(A / N): Oh my god! I am SO sorry for such a late update you guys. I've had so much on my plate lately and it was impossible for me to get to this. But I'm back! I promise that as soon as my classes are over, which end May 9th, I will be back on top of things.

Anyways, here it is :)

Chapter 5: Comforting Kim

Jack's POV

Kimberly Anne Crawford was not the kind of girl to just skip school. So the question was, where was she today? She wasn't in first or second and she didn't show for third. I would be crazy to say I wasn't at least a little concerned. Kim had been so off lately that I wasn't sure if anyone could call her Kim anymore. She was different. She changed.

It was lunch time now and Kim still wasn't here. Milton, Eddie and Jerry were all sitting at our usual table in the corner of the back of the cafeteria. I walked over and dropped my tray on the table's top, spooking the guys out of their hushed conversation.

"What are you all secretive about?" I asked them wondering why they were so huddled together and quiet. They all looked nervous as they exchanged unsure glances.

"We don't want to worry you, Jack." Milton answered. Worry me? Worry me about what?

"What are you talking about?" I questioned taking a bite out of my stale biscuit.

"It's about Kim." Eddie replied. I nodded my head as if I understood. I was worried too. I just didn't understand why they thought they were the only ones.

"I already know Kim has been acting weird." I said. The guys looked at each other again. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, what? Seriously, what has got you three so worked up?" Honestly, I was tired of this little secretive game they were playing. Everyone knew Kim was acting different, but not enough for anyone to freak out, not even me.

"It's just, I saw her last night." Milton stated looking down at his food. I gestured for him to finish.

"And?"

"And…I saw her doing something very questionable." He finished. I covered my face with my hand and sighed in frustration.

"What Milton? What was she doing that was so questionable? Spit it out." I urged Milton to continue.

"She was smoking, Jack. I'm pretty sure it was marijuana too because even though I didn't walk up to her, I could smell it. I remember what Mrs. Brimming said about marijuana. The smell, the taste, everything." Milton shook his head in disappointment and guilt. He was disappointed in Kim, but guilty for ratting her out. Kim smoking marijuana? That was impossible. Even more impossible than her drinking. I thought for a minute before standing up and picking my backpack off the ground. The guys looked at me puzzled.

"Where are you going?" Jerry asked.

"To talk to Kim." They guys' eyes grew big. Milton looked terrified.

"Don't tell Kim I told you!" He begged. I put my hand up to reassure him I wasn't going to. But I did have to tell her I knew. I had to talk some sense into her. What was she thinking? What had pushed Kim to do this? I was tired of this behavior. I was tired of her keeping secrets. I was tired of missing Kim.

Kim's POV

I sat on the couch in the living room with my Social Studies book in my lap and a small pile of marijuana on top of it, along with a blunt wrapper. My parents were still gone visiting my grandma, so I took this time to attempt to heal myself. I was so exhausted from losing so much sleep, and frankly I was making myself sick with how little I had eaten or drank. In fact, all I did all day and night was drink and smoke. It was the only thing keeping my mind off of him.

My mind would wonder sometimes, though. It would wonder to Milton, and Eddie, and Jerry, and Jack. My friends. What would they think of me if they found out what I was doing? They would hate me. They would look down on me with pity and shame. I was falling apart and I couldn't even tell them.

Ding dong.

The bell door rang which made me jump and drop my book on the floor. The weed scattered on the floor.

"Who is it?" I shouted. I shakily got down on my knees and began raking the weed into a pile with my hand.

"It's Jack." My heart stopped.

Jack was here. Jack was here, and I was on the ground picking up weed. I panicked as I finished raking it into a pile and covered it with my book. I stood up and rubbed my hands clean on my jeans.

"I'm coming." I said as I walked over to the door, my hands still shaking. I opened the door and Jack wasted no time in rushing into my house. The look on his face spelled disaster. He looked furious, but worried at the same time.

"We need to talk, right now." He said sternly. I nodded my head and gestured him towards the recliner so that he wouldn't go near the couch where I had just spilled my little secret. He sat down on the recliner and stared at me intensely.

"You need to tell me the truth right now. I know something is up and I want to know what it is. That bottle in your bag wasn't just from some stupid night with your cousin, and I know what you were doing last night. Smoking, Kim? Really? That's not you, and I want to know what's going on. So spill." Jack's face hardened. He was mad. How did he even know about my smoking?

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said trying to play dumb. Jack's jaw clenched.

"Kim, I am your best friend. I need to know what's going on. I'm tired of this little game you're playing. All the guys are worried about you, and so am I. Stop hiding whatever it is you're hiding." Jack was determined to get an answer out of me. I wanted so desperately to tell him. I just wanted to drop to my knees and cry and tell him everything. But I couldn't. I couldn't risk it.

"Jack, I'm honestly not hiding anything. Yeah, I've been a little sick, but that's all. I haven't been smoking. I don't know who you saw, but it wasn't me." I was a horrible liar.

Jack closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. He looked up at me and shook his head.

"You're lying. You're lying to me. Of all people, you lie to me. The one person you said you trusted more than anything." He turned his head and suddenly all the hurt that had been plastered across his face dissolved, and instead, anger replaced it. He stood up and stalked over to the couch, kicking my book a few feet away.

"Not smoking, huh? What the hell is this then Kim? What the hell is wrong with you? You drink, you smoke, you lie to my face! I don't even know who you are anymore!" Jack yelled. I could feel tears welling up and burning my eyes. Jack had never yelled at me before. I looked down at the ground and stared at my feet as a few tears rolled down my cheeks. Good question, Jack. What the hell is wrong with me? If only you knew.

"Kim. Kim, look at me." Jack's hands rested on my shoulders. Jack's voice was soft now. He put his hand on my chin gently and lifted my head. Our eyes locked on each other.

"Please. Please tell me what's wrong. It's me. I can help you, Kim." He was practically begging now. I knew it pained him to know I was suffering and he didn't know why, but if I told him, he'd never look at me the same. He'd think I was disgusting. I would be like an infection to him.

"I can't." I whispered. My composure began to crack. I couldn't hold it in anymore. My eyes watered furiously as tears poured out. I grasped onto Jack for support and he embraced me into a tight hug. His arms were warm and welcoming. I felt safe. I continued to cry and sob into his chest, drenching his shirt. He softly kissed the top of my head and whispered 'it's alright' and 'let it out Kim' into my ear.

We made our way over to the couch and he laid me on top of him and gently rubbed my back soothingly to try to calm me. I was bawling by now and even though I was embarrassed that Jack was seeing this weak side to Kim Crawford, I was relieved and immensely comfortable in Jack's arms. After a few hours of this, my extreme exhaustion had taken over and I began drifting off to sleep for the first time in weeks.

It was Jack. It was his presence. It was his arms around me. It was his voice. It was everything. I felt stupid for even thinking for a second that I couldn't tell Jack. I was safer with him than I was by myself. I had to tell him. I just didn't know how.

Okay…so maybe not what you all were hoping for, but that's all I got for you right now. I'm not setting an extreme number for reviews, but it would be nice to hear what you guys think and how I should develop Kim's and Jack's relationship.

Pretty please? :)