Ch. 5 Midnight Chat

Austin tossed and turned on the couch until she couldn't take it anymore. Sitting up and looking at the clock seeing it was only 12:39 am she sighed putting her face in her hands then stood. She walked to the refrigerator and grabbed the orange juice carton. Setting it down on the island she paused a second wondering what she was going to do. She couldn't live like she had in her past again, she promised herself everything would be different here, and she wouldn't have to worry...she shook her head getting the thoughts out of her mind. Turning to the cabinets she reached in getting a glass but as she turned back to the island Jack was walking down the stairs but all she recognized was a shadowed figure. Startled she accidentally dropped the glass. It broke hitting the floor.

"Austin?"

Jack asked as she muttered a cuss word under her breath she dropped down to clean it up.

"What are you doing up?"

He turned on the kitchen light so he could see what she was doing.

"At the moment I'm picking up glass."

Austin replied glancing up at him,

"What are you doing?"

" I didn't eat dinner...or did you mean at the moment?"

She flashed him a smile continuing what she was doing as he knelt down to help. Once the glass was cleaned up Jack opened the fridge.

"You want something to eat?"

"No thanks, I'm still working on getting something to drink."

She replied going once again to the cabinets. She was glad to have something else on her mind now and felt much more relaxed.

"So are you any good at this?"

Jack asked taking out a plate of leftovers.

"At what?"

"Midnight conversations."

He replied taking the wrap off.

"Oh!"

Austin laughed a bit,

"Not really. Never really had the chance to practice."

she poured a glass of orange juice.

"Well, that's no good because I never start late conversations."

He said looking at her.

"Don't look at me to cause I don't have that much of a clue of what you're talking about right now much less act like I do."

Jack laughed a little,

"Alright this one time, don't be expecting it in the future."

Austin shifted her weight and waited.

" I know,"

Jack said really wondering if he should ask at all but he continued.

"What was going on yesterday? You were so...different. I don't know you all that well but I get the picture when something is wrong. What was it?"

As soon as the question was said her eyes faded and the smile disappeared from her lips. Nothing was said for a moment that seemed to be a lifetime for Jack because he was so close to taking the question back the whole time but finally she answered.

"Nothing that you need to know or worry about Jack."

That certainly wasn't the answer he was looking for and his expression showed it and he was surprised at how he voice changed, it was so cold and yet weak at the same time.

"Something was wrong and I just want to help you."

He tried again but this time she gave a little laugh and replied,

"You can't help me Jack...I can only help myself."

She looked him in the eyes and he knew she wasn't going to tell her secret, at least not now. With a sigh he gave up and put what was unfinished on the plate in the frdge again.

"Well then, I guess I'll see you in the morning."

he passed her going back to his room.

Austin stood at the island debating on if she should of told him or not, it would of gotten nearly everything out in the open but in getting everything out in the open Everything would have changed, and change here was the last thing she wanted, especially when it came to that particular matter. Though she knew it would come out..soon because she didn't want to lie to the new people in her life, just how would she tell them? And how would they take it. With a sigh she putting the glass in the sink and the orange juice away and turned the light off.