Title: A Hug

Description: When Kim is feeling down, all it takes is a hug from a caring Jack to make it all okay. Jack and Kim are dating.

Also, hey guys I'm back surprise surprise. This short one-shot isn't even one if the ones I have in my google drive (and believe me there are so many you just do not want to see them in the condition they are currently in). I wrote this as the result of a book full of writing prompts so as I go through some more prompts I may post a teeny bit more.

Kim's POV

Nobody has a perfect day. Perfect doesn't really exist, only trying to be perfect.

I guess it makes sense then that my day wasn't perfect. But I just can't help but question why it had to be so bad.

Bad days are inevitable, I know. But you would think bad days would come from bad choices, bad encounters, bad people. Those I can manage. Those are predictable. Those have reason.

What I can't manage is when those bad days come with no warning, no rhyme or reason. They just hit you upside the head when you think everything is fine. It's the days that you least expect, not because the day is perfect, but because it isn't. Because the day isn't the best, but it isn't the worst. The kind of day I was having today.

It was a Wednesday, the middle of the week. I woke up like any other day. I only had one easy quiz, a few small assignments due, a weekly pep squad practice, and a date with Jack.

As the school day drew on, I began to feel the weight pile up, and the knowledge that I still had two more days of this before the weekend. The easy quiz was easy, only I couldn't remember a simple equation that was pivotal to answering both five-part questions. With the sinking feeling that I got a zero, my next classes were spent worrying about the grade that was certain to drop-by how much, I could only wonder.

The more time I spent fretting over the quiz, the more I failed to understand the work in my other classes. I thought I understood developmental psychology, but when Mr. Hansen asked about Maslow's Theory, I couldn't even remember what Maslow studied.

The dread that accompanied the impending study session I would have to have soon hit me like a mid-summer heat wave. By the end of the day, the feeling of loss and confusion in all my classes had firmly set in and I was convinced I had learned nothing this year.

I've spent over a decade attending school and what do I have to show for it?

Today wasn't supposed to go like this at all. It was supposed to be just another day at school. Which is why I had thought I'd simply review the new pep squad routine at lunch or after school before practice.

Too busy seesawing between remembering my complete failure and trying to think of anything but, I didn't have time to brush up before practice.

Already drained and now unprepared, every second of practice made the small seed of unease grow bigger and bigger. My throat had seemed to swell in a way that I couldn't speak or even open my mouth. Every moment not occupied with a thought made tears well up in my eyes.

When practice ended 6 minutes late, I hardly made it out of the room before the nerves of being late hit.

I should have known it wasn't a big deal. Practice went late all the time and 6 minutes was hardly anything to worry about. But today it was. 6 minutes late meant 6 minutes later than normal that I'd be on the road driving home which meant traffic would be 6 minutes later, 6 unpredictable minutes.

When I made it home, my mom was busy on the phone. Keeping my back to her to avoid conversation, I took off my shoes and set my backpack down. I only turned around for a brief second, but it was enough for my mom to wave and smile from her phone-call-pacing. The loving action only reminded me of the perfect daughter my mom thought she had, a daughter who I am not.

I quickly rushed up to my bathroom, the most private room I have. Just as I am about to release the floodgates, just as I am about to let myself go, my phone rings.

I blink back the tears and pull it out, ready to decline. Then I see the name and answer.

"Hello?" My voice cracks and I know it's from not talking since before the math quiz this morning.

"Hey, Kim! I was thinking about our date tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to go get burgers and ice cream if you're more hungry or if you're not as hungry and just want to do something fun, we could go bowling and then get like a side of fries instead. What do you think?"

Hearing Jack's cheery voice didn't seem right. How could he be so normal and happy when my whole world was crumbling down?

"Kim?"

"I don't really care," I edge out, trying not to say any more than necessary because I know the more I talk the closer I'll be to breaking.

"Kim? Are you okay?"

I didn't say anything. I'm always okay, I wouldn't even know what not-okay was like. Not-okay is for people whose parents died in a sudden car crash. Not-okay is for people with depression. Not-okay is for somebody who had something bad happen. I'm not allowed to be not-okay.

"Kim?" Jack repeated.

"Yes."

Jack sighed. "You don't sound okay, Kim. Did something happen today?"

"No." It was just supposed to be a normal day. And it was. How can you be not-okay when you've had the same day as before when you were fine?

"Really? Kim, why don't I come pick you up early and we can talk. I don't like how you're sounding on the phone and I think we should talk in person. Okay?"

I knew I shouldn't, I can't let Jack think any less of me. I can't go throwing my issues at him. But I'm a selfish person. "M'kay."

"Okay, I'm on my way, then. See you soon."

"Bye." I ended the call quickly, hoping Jack didn't catch that word get caught in my throat in anticipation of seeing Jack.

Just as I had already done so many times today, I let my mind ponder what happens next. My mind drifts to scenes of telling Jack everything, of sobbing and sniffles. Of letting go of everything and laying it on him.

But I realize I can't do that. I can't give him all my problems and bring him down too. I'll just have to keep it in. I pray that his presence will give me the strength to keep it in. That I'll be distracted enough to forget all about it.

Soon, my phone buzzes with a text from Jack, telling me he is in the driveway. I tell him I'll be right down, hoping to avoid an encounter with customary pleasantries between him and my mom.

I quickly put on a loose shirt, cotton shorts, and big fuzzy socks that I know look ridiculous but am too empty to care. With nothing more than my phone and a pair of crocs on my feet, I head downstairs and out the door to Jack's car.

Without a word, I buckle in and look at the darkening sky.

"Kim?" Jack asks, sounding both confused and a little hurt. "Hey?" he tried.

I remained quiet.

"I haven't seen you all day," he mentioned.

I nodded but still didn't say anything. Jack sighed and seemed to give up. He put the car in reverse and started to back out.

As he started to drive, I realized I didn't know where we were going. He never said if we were bowling or getting dinner. I didn't want to do either. I wanted to ask which one so I'd be able to prepare myself for either an appetite-less dinner or an energy-lacking game of bowling, but I couldn't find the strength to ask.

The silence was calming and the longer Jack drove, the better I felt. Jack finally started to slow when we reached a small dirt parking lot. I recognized it as the small lake outside of town. It wasn't big enough to boat and it didn't attract many people. The guys and I had found it driving around town one day and it became a place we liked to hang out at.

Without a word, Jack turned off the car and got out. I meant to follow, but I just couldn't. Jack was unfazed as he walked around the car and opened my door. With concern evident on his face, he unbuckled my seat belt and pulled me out of the car.

I was grateful that Jack didn't talk, he just silently led me to our favorite spot with a fallen tree. When we reached the spot, I sat on the trunk with Jack and just admired the view.

It wasn't anything spectacular, just a small lake with trees everywhere, but it was still beautiful.

But just like every other good thing today, the beauty only reminded me of how messed up everything was. My mood took a turn for the worst and suddenly the foreboding took hold of me.

Before I could take a deep breath or do anything to stop it, my eyes had welled up and a tear fell down my face. I wiped it away as discreetly as I could and thankfully Jack didn't seem to notice.

But then another tear fell and another after that. More focused on wiping the tears, I didn't notice my sinuses stopping up until I sniffled. That got Jack's attention.

"What's bothering you, Kim?" he asked sincerely.

I shook my head. "Nothing." I sniffled again, not bothering to hide it anymore now.

"Kim, it's obvious something is wrong. What is it? What's got you down?" Jack grabbed my hand and I could feel his sincerity.

"Nothing," I repeated. "I- I don't know why I'm crying." I tried to hold my breath in an attempt to stop my crying and sniffling, but it only made my breaths come out in choked sobs.

Jack got up from his seat next to me and crouched down in front of me, looking me in the eyes. "Kim, please, let me help you. I just want to understand. I don't like seeing you like this. You're hurting yourself the more you keep it in."

I can't help the sob that comes out next. "I shouldn't feel like this, Jack!"

Jack shook his head. "Of course not, Kim. Nobody should-"

"No, Jack, I mean I don't deserve to feel like this," I cry. I pull my hands out of Jack's and look anywhere but at him.

"Kim, talk to me-"

"Jack-" I protest.

"No, Kim. Tell me what's wrong. I want to know how you're feeling. All of it."

As stubborn as I am, I don't have any fight left in me today and I know I'm not going to win this one. "It's not right, Jack. What gives me the right to drag you out here to pick me up early and cry to you about all my insignificant problems!" I start to get louder as I angrily tell Jack what he so desperately wanted to get out of me.

"You had a bad day?" Jack questions softly as if I hadn't just yelled at him.

All I can do is nod.

Jack put a hand on my leg and gave it a comforting squeeze. "You know you can always talk to me when you're down, Kim."

"But I shouldn't, Jack," I say.

"Why shouldn't you? Do you think I'll judge you? Push you away? Kim, I care about you."

"Because, Jack," I struggled to put into words how I was feeling. "Today wasn't supposed to be like this. It was just… awful and I don't know why!"

Jack nodded slowly in understanding. "Kim, it's okay to have bad days. You don't need a spectacularly horrible day to feel sad or anxious. Kim, look at me."

I can't help but do as he says. I look up at Jack's face and see his eyes boring into mine.

"Kim, you're allowed to be not-okay."

I'm not allowed to be not-okay.

"No, I'm okay, Jack," I say, trying to convince both of us. "It's fine, I just failed a quiz and need to study for a couple of hours tonight and then finish all my other assignments for tomorrow so I can go to karate and-"

Jack stopped me, grabbing my hands in his and pulling me up to my feet.

"Kim, Kim, Kim. Slow down. You're not okay, Kim," Jack whispered.

I tightly closed my eyes. When I open them, more tears leak out.

I'm not allowed to be not-okay.

No. I am allowed. Jack's right. My feelings don't have to follow logic.

"I know," I whisper back. "I know. It's just t-too m-much. It doesn't seem like much but I-I just can't anymore. I can't do it all," I cry.

"Come here," Jack muttered, pulling me into a hug.

His arms enclosed around me, like a rope pulled taut, caging me in. But it wasn't restricting, his strength calmed me and let me know it would all be okay. One arm wrapped around my body and the hand rested on the back of my head, drawing me in and keeping me firmly tucked into his chest. The other wrapped around my lower back, supporting my body when my legs were too weak to do so.

I wrapped my own arms around his wide torso. With all the strength I had, I tried to draw myself closer and closer, knowing I can never be close enough. However, it pains me to think of ever releasing my grip, and so I squeeze harder, wishing my strength was enough to satisfy my desire.

The embrace was so warm I could have remained unmoving for days and not even the pang of hunger could draw me out. I had no greater desire than to stay that way forever.

Eventually, Jack got tired of standing and moved us so he could sit back on the trunk as I sat on his lap, still wrapped around him hoping to never let go.

I lost all sense of time, we could have been hugging for hours and I wouldn't know.

Without letting go, Jack finally spoke. "Kim?"

I didn't answer but shifted a little to let Jack know I was listening.

"Kim, I think you should take tomorrow off. I'll talk to Rudy about practice, and if your parents need convincing to let you stay home from school, I'll talk to them too. You need a day off for yourself, okay?" Jack began to run his hand through my hair and rub my back softly.

I smiled into his chest, I felt safe. It felt like everything would be okay. Not only that, but I knew everything would be okay.

The thought warmed my heart and my eyes started to droop. Pulling myself closer to Jack one last time, I fell asleep in the embrace of the person who makes everything okay with just a hug.

I just want to make sure the readers all know, Kim was in a bad place mentally so please don't ever think you're feelings are invalid. It's okay to have a bad day over something that may seem small to others.