Hey there people. In the comments, I noticed there was confusion.

Jaynie: I was not referring to Manny, I meant Rapunzel. So sorry! I didn't even notice it. On to Chapter 3!

Chapter 3

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Jack

I don't know why I even first fell for her. Rapunzel was just suddenly irresistible. It quickly escalated from noticing her in the hall to staring each time she is distracted.

The first time I met her, I was so angry that we left Corona, where all my friends were, and came to dreary Burgess. I did not want to stand out because of my white hair and pale skin. Instead of being polite, I took it out on Rapunzel. Her bright happy personality bugged me. Now I cursed at the young, ignorant me. If they ever invent a time machine, I am going back to that day and slapping me on the face.

I didn't have to worry all that much since a few weeks later, I became one of the popular crowds. The downside is that girls fall all over me because of Kelsey Reeves. She has decided that I am worthy enough to be her little boy toy until either; one. Somebody comes crawling back, or 2. She finds somebody else to be her lap dog.

"Jack!" I heard a screechy voice in my ear. Kelsey hugged me. "How've you been? It seems like forever since I've seen you." I shrugged her arms off and stepped away.

"Can you stop grabbing me?" I asked. "I'm not exactly a hugger." To you, I added silently.

She pouted and brown hair fell in her face, "Oh come on! I've had a bad week so far."

I picked up my book bag, "It's only Tuesday."

"Fine a bad day so far," She launched into a dramatic story about how her brother, a graduate student, moved in and blabbedy, blah, blah. As I weaved through the crowds, I desperately tried to get away from her.

She hung on like a leech, even when I nodded for help from the football players and they nearly ran her over. People stared as she rushed after my lunge-walking figure and she squealed as she slipped a little.

"Jack! I need to tell you something!" Kelsey whined, her nails digging into my arm.

"What?"

"Will you come to the winter's eve Gala with me?" She smiled a smile that most boys would melt for, and maybe make out with afterwards.

I heard a crystalline laugh from down the hall, Rapunzel. Kelsey shook my arm, "Well?"

"Maybe," I pulled Kelsey's gripping hand off my arm and walked down the hall. I smirked when I heard her screech, "Maybe?!" What diva.

I turned the corner to see golden blonde hair and small frame that I was so familiar. Her friend, Ella (I think), stopped and stared when her eyes met mine. She whispered to Rapunzel and the golden haired girl straightened her turned back and dashed down the hall. "Wait Rapunzel, I need to talk to you," I lost her in the congested hall. I stopped running and stood in the flowing rivers of people. My mind searched for reasons why she left like that. She's late for class maybe. She forgot about something? I could find no other reasons. My face turned red in anger and embarrassment andI turned and dashed out the front doors and into my light blue car and drove off.

I didn't drive anywhere in particular. I eventually stopped at a McDonalds to get something to eat. After that, I drove home and stepped into my house.

She ran away, she ran AWAY! I growled and kicked an old box. I destroyed the box and took out my street hockey gear, ready to break a stick.

By the time I finished, the net had basketball sized holes in them. I walked into my room and collapsed on the bed. The winter's eve Dance is only a few days away.

Outside a car rolled down the street and parked into Rapunzels driveway. She stepped out of her rusty brown truck and walked into the house. I studied her from her bedroom window; her knee-length hair was in a messy bun and her jeans had holes all over.

Outside her window were vines that reached all the way to her attic. Vines, I wonder... An idea popped in my head. Sure, it was not original, but it would work.

Rapunzel

After I walked into my familiar house, I walked into my room with my breath already hitching. The tears poured slowly from stream sized, to river sized, and then to waterfall sized. By that point, I was sobbing. I had been doing that nonstop for a day since I was mugged.

Every little noise scared me, so I jumped three feet when I heard a yelp. I yanked open the window and looked out.

A familiar white head was below cursing, "Mother…and me… You… turds…." I giggled and called, "Having a nice trip?" Jack looked up from the vines he was climbing.

"Yeah… this was so much easier in my head," I giggled louder this time.

I quirked a brow, "Have you ever heard of doors? They're a great invention. You should try them." He huffed his way up to my height, where he swung through the window. His six foot two build took up a lot of the room. His head nearly hit my ceiling fan.

"Okay, now that you're up here, can I ask why you are up here?" I asked. Jack glanced down.

"I had to ask you why you ran away from me," His blue eyes didn't leave the floor. "Don't deny it. You're friend… um Ella?"

"Ashley."

"Ashley told you that I was coming," Jack's piercing gaze finally met mine. I looked at the floor guiltily. I shrugged. Jack lifted his hands to my chin and forced my face upward. I flinched away.

"Rapunzel, what's wrong?" His worried eyes met mine and tears started to pool. I turned away, determined not let him see me cry.

"Nothing," I said hoarsely. "I'm fine obviously." Jack sighed in exasperation.

"Oh cut the act Rapunzel, you're crying, I can tell," Jack said. I opened my mouth to retort but before I could, the dams flooded and sobs escaped. My face fell into my hands and my shoulders shook. "Don't worry," Jack mumbled. "You're fine, trust me." His arms reached around behind me and I stiffened. The sons stopped but the tears kept coming. I straitened and turned to the white haired boy.

"Jack," I mumbled as I sat down on the desk chair.

"What?"

"What were you doing in that part of town yesterday?" I looked up at him as he sat beside me.

"I was walking home," Jack started. "And I saw you walking ahead of me. I thought that was weird since you have your own car. When you turned the wrong way, I knew something was wrong, so I followed you. I lost you in one of the alleys, but then I heard you scream so I went running." Jack stopped there. We both knew what happened after that.

We sat in at least five minutes of awkward silence.

"Jack?"

He made a sound.

"I hardly know anything about you, you know. Do you mind if I ask?" He shook his head. "Um… Where was your home before you came here?"

Jack smiled, "Corona." I smiled; I've always wanted to go there.

"What's your favorite band or singer?"

"I don't have favorites, they're all my favorites." He looked at me. "How about I ask you questions?" My hair slid into my face as I nodded.

We asked questions for hours. I learned that he likes the 90's to now music. He loves the wintertime, his favorite color is blue, he likes hockey, and he can sing.

He learned about primarily the same things. After twenty questions were up, I turned on my radio and I sand to whatever came on. Jack was thumbing through my third grade yearbook.

Jack laughed in the middle of a Katy Perry song and showed me a picture of Kelsey Reeves with her face peppered with green slime and her hair a rat's nest.

"Oh yeah!" I laughed. "That was the day that Astrid Hofferson pushed Kelsey's face into her salad. Astrid got ten days of cleaning the gum off the desks. But she said it was worth it." I laughed at the memory.

"Now I'm floating like a butterfly…" I resume the song. Jack sifts through the other yearbooks. I looked over at a picture of me, Mavis Dracula, Toothiana or Thia as we called her, and Merida Dunbroach all linked together by the arms at field day. I smile so happily at this one. It has been forever since I have talked to Mavis and Thia, and every now and then, Merida and I hang out. They all lived on this street at one time or another. Mavis left because her dad had the idea of owning a hotel, Thia's dad couldn't fix the plumbing, and Merida's mom thought the neighborhood was "too rowdy". The song ended and Taylor Swift's voice twirled out with me following.

"...And all I seen is eighteen hours ago, green eyes and freckles and you're smile. In the back of my mind making me feel right," I pushed on Jack as I sang the next verse. "I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now." He laughed and joined in, warbling his voice on purpose. He sang on with Ed Sheeran.

"And all my walls, tall and painted blue, And I'll take then down and open up the door for you." He was pretty good, his deep voice gentle and warm. He closed his eyes and I joined with him, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift.

"And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies. The beautiful kind, making up for lost time, taking flight and making me feel right," I cut off in the chorus when I heard and engine stutter it's way into the garage.

"Crap," I said. Jack opened his eyes and frowned.

"What?"

I turned around panicking, "My mom's home and when she sees you leaving, she'll assume the worst!"

Jack placed a hand on my shoulder, "I'll just climb down the vines."

"She'll see you!" I screeched.

"Rapunzel!" A muffled voice called. "I'm home!"

"Alright!" I called down. I whispered to Jack. "Quick get in my closet."

I pushed him in and closed the doors just as Mother opened the bedroom door.

"Hello dear," She said, pulling me into an embrace.

"Hello Mother," I glanced back at the closet.

Her black hair shined as she sat on the bed, "I got an email from the school today."

"Oh?"

"It was a reminder about the Winter's Eve Gala. All girls need dresses to come, you know," I nodded. Problem was I didn't have a dress. "And dear we need to go shopping for one."

I nodded again, "Also, I need to ask, do you have a date?"

"No, no one has asked me yet," I said. "I'll go with someone if I like them somewhat."

Mother stood and raised her arms in a bravado, "Well, you don't need to wait; I already have a possible blind date for you. I was talking to a coworker and found out that his son doesn't have a date yet, so we set up a blind date for you two."

I sat up, "Who is it?"

Mother laughed, "Oh honey, that's the purpose of a blind date isn't it? To keep the person guessing?"

I bite my lip and glance back at the closet, "Well, you see, there's a person that I'm hoping will ask me and I want to make sure if it's worth it." It is partly a lie, I do want Jack to ask me, but I also don't want to go with someone who will make me embarrassed.

Mother sighs and hesitates. I bite my lip. She sighs again and mumbles, "Fine I'll tell you. It's –" Mother's phone buzzes and she whips it out and checks it.

"Oh no!" She cried. "I forgot my laptop. I'll be back in half an hour." Mother dashes out of my room and into her car and careens down the street comically.

"Okay Jack," I call. "You can come out now." He opens the door and steps out, his hair a mess, but it looks cute that way. Crap Rapunzel! Stop this nonsense, he obviously does not like you back like that, I thought.

Jack doesn't leave right away, he hangs around for ten more minutes talking and asking me questions . After that he slides his foot out the window and clumsily pulls the rest out.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" He asks me.

"You can count on it," I say slowly. His face hangs there smirking and I laugh. I push his face down and he starts climbing down. When he reaches his door, He holds up his hand to wave, and I wave back. In the gathering twilight, he bounds into his house with me still watching. His hair dyed pink from the light and his shadow long.

Our song by Taylor and Ed comes on and I sing it with them only I tweak it a bit, "…And all I see is eighteen hours ago, is blue, freckles, and your smile. In the back of my mind making me feel right."

I smile at the ceiling, still feeling his arms wrapped around me. My brain shuts me down quick, though my heart is still aching for their warmth.

I hear a car clatter onto the driveway and I stop smiling. I sigh as I stand up. It's time to get my answer.