Chapter Six
Jack took another bite of his pancakes, feeling incredibly awkward. He, Molly, Ned, Irene, Carey, Fi, Annie, Seth, and Gabe were all crowded around the Crawfords' dining room table. Gabe and Jack were sitting next to each other. Both of them were too embarrassed to tell their parents that they broke up, especially after Ned had driven everyone so far out of the way just for Jack. Jack didn't know how much of this he could handle. The breakup was hard enough, and it was even more difficult pretending that he and Gabe were still together, just so everyone else could be happy. He could still hear her words in his mind: I just didn't care anymore.
So how come I still do?
He glanced at Gabe out of the corner of his eye. She too was eating her meal in silence. I hate this, Jack thought. The adults didn't even notice anything weird between the two of them; they were too deep in their own conversation. Fi and Carey were too involved with each other to acknowledge anything else going on… and Annie, of course, knew.
Jack and Gabe were the last ones to finish the breakfast and the last ones sitting at the table. Seth had decided to give Molly, Fi, the Bells, and Annie a tour of the farm, since not all of them had seen it yet. They were the only two people in the house.
Gabe stood up and began to clear off the table, when Jack spoke. "I don't want this to be the end."
Gabe winced. "Jack…" she murmured.
"No!" Jack shouted. "Listen to me, Gabe. We can make it work. I know we can, if we just try…"
"Don't you get it, Jack? We can't. We won't try… it's over."
"How can you do this to me?" Jack said it so softly that Gabe almost didn't hear him.
"Don't you think it hurts me too?" Gabe asked, her voice trembling.
"Then why are we doing this to ourselves?" Jack demanded.
Gabe sighed, closing her eyes tightly as if that would make everything go away. When she opened them again, Jack's eyes were still searching hers for an answer. "Let go."
"I can't let go. Gabe - you're everything to me."
Gabe bit her bottom lip. She didn't want to hear this. She didn't want to fall for Jack again – she remembered how miserable she had been during the last couple months of their relationship. I'm not going through that again. Her back was to him now, but she could actually feel his eyes boring into her. Unable to handle it anymore, she fled from the room.
Chapter Seven
[A minute or two earlier]
Annie let herself through the Crawfords' backdoor and headed back to the dining room. She was about to walk in when she overheard Gabe and Jack's voices.
"Don't you think it hurts me too?" Annie leaned against the wall, holding her breath. She didn't want them to know she was right outside the dining room.
"Then why are we doing this to ourselves?" she heard Jack ask.
There was a long pause, and then Annie heard Gabe say, "Let go."
"I can't let go," Jack said. "Gabe – you're everything to me." Tears formed at the corners of Annie's eyes. How can he still love her? Annie wondered. After all she's putting him through? She went outside the back door again before she could hear Gabe's response.
Jack doesn't need me, Annie realized. Gabe is the only one that he wants. And then another thought occurred to her. And if I really care about him, I'll help him get what he wants.
[Meanwhile, in the Crawfords' dining room]
Jack remained sitting, still stunned by the way Gabe ran out on him. It's really over, he realized. Earlier that day, it all seemed so surreal – but now, he believed it. There was nothing he could do or say to change what happened between him and Gabe. I have to accept that. And as much as Jack would have liked to just disappear off the face of the earth and live his life in misery, he realized another thing too: he had to move on.
He stood up and headed to the front door of the house. It was the first step in the long road he had ahead of him – the recovery of a broken heart. A few minutes later he stood in front of the closed door to the bedroom he shared with Carey. He put his hand on the doorknob and turned it. Finally. I can be alone.
The scene changed quickly, though, when he opened the door and found Carey and Fi making out on the bed. They didn't even hear Jack come in. Completely repulsed, he ran from the room and closed the door behind him. How come they could be in love, but Jack couldn't? He looked over to Annie's bedroom, and saw that the door was slightly open. She listened to me before – maybe she will now.
Jack knocked on the door lightly. "Can I come in?"
"Sure," Annie called back. Jack walked into the room, finding Annie sitting at her laptop.
"Hey," he said, flashing his trademark grin.
"Hey."
"What're you up to?" Jack asked.
"Oh, just surfing the web," Annie replied.
"Not for weird stuff, I hope."
Annie laughed. "Nope, sorry to disappoint you." There was silence, and then Annie asked, "Is there something on your mind?"
Jack suddenly felt awkward sharing all his feelings with Annie. Did she even care? He didn't need to bore her with all his pathetic love problems.
"Because, if there is, I'm willing to listen," Annie added.
You are? "Well… it's about Gabe," Jack began, sitting down on her bed. Annie didn't say anything; she only waited for him to continue. She was so easy to talk to. "I guess I just realized that it really is over. It's so hard for me to accept."
"Gabe was a huge part of your life, Jack," Annie said. "Of course this break-up is going to be hard on you. You were with her for years – it's going to be a while before you can let go of that special place she held in your heart."
Jack stared at her. Her words were so… true. How did she know exactly the right thing to say? A strange feeling overcame him suddenly, he wanted to hug her – a part of him even wanted to kiss her. I'm going crazy, he told himself. I'm only having these thoughts because of the way Carey and Fi are so in love, and because I miss Gabe, and because Annie's here… But he couldn't shake the feeling. He longed to hold her. "Thanks," Jack said softly. "I needed that."
Annie nodded, and Jack stood up. "Well, if you ever need to talk, I'm here," she said.
Jack smiled warmly. "I'll keep that in mind." Then, before he could do anything that he might regret, he turned around and left.
Chapter Eight
Jack rolled over in his bed and eyed the calendar on the wall. It's almost over. Two days had passed since he had that conversation with Gabe – it was actually the last time he had even spoken to her. And tonight, it would be over. They would be leaving Ohio, and Gabe would become nothing more than a distant memory – and maybe Jack would even be able to forget all about her.
[Meanwhile…]
Annie strolled across the lawn, looking for Gabe. She had been planning to talk to her for a couple days now, but she kept putting it off. But tonight, they would be leaving. This was her last chance to make things better – it was now or never.
Finally, Annie saw her. She was in the barn with some horses. "Gabe," Annie called, but she didn't look up. "Gabe," she said, more loudly.
Gabe glanced up slowly, as if acknowledging her existence for the first time. "Oh, hi," she replied.
Annie walked into the barn until she was standing directly in front of Gabe. "We need to talk."
"Okay," Gabe said slowly. "What about?"
"Jack."
"Oh." There was a touch of disgust in her voice.
"Can't you see what you're doing to him?" Annie asked desperately. She took a deep breath. "He's still madly in love with you, Gabe. He wants to make things work out, and he won't be happy until he does." She paused, and when Gabe didn't say anything, Annie decided to keep talking. "He told me how much he misses you. You were his one true love – his everything. He can't let go. He's completely heartbroken over what happened."
Gabe looked away, and there was a long pause before she responded, almost inaudibly, "So am I."
An overwhelming feeling of sadness overcame Annie as she heard Gabe say those words. She hadn't wanted this to work. She had wanted Gabe to scream at her and tell her that it was none of her business and to leave her alone. She wanted to have walked away and be content with the fact that she had at least tried, and that was the best she could do. But it was working.
What have I done?
Chapter Nine
[Meanwhile, back on the bus]
Jack walked into the community room, where the sounds of Carey's guitar filled the air. "Hey, that's nice," he commented. "What is it?"
Carey took a long strum, then replied, "It's one of Annie songs – ''Cause You're Watching Over Me'. She said she needed help with the melody of the bridge. Well, I can't remember exactly how the song goes – it was something like that. Hey… do you think you could run into her room and get me the lyrics? It might give me a better idea."
"Why can't you get them?" Jack asked skeptically.
"Jack, I'm a musician," Carey responded. Jack rolled his eyes. "You didn't seriously expect me to interrupt my ingenuity – did you?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll get the lyrics," he said reluctantly, walking into Annie's room. "Hey Annie, could you get me the lyrics to…" his voice trailed off as he realized that she wasn't there. Jack eyed the surroundings of the bedroom, wondering where exactly she might keep her songs. He was about to give up when a manila folder next to Annie's laptop caught his eye. There it is.
He opened the folder carefully, shuffling for the song Carey needed. He pulled it out triumphantly, and as he closed the folder, another paper fell out and fluttered down to the floor. Jack bent down to pick it up and was about to put it away, but the words jumped out at him.
When I woke up this morningI vowed that I wouldn't think of you
So I looked out my window at the sky
And it was the perfect shade of blue
It only reminded me of your eyes
Why do I tell myself these lies?
I don't want to want you
And I don't want to need you
You consume my every thought
Do you even think of me?
I don't want to love you
But if you only knew
I wonder if you'd love me
Would you love me too?
You're out with her right now
The girl you've loved for years
I'm trying not to think about it
But this paper's stained with tears
I wonder if she loves you like I would
Can she love you as much as I could?
I don't want to want you
And I don't want to need you
You consume my every thought
Do you even think of me?
I don't want to love you
But if you only knew
I wonder if you'd love me
Would you love me too?
Oh I still want to want you
And I still want to need you
You consume my every thought
Do you even think of me?
I still want to love you
But if you only knew
I wonder if you'd love me
Would you love me too?
Please say you'd love me too
Jack read the words again and again, his heart pounding in his chest. It's about me.
Chapter Nine
Jack ran outside the tour bus and into the Crawfords' yard. He eyed the field desperately, his heart racing. Where was she? Then he heard someone approaching him from behind, and he spun around.
"Jack," Gabe said breathlessly. "Jack, you were right. About everything."
Jack swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"
"Annie told me…"
Annie talked to her? Jack thought. Annie was trying to get us back together? He couldn't believe the words coming out of Gabe's mouth.
"She said that you were completely brokenhearted over what happened," Gabe added. "That I'm… your everything. Your angel," she added with a small smile. "She seems to think we belong together, Jack," Gabe said, taking a step closer. "And I think she's right." Jack's mouth was too dry to speak, and he stood there helplessly as Gabe leaned in closer. A million thoughts were running through his mind at once. This was what he wanted, wasn't it?
I just didn't… care anymore.
I'm willing to listen.
It's over.
If you ever need to talk, I'm here.
Let go.
If you only knew, I wonder if you'd love me. Would you love me too?
[Meanwhile, Annie's room]
Annie looked out her window, watching Jack and Gabe. There. She did it. She talked to Gabe, told her how much Jack still cared about her – and it worked. And now, they would be together again, and Annie would be right back where she started. Alone.
Seeing that they were about to kiss, Annie turned away. I did this, she reminded herself. This is what I wanted – isn't it?
Chapter Ten
No. This wasn't what he wanted at all. Before Gabe's lips could touch his, Jack pushed her away. "Stop," he said.
Gabe's eyes brimmed with tears immediately. "Why?" she asked.
"I – I can't do this," Jack admitted. "I'm in love with someone else." He hated to do this – but he also knew what was right. I have to follow my heart. "I'm sorry," he whispered, but Gabe only continued to cry. He held in her in a loose hug, and then walked back to the bus. Once inside, he knocked on Annie's door.
"Come in," she called softly. Jack walked in, and Annie looked at him sadly. "So, everything's okay now," she said. "You can be with the one you love."
"Yeah," Jack replied, sitting next to her on the bed. "It is."
"Did she tell you that she loves you?" Annie asked.
"Not yet."
"Oh," Annie replied. "I wonder why not."
Jack turned and looked her in the eyes. "I guess she's afraid to hear what I'll say in response," he said.
Annie looked confused. "But didn't you already tell Gabe that you love her?"
Jack kept his gaze fixed on Annie as he said, "I wasn't talking about Gabe." Annie was speechless – what was he talking about? He couldn't possibly mean… Could he? "But this girl shouldn't be afraid," Jack continued. "Because if I had only known how she felt – I'd say I love her too." He searched her eyes, waiting for her to say something.
"I love you, Jack," Annie said, her heart filled with longing for the boy in front of her. What would he say now? But he didn't say anything. He only kissed her, long and lovingly. Annie kissed him back, meeting his lips with the same passion. They seemed to be the only two people in the world. And even if they were, it wouldn't matter – because they had each other. That was all they needed.
THE END