The Spaces In Between

Chapter Twenty

The next week flew by rather quickly. Whether it was band practice with Zack and Jack or it was going to Rian’s house, giving the guy some company while he slowly died from food poisoning.

Thankfully by Thursday Rian was back on his feet, packed and ready to leave for Maine that upcoming Friday.

I asked my mom about the trip last night. Even though she said yes, it took a lot of convincing to get her there.

“Mom, why not?” I asked when she threw a giant No in my face.

“Maine, Alex? Really? That’s like, three hours away!”

“Mom, Rian’s parents are going to be there the whole time. They’re the ones who’re driving and it’s only for the weekend!”

She sighed and folded her arms. “Who else is going? Will that Jack boy be going along?”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course he’s going. And so is Zack. We’re best friends, Mom, and we just want to hangout this weekend.”

“Well why can’t you hang out here?”

I threw my hands up. “Forget it!” I shouted and started to leave the kitchen but instead ran into my father’s chest.

He steadied me and looked up at my mother. “What’s going on in here?”

“Peter, talk to him!”

“Dad, talk to her!”

My father raised his hands in defense, like he was being attacked. “Okay, um . . .”

“Peter—”

I cut through my mother’s voice, something I would get yelled at for later. “Rian’s parents invited me and the rest of the guys to their cottage this weekend.”

Peter shrugged. “I don’t see why that’s such a bad idea.”

“Peter!” My mother shrieked.

“Isobel!” He mimicked and then laughed at her furious expression. “The boy is almost eighteen years old. And it’s only for the weekend. I don’t see why he shouldn’t be able to go.”

My mother was still piercing at my father like he was at the top of her hit list but then she sighed and looked at me. “You call me every day, okay?”

I smiled and kissed her cheek. “You bet.”

_ _ _

[Jack’s POV]

“Jack, have you finished packing yet? Rian’s parents should be here any minute!”

“Yeah, almost done!” I said as I zippered up my backpack.

I was so pumped for this weekend. Hell, I needed this weekend. And when I got the text from Alex saying his mom gave him the okay to come along as well . . . I haven’t stopped smiling since.

There was only one thing holding me back this weekend though and that was leaving my mother alone to deal with May and my father all by herself.

He had been released from the hospital only three days ago and even though I told her I would stay and help around the house, she insisted I go and wasn’t taking no as an answer.

So I packed my bags and grabbed my snowboard and headed to the living room to wait for the guys.

“Are you excited, Jack?” My mother asked from the kitchen. She was making tea for my father.

“Yes, very. A weekend away with guys sounds perfect,” I said.

“Don’t you go hurting yourselves on those mountains, you hear me? I need you around here, Jack.”

I frowned. “Mom, I don’t have to go this weekend. Really, I don’t. I can stay home and help—”

“Now Jack, what did I say? You’re going this weekend and that’s final.” She held out the cup of tea to me. “Could you bring this to your father?”

I took the cup. “Of course.” I opened the door to my parents’ bedroom slowly so I wouldn’t startle him.

My father was a strong man. There was never a day that when he wasn’t at work he wouldn’t be fixing something around the house, doing yard work—hell, doing yard work for the neighbors as well. And that’s why the picture of him lying around in bed for days was just too hard for me to grasp.

“Mom made you some tea,” I said.

My father smiled at me and set his book down and sat up slowly. “Thank you, Jack.” He took a small sip before setting it down on the nightstand. “I know you’re about to leave, but do you have a second to talk?”

“Yeah, of course,” I said and sat down on the edge of his bed.

“I know in the past few months I’ve missed a lot in yours and May’s lives and I’m sorry for that.”

I shook my head. “Dad, it’s not your fault.”

“Even so, your mother tells me about this boy you’re seeing. His name is Alex?”

My Dad has always been, if not the most accepting person to who I was. He didn’t want to be like every other stereotypical father who hated their gay son. In fact, when I first came out as gay to him and my mother, while she sat speechless, he got up and hugged me and told me he loved me. No matter what.

“Dad, we don’t have to talk about him.”

“No, we don’t. But let me tell you this—don’t hold anything back, okay? If you love that boy then you better tell him. If you don’t, don’t keep wasting your time thinking something he’ll do will change your mind,” he said. “You may never have the chance again, Jack.”

“O-Okay, Dad.” I smiled a little.

“Now have a good weekend, son. And don’t forget what I said.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

_ _ _

[Alex’s POV]

I had never seen Jack so excited than when he ran from his house to Rian’s car, his backpack bouncing behind him, his snowboard clutched under his arm.

Rian got out to help him with his stuff. “It’s been a long time since you broke out Roxie hasn’t it?” he asked, referring to the board.

“How long has it been, three fucking years? Too long, man. I need some snow.”

Rian strapped the board to the hood of the car with everyone else’s and then took his pack and flung it into the middle seat with the rest of the bags.

“You’re sitting in back with Alex,” Rian said. Jack nodded and climbed in and sat beside me. When nobody was looking he leaned over and kissed my cheek, nuzzling his nose against my neck. His scruffily jaw made me laugh as I pushed him off.

“There’s going to be plenty of time for that this weekend, I’m sure,” I whispered when he started to pout.

Now, there wasn’t much to do when you were stuck in a car for three hours and it was already midnight. Zack was asleep—nothing out of the ordinary when it came to long car rides, as I was told. Rian had his ear buds in, drumming his fingers against his knees. And I was just about to pull out my notebook and scribble down some random lyrics when Jack started pulling on my sleeve.

“Can I help you with something?” I drawled.

“Sleepy,” he mumbled.

I rolled my eyes. “Then go to sleep, Jack.”

“Okay,” he said and grabbed his pillow and stuffed it in my lap.

“What are you doing?” I protested.

“Sleeping,” Jack said simply.

“Yes, I see that. Why on me?”

“You’re comfy.”

I rolled my eyes again. I figured I should just let him sleep—considering he was still having rough nights.

So I draped my arm over his shoulder and pressed my head against the cold window and fell asleep almost instantly.

_ _ _

It was around 4:30am when we arrived at the cottage. It was too dark to admire the place but you could tell by the dark outline that the house was massive.

“Jack . . . hey, Jackary, wake up,” I whispered because the other guys were still asleep. He groaned and stretched his arm up so that he touched my face.

“What are you doing?” I mumbled under his hand.

“Shutting you up,” he grumbled. I laughed and turned my head and bit his hand. He yanked the thing away and jabbed me in the ribs before sitting up.

“Are we here?” He asked in that rough voice he had when he was still sleepy.

“I think so,” I said, leaning against the window again.

Jack stretched and grabbed his backpack. “Wake up Zack. I’ll get Rian.”

I leaned over the backseat and saw Zack’s big body constricted into a little ball as he slept. I reached down and shook his shoulder.

“Zack, man, get up. We’re here,” I said.

Zack was also a slow riser—as he blinked open his eyes and stretched his legs. Every bone in his body seemed to crack.

When I turned back around both Jack and Rian were gone—outside, looking up at the house.

I grabbed my pack. “Come on, Zack.”

We didn’t waste any time dawdling outside in the morning’s frigid air and headed inside.

“My parents have the master bedroom upstairs and we’ll pair up in the rooms down here.” Rian looked over his shoulder at Zack. “Any word from the girls yet?”

“Katie texted me about an hour ago saying they were in some sort of traffic. Said they’d be a few hours behind us.”

“Well they can pick whatever room’s left.” Rian suppressed his yearning to yawn. “I don’t know about you guys but I need some sleep.”

“Amen. That car is uncomfortable as hell, dude. Especially with Jack’s feet in my ribs,” I said and punched the guys shoulder.

Jack shrugged. “I slept fine.”

Zack rolled his eyes, found the nearest bedroom and dropped his stuff inside. Jack grabbed my wrist and headed the other way.

“I’ve been here hundreds of times with Rian’s family. The view at this time is beautiful from the balcony.” We dropped our bags in the room and rushed to the balcony that not only looked over the snow covered mounds, but had a perfect view of the pink sky as the sun rose.

Jack’s arms came around my waist as he laid his chin on my shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered.

I leaned into him. “Me too.”

A/N: Okay hi! It's been like, what, three weeks? I honestly can't express how sorry I am, guys, I don't mean to make you guys wait. But you have to take it into consideration that I have started school again and I can't update as fast as I did when it was summer.

That being said, PLEASE STOP LEAVING COMMENTS ON HERE AND ON MY TUMBLR asking me when I'm going to update. I DON'T HAVE A SET DATE AND I CAN'T JUST LIKE, GUESS WHEN I'LL UPDATE.

I'll update when I update and I let you guys know AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

So please, I'm asking from the bottom of my heart to please stop leaving me messages like that. Please please?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to update as fast as I can.

I love you guys. I really do.

- Vicky

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