it," Nora says while gesturing toward the coffeepot. Her radiant smile beams from across the room. I swear we wouldn't even need the lights on with her glowing this much.

"Someone's in a good mood this morning," I mention while filling my mug.

"How can I not be? We're on vacation and it's been so great!"

I raise an eyebrow at her and look at Ana when she shrugs and sips her coffee.

"Are we still going to the mall today? Boston Common is on the itinerary for tomorrow," I ask while pouring an ungodly amount of cream in my coffee.

"Yeah! We were just waiting on you to wake up," Nora replies.

"It'll be nice to go out since it's been a few—" I start to say before a tall figure wearing only a pair of boxers enters the room.

He scratches his clean-shaven chin before pausing in the middle of the room. "Good morning, everyone," Gareth greets.

My eyes dart between Nora and Ana, but Ana looks just as shocked as I feel. She stares at Gareth with her mouth dropped to the floor.

"Well, that explains the good mood," I mutter into my cup.

I walk to the sink and dump out the rest of my coffee, watching idly while it swirls down the drain. A pang of jealousy squeezes my stomach at the thought of how close Nora and Gareth already are, and can't help but wish that were Jax and I. Although, my friends would just have to pick up the pieces when it ultimately comes to an end.

"On that note, I'm going to get ready," I say before walking out of the room.

Nora catches up to me quickly and lightly pulls my elbow. "Hey, you're not upset are you?" she asks quietly.

I place my hand on her shoulder and give it a light squeeze. "Not at all, I'm happy for you," I say with a smile. "Is he coming with us to the mall?"

"If that's okay with you guys," she says with a nervous shrug.

"It's okay with me. I would just double check with Ana," I say before turning to continue my trek up the stairs.

"Thanks for being cool with this, Al," she says from behind me.

I stop and look at her over my shoulder. "Why wouldn't I be cool with it? You're a consenting adult, he's a consenting adult. I think it's cool you guys are getting to know each other."

She flashes me a wide smile before she runs off into the kitchen.

When I make it back upstairs, I apply a small amount of mascara on my lashes and a flick of lip gloss since that's all I have the energy for this morning. I haven't stayed up all hours of the night to text a guy since high school—when Trevor and I first met. It's funny to think back at how happy Trevor and I once were and where we are now. Everything happens for a reason is what I tell myself every day.

Once my makeup is finished, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. This vacation has definitely done something for me in the sense I don't look like a zombie anymore—I only feel like one. The bags that are usually under my eyes aren't there anymore, and my cheeks have color for once. I look... happy.

My cellphone vibrates softly within my pocket, causing my heart to leap excitedly. I take a deep breath, trying not to let my hopes get too high before seeing what it is. I slowly pull the phone out and read the notification that flashes across the screen.

Jaxon: Good morning, Allie. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you. I just overslept, but I will see you soon.

My eyebrows pull together while I stare at my phone. What does he mean by see me soon? Boston Common is tomorrow, and obviously we share the same itinerary, but I wouldn't call tomorrow "soon".

I return my phone to my pocket and quickly descend the stairs. When I enter the living room, I find Ana sitting alone on the couch with her face buried in her phone. A grin pulls her lips while she types away quickly on her keyboard.

"What's so funny?" I ask curiously.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," she replies before tucking her phone underneath her leg.

I raise my eyebrow at her. "Okay, weirdo. Are you ready to go?" I ask.

She slowly rises from the couch and smooths her shirt down. "Yeah, just waiting for Gareth and Nora."

I follow Ana into the kitchen, where we find Nora and Gareth standing mere inches apart, whispering sweet nothings to each other—right in front of our magnolias that rest on the counter. Another pang of jealousy rushes through me while I stand there, just watching them. I force myself to look away from them and saunter to the kitchen table. Where I can sulk by myself where no one can ask why I'm moping.

I have nothing to be moping about, anyway. If I just swallowed my pride and tried to flirt with Jax, then I probably wouldn't even feel this way. Except every time I look at him, I just freeze. My mind stops, my lips stop, and it even sometimes feels like my breathing stops. But the way I miss him right now has me instinctively pulling my phone out.

Me: So, what are you up to tonight?

If he texts back before I get lost in my head again, then I'll try to flirt with him. I stare at my phone, waiting for the ping to come through when a knock sounds from the front door.

Before I can rise from my chair, Ana dashes out of the kitchen. "I got it!" she shouts.

I chuckle to myself and lay my phone down on the table—still watching for a text to come through. Every second that passes by without the familiar vibration makes me feel silly for waiting like this.

The sound of Ana's footsteps echo through the kitchen.

"Who was it?" I ask without moving my eyes off my screen.

"The postman was dropping off a package," a voice says from behind me. One with a very distinguishable Welsh accent that sends chills down my spine.

I whip my head around and lock eyes with Jax while he stands there with a smile that stretches from ear to ear. My heart flutters in my chest while I take in the sight of him in his black cutoffs and a baggy, heather-grey Champion hoodie.

I quickly rise from my seat—almost knocking it over in the process—and race toward Jax when my body connects with his. Our bodies align perfectly together, as if we were just two missing puzzle pieces meeting together for the first time. I don't even care who is watching us in this kitchen right now, or how much of a fool I might be making of myself. I just needed to be in his arms again.

I wrap my arms around his waist while he envelops me in a warm embrace. His fingers massage my scalp while my head rests against his chest, instantly making me feel more safe than I've ever felt.

"I see you found my surprise," Ana says from behind us in a singsong way.

I reluctantly peel myself off Jax and peer at Ana. "I had a feeling you were up to something with how much you were smirking at your phone," I chuckle.

"So, we're having a mall day?" Jax asks.

"Yeah, we were going shopping for the event tomorrow," I reply with a wide smile. I almost forgot it with how much I'm in shock that he's here right now.

He swiftly removes his car keys from his pockets. "Maybe I should drive this time. My car has plenty of space and I'm sure you need a break from driving," he suggests.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. You can even sit up front if you'd like," he says with a wink.

Heat rises to my cheeks, staining them with a soft blush. "I appreciate that."

The five of us pile into Jax's black SUV and I am amazed at how much room this vehicle has. It has third row seating, the front seat is large enough for me to put my legs up if I wanted to and even has three cup holders. Three. Looking around at all the space, it dawns on me that James and Casey could have fit with us.

"How come Casey and James didn't want to come?" I ask Jax.

"James was still sleeping when I left. We were both up pretty late. Casey, on the other hand, wanted to spend the day working on a few paintings, so he declined the offer."

"You guys were up partying all night, huh? Living that rockstar life," I tease while playfully poking his hand a few times.

He chuckles before stopping my poking by grabbing my hand playfully, holding it in place. "Sure, if you count playing Call of Duty all night partying," he replies with a grin.

Feeling the warmth of his hand radiate onto mine makes me not want to move a single muscle. Maybe he forgot his hand is still there. The second I move, he's going to remove it and I'm not sure I want him to. The tiny burst of butterflies soaring through my stomach is enough to keep my fidgeting at bay for the time being.

I look out my window and more than likely look like a psychopath to everyone we pass by. All they see is a redhead in the passenger seat, smiling like an idiot. For the first time in God only knows how long, I actually don't care what people see or how they might judge me.

When we pull into the mall's parking garage, the small space instantly fills me with a familiar sense of unease. My chest tightens while my heart races against my sternum with every noise that echoes off the cement barriers. When a car passes us, I tighten my grip on Jax's hand to the point my knuckles turn white. He squeezes my hand reassuringly and slows the car to a crawl while he searches for an open spot.

Every car that passes gives the illusion that it's about to hit us head on. I never knew exactly what it was about parking garages that freaks me out. Between the close proximity, the random banging of people closing their doors, and hearing the tires squeal from turning a sharp corner. My anxiety skyrockets every time, no matter what.

Jax swiftly pulls into the first available spot and throws the car in park before turning in his seat and pulls both my hands to his. "Ana, could you grab a water bottle from behind my seat?" he asks quietly.

She quickly retrieves it and hands it to him. He unscrews the cap quickly and places the bottle in one of my hands. "We're okay, Al. Take a few slow sips," he murmurs.

The relief I feel is almost instant while it moistens my already drying throat. I hold the bottle to the middle of my chest, letting the cold condensation bring me down from my panic attack.

"Not a fan of parking garages?" Jax asks.

I smirk before turning to look at him. "I'm not a fan of any tight spaces with loud noises," I reply.

"Out of curiosity, is it the same with elevators?" Gareth chimes in from the back.

"That depends how up to code they are," I joke. Even though it's really not a joke. Elevators definitely set me off sometimes as well with how small they are. If they shake it's absolutely game over.

"Huh," Gareth says with a chuckle. "Claustrophobic but loves metal concerts. Go figure."

"I wish it made sense," I say quietly.

"No, no. I get it. I'm usually the same way so don't feel weird about it," he replies. "Alright, we ready?"

Jax exits the vehicle first and jogs to my side to open the door for me before I even have the chance to reach for the handle. He smiles warmly before offering me his hand.

"Let me help you," he coaxes.

I lay my hand in his, instantly feeling a thousand times better even though my legs still feel like jello. He eases me out of the car slowly, and doesn't let go of my hand for a second.

By the time we make it to the double door entrance, my anxiety has completely dissipated. Jax hasn't let go of my hand for a second until he opens the door and gestures for me to enter before him. I bow my head in thanks and try to bite back my growing smile while I pass through.

"Where should we go first?" Ana asks.

"Hot Topic!" Nora announces. She's already heading in that direction when Ana and I shrug and follow her lead.

When we enter the store, it's thankfully rather dead. The quiet sound of Fall Out Boy plays in the background while workers are folding shirts in the corner of the store. I head straight for the band shirts while Jax stands close by, looking at the Vinyl's on display.

I start off with looking through their selection of Metallica shirts. My eyes popping out of my head when I find the shirt I've wanted forever when I swipe it in my size and cradle it to my chest.

"I thought you looked familiar!" I hear from behind me.

I turn around quickly, confused as to who would find me familiar since I'm not from here. A girl stands there with long, jet black hair wearing a black and yellow checkered tank top and a black denim skirt. She looks familiar, but I can't exactly remember from where.

"Oh, I'm sorry I'm not actually from here," I reply with a smile.

"Are you the girl that got hit at that Bottom Line concert?" she asks, tilting her head to the side. "Oh, but don't worry. It happens to all of us at our first concert."

My eyebrows pull together, feeling confused as to why that second part was necessary for her to add. She's acting like she's the God of metal shows, it's actually sort of sad. "It wasn't my first. It just happened quickly," I say before turning back to the shirts.

"Oh. That's just weird. Usually people know to pay attention if it's not their first time," she says.

Okay, does she have nothing better to do? I don't bother replying to her while I move on to searching through other band shirts.

"Did you find what you need, love?" Jax asks from behind me. He places his hand on the small of my back when goosebumps travel up my arms.

I turn around to find him standing next to the girl that clearly can't take a hint. She stands there staring at him, basically drooling like a starved dog.

"I'm sorry. I don't think we've met," he says to her before holding his hand out. "I'm Jax."

Her eyes widen in surprise. "Hi Jax! We actually already met. At the meet and greet, remember?" she replies with a hand over her chest. "I'm Carly."

"Oh, sorry about that. We met a lot of people that night," he replies while scratching his chin. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Allie. Maybe instead you should use that energy to help someone out rather them calling them out for enjoying the show they paid for," he says while his lips pull into a small grin.

"Oh... I didn't mean—" Carly stammers while trying to find an excuse from the depths of her ass I'm betting.

Jax doesn't let her finish her sentence when he grabs my hand and pulls me to the register.

"You didn't have to do that," I say quietly.

"Of course I did. Nobody should be speaking to you that way, ever. Fan or not," he replies while giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

Tears threaten to spill while they prick my eyes. Nobody has ever stuck up for me to this capacity before. I've always been the type of person to just let it happen and then I'll stew about it later. It's nice to have someone else deal with it for once. Plus the way he was incredibly nice about it, and didn't sound like an arrogant asshole about it. I can't help but think that whoever gets to spend the rest of their life with this man will be the luckiest woman in the world.

I just can't help but wish it were me.