Chapter 13: Everybody Knows
In his eleven years of absence from Mineral Town, Jack had forgotten - and relearned - a few common aspects of small-town life. Chief among these, as he only truly realized in the days following dinner at Elli's, was that it wasn't always just what someone saw that mattered, but sometimes, what they heard.
More specifically, if you spoke loudly with a window open nearby, somebody was bound to overhear your business. They may have just been passing by on an unrelated matter, hanging nearby in hopes of catching something intriguing, or perhaps they just lived near enough to hear you shouting it, but they would hear it.
This, of course, tended to lead to everybody else inevitably getting in on that business - and not always in the most expected of ways.
When Jack opened his door on Saturday morning, he was greeted by the sight of Duke and Manna - Duke looking thoroughly sleepy and ill-tempered, and Manna nervously wringing her hands.
"Sweetheart," Manna began gently, her dark, guilty gaze darting every which way and her forced calm doing nothing to quell Jack's rising alarm, "there are... umm... things being said around town, and-"
The large, beefy man cut Manna off: "Everyone knows about the stripping thing." He rolled his eyes, and continued: "And no, my w-"
"I swear, I swear, I swear I wasn't the one who said anything!" Manna blurted out, grabbing a startled Jack by the front of his pajama top and shaking him like a magic 8-ball. His teeth clattered together loudly. "I didn't even know until I heard it from Sasha, but she heard it from - oh, does it matter?" she lamented, roughly tossing Jack backwards and clapping a hand to her forehead dramatically. "But honestly, while I may speak a bit too freely-" She ignored the incredulous sound Duke made "-I couldn't stand to have you thinking I was responsible for this one, Jack, I really couldn't!"
"Sorry," Duke grumbled, shrugging. "She wouldn't shut up until we came down here and set the record straight. Well, enjoy the weekend."
"Thank you for understanding, sweetheart!" Manna hugged Jack tightly, before pulling back and giving a contrite little bow. "By the way, don't you worry about a thing. Duke and I think you're a good boy."
And off they went, leaving Jack staring blankly at his porch, struggling to form a response.
"...Okay."
Then, it hit him:
"...This one?!"
"So people are talking about you again." Cliff grunted and shrugged later that morning, yanking up another thick cluster of weeds that had popped up. "Better you than me. It took me weeks to convince Louis that I probably didn't break off of a coral reef and evolve." He frowned. "He wanted to dissect me."
"I already had my turn," Jack pointed out with a loud huff. "They can find someone else to talk about for a little bit. Like... Kano. Doesn't Kano do anything noteworthy?"
Cliff leaned on the barn door, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Who cares? You've got a washed-up amnesiac and the prodigal son right here, back from a full decade in this mysterious... 'the city'." He nodded resolutely. "And now, saucy adventures. We're gonna be the hot topics at least till Kai gets here, if not for a while after that."
"Never paid attention to this shit when I was a kid," Jack griped. "Wonder what they said back then?"
"'You think he'd make a good stripper?'" Cliff guessed, shrugging innocently, and ducking the handful of dirt Jack threw at him. "Hey! You did say you never paid attention!"
Another handful of dirt flew at him, hitting him in the face. Thus, war commenced - physical, violent, dirty, filled with gales of laughter and battle cries that drew in the curiosity of nearby civilians.
"Can I watch?"
Jack looked up from where he was straddling Cliff's back and pushing his face into the dirt. "Hey, Ann. Wanna join?" He waggled his eyebrows, while Cliff mumbled something unintelligible. "Quiet, bitch."
"Fuck you," Cliff snapped through a mouthful of dirt. Jack yanked on his ponytail, pulling the traveler's muddy face up. "OW! Jesus! ...Ann," he added nodding politely.
Ann didn't hide her broad grin. "Busy morning?"
"You could say so..."
"No wonder Poppy's been so glum lately," Ann mused, drumming her fingers on her elbows thoughtfully. "I guess I'd be sad too, if I found Kai humping away at one of the guests."
At this, Jack rolled off of Cliff and helped him up. "I haven't seen her since Wednesday night, now that you mention it... she's upset?"
Ann shrugged. "That's what Karen told me. I didn't get the details. Could be on the rag, for all I know. Oh, get over it!" she added disgustedly, rolling her eyes when the two boys cringed. "Don't be such babies."
"Bad memories," Jack piped up, shuddering. Nonetheless, his curiosity - and worry - had been piqued by Ann's words. "Anyway, you know where she is today, by any chance?"
Another shrug. "Well, she's probably gonna be down at the beach later... Kai's boat gets in tonight." A broad grin slowly formed across her face. "But, yeah, no clue right now. I didn't see her this morning at the hot springs, anyway. Or yesterday morning." Humming, she tapped her chin. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen her milling about at all recently! Oh, well! I gotta get back to work, so if you run into her, remind her about Kai, okay?" With little more than a quick wave, Ann spun around and strolled back off to the inn, humming a loud, cheerful, off-key song and skipping every few steps.
"Geez, what's that Kai guy like?" Jack muttered, cocking his head. Shaking the thought off, he turned to Cliff. "Hey, since we're about done for the afternoon, you mind if I go hunt down Popuri? I think I might know where she's been hiding out, and I have an errand to run anyway."
"Suit yourself." With a dismissive wave of his hand, Cliff picked up Jack's watering can and dumped the contents over himself, squinting and scrubbing the dirt off of his face and chest. "I'm gonna use your shower, though. Jerk."
"You started it," Jack called over his shoulder, snickering as he made his way into town. His amusement ebbed slightly into apprehension when the large, shadowy tower loomed over him:
Mineral Town Library & Archives.
Up on the second story, an open window could be seen, and indistinct chatter drifted out - one voice soft, low, and kind; the other, girlish and slightly glum.
Sighing heavily, and not wanting to be spotted by Anna should he linger too long near the adjoining Welvin house, Jack tiptoed into the library, shutting the door quietly behind him. The jangling of the bell above the door drew a grimace from him, and he hurriedly lunged to grab the clapper and silence it as the voices became clearer.
"...Quite descriptive, I have to say. Ariadne's got a very engaging narrative voice, and she feels like someone I would love to get to know. That being said, I think perhaps a first-person perspective would..."
Mary's voice drifted down from the second floor, administering gentle yet firm feedback, Popuri cutting in occasionally to request suggestions or clarification. Hand lingering hesitantly over the banister, Jack hung back, not wanting to intrude on the matter at hand.
Looking around curiously as Mary and Popuri continued to chatter, he spotted a binder laying on the front desk, filled with a large number of pages. Fifty Shades of Trent, the front of the binder declared temptingly, written in Mary's clean yet elegant cursive.
Eying the novel curiously, Jack made to reach for it, but froze when the next snippet of conversation slid down the banister:
"...still haven't said a word of it, dear. You know, they say it helps to talk to a friend." It was Mary, her voice adopting a sisterly tone. "Karen and I are very worried. What happened? Is it your mother?"
Popuri's loud, gloomy sigh followed Mary's words. "No, Mom's okay, for Mom... and it isn't even about Kai, either. Rick's still all, 'Rarrr, I kill Kai,' and stuff, but.."
Her voice dropped to an indistinct murmur, and Jack groaned in frustration, straining his ears while he pressed against a nearby bookshelf. He had a feeling he knew who it was about... perhaps even the why. His stomach twisted uncomfortably at the thought of the why.
"What about him?" Mary asked, her voice suddenly laced with concern. "Aren't things going well?"
Knew it, Jack thought smugly.
"This isn't about the, umm... rumors, is it?" Mary added, causing Jack to deflate and scowl. "I'm afraid my mother's gotten a bit intrusive and opinionated on the matter. I hope she hasn't offended either of you."
At the mention of Anna, Jack stuck his tongue out. Bite me, Mrs. Welvin.
"Not at all, and... I guess things are kinda okay, but... Mary, well, I think he might..."
Might what? I might what? Jack thought impatiently, raising an eyebrow. Be a drug lord? A serial killer? Purple? Have herpes? What?!
As if on cue, Popuri's suspicions were laid out in a muffled whisper, prompting Jack to suppress an annoyed moan as Mary hummed thoughtfully.
"Hmm"? Why the hell is she going "Hmm"?
"...I think, if it's that serious... you haven't brought it up with him?"
"I don't know how!" Popuri wailed. "I'm not good at this stuff!"
"Of course," Mary offered soothingly. Jack couldn't help but picture the patient librarian giving the distressed girl a hug. "Well... have you spoken to Elli about it? I know he was gone for a while, but she knows him better than anyone else in town, after all. I'm sure if anyone would know how to approach the matter with him, it would be her."
Jack felt his ears and stomach tingle at the mention of Elli - something about the nature of that suggestion made him extremely uneasy.
"Elli..." Though still faintly hesitant, Popuri's voice quickly cycled through realization, to pleasure: "Yeah, I bet she'd be able to help! You're brilliant, Mary!"
An uncomfortable chuckle followed that statement. "Oh, err... ahh... thank you? Well, I wish you all the best... Ah, leaving so soon?"
"Mmhmm. I think the sooner I see Elli about it, the better."
"Absolutely - oh, don't forget these, dear."
Rustling and scraping sounds were heard above, and - as if being controlled by an external source - Jack slipped around the corner into a row of bookshelves, tomes on equine care and Occult rituals flanking him. Popuri skipped down the stairs and out of the library with a hurried "Thanks!" to Mary, who padded down quietly behind the pink-and-yellow chicken girl, waving to her before closing the door and turning with a smile.
That smile quickly slipped into a pair of loud gasps when Mary and Jack nearly bumped into each other, Jack dropping the books he'd been carrying. Mary's hand flew to her heart as she struggled to steady her breathing.
"Oh, Jack! I- when- how-" Mary shook her head slowly, taking deep breaths and fixing her crooked glasses before bending to help carry the books to the front desk. "I didn't hear you come in... how long have you been here?"
"Only a few minutes. I just wanted to see if I could check these out-" He nodded to the books whose covers Mary was examining "-It's been so long since I've been around horses, I kind of needed to brush up." He flashed Mary an earnest grin, which she returned uncomfortably as her eyes darted to the book on the top of the stack.
"A History of... of S-Sacrifice," Mary read aloud, her voice wavering slightly. She scowled. "Really, Jack, that isn't funny."
"Yeah, it's kind of- wait, a history of what?" Peering at the book's cover from the opposite side, Jack flinched, feeling his face burn. "I, uhh... I thought I was browsing the horse books," he mumbled sheepishly.
Laughing softly, Mary set the book aside and began stamping the others in the stack. "It's okay. I really don't know what I was thinking when I re-shelved those two sections next to each other... "
The two lapsed into brief small talk about Ginny while Mary checked out the stack of books, Jack hopping impatiently on the balls of his feet and glancing out the front window - Elli would probably broach the subject with him later, if it really was as urgent as it sounded, but he still wasn't too keen on losing sight of Popuri. He'd never heard her speak so seriously before. After bidding Mary farewell, Jack stepped silently out of the library, stealing furtive glances here and there - Anna usually stepped out around this time to jabber away in the town square with whichever friends were free that day.
Sagging in relief at her absence, he clutched the books tightly to his chest and tiptoed to the junction of Penny Lane and Harrison Street, slipping into the shadows on the side of Elli's house. Harris and Sasha passed by, chattering enthusiastically about something-or-another, and Jack couldn't help but briefly imagine himself knocking them unconscious with chloroform-soaked rags, lest they hinder his mission.
It was then that he decided that Popuri likely thought him to be nuts.
Letting out a disgusted sigh, Jack strolled out casually from the side of Elli's house, back into the blazing May sun. He nodded a polite greeting to a baffled Stu as he passed, only to slam himself back against the wall of the supermarket when he saw Popuri slipping into the clinic a little ways ahead.
Thankful for the tendency of the townsfolk to leave their windows open on hot days, he crept up to the clinic and ducked into a row of bushes - rosebushes, he immediately remembered, biting back the urge to shout words that would cause even Mary to shoot him on sight. Shooing away a nearby bumblebee, he hunched down low in the bushes, scratched and bleeding, and listening to what little he could of the ensuing conversation:
"Oh, Popuri, of course I've got a moment. What's wrong?"
"Well, it's not about me... have you noticed that Jack- oh!" Popuri sounded all too aware of the public nature of the conversation. "Well, it's kind of private..."
"Of course, of course... this way..."
For fuck's sake, Jack thought sourly, scowling. Gritting his teeth, he crab-walked sideways through the bushes, letting out low hisses as the thorns scratched him up a bit more with each step. Elli had led Popuri into one of the exam rooms to talk, but at least that window was also open. If she shuts it, I'll scream.
Elli's skirts were heard bustling as she made her way to the far side of the room. "Would you like the window shut?"
Jack prepared to scream.
"No, thank you. It's a little warm... anyway, I don't think anyone'll hear..."
"Yesss," Jack hissed quietly. He gave a slight start at the sound of fingers tapping on the sill directly above him, but nothing else happened, save for the scraping of two chairs being pulled together.
"So, go ahead. I'm listening. Oh! I'm sorry, would you like some water?"
"Please? ...Thank you. Elli... I know you guys think I don't really notice much-" Elli, to her credit, made a soft noise of protest, and Popuri giggled. "Okay, some people in town think that, and... I guess they're right. But I'm not imagining this!" she added emphatically.
"Imagining what?" Elli's voice was a bit softer now, and Jack could sense a faint tremble in it.
"Jack... well, I guess you weren't there to see it, but - well - one morning, when I was over there with him... I said something to him. I really can't remember, but he... he got really scary, Elli..."
Jack felt his throat constrict. The nightmare. Of course, she couldn't have really known why, but...
"Hold on - sorry, do you mind if I jot this down? Just to be safe..." A pause, during which Jack presumed Elli was grabbing a notepad and a pencil. "Sorry about that... how was he acting, then? Popuri? Are you okay?"
Popuri let out a deep breath. "Yeah... he just kind of looked... through me. He started apologizing... it was like - like he was seeing... a ghost? But he snapped back really quickly..."
"Mmm... apologizing to..." Elli's voice had grown faint. "Oh... oh, Jack," she murmured, her voice heavy. "I think I've got some idea..."
Jack swallowed the lump in his throat. It certainly wouldn't be hard for anyone to guess what was going on, he supposed. Still, there came a point when he had to man up and solve his own problems for a change... maybe it was for the best that Popuri didn't broach the subject with him directly.
"So do I," Popuri confessed. "Even Rick's worried. I'd ask, but... I'm scared to. I don't think he'd even talk to me about it. I think... I think he's having nightmares."
Jack sat up straight, barely able to avoid whacking his head on the underside of the windowsill. How in the hell did she know that? Does she watch me sleep or something?
Then again, it wasn't like that would be the nosiest thing anyone in town had ever done, and his most recent nightmare had occurred in his stable.
"It's certainly not unexpected, given what he's gone through," Elli agreed quietly. Her voice hitched for a moment, but she continued: "I'd be more surprised if he weren't having them..."
Something in her tone made Jack want to blow his cover, clamber in through the window, and hug her. Heart racing, he strained his ears to hear out the rest.
"Elli, do you think he'll be... okay?" Popuri's voice broke slightly on the last word.
"I certainly hope so. His friends will certainly try, right?" In contrast, Elli's tone had brightened the slightest bit, gaining a notch of confidence. "Listen, thank you for bringing this up with me. I'll see if I can't... at least get him to open up about it. Maybe he just needs someone to lend an ear. Don't worry, okay, honey?"
Jack grunted and shook his head. He couldn't keep dragging other people into this. No, what he needed was... was... what? He certainly wasn't sure what would do the trick. A year of punishment per sin? Comfort from the other side of the veil? Risk a time paradox and stop his past self from ever leaving? Or just live with it every day for the rest of my life, he thought bitterly, swatting away another bee as the two girls wrapped up their conversation. Ducking back into the bushes and swearing quietly as the agitated bee stung him in the wrist, he watched Popuri make her way down to the inn, her expression unreadable.
"So, does that sound okay?" Elli asked from above him.
Jack yelled and jumped up, banging his head on the windowsill and scratching himself even further on the rosebushes. His books thumped loudly to the ground. The bemused nurse was leaning casually out the window, arms folded on the sill. "Christ, Elli! Don't do that!"
Elli shrugged, her smile wry. "Sorry. But you hide really loudly. I've known you were there all along." Humming and tapping her chin thoughtfully, she pursed her lips, and added: "Well, you know, since you're all scratched up and have a possible head injury now, I suppose you might want to... perhaps come inside for a chat?"
Jack rubbed his sore skull and winced. "That's cold, Elli. "
"No-" Elli grabbed Jack by the hands and wrenched him in through the window with a surprising amount of strength, ignoring his startled yell of "First, do no harm! Do no harm!", and sitting him down in a chair "-cold would be leaving you out there to be covered in bees and letting Louis study you. Speaking of bees, I suppose I could treat that sting, too."
"Thanks, Florence," Jack muttered dryly, rolling his sore shoulders. "Care to spare a massage?"
"Why, Jack, what would the locals say?" Elli responded, a mock-scandalized look upon her face as she prepared some antiseptic and cotton balls. "Sorry, but Trent says my massages could knot up water."
"I, uh, I'll pass, then."
"Wise man," Elli responded gravely, though a small smirk formed on her lips while she readied the soaked cotton ball. "Okay. Brace yourself, Scratchy."
"Yes, ma'am." Gritting his teeth, Jack let out soft, low hisses as Elli set to work cleaning up his scratches. "You know, what I heard-"
"-If you're about to protest, don't," Elli cut in sharply, cleaning another scratch a bit more harshly than necessary. "Didn't you hear how scared she was?"
"I wasn't protesting," Jack said quietly, though that wasn't entirely true. "...Elli, I... I have been having nightmares... and I know you told me, and Carter told me to let go of my guilt, just work on the present. But it's not like I can snap my fingers and make it happen. I'm trying," he insisted pleadingly. "I didn't want to drag any of you into this. It's not fair to you guys."
Elli gave him another wry smile as she set to work bandaging the larger scratches on Jack's arm. "Small town, Jack. Someone was bound to get involved sooner or later. It's fine. Look, it's something I had to work through, too, and I'll tell you right now, I couldn't have done it alone. And I know what can happen if someone tries that..."
But it was different with you, wasn't it? Jack worked over his next words carefully, and curiosity won out: "What happened, anyway?"
Elli's eyes went dark for a moment, and her entire frame sagged the faintest bit against the chair she was now sitting in. Sucking in a deep breath, she smoothed out her apron before beginning, her voice shaking: "Well... Mom... she got r-really sick. I never knew cancer could spread so quickly, nobody did. It was... i-it was over so fast. We barely had time to process it, and..."
Clearing her throat, she closed her eyes, her voice steadying: "Dad... I don't know if it ever really sank in until... until... he died, if ever. It wasn't even a month after she passed. He'd catch himself starting to talk to her, starting to call out for her." A sad smile graced her lips, and she shook her head. "He always looked so confused when he realized she wasn't answering. That she wasn't anywhere in the house. Aunt Mi- your mom and dad were completely shut out by him. Gram couldn't even convince him to eat much of anything. Stu and I, we... may as well have been part of the wallpaper."
A bitter, humorless laugh slipped out. "And, so - I wonder if it finally caught up with him. Because this one night, he broke into the clinic and... he... he stole some medication. A lot of it. More than enough-"
Jack immediately pulled Elli into a tight hug, and she sighed gratefully into his shoulder. "I'll be okay, Jack, but thank you." She patted him on the back, pulling away, her usual warm smile on her face once more. "I mean... I'm not going to lie to you. I still... dream about it every now and then, but it's nowhere near as bad anymore. I don't know how much we can help," she continued, laying a gentle hand on his wrist, "but you'll let us try, right?"
Nodding numbly, Jack tried to work out the new knot that had formed in his throat at the news. "Yeah... of course I will, Elli." The words came out hoarse, and he sighed. "I just... I'm not sure how to go about it..."
"I wasn't, either," Elli confessed quietly. "And if it helps any, maybe to talk to an unbiased party...?"
Jack snorted. "Like a shrink? I saw a couple of those when I was in Surfport. Not really my thing."
"This guy helped me out," Elli pressed earnestly. "Trent's older brother, Alex. He's practicing medicine in Flowerbud these days, but he's an excellent therapist, really. He was an amazing help when Gram and I were dealing with what happened." Jack couldn't help but feel like her eyes were boring into his, yet he couldn't bring himself to look away.
"I-I'm not sure," he murmured, feeling a slight shiver run across his spine under her intense gaze. "Is he really that good...?"
"You've got to talk to someone," Elli insisted, her voice stern, yet calm. She paused for a moment, looking as though she were about to add something else - but decided against it. "Really, Jack... I don't want to risk anything. I only wish we'd have gotten Dad to see someone..."
The words stabbed through his heart like icicles as he imagined Kyle, confused and worried, lost in his own denial-
"Would you like me to call and make arrangements for him to come down and see you?"
Feeling defeated, Jack threw his hands up. "Okay, sure. Fine, I guess. But Flowerbud's a long way, I really don't want to put him out."
Elli shook her head, standing up and walking behind him, her fingers suddenly removing his cap and feeling around his scalp. "Oh, he won't be."
Jack strained his eyes to look up as best he could from his position. "Err, Elli.? Not that I mind terribly, but what the hell are you doing?"
"Checking that bump on your head from earlier," she responded briskly. "No way I'm sending you back out there without making sure that's alright."
Six o'clock came quickly afterward, Jack bidding farewell to Elli after getting the all-clear on the condition of his skull, and reluctantly setting up his first appointment with Dr. Alex Peng. "He's a sweet man," she insisted. "You'll like him, I'm sure. Now, you stay off your skull for a few days."
After a quick shower and dinner, Jack found himself back out about the town in the humid evening, curiously joining the small crowd that had formed on the beach. Karen, Popuri, Ann, Gray, and Cliff were all lingering about, Ann jumping excitedly as she pointed at something in the distance. Jack couldn't help but be reminded of a puppy, vaguely wondering if she and Kai were going to sniff each others' butts upon arrival.
Making his way over to where Cliff stood, slightly apart from the crowd - and returning Popuri's vibrant smile with an uneasy one of his own - Jack watched the distant boat trudge ever-closer to the shore.
"I swear, you'd think the Beatles were coming here," Cliff quipped, rolling his eyes as Karen, Ann, and Popuri started waving enthusiastically. Pascal's boat could be seen more clearly now, a small figure waving back from the deck.
Jack looked around. "Just for a crowd of six? Ah - seven." He spotted Rick, glowering in the shadows of the stairs leading back up into town. Karen followed Jack's gaze, rolled her eyes, and motioned emphatically for Rick to come join them - the surly redhead threw his hands up in response and stormed back up the stairs. Karen uttered a frustrated groan and returned to her conversation with Ann and Popuri, looking decidedly sour. "No, just six again. Must be George."
"I thought it was Ringo?" Cliff responded, straining his eyes to get a clearer view. "Or maybe it's both. There's two people on the deck."
"Guess he's bringing a friend this time," Jack noted, watching as the ship docked. Upon the passengers' departure, he was able to pick out Kai right away: A young Hawaiian man wearing a purple bandana, running up to enthusiastically pick up Ann and twirl her around in the air as they laughed and shared a few quick kisses. He was exceptionally handsome, Jack noted: Tall, lean, with deeply-tanned skin and bright brown eyes. His popularity suddenly made a little more sense, at least on one level.
After exchanging a friendly handshake and some small talk with Gray, and kissing both Karen and Popuri on their hands, Kai made his way over to Jack and Cliff. An inviting, sparkling grin spread across his face.
"You must be the new roomie!" he exclaimed, clapping Cliff on the shoulder. Then, with a nod in Jack's direction and an outstretched hand: "The, uhh... drifter?"
"Roomie and drifter," Cliff corrected, raising his hand slightly. "He's the farmer."
Kai nodded, waggling his eyebrows at Jack. "Ah, the lucky bastard who got Poppy! Y'know," he added slyly, giving an exaggerated wink, "I heard you two are getting on pretty well-"
Popuri blushed, and Ann whistled innocently, avoiding Jack's glare.
Rolling his eyes, Jack shook Kai's hand. "Right. Very peachy. Aaaanyway, nice to meet you. Name's Jack."
"Hey, where's your luggage?" Karen cut in, nodding back towards the boat. "You didn't lose it again?"
As if on cue, the second passenger leaped over the side of the deck and off the boat, ignoring the gangplank leading down to the pier. He landed in a catlike crouch, two large suitcases resting on his back. "Gotcha covered, buddy!"
The voice was horribly familiar to Jack. Its owner quickly turned his attentions towards the stunned farmer.
"Heyyy! Long time, no see, man! Yo, brought you another housewarming gift - catch!"
Before he could process what was happening, Jack found himself yelping and fumbling with something prickly, small, and unwieldy. Hissing in pain as he finally got a decent grip on it, he stared blankly at the plump, potted cactus sitting calmly in his hands, fashionably decked out in sunglasses and a flame-patterned bandana.
"I call it 'Sophie'! Cute, huh?"
"What the fuck?!" Jack gasped. He looked back up to see the tall, lanky young man grinning at him, moments before he was pulled into a bone-crushing hug and a rough noogie, which caused his sore head to throb. Sophie tumbled from his hands, her spines stabbing deep into the planks of the pier.
"How's Farmer Brown, eh?! You ready for an EXTREEEEEME SUMMER?!"
Jack suddenly found himself much more grateful for his impending therapy session.
Luke Potter was back in town.
Author's Notes: Choosing a title for this chapter was a bitch and a half. And now... Luke and Kai all in one summer? Can one place withstand so much Luke in a mere year? Will Mineral Town survive?! Probably. Will Jack survive? Depends on how well he can learn to cope...
Well, big thanks to the all-powerful Jersey S and the lovely lavendercookie for their feedback, and to those who have read, reviewed, and/or followed or favorited thus far! I hope this is coming along well to you - I'll see you in chapter 14!