Jack

            One day I was walking to the grocery store after being stood up at a very important and special party.  I wasn’t particularly going shopping for something or looking for a certain object.  I was going to see someone.  My friends told me he wasn’t worth it and his friends at the party told me he was working.  He told me he would save the day for me, but my boyfriend did not take off like he said he would.  I passed the orphanage that was right across the street from the grocery store where my blonde brown eyed boyfriend Anton was working when he wasn’t supposed to.  Once I walked through those automatic doors I walked up to my boyfriend the cashier and put my hands on my hips.  He looked at me with a dumb look on his face.

“What?” he asked dumbfounded.

“I thought you weren’t working today,” I said angrily.

“Damn.  Today is the party,” he remembered smacking himself on the forehead.  “I’m sorry I totally forgot.”

“Yeah.  How could my own boyfriend forget my 18^th birthday party?!  Unless you don’t care about anything that has to do with me,” I cried closing my eyes.

“I’m sorry –

“Don’t!  No more apologies or excuses.  You said that you would take off and of all things it was my birthday party!” I continued to cry and looked away because I couldn’t take it.  “I can’t do this anymore with the lies and the excuses and the abuse and the neglect.  We are officially over.”

“No!  Wait!  You don’t mean that!  I can –

“No more making it up and no more fixing things.  We are done.  Goodbye Anton,” I said and I just simply walked out.  I would always pause for him and I would remember everything that made me feel interested into the relationship, but he didn’t do any of that.

            Once I was outside I walked to a tree and sat down beside it beginning to cry, but unfortunately I was sobbing rather than crying.

“Why are you crying?” asked a teen boy.  When I looked up at him, he kinda looked like a really young Leonardo Dicaprio, but he looked around my age.  He was wearing ragged clothing and carrying a plastic bag full of stuff like he just came out of the store.

“You didn’t see what happened in the store that you just came out of?” I said as I looked into his comforting blue eyes and he shook his head waiting for a proper answer.  "I just broke up with my boyfriend.”  That’s when I noticed he wasn’t wearing shoes and after I spoke he sat down beside me.

“What did he do?” he asked and I hesitated.  Was he an angel?  This had to be too good to be true.  It seemed too easy to talk to a complete stranger, but the words just spilled out.

“He forgets everything and doesn’t pause for me like I do for him,” I said sadly wiping a tear away.

“What did he forget?” he asked.

“My 18^th birthday party,” I whispered pulling the grass from in front of me.

“That’s a biggy.  Do you want to dance with me?  I haven’t really gotten to enjoy the outside with someone.  I’m Jack,” he said and stuck out his hand.

“I’m Autumn,” I said and I grabbed his hand to shake, but he pulled me up beginning to dance with me.

            Before a simple tune flowed through our feet, we got pulled apart and I was face to face with Anton while Jack got pulled away from two adults that worked at the orphanage.

“What were you doing?  Is that why you broke up with me?” Anton asked angrily and I put my hands on my hips.

“Are you going to make a scene like this?  I just met him Anton and he was willing to listen to me unlike you,” I yelled and he glanced at the ground before looking back at me shaking his head.

“How could you go so low?” he said crossing his arms.

“How dare you!  He is probably a better man than you’ll ever be!” I screamed and he slapped me.

“I’m sorry I didn’t –

“DON’T!”  I kicked his shin and ran towards the orphanage while I heard his apologies and his excuses all over again, but they were just mumbles behind me.

            Once I got inside I walked right to the front desk and it took me a couple seconds to catch my breath.

“Hello.  How may I help you?” the secretary asked looking up from her computer.

“I would like to adopt someone,” I said glancing at the door.

“I first have to get a background check and then you’ll be on your way,” she said smiling when I glanced at the front door again.

“Actually I just want to see one of the kids before I decide to adopt.  His name is Jack,” I said glancing at the door a third time.

“Sure.  Come through this door here.  Can I get your name?” she asked.

“Autumn Josephine Wempe,” I said as I walked through a door and Anton burst through the front door.  I heard the secretary speak before the door shut.

            The room only had one window looking outside towards the stupid store that I never want to walk into again and there was a table in the middle of the room with one chair on one side and another chair on the other side.  There was a door on the opposite side of the room right behind the second chair.  I sat in the chair on my side across from the empty chair on the other side of the table.  The door across from me suddenly opened and I heard the guard say something to him as Jack walked in.

“No monkey business,” Jack promised and turned to face me.  He pretended not to know me with a big frown on his face.  Once the door shut he looked at me with a slight smile.

“You came after me,” he said quietly as I noticed his knuckles were white as he held his hands tightly together.

“Yes.  I can’t stand seeing a good person locked up in here,” I said looking at him.  “I am going to get you out of this place they call an orphanage.”

“I wouldn’t bother,” he said silently not making eye contact.

“I am going to bother.  I may not know that much about this orphanage, but I do know that I will change the fact that anyone in this place is unadoptable,” I said trying to reach my hands out to him.

“Don’t.  Once they make a background check they will know.  If you have one flaw they will deny you.  Besides.  You’re too late,” Jack said sadly looking out the window.

“Too late for what?  I can get you out of here,” I said slamming a fist on the table.  “I may not be old enough to adopt you, but I will free you.”

“Like I said.  You are too late.  I turn 18 in a week and they will let me go,” Jack said looking at me for the first time in this room. 

He gasped, “What happened to your cheek?” I touched my cheek and it stung.  “Don’t tell me you ex-boyfriend did that?” he asked with anger in his eyes.

“Yeah he did, but it’s nothing that makeup can’t cover up,” I said blowing it off.

“Nothing?!  Whether it is something or not he should not be hitting you,” Jack said angrily clenching his hands tighter where they were completely white.

“I know, but –

“But nothing!  Please get me out of here!  As soon as you can!” he whispered and silently walked back to the door.  He smiled at me and knocked on the door.

            I sat there and watched him leave.  I swear he was a fallen angel that came to save me and his only crime was falling from grace.  I wanted to see him again.  My phone began to ring and vibrate in my pocket and I looked at the caller ID even though the ringtone of AC/DC confirmed who it was.  It was Anton.  I did not answer.  Why would I anyway?  I waited for it to stop ringing and I called my mom.  I told her and Dad to pick me up by the grocery store where Anton works.  Once I hung up I walked out of the room and sat by the tree again.  Anton was nowhere to be seen.  I thought of the phone call that I had made in that empty room.  I didn’t only tell my parents that I needed a ride home.  I also told Mom that I wanted to adopt someone from the orphanage, but she wasn’t too happy with that.  Especially Dad.  Adoption is expensive, but luckily we could afford it.  Dad said that wasn’t the point he was trying to make.  It didn’t matter how much money we were made of he appreciated the two daughters that he had and he didn’t need to buy a son to prove who he was.  While I sat there next to the tree I was looking up at the clouds daydreaming.  My birthday.  The asshole in my life.  The asshole out of my life.  Jack.  The pain on my face.  Quick escape.  A depressed Jack.  A fallen angel.  Suddenly someone obstructed my view and was standing over me.  Anton.  He was not happy.

“Hi Anton.  How’s your day been so far?” I asked trying to be casual like nothing was wrong.  The anger on his face didn’t scare me because he wasn’t going to hurt me emotionally anymore.  That didn’t stop with the physical pain.

“My day?  Do you really care about my day?” he asked angrily and I shrugged cringing a little.  Only a little.  “First you break up with me for forgetting your birthday party.  I watch you dance with that low life and call me less of a man than him forcing me to slap you.  After that I try to tell you I’m sorry and you kick me in the shin.  When I’m down you run and hide in the orphanage.  Once I get in there they kick me out and they wouldn’t let me follow you.  Now I see you and you seem happy until you see me.  What did I do that made you not happy to see me?”

“Besides being an asshole?  Many things,” I shook and continued anyway even though I knew I would get hurt.  “You only care about yourself and you treat me like I am stupid.  It is just a power trip and I am done being your punching bag.”

“You’re right.  I want to start over,” he said his anger fading.

“No.  I told you Anton, that it is over between us,” I said proudly.  “You are not getting a hand on that fortune.”  I looked into his eyes and all I saw was pure rage.  I almost thought there was steam coming off the top of his head.  I glanced at his hands and they were clenched into fists.

“You don’t mean that!” he growled through his teeth and he grabbed my neck lifting me in the air.  “If I can’t have you than no one can.”  I could hear the words through my lungs gasping for air while my hands held his arm.

“Please,” I begged closing my eyes waiting for my neck to break under his grip, but instead I felt my body fall to the ground.

“Please let go of my arm!” pleaded Anton with a pained voice.  “You’re going to break it!”

            Once I took a deep breath I opened my eyes and saw what was going on.  Jack had Anton’s arm twisted into his back.

“I won’t break it if you promise to leave Autumn alone and never bother her again,” Jack said not letting go.

“I will not –

“She is no longer yours.  A true man does not harm a woman,” Jack said and tightening his hold a little.  “If you do come back you will have to go through me and next time I will break the arm.  Go back to work.”  Once Jack let him go, Anton hesitated, looked at me, and ran back to the grocery store.  When I looked back at Anton he was dancing.

“Where did you learn to do that?” I asked in wonder.

“Well, Autumn, all I know it that I’m very protective of you,” Jack said continuing to dance.

“If it wasn’t for you –

“You saved my daughter from certain danger,” said my dad coming around the tree.

“More like certain death,” I mumbled with my hands behind my back in embarrassment.

“Do you want a home to go to and people to call family?” Mom asked smiling on the other side.

“Are you the one my sister wanted to adopt?” my sister flirted laying her head on his chest as he took a step back.

“Just because we adopt you doesn’t mean that you will be able to get a hand on my daughter,” Dad said with a serious look.

“Dad!” I said even more embarrassed.

“I understand sir.  Is it alright that I already danced with her?” Jack asked with no emotion and total restraint.

“I like this kid.  If I wasn’t adopting him as my son he probably would make a perfect part of our security.  Let’s go talk to the people and make you part of the family,” Dad said and we walked into the orphanage.

            Once we entered the front door of the orphanage again with a few extra people behind me the secretary greeted us.

“Hello Jack and Autumn.  It looks like you brought a family Jack.  I’m assuming you’re here to adopt him,” she said smiling.

“Yes,” Mom said gladly combing her fingers through my hair.

“Good job Jack.  It looks like you found the Wempe Family and you have found your happiness.  I did a background check and you’re all clear.  Once you pay half a million dollars, he will be part of your family,” she said looking up from her computer.

“Rip offingly expensive,” my sister said looking up at Dad.

“If you can’t pay it I’ll just go back to my room quietly,” Jack said sadly and I winked at him.  He looked at me with a confused look.

“We will pay it in full,” Dad said and pulled out his checkbook.  “You will find as much as you need to pay for it.”

“A wealthy family hiding amongst the common people.  Clever find Jack,” the secretary said and smiled once she was handed the check.  “Have a nice day!”

            I was about to follow my family out the door, but Jack looked at us and hesitated shaking his head.

“Is this truly happening?” he whispered and I smiled.

“Yes.  Go get your stuff.  We will still be here when you get back,” Dad said smiling.

“It’s not like you are dreaming,” my sister said batting her eyes and I just rolled my eyes as stood frozen.

“I’ll help you pack,” I exclaimed and Jack sighed in relief.

“Ok.  Take your time,” Mom said and we walked to his room.  It was silent in the hallway, but once we got into his room and the door shut he hugged me.

“Thank you!” he said with his head in my shoulder and my arms wrapped around him to hug him back.

“You wouldn’t have been free unless we adopted you.  Isn’t that right?” I asked pulling us apart to look him in the eyes.

“And protect someone that I could never care about protecting,” he whispered and I tried to look into his eyes as he started to grab things from his closet.

“You don’t seem like the boy to know how to hold another boy without breaking his arm or dancing.  You are not born with those talents,” I said and he slowly put a shirt in his suitcase looking at me.

“I’ll explain, but not now,” he said and he winked at me.

“You’re just overprotective.  Right?” I said mockingly.

“Something like that,” he said smiling looking around his room.  “Let’s hurry up.  I want to get out of here.”

“Of course,” I said and I helped him get the few things that he owned other than the clothes that he was packing away.

            Shortly after that next thing we knew we were in the brand new SUV that dad bought only a couple months ago on the highway.

“So Jack.  What kind of clothes do you prefer?” Dad asked while driving.

“I don’t really know.  I never got to choose.  I always wore what I was given,” Jack shrugged and I silently smiled, but my sister I couldn’t say the same.

“Are you more the gothic type or the hot jock type?” my sister asked flirting and he looked dumbstruck.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jack said and I shook my head.

“I highly doubt the orphanage allowed them to be in a clique, June.  So will you stop being a flirt,” I said with a slight growl in my voice.

“Jealous bitch,” she said under her breath.

“Flirtatious whore,” I said under my breath and Jack cracked a smile under that emotionless face.

“Ok girls.  We will see what he likes,” Mom said and we drove into the parking lot of a store that most people would know as Macy’s.  This was the first time that we walked into the store ourselves and we disliked it immediately.  Way too pricey.  Jack looked uncomfortable.

“Do I have to wear what is, what do you call it, ‘in style’?” Jack asked unhappily.  Dad laughed and Mom, June, and I giggled.

“No you don’t.  We normally don’t shop here.  Let’s take you somewhere else,” Mom said and without taking a glance at whether the new style was flares or skinny jeans we walked out.

“We didn’t know what you prefer,” my sister said in a normal bored voice and Jack smiled.  Once we left Macy’s we drove to the nearest thrift store and the minute that we walked in we felt content.

“I’ll be over by the shoes,” Mom said already heading that way.

“She can never have enough shoes,” June said and Dad glanced at where he was headed.

“I will be over by the appliances,” Dad said and he left the three of us standing there.

“I-I’ll be over by Mom,” June said and she left.

            Jack and I were alone.

“Smooth,” I said with a big sigh and Jack looked around us with wonder.

“This is where you guys shop?” Jack asked looking at me.

“It may be picky and choosy, but it’s cheap,” I said shrugging my shoulders.

“I like it,” he said and we glanced by clothes that we were standing right next to.

“I swear I’m in heaven,” Jack said in a daze and I smiled.

“Not really unless Anton killed us both, but I don’t believe that.  Maybe it is possible to be in heaven while you’re alive,” I said and he smiled.

“Maybe.  You’re not quite at peace, but you’re happy and that’s all that matters,” he said and we shopped.

            Later that night I am lying in my bed waiting for sleep to overcome me when I hear a knock at my door.

“Come in Jack,” I said already knowing it was him when I looked at the door seeing him come in.

“How did you know it was me?” he asked shutting the door.

“Didn’t anyone tell you that I’m psychic?” I said propping myself onto my elbow and he laughed rolling his eyes.

“Right and I am an overprotective bastard,” he said and I gave him a stern look while he continued to stand by the door.  “I’ve come to explain myself to you.”

“I know,” I said smiling and I sat up in my bed.

“Of course.  You’re psychic,” he said smiling.

“No you told me that you would tell me later and not at the orphanage,” I said and he nodded remembering.

“Right,” he said silently.

“Come sit on my bed.  I’m not going to bite,” I said patting on my bed and he did.  “Of course once you start telling your story the whole house will know.  They are all eavesdropping.”

“Great.  I didn’t know a house could eavesdrop, but ok,” he said sarcastically with a smile and he looked at me.

“The orphanage was training us.  We went to school since we were five and didn’t graduate until we were seventeen.  Through those twelve years we were taught karate until we were a black belt, we were taught martial arts, we were taught how to dance, we were taught how to sword fight, we were taught archery and how to handle a gun, and we were taught basic survival techniques.  We were taught how to save someone like CPR and all that.  Once we turned seventeen we were put in basic training to become a soldier.

This was all for us to become bodyguards and protect those who needed protection.  Once we were to turn eighteen we either get sold away or we became security for the orphanage.  I majored in everything, but I never wanted to become one of those lifeless shields and once I passed I promised myself I would never us a weapon again.  So I escaped.  I was going to run, but then I saw you crying.  I could never stand seeing one person so sad.  I wanted to cheer you up and find out what was wrong, so I did.  Once I cheered you up you attempted to save me after you didn’t have someone there to save you from HIM.

Then I am in my room again and I can see you again by that tree through my window.  You were so happy and so content with yourself that you blinded of what was to come.  I could also see HIM coming near you and I could tell he was going to hurt you.  I needed to get out of there.  You were in danger!  I was locked in.  I broke my window with a spare chair and I snuck down the drain pipe.  I stopped him from killing you.”

            He paused looking down at his hands and he balled them into fists as he looked at me again.

“All I wanted was to have a family I never had and love someone.  The orphanage told me my parents died in a fire where I was the only survivor.  They both were only child with parents who died before I was born,” he said looking down at his hands and then he smiled at me.  “I thank you for saving me, but I think you guys were in the need of saving.”

“Jack.  I thank you for saving me from Anton, but haven’t there been enough thanks and saving?” I asked putting my hand on his.  “I could never see you as a brother.”

“A cousin?” he asked and I put my finger to his lips.  I shook my head and came closer.

“Your dad –

“Our dad can’t control me.  I’m eighteen and so will you be in a week,” I whispered as I came closer and he held me back.  “Do you always do as you’re told?”  Without being told twice he grabbed me and pulled me closer kissing me ravenously.  Even so it was so passionate that I thought it would last forever until I remembered everyone was eavesdropping.  Well, at least they were and now they were going to hear more than they bargained for if they were still listening.

The End