A/N: Thank you guys so much for all the supportive reviews! It really means a lot on my very first fanfiction story and I must thank my sister for giving me her account. Big sis love! Anyway, I didn't think that my story would receive so much reviews in just a few chapters and I really love you guys for even reading this story, I never thought it would be me so much more happiness and my passion for writing has even grown. School started of me that's why my updating had lacked quite a lot, I'll be writing a few tests this week so I wanted to update this story one more time before getting down to study.

Warning: Not the best chapter. For more rambling please read bottom author's note.

Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kickin' It except for the Plot.


~Cupcake Queen~


"Can't promise you that one, superstar."
-Kim Crawford


Chapter Four: Everything's Personal & Dinner

Normal POV

The minute Kim's foot came in contact with the tiled flooring inside the shop, she found numerous eyes both gleaming with excitement and confusion as they found the famous Jack Brewer in their midst. Kim almost snorted as Jack shifted uncomfortably as no one didn't bother to take their gaze off, Kim smirked in triumph. That's what you get superstar. She thought and followed suit as Jack and her mother disappeared through the double doors leading to the backroom and almost immediately she saw Jack's back relax.

"Couldn't take the pressure, huh? Superstar?" Kim snickered, her eyes stayed on him as he slowly turned to give her a slow and hard glare. She simply brushed past him and purposely bumped his shoulders but it didn't make him stumble. Instead she felt a pair of eyes boring holes on her lower backside, she fidgeted. The Jack Brewer is freaking staring at her!

She shifted before whirling around her eyes burning with rage, "Must you really stare at me!" she cried out in frustration and groaned as a smirk wormed up on Jack's handsome face. He had crossed his arms showing how fit he truly was and turned his back on her. She fumed and forced her eyes to rip away her gaze, oh she wished she could burst flames out of her eyes. It could make living life much more easier. Of course, things were okay until Jack had to strut in her life because he wanted cupcakes.

Kim focused on placing the grocery bags away, thinking of a way to endear dinner. Why must she be in his presence, why must it be her to put up with him when there are million of fan girls willing to take her place. She shoved the bags inside the cabinet not caring if anything cracked or spilled, she didn't want any reminder of today's afternoon. Kim froze, guilt suddenly stirred in her stomach as she remembered Jack's traumatic experience on the drive back. Should really give him a chance? Give him the chance to show her he's different than other stars whose minds were only focused on money and fame? Was she willing to waste her time with the guy she despised.

She walked back out finding her mother had already struck up a meaningful conversation, her eyebrows twitched intrigued as Jack said something that made her mother laugh loudly. Something she rarely did, Kim couldn't recognize if it was fake or real. But seeing the pure happiness beaming from her mother's eyes, Kim relaxed against the wall. Her eyes darting to the ground and then peeked out the corner once again, finding Jack nodding and resuming in one stiff position, his hands shoved inside his pockets that avoid any physical contact.

He wasn't talking about money or his new money or even himself. He had simply talked with her mother about normal things, something that Kim never realized he had done with her. Maybe her mind had drifted away from reality, maybe she was driven by jealousy or rage that she was oblivious to the gestures and words from Jack. She made him hate her, she frowned and looked away. Always something about him, probably his looks gave her the nerve to spit mean and cruel words that probably mean nothing but a lie and only shriveled Jack's pride.

He had reached stardom on his own. He was successful and she wasn't. Why was she so bothered? Kim bit her lip and shook her head from the painful memories that kept her own secrets bottled up. Why her mother hadn't laughed so freely in years. Tucking in her golden strands behind her ears, she timidly stepped out. Approaching the pair with tentative steps, her hands clasp together like she didn't trust them to be free, fearing she might strangle someone.

Jack stared at her, his brown eyes carefully examining her facial features. And Kim ignore the twinge of annoyance that sprung on her, he was just concerned. Of course he would, by now she would have said something about his ego being too big or how his life style is different, something insult. And nothing can out of the tight smile she forced on. She forced to lift her chin to meet her mother's gaze, her mother immediately nodded and clasped her together in a form of a plan.

"Right. Kim why don't you show Jack a bit of the house while I finish up down here, alright?" her mother stated unsure. Kim gave her the okay sign.

"Alright, superstar." Kim said turning to Jack with a large sigh, "Follow me." Brushing past him she grasp the corner to meet the stairs before quickly stepping up, jabbing inside her house key she jiggled and twisted the doorknob feeling pressured as she felt Jack's hot breath lingering on her exposed ears. She almost slammed into the door the minute she got it open to relieve herself from his presence. She stumbled and caught herself on the door.

Hearing his light chuckle Kim forced herself to give him a small smile. "You can drop the act you know. Your mother's not here." Jack pointed out. She frowned as she closed the door.

"What act?" she asked.

"The welcome-to-my-home-although-I-don't-want-you-here-I-don't-want-to-disappoint-my-mom," Jack replied as he studied the kitchen. "I'm not fooled."

Kim's frown deepened and she plopped herself down on the couch, her hands reaching for a pillow. Immediately she snuggled in, disbelieved that she was comfortable with Jack around her house. So she reached for the blanket felt abandoned on the couch and draped it around her.

"Why do you always assume I hate your guts?" Kim questioned with a light tone. Jack's gaze flickered on her holding intense warmth, "I know I've said ridiculous things the past days. Well...I guess that's it." she finished with a grin. Jack rolled his eyes in disbelief before tapping his fingers on the granite counter and releasing a breath.

"Why are you acting like this?" he asked in a exasperated tone. Kim drew back her eyes resting on the pillow, her slender fingers fumbling with the loose thread.

"This afternoon," Kim began and refused to meet his eyes, "When the whole incident happened. The no ride, the drive back, are they just part of your charm or something. Or do you just feel pity for me? This girl who scrambles for every tip just to get into her dream school, why do you even bother to hang around me?"

"Like I said. You don't know me, and words won't say enough." Jack told her. Kim shifted so she can face him, her eyes just slightly peeking out from the couch as she studied him. Under the intense beam of light that made his hair a shade lighter, the soft angles on his face and his defined chin and jawline, he was no doubt handsome. His eyes flickered on her sensing that she as watching him, "Take a picture. It'll last longer." he commented with a sly grin.

Kim ducked, her face burning. "I'm not a creeper. I'm not. Not when I want to actually know you so I can stop this twinge of annoyance whenever you give me that grin. It's freaking annoying!" she cried out to save her from further embarrassment.

"Did the incident in the car make you change your mind about me?" he asked in a soft tone. Kim curled up against the pillow, her cheek pressing against the curve of the edge before nodding her head before foolishly forgetting she was hidden by the couch.

"How could it not, Jack? You were just sitting there, I thought you became a statue! And then there's the trembling and shivering and your knuckles were turning white! White!" Kim cried out, her eyes widening as she relived the memory. She rolled around, her eyes briefly closing before wrapping the blanket tighter around her before shivering as the cold hit at her exposed skin. "You said words isn't enough. And I can't describe you who I am, or what I'm feeling so I'm taking your answer. To know you. To stop the false facts about you in my mind."

There was a brief silence before the couch tilted as a new weight added, she peered down finding Jack and joined her. "I want to know a part of you that no one else knows. That no one else can get. The part of you that I won't read out of a magazine or see from the television or any media! And I intend to get it, even if it means becoming a stalker or this freak chic that many might assume to be a fan girl." Kim began to ramble.

Jack studied her, hesitation clear on his face. They had gone so long without a fight occurring, everything just felt so peaceful even if Kim was beginning to talk non-stop along with her rapid and quick hand gestures that Jack found somehow amusing before pinching the bridge of his nose. Giving up the most crucial part of his identity that made him mysterious was something he wasn't planning to do.

Then something caught his eye, and Kim stop her rambling and grew silent as Jack strode over to the book shelves holding a number of books and picture frames and immediately Kim's eyes widened. But she didn't move or restrain him from continuing any further, something held her back as his broad figure neared the most precious item that held her vulnerable to the moving future. Her eyes flickered down to examine her feet covered by her bunny slippers.

"Who is this?" Jack asked in a soft tone. Kim didn't look at him as his eyes examined the picture. It was Kim, in her arms was holding a younger girl with the same golden locks except it wasn't reaching down to her rib cage like Kim's, it had stopped to her chin. Instead of Kim's same gleaming brown eyes, the little girl had cobalt eyes and light rosy cheeks that made her light skin tone glow. To Kim, it was her angel...no, she was an angel with her delicate looks and kind personality.

Kim shut her eyes tight, unable to answer the simple question. Her clasped hands clung on each other as pictures flashed over her mind, Kim forced her eyes open as beads of sweat appeared on her fore head. She looked up finding Jack still staring at the picture that forever haunted her past, she sat up and walked over to him trying to remain calm. She grasped the edges of the picture frame, ignoring his questioning gaze.

"Okay, I think that's enough." Kim said, flinching at her uneven voice.

"Who is this?" he asked in a demanding tone. His jaw clenching at the Kim, she bit down her lip and shook her head. "Why can't you just answer the question?"

"You can't just ask these kinds of personal questions!" Kim cried out, Jack only closed his eyes as his face hardened. Kim looked down suddenly feeling embarrassed and humiliated. Jack reluctantly removed his grasp on it and the picture went limp under Kim's weak grip, Kim turned her eyes turning blank as she settled the picture back on the bookshelf. Her fingertips still lingering, her head slightly bowing as it reached to the little girl.

"Fine." Kim spun around with a confused expression, Jack shoved his hands in his pockets. "You can try to find out about my past. If-"

Kim cut him off with a nod, "If you can find out about my past?" she was surprised by her teasing tone and coughed to hide it before forcing a smirk. "You got it, superstar."

"You know the nickname, superstar is getting on my nerves." Jack coughed uncomfortably as Kim let out a soft chorus of giggles, his brown eyes brightened up at the sound. Jack found her rather interesting and he would deny it someone asked him if she was attractive.

"Alright, superstar," Kim grinning widely as he groaned, "You better behave during dinner. I wasn't looking forward to inviting you over my house, nor dinner." He only cocked his eyebrow and released a long breath before strolling over to the window that Kim would sit on every night before heading to bed. Kim only watched him as he crossed the room with intrigued eyes as he finally made it to the window before walking over. Standing just a few inches away as he settled himself down before opening the window, Kim shivered at the cool breeze and she let temptation urge her to sit next to him.

"Nice place to think, huh?" Kim spoke up after a few minutes of silence, he flickered his gaze on her. Immediately her throat went dry, she gulped loudly before turning to avoid his gaze. "I come here every night to think. It's a nice reality." Kim giggled slightly. Jack glanced briefly at her, his eyes scanning her facial expression before the corner of his mouth twitch in a smirk of amusement.

For a moment they sat there, letting the cool breeze prick at their exposed skin. With her legs tucked up to her chest and laying comfortably on the pillows provided she looked up at Jack, his eyes stayed looking at the view the window gave him. With the angles on his face relaxed Kim found herself rather intrigued by him. It almost felt like they were friends, Kim let out a quiet sigh feeling stupid for giving him such a hard time when they both had hard pasts. Her sigh hadn't gotten unnoticed, Jack removed his eyes from the stores and laid it on.

Her chin resting atop of her knees, her eyes gazing at the blankets and her lip pouting. Jack almost snickered at the sight of her but restrained himself, he flicked the falling hair out of his eyes. Kim closed her eyes, shivering as the wind continued breezing inside the room.

"What are you thinking about?" Jack murmured quietly. She didn't look up as her fingers played with the loose thread on the blanket she was resting upon, he cocked an eyebrow as she didn't respond immediately. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her chin and forced herself to look up.

"Nothing really." it was a lie, Kim had been thinking about him in particular. Just looking at him now caused a wonder to strike up, there was something more about him than just fame. Hopefully. She bit down hard on her lower lip as he shot her a unconvinced look, only just a few days he had managed to examine her enough to know that she was lying. It should make her uncomfortably thinking that Jack had been possibly creeping her on, she let out a snort and covered her mouth in shock.

He let out a low chuckle and Kim forced a small smile, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. "Are you sure?" he murmured.

Kim waved off his question with a small smile and shrug, biting the inside of her cheek quickly before responding, "Of course! Why wouldn't I be!" Kim exclaimed nervously. She shut her mouth quickly, mentally slapping herself for being so open and readable. She knew he was resisting a smirk and she growled silently, crossing her arms.

"Well, you didn't fool me." Jack looked at her, his brown eyes sparkled under the moonlight. Kim was utterly awestruck by his handsome looks and immediately gave a sharp gasp before looking away, it was then she noticed how dark it had gotten outside. That was the first time that Kim finally admitted that his looks may have attracted her just by a little bit, only because she didn't dare to look anymore further. "You aren't going to tell me?" he chuckled.

Kim rolled her eyes playfully, feeling a bit weird that she was actually being nice to him. "I'm not to say everything about my personal life, hotshot." Kim stuck out a teasing tongue at him, "It'll take out all the fun in this little game."

"So. Once we know everything about each other, you'll stop with the sarcastic comments about fame?" Jack challenged. Kim shrugged before pursing her lips.

"Can't promise you that one, superstar." Kim chuckled.

"Alright, so we pretend that we don't exist to each other after everything has been uncovered?" Jack asked unsure. Kim looked at him, hesitantly opening her mouth to respond.

"I guess so."


Kim's POV

The clanking and scratches made by the forks against the surface of the plate caused me to flinch and cringe few minutes. It was silent, and I shifted at those too. It felt like my parents were meeting my boyfriend, I stuffed in my piece of chicken breast and had my fork lingering over the mash potatoes coated in dark gravy. Gulping it down, I brought my glass of water to my lips as my mother laid down her fork and knife before turning to Jack with a pleasant expression.

"So, Jack," I forced my water down my throat, almost choking. "What do you think of the fame and the money?" I almost groaned. I resisted the urge to slap my mother's mouth shut. Obviously the lack of sleep had finally gotten to her. Just a few more words and the dinner would be too painful to stand, Jack laid down his glass before turning to my mother with a small smile.

"It's alright," Jack answered and I cocked an questioning eyebrow at him in which he shrugged off, "It gets a bit too much. But it's alright, I always love meeting the people who find the things I do is amazing."

"More so, a fan?" I snickered and gulped as my mother sent a stern look at my direction. "What? It's better than that awfully long description." Jack coughed uncomfortably and I grinned in triumph. And I busied myself with another serving of chicken breast, my ears still sharp on their words. I fell silent, my fork suddenly probing the food and I could feel my mother's stern gaze at my direction, I looked up and sent her a smirk before placing down my fork. Grabbing a napkin and dabbing the corners of my mouth with it before pursing my lips.

Placing the napkin on my plate I stood up, the chair squeaking as I pushed it further behind. "I'm full."

"Kimberly. We have a guest." my mother hissed as I passed her with my plate in my hands, "Sit down."

"Mama, I'm full." I told her with a humorous tone before falling to a frown, "You can't expect me to sit down and listen to all his fame and such? For goodness sake I was alone with him while you guys continued working."

"You are going to be present and pleasant, Kimberly." my mother concluded and I threw my head back and placed the plate in the sink with a groan. Resting my hands on the edge of the counter, I shook my head. One more minute with him would end up in flames, sure I tolerated him mainly because I had to. But the more I had to stay with him the more it urges me on to hating him once again, my mother so proud about a guy that she only met for 4 hours instead for a daughter with her decisions to go to Stanford.

Sitting through and seeing and listening my mother gush about Jack was a pain, but I couldn't help the smirk that wormed up my face at Jack's uncomfortable expression through it all.

"Jack," I spoke up surprising my family and Jack, "What made you want to have this career?" Jack stiffened his dark eyebrow pulling together and he wore a frown, sometimes glancing at me as I awaited his response. He shifted and cleared his throat, I cocked an surprised eyebrow and licked my lips in amusement.

"It's personal alright." he responded harshly. I pulled back in shock.

"It's personal, yet your in my house and invading my private space and you can't answer this question that I've heard been said on interviews." I snickered in triumph as he gave a long and hard stare of annoyance and anger. "Come on, superstar." He formed a fist on the surface of the table and struggled to contain his anger.

"Kim, that's enough." my mom stated in a stern voice. I scoffed in disbelief and crossed my arms as my chair shrieked when I pulled away from the table.

"It was just a question, what am I not allowed to ask him one easy question?" I retorted harshly my eyes on her, "I could have just left to my room instead of hearing you gush over Jack's pride. If I wasn't allowed to ask him questions then why ask me to stay?"

"Kim. Room." my mother demanded.

"I will happily oblige to that demand." I answered sarcastically before standing and bowing to Jack, "Your Highness." I carelessly shoved the chair back to the table hearing the glasses clink to each other at the force and made my way up to the stairs. Only lingering when I heard my mother speak up in a soft tone that I wanted to accuse her of being too polite with guests rather than her daughter.

"I'm sorry, Jack. She wasn't always like this," my mother apologized "She always had a problem with celebrities after the incident that happened years ago." I gripped the handle of the stairs tighter and pulling my mouth into a tight smile.

"What exactly happened?" Jack asked intrigued and my annoyance only grew at his attitude.

"Well, superstar," I knew I had taken him by surprise as he jerked back into his seat with an awkward expression, "It's personal and I thought you would understand too." I snapped bitterly. Without waiting for a response,I had easily glided up the remaining stairs and up to my room. Immediately I clutched a pillow and buried my head deep inside it, forcing back sobs as my mind flashed through the painful memories that caused me to be so cruel to people like Jack.

Tears leaked out of my closed eyes and I silently scolded myself for being so weak and helpless, I choked out a sob and clutch the pillow tighter. I laid on my bed in silence for the next few minutes and tried to redeem myself, the only sound that came from me was sniffles and pounding from my fist against the bed. I tried to reduce the anger directed towards Jack for being so thoughtless and I immediately hated myself for thinking so cruel when he offered me a ride. He's different, he wouldn't stick around because of pity without knowing my past.

We've both been stubborn. I knew I shouldn't have pushed the question too far. I peeked from the pillow to glance at the clock on my nightstand, it had been exactly 30 minutes since I stormed into my bedroom. I stumbled up, wrestling against the bedspread to make my way to the door. I was still stumbling when I pulled open the door and dread washed through me as I heard the water rushing from the sink, with my feet pounding against the stairs as I ran down I had yelled out.

"Is Jack still here?" my voice hoarse.

"No, honey," my mother answered in a soft tone and looked at me and immediately I knew she wanted to apologize to me, "He left 5 minutes ago."

"Darn." I muttered before my eyes lit up, "I'll see you guys later."

"Where are you going?" my mother asked as I slipped on my sneakers and jacket, still pulling my arm through the sleeve I answered.

"To find Jack."


A/N: I'm very sorry for not updating in 2 weeks. I've just been busy and receiving emails on new reviews on this story made me feel really guilty. This chapter was kind of bad mainly because I had a hard time building it up and everything and I just didn't know what to place in. The writing is horrible, my brain isn't functioning well as in the vocabulary isn't as great with the headache and everything, I had to write 4 tests in one day.

Thoughts?

REVIEW!

-Noelle