Chapter Thirty: Stay by Post Malone

Jack climbed through Rose's window. He told her he would come by once he got home from work.

He climbed through the window and saw her laying there. She was fast asleep, with headphones in. He was about to turn away when he heard something.

"Jack," Rose whispered in her sleep.

Instead of leaving, he lay down next to Rose and wrapped his arms tightly around her. She leaned against him and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

Rose slept there for a few hours before sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Hi."

Jack smiled. "Hi." He tucked a curl behind her ear. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," said Rose. She rubbed her eyes again. "I had the weirdest dream."

"What was it?" Jack asked, stroking her cheek.

"Everything was normal, but instead of Molly and Thomas leading the group homes, it was my parents," said Rose.

"That is weird," said Jack.

"Yeah," said Rose. She looked up at Jack. "Do you ever think about what your parents would say if they could see you now?"

"Sometimes," said Jack. "I did a lot when I was younger."

"Like what?" Rose asked. She paused for a second. "You don't have to answer that, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," said Jack. He sighed. "I remember once, I was in the playground. It was only a little while after I was brought here. This little boy hurt himself coming down the slide, and he started to cry. And his mother rushed over and picked him up, hugging him and telling him she was sorry. And I just remember thinking, will my mom ever pick me up and tell me she's sorry."

Rose looked up at him and nodded. "I'm sorry."

"The universe made it up to me when it gave me you," said Jack. He kissed her lovingly.

"I think about it all the time," said Rose. "It's… haunting."

"Why?" Jack asked.

Rose sighed. "My mom… ruined my life. I was severely depressed as a seven year old. And when she left, I was happy. My dad and I were so close, and I loved my life. I had great friends, or at least I thought they were, and all of a sudden, it all went up in smoke."

"What happened with your friends?" Jack asked.

"I moved to New York, and I just assumed they'd call me," said Rose with a shrug. "I left suddenly, I didn't tell anyone where I was going, other than Emily. I just thought they would call me." Rose looked up at Jack. "In retrospect, I was the one who left, I should've kept in touch.

"And then I came here," said Rose. "And… you know the rest."

"But what's the part about your mom?" Jack asked.

"I'm in the best place I've ever been in… possibly in my whole life," said Rose. "And I want to think that my mom would be proud, but maybe she would think that I'm not doing well, or something."

"She'd be crazy to think that," said Jack. "And you've told me how amazing your dad was. Honestly, as far as I'm concerned, that's the only opinion that matters. Aside from yours, of course."

"Thanks," said Rose.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her. He traced her jawline with his thumb and gave her a comforting kiss. Rose never understood how he could do what he did. He could hold her or kiss her, and everything would go away. It would just be her and Jack in their own perfect bubble.

"I wish we could just… run off into the sunset together," Rose whispered. Her legs were intertwined with his, and his arms were wrapped tightly around her. "Just leave all of this behind. Just have each other."

"We already do," said Jack. "And one day we will. We'll… run off into the sunset, we'll do everything we've always wanted."

Rose kissed him passionately. "We're going to go to Europe," she began.

"We'll visit the museums," said Jack.

"And drink coffee," said Rose.

Jack laughed. "Well, we do that now."

"I know, but European coffee is so much better," said Rose. "That summer is going to be… amazing."

"I know," said Jack. "Have you talked to Janet lately?"

"A few days ago," said Rose. "Why?"

"Just wondering," said Jack.

"I was thinking of going there a couple weeks this summer," said Rose. "Wanna come?"

Jack smiled and nodded. "Absolutely."

Rose smiled. "Good. I want you to come."

•••

School had finally finished, and Jack and Rose were getting their final grades. "I'm too scared to look," said Rose.

"Same," said Jack. "Should we trade?"

"I'm too scared. What if I did badly?" Rose asked.

"If either of us did, it wasn't you," said Jack.

Rose sighed. "Okay, let's trade."

They traded phones, and Rose looked at Jack's grades. "Jack, you did so well!"

"Really?" Jack asked. He looked at the phone.

"You got all A range grades, except for Spanish," said Rose.

"Well, Rose, you did even better," said Jack.

"How did I do?" Rose asked.

"All A pluses," said Jack. "That's incredible. And with a thirty four on your ACT, Barnard would be lucky to have you."

Rose smiled. "Thanks." She looked at him and furrowed her eyebrows. "What did you get on your ACT?"

"Thirty," said Jack.

"You never told me," said Rose. "That's a great grade."

"I must have forgotten," said Jack. He looked at Rose, who was smiling. "What?"

"You and I… we're kicking ass and taking names," said Rose.

Jack laughed. "I guess we are."