The Trouble We Could Get Into (Jack Barakat 10)

The street was full of noises- cars speeding by, pedestrians gabbing on their cellphones, even the occasional hobo begging for change- but the awkward silence between Jack and Riley was deafening.
"Uhm.." Riley looked sideways at Jack. "Are you okay?"
She could tell he wasn't okay. Jack had a bruise on his jaw, and he had a cut on his cheek that was bleeding badly. He probably was riddled with bruises and cuts elsewhere. He had a very slight limp, too. Jack gritted his teeth.
"Fine," He said softly. Silence. "Are you?"
"Yeah," Riley stopped walking. She looked at him with concern. "You're bleeding pretty badly."
"Am I?" Jack touched his face coolly. "Where?"
"Right here," Riley put her fingers up to his face and gently touched the area right below the cut. Jack's eyes rose to meet hers, and for a fleeting moment they stayed like that. Riley felt an undeniable shock.
Her fingers quickly broke from his face. For a split second, Jack looked disappointed. "You should probably get that cleaned up." She said softly.
"There's a bathroom in here, I think," Jack nodded towards the small shop they were outside of. The sign above it read Marie's Gifts. The two went into the store. Jack quickly made his way to the bathrooms.
Riley was about to follow Jack, but something else caught her eye.
Diamond rings.
As if in a daze, she made her way towards the display with the glistening jewelry. She ran her fingers along the rows of sparkling stones, and for a moment, she was back in Vegas, shopping at the best boutiques in the city, partying with her friends and rubbing elbows with others A-Listers like herself. She picked up the largest, brightest ring in the display and lovingly placed it on her ring finger, in place of Josh's ring. She smiled.
"Looks just like the one you got rid of, huh?" Jack popped up behind her, making Riley practically hit the ceiling in surprise.
"No," Riley angrily pulled the ring off her finger and shoved it back in the display. "The one you made me get rid of was real diamond, not cubic zirconium." Jack smirked.
"Excuse me, can I help you two?" A saleslady appeared beside them, smiling. She saw Riley and her face became shocked.
"Riley Bard! Oh, my goodness, what a shock! In my store, none the less! Oh, Ms. Bard, it's a pleasure-"
"We'll just be leaving now, thanks," Riley quickly grabbed Jack's hand and dragged him out of the store quickly. She'd been recognized.
Jack pulled out of her grasp, confused. "Who was that? How'd she know you?"
"Oh, ah, nothing." Riley quickly started down the street again. "An old friend of my mother's. I used to know her a long time ago."
Jack seemed to accept that story, which relieved Riley. She nervously looked around the street, seeing if anyone else was pointing her out. Once she saw that no one was, she relaxed a little.
"So, did you get that cut cleaned up?"
"Yeah," Jack mumbled. He looked down at his feet, almost embarrassedly.
"Why'd you attack him like that, anyways?"
"I'm so.. sick of him! He's such a bastard. He never leaves me alone! It's like he lives to piss me off. And now he's attacking you, too!" Jack flopped down on a nearby park bench. "I just can't take him sometimes- I boiled over."
"He was testing you, you know. He was testing both of us."
"I know, I know. I know what you're going to say- 'It's just how Alex is'. But I can't deal with him like Zack and Rian can. Not even like you can- you've known him a day and are already getting the hang of it. I've known him since the seventh grade and I still can't stand the way he does that."
Riley looked away, not sure what else to say. Jack got up.
"Let's go swing!" He cried happily, displaying an alarming mood swing. Riley looked at him in disbelief.
"Swing? Like, on a swingset?"
"Exactly." Jack grabbed Riley's hand and pulled her over to an old, slightly rusted swingset. He jumped on one of the swings, laughing. "Push me!"
"Are you kidding?" Riley crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Nope. Swing me."
Riley gave a deep sigh. She made her way around the back of the swingset and gave Jack a gentle little push. He barely moved.
"What was that?" He spun around in the swing and gave her a shocked look. "You've got to do it harder. Haven't you ever swung before?"
"Of course!" Riley quickly came to her own defense. Truth being told, she hadn't swung on a swingset in ages. She had never had much of a childhood.
Riley gave Jack another gentle push. He went a little further this time.
"No, no, no." Jack heaved an exasperated sigh and jumped off the swing. "Here. Sit down."
Riley carefully sat on the swing. Jack came around behind her and leaned in, whispering in her ear. "This is how you push someone."
He gave her a good, steady shove. Riley went shooting into the air, laughing. She felt alive, and real. The sweet tasting summer wind flew past her, whooshing in her ears and sending her blonde hair cascading behind her. She flew back down and felt Jack's warm hands on her back. He laughed along with her and pushed her again. She flew up even higher, her laughter ringing over the trees in the park. Everything that had happened that day was blown away by the wind, and for the first time since arriving in Maryland, Riley felt good.
After they'd been swinging for a while, Jack gently pulled her swing to a stop. Still laughing, Riley pushed her hair away from her face and gave Jack the first real smile she'd ever given him.
"That was awesome," She laughed.
"I thought you'd enjoy it." He smiled. "You've got a really pretty laugh."
Riley blushed a bit, looking away. "Thanks."
"I always come here when Alex is bugging me." Jack leaned back in his swing with a relaxed sigh. He leaned back too far, though, and ended up on the ground.
Riley burst into laughter. "Here," She managed to choke out between giggles. She held out a hand to Jack. "I'll help you."
Jack grabbed her hand and pulled himself up. When Riley tried to pull her hand back, though, he held it tight.
"Did anyone ever tell you that you're beautiful?" He breathed, his eyes going all dreamy.
Riley blushed madly. Praise always made her nervous. She hadn't ever been told to her face that she was beautiful. Pretty, hot, sexy several times, but beautiful? Never.
Riley looked at Jack. As flattering as his comment was, his googly-eyed stare was starting to weird her out.
"Thank you," She said almost inaudibly, managing to pull her hand away. Jack smiled.
"We should probably get going." He headed off in the direction of Gino's cafe.

Run baby run. <3

These boys are coming to my town in April. Life is amazing.
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