Chapter 9PT2 ("I'm lost.")

"Hey babe."

The sound of Jack's voice immediately sent butterflies into Grace's stomach. She missed him. They were just starting to grow stronger in their relationship. They were getting through all of the hardships and the rough times and they were finally experiencing the calm after the storm. But now, all of that was ruined. Grace didn't know what to do at this point.

Her kiss with Grant was something that she would never be able to take back. She didn't know what she was thinking. She didn't even understand why she would let him kiss her. She felt pathetic, and filled with guilt.

"Babe?"

She felt salty tears pouring down her face as she tried to cover it up by drawing in a deep breath, "Hi Jack."

"Are you alright?"

"...I'm alright."

"You sure? Did something happen today?"

For a moment Grace froze, but then she decided that it would be better if she didn't say anything over the phone, "Sorry I'm just a little tired, but I still wanted to call you. How is everything back home? I really miss you Jack."

"I miss you too babe, but you'll be back by Saturday and everything will be just how it was before you left."

She smiled at this, but she knew just how wrong he was, "I hope so Jack...Jack, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, what is it?"

"You love me right?"

There was a long period of silence that only made her doubt her relationship with Jack even more. What if he never did love her? Did the two of them even really know what love was?

"Jack?"

"Babe, you know I love you...I just don't understand where all of this is coming from. What's wrong? You can tell me."

She was ready to just lay all the cards out on the table and tell him the truth. She cheated. She was a terrible person, and she knew that after she told him he would never take her back. She opened her mouth to say something, but just as quickly the phone was taken out of her hand.

"Nothing's wrong Jack, it's Jack right?"

"Um yeah, who is this?"

"This is Heather, Grace's room-mate. Grace was just being dramatic because we were talking about how some people don't always make it even if you're a really good doctor, and she was thinking about if something happened to you...again, what would she do."

Unexpectedly, Jack chuckled at this, "Oh I see, can you put her back on the phone?"

"Sure thing."

Grace looked at Heather like she had grown another head. She mouthed a few words to her to ask her what she was doing, but Heather just waved it off as she took a seat on her bed.

"Grace seriously, you scared me half to death with all of that. Nothing's going to happen ok? You'll see me tomorrow and I'm sure I'll still be alive. I love you Grace," he chuckled.

"Um yeah, sorry for freaking out. I just...I'd hate to lose you."

"You're not gonna lose me babe. I have to go but I'll talk to you when you get home."

"Yeah of course. I love you Jack."

"Love you too."

Click.

Grace put her phone on the nightstand as she turned and looked at Heather, "What were you thinking!"

"I was thinking that you shouldn't tell Jack about your little kiss with Grant over the phone."

"I can't just keep this to myself. Jack deserves to know, he's been good to me."

Heather rolled her eyes at this, "He can find out when you talk to him at home, face to face. That way you can figure out what you're going to say, and have a clear head about this. Besides, from everything you've told me, it seems like Jack has hurt you quite a few times."

"For a relationship to move forward there needs to be trust among both partners."

"Look Grace...I get that this is killing you, but think about it, did that kiss really mean anything to you?"

"No...I thought it would. I thought after we kissed I would suddenly want to be with him again but all I kept thinking about was-"

"Was Jack right?"

She nodded.

Heather smiled, "The way I see it, the kiss really wasn't that big of a deal then."

Grace sighed, "Whatever, I just need to sleep this off."

"I kissed her...And she kissed me back," Grant suddenly said as he laid in his bed. The light was still on, and Jason was reading over a medical book when he heard Grant say this.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Not Heather," Grant muttered playfully, "Grace...I kissed Grace."

Jason's eyes widened at this, "You're such a liar dude! Grace would never do that, she's been committed to Jack since before she got on this trip. You're trying to tell me that in a matter of one week you convinced her to kiss you?"

Grant smirked, "Yup."

"You have any evidence of this?"

"Just ask her yourself dude," Grant raised an eyebrow at Jason, "You don't like her bro do you?"

"Are you really asking me that? As if I didn't tell you that I liked Heather?"

"Sorry I'm just checking, because you're suddenly on the defensive."

"Of course I am! Grace has been through a lot ok? And the last thing she needs is more drama from you. She's my friend, she always has been. And all you're doing is hurting her. You realize that Grace is going to tell Jack eventually right? She doesn't just keep secrets like that to herself. And then their relationship will be ruined and she'll be crushed."

"Really, because she was doing a pretty good job of keeping her little secret about what she did with Daniel before I found out," he muttered bitterly.

"Daniel?"

"She cheated on me a little while ago with this guy while she was in Africa."

Jason couldn't believe it at first, and then the words sunk in, "...Wow dude I'm sorry."

"It's cool...I love her, I really do."

"I don't think you do."

"Why would you say that?"

"Ugh because, I'm tired of everyone my age talking about "love". The truth is, we're all still kids and it takes a long time to figure out what true love is, even when you're an adult. Love is rare, and what you have for her is just border line obsession. Why would you go for the girl who has a boyfriend? And the girl who cheated on you?"

"Because we had something. Before all of this there was something there. We really cared about each other. And I miss that."

"Yeah you might miss that, having some girl care for you and want to be with you. But that doesn't mean you miss her."

Grant wasn't listening to Jason though, "If I could just get Jack out of the picture-"

"Don't even think about it dude. Just let this one go. We're still in high-school, we have better things to focus on don't you think?"

Grant ignored Jason as he pulled out his phone.

Jason raised an eye at Grant, "Dude what are you doing?"

"I'm just sending a little message to Jack..."

"So the dinner wasn't too bad was it?" Didi asked as she looked over at her son.

Jack tossed her a small smile, "No, it was actually nice to talk to Madison again. And...I'm sorry for getting so upset."

"It's ok," she told him, "I'm sorry for being so nosy, it's a mother thing."

He laughed, "I know. And I know you're looking out for me I just...Why don't you like Grace mom?"

As Didi continued driving them home she stopped at a red light and sighed as she tossed a look at her son, "It's not that I don't like Grace. She's a fine girl Jack. I just don't like the two of you together."

"But why?"

The light changed from red to green and she continued driving, "Because you guys are never sure about what you want. And you guys are so careless when you're together. You guys do things that hurt each other and well, you were much more careful not to hurt Madison than you were Grace."

For a moment he didn't say anything as he looked out the window. It was pretty dark out, with only a few stars twinkling. The sky was a midnight blue but nothing spectacular. They passed building after building before he started talking again.

"I know I've been indecisive, but for once I finally feel like Grace and I can make it. I love her, I really love her."

"Jack, I don't think you're old enough to really understand what love is," Didi explained as she made a turn and continued driving, "It's funny. They always teach you to love others at church, but when it comes to a relationship, where is the advice for that?"

He was too lazy to think about that at the moment, "I don't know mom but love is a sacrifice, and I'd be willing to sacrifice everything for her. Grace and I we just, we have this history...I don't know I guess it sounds silly-"

"No, it doesn't. You and Grace have been in each other's lives for a long time. I'll just have to get used to her."

Jack tossed his mother a friendly smile as they finally arrived at their house.

"...And if there's anything else you need, I'm sure Chloe knows where it is by now," Ben said, "I have to get in some late night studying but Chloe can help you with anything else that you need. It was nice meeting you." Ben smiled at Ally and she smiled back.

"Nice meeting you too, Sausage Prince."

He chuckled as he walked off.

Chloe closed the door and gave Ally a knowing look.

"What?"

"Sausage Prince, really?"

"Well that's what he is!" Ally replied defensively.

"Just don't fall for my brother alright? He has enough problems with woman in his life."

"Why? He's so cute."

Chloe smacked her friend playfully, "Ally! Focus. Anyway it's a long story. First he fell in love with this girl who was pregnant by some other guy, and then he fell in love with the mother of his child but...but sadly the child passed away," she frowned, "And then he met this Dylan girl who got him into all this trouble so trust me, that cute little face comes with all of the baggage in the world."

"Um, as an ex-prostitute, I think I can handle a bit of baggage."

The two of them shared a laugh as they took a seat on the bed.

"Ally I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too."

The two of them hugged for the hundredth time that night, and then they smiled.

"So...there's something I need to do, and you have to help me with it."

A look of worry and anxiousness spread across Chloe's face and Ally had seen that look before, "What did you do Chloe?"

"It's not exactly what I did, but it's more of what I'm about to do."

Once Jack had gotten home, he made his way upstairs into his room. The house seemed empty without Ally. He was just starting to get used to her presence and having a homework buddy was definitely a plus, but he could understand why she would want to be with Chloe. The two of them were friends after all. As he started to pull off his pants he heard his phone ring and he grabbed it from his jean pocket.

He was surprised to see that it was Joe Young.

Jack hadn't been at the fighting center in a few days, mostly because he was waiting to get his cast off, and he didn't want to bump into that guy that he was supposed to fight before he felt completely comfortable. He put the phone to his ear as he checked to make sure that his door was closed.

"Hello?" Jack whispered.

"Jack...please tell me you're getting that cast off ya soon."

"Yeah I am. The doctors said that I would get my cast off on Saturday."

"Oh thank the heavens. Good I'll need you come down Sunday night," he muttered quickly.

"What's the rush?"

"I placed a bet on you, put in a shit load of money too. So you better win."

Jack gulped, "You bet on me?"

"Well yeah it's the only way that I can make the extra profit. But don't worry, with all the training you'll be getting, you're a shoe in for this."

"I hope you're right about that. All right, well I'll see you in three days then."

"In three days. Bye Jack."

"Bye Joe."

He hung up and sighed as he laid on his bed. He was ready to fight of course, and he needed it. His nightmares were still constantly beating him up in his sleep and he couldn't wait for the release, but at the same time he was scared. What if he couldn't fight that well? And he was going to be training almost immediately after her got his cast off, what if something happened and he got hurt again? A million questions were running through his head but the sound of his phone stopped his thoughts a few minutes later.

To his surprise it was from Grant.

He opened the text and he felt his heart drop to his stomach.

From: Grant

To: Jack

Thanks for making this easy on me and not stopping Grace from coming to the field trip...I think it's safe to say she knows who she belongs with now. I'll let you think that over. Sleep tight.

He wasn't exactly sure what it could be, but he had the sinking suspicion that it was exactly what he was thinking. Grace was cheating on him.

"...You don't see Leo or Ben, or Camille out there do you?"

Ally looked outside the door and shook her head, "Nope, no one in sight. In fact the lights are already off...But Chloe are you sure this is the way to go?"

"Yes. Besides, I'm going to tell Leo about the plan eventually, but first I need to see if it will even work before I get his hopes up about sending this asshole back to jail."

"Alright well just make it quick."

Chloe nodded as she felt her hands began to shake. She took out her phone and she started to punch in the numbers, having known his number by heart.

The phone continued to ring as her heart beat sped up. Ally eyed her for a second, before turning her attention back to the door and making sure that nobody was there. Ally sighed and shut the door, and Chloe looked at her with anxious eyes.

"Deep breaths Chloe."

Chloe drew in a deep breath and her eyes widened when she finally heard his voice for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Chloe, I thought I'd never hear from you again. Are you calling because you're done playing house?"

"...Yeah. Mickey this family just isn't for me. I wanna go back with you," she responded, and she was just praying that he wouldn't see right through her lies.

"I knew you'd say that toots, don't worry about a thing. Mickey will get you out of there in no time."

And with that he hung up.

Ally looked over at Chloe nervously and Chloe smiled, though if you looked in her eyes it would seem like she was going to cry, "He fell for it Ally...we're going to get him. And then his sorry ass is going to go to jail."

A/N: This was more of a filler chapter, but I hope you guys enjoyed it. Thanks for reading!