Author's Note: Woo, thanks again for the awesome reviews, it really helps when you're homesick in a dorm. But, college residence life means more time for stories. Still not sure where I'm going with this one, but as long as you all like it, who cares.
Cracker Jack- Chapter Three
His jaw was trembling, it always happened when he was nervous. It started when he was younger, whenever his mother would yell out his name. At least then he knew when it was coming, now he didn't know what this girl was going to get out of him next. But he didn't want her to see that he was beginning to become scared, holding his fist over his mouth. Once again, he wasn't looking at her, because it always seemed as though his eyes gave away more than he wanted people to know.
" Jack". It was only Evelyn's voice that time, but it didn't do much for him. He was afraid for her to see him, to think maybe he couldn't handle all the things that had happened to him, and needed her to pry it out of him. Which is why he didn't look over, even when she repeated his name.
She'd pause for a few seconds, giving him the chance to respond, but didn't not receive the slightest gesture. " Do you want to tell me about the Rilen family?". Jack shook his head. " Are you sure?".
" You said I didn't have to tell you anything if I didn't want to" he choked.
Evelyn heard from his voice that he was crying, and obviously didn't want her to catch on to that. She acted as though she didn't hear anything. " You're right, I did. Why don't we call it a day?" they both knew there as at least another half hour left in their first session, " you'll come back on Monday, and we'll take it from where we left off".
Jack nodded, getting up, and immediately rushing out of the room. He didn't stop until he was outside the building, and was sure that she wasn't following him. He fumbled through his jean pockets, soon before he remembered that he left his pack of cigarettes on the living room table at his moms house. He swore out loud at himself before wrapping his arms around one another for warmth. Usually, he was immune to the harsh Michigan winters, but with the newly formed moisture on his cheeks, it stung a little.
By the time he had reached the halfway point between the office and his house, he couldn't breathe. His chest felt too swollen to allow oxygen to pass through. He didn't want to go back to her, then again he didn't want to go to jail either. It's not that Jack had anything against the girl, maybe she was really trying to help. He accidentally made it obvious that he was in desperate need of it. But there were things that had happened to him, and he didn't want anyone else to know about it. It didn't feel safe, not to mention it to that girl, not even to think it over in his mind.
Once closing the front door, he ran upstairs, three at a time, ignoring given comments that came from the family room. He slammed his bedroom door, landing face first on his bed. His pillow did little justice to muffle the screaming, in the slightest instant, the door whipped open, slamming into the wall.
" What's wrong!" a frantic voice shrilled.
He flipped over, coming into view of Sophie's concentrated expression. He was use to the many facial expressions she cared to share. Despite Angel returning to the Navy about three months beforehand, she stayed in the Mercer house. Jack had no care, he was actually more concern of how Bobby was going to take it. Soon enough, it was just another person for him to make his cracks at. It was becoming enjoyable for him.
Jack slowly placed his hand over his mouth, " nothing, sorry, I didn't mean to…".
" You're crying".
He never understood why women assumed, and never asked. " No, it's sweat".
" No, it's thirty degrees outside". She continued over to his bed, seating herself on the edge of his bed next to his thighs, the furthest she had ever been in his room. " What's going on?".
" Nothing" he slid himself up against the mattress, " I'm fine".
Sophie placed her hand on his kneecap, gently sliding towards his waist, then returning to its starting position against his jeans. With each inch, he'd press himself into the wall. " Is it that shrink?".
Jack became more concentrated on watching the trail of her had pressing into his leg. " I said I was fine!". He didn't even realize he had been screaming until he rammed into Bobby at the bottom of the staircase, who tried to grab him. But for once, he proved that he was the stronger one, and made it out the door.
Sophie had stopped half way down the stairs, watching Jack's departure. Bobby turned to her after the front door had been slammed. " What did you do to him?".
Her eyes bulged, " you think I did something? For Christ sake Bobby, I was trying to make sure he was alright".
" Yeah, well after you two had that little peepshow when you got him wasted, maybe you ' comforting' him isn't exactly the brightest idea. Don't you think?".
Jack did not make it that far from the house after the escape. He was scrambling across the front lawn until he fell to his knees in the snow. Facing downwards, he saw the blood seep into the snow and he continued coughing, until soon enough, his vision went black.
Authors Note- Sorry its short, but I think I finally know where I'm going with this.