Most of the party is outdoors, but I was able to find a quiet spot on one of the lounge chairs by the pool.
"There you are," Jack says, walking over to me. He must notice that I'm cold because he removes the jacket from his shoulders and wraps it over mine. "Here."
"Thanks," I smile, clutching onto it.
I'm looking down at the floor as Jack stands in front of me, so he places his index finger under my chin and tips my face up. The smile on his face soon fades once he notices that my eyes are full of tears.
"Stas, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"Nothing," I say, but I have to swallow because the emotion that I'm feeling inside overwhelms me.
Jack immediately takes the space next to me and places his hands over mine. "Stas, you have to tell me why you're crying. Please."
I sniffle back my tears and breathe out. "I can't do this anymore, Jack," I lie in between sobs.
"What do you mean you can't do this anymore?" he says, shaking his head in confusion.
"This. Us," I lie again.
"Stas..."
"You said it yourself, Jack, there's a world that divides us."
"I didn't mean it, Stas. I swear I didn't mean it. I was trying to say whatever I could to push you away because I knew what I felt for you was so real."
"But you were right, Jack."
"No..."
"You were."
He gulps this time, then looks at me. "I don't get where this is coming from. A few minutes ago, we were dancing. I was holding you in my arms and you were holding me back." I chew on the corner of my lip as I replay the best moment of my life.
"Jack, don't make this any harder," I plead, closing my eyes shut. "Please."
"Stas, you know that the last thing I ever want to do is make you cry. Which is why I'll get up and walk away if you want me to. I will. I'll do it right now. But I need you to tell me the truth. I need you to look me in the eyes and tell me that me walking away from you is what you actually want. Otherwise, I won't do it. I can't."
I try to force the lie out. I try with everything in me, but I can't. The words won't leave my mouth, and I know that I'm being selfish. I don't want to jeopardize my dad's job but I also can't lie to the only boy I've ever loved.
"Jack..."
"If you tell me you don't want me, Stas, I'll let you go. It's the last thing I want to do, but I'd do it for you. But if you tell me that you want me...that you want this...you and me...I'll never let you down. I promise."
"Of course I want you. Of course I love you," I say.
"Then why are you trying to push me away?"
"Jack..."
"What is it, Stas?" I notice a shadow a few feet away, so I look in that direction. Jack's dad stands there. And then Jack looks ahead. "Son of a bitch," he states under his breath once he comes to the realization that his dad is the mastermind behind this disgusting game that no one wants a part in. "My dad put you up to this, didn't he?"
"Jack..."
"No. I need to know what he said to you."
"It's not important."
"You almost walked away from me because you were forced to. Like hell it's not important."
Jack doesn't wait for me to respond. Instead, he gets up and storms over to his dad, his fists balled up by his sides.
"You piece of shit," he shouts. "You threatened my girlfriend?"
"Don't cause a scene, son," Peter says, placing his hand on Jack's chest as he glances around the area to make sure that no one's watching, but Jack pulls it down with his hand.
"Don't call me that."
Peter turns around to make sure that the party still isn't paying attention to this commotion and then says, "I'm looking out for your best interests."
"No. You're not. You never have. All you care about is yours."
"Jack, you know that's not true. I don't know what kind of lies this girl is feeding you, but yo-"
"Don't talk about her. Ever," Jack grits through his teeth.
"You're being ridiculous, Jack. Can't you see? She's turning you against your own family."
"No. No, dad. You're doing that all on your own. You know, for most of my life, I idolized you. You were this successful, confident man and I thought that that was all that mattered. But then I saw your true colors, I saw you for who you really are."
"Which is what, son?"
"A selfish, egotistical bastard who only cares about what strangers think of him instead of his own family. Because if you did care about what I thought about you, or what mom thought about, you would've changed a long time ago. Now, you're just a disappointment. And I'm done thinking that I'm one to you when I know what I have going for me. I'm going places, dad. Whether or not you believe in that. Whether or not you believe in me."
Jack reaches his hand out for me and I make my way toward him. I take his hand in mine and he tightens his grip, leading us away from his dad.