Breaking Out Of The Shell

After the get together, it was getting dark and everyone had to leave. Me and Jack were heading off to bed, when I noticed he seemed almost looked sad. I was about to ask him, when he saw me looking at him.

"I'm fine, don't worry. This has nothing to do with you." He said calmly, putting his bathing suit in his luggage. I couldn't help but look, I wanted to help him, but I knew he wouldn't accept it.

Laying in bed, I wondered if there was something bothering him. Of course, I've only known him for a day so it's tough to say that I know him well enough to understand how to even comfort him, or even what to say to help cheer him up, but I can't just let this happen, something from earlier must have did this.

"Hey Jack?" I asked, on a whim that he would still be awake.

"Yes?"

"Did anything happen?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"You've been acting different after my friends came over, that's all."

"Oh! i-it's best if you didn't know."

"Why?"

"You won't remember anyway.."

Jumping out of bed I questioned "What are you talking about?" My voice laced in fear of what he ment. He looked up at me before speaking again.

"Don't worry about it, okay? I don't want to scare you..." with that he layed back down on the floor, "Now goodnight."

I leaned back on to my bed thinking about what he ment and passed out, but after a while, I awoke to the booming voice of my mom.

"I was letting you know I was going to head for work again, you know the drill." She then left, leaving me home alone again,

well I guess I wasn't too alone, Jack still had to be here. Right?

I looked around for him, finally finding him in the dining room, drawing something.

"Jack!" I shouted. He turned to look at me,

"Hi, Delilah." Quickly, he put away what he was working on.

"What were you doing?"

"Nothing. Did your mom wake you up?" He nervously spoke.

"Yeah, what about you?"

"Tried to get sleep, but I had trouble. So I stayed up all night."

"Is something wrong?" He got up from the chair, and something folded in his pocket could be seen.

"Are you hungry? I can cook you something."

"Really?! That would be nice." I sighed with relief, knowing I didn't have to cook this time.

"Okay." He replied, not wasting any time, he went straight to cooking.

"I have a question."

"Ask away." He said, focused on the task at hand.

"Do you have to follow every order I say? I mean, I said it would be nice, but not to make it right now."

"So your not hungry?" He asked looking back at me.

"That's not what I meant!" I rebutted.

"Then what do you mean?" He questioned as he frantically looked for a pan r some other cooking utensil.

"Try looking in one of the cabinets.." I pointed out, as I watched the struggle. After he found a pan, I heard a silent thank you.

"Well, I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to.."

"It doesn't matter if I want to do anything. I was sent here to protect you whether I like it or not. Not to say I don't like you, but it's apart of my job to follow your every command, even if it killed me..." My face froze. I couldn't believe what I heard. I actually almost felt sorry.

"It's all part of the job if you ask me. I have to what I must, and obey those orders."

"But don't you wish you could do what you wanted for once?!" Raising my voice.

"I guess, I don't know.." His deminer changed and I could tell I struck a note, or pushed a button I shouldn't have.

"How do you not know?!" He continued to stare off into the stove, like he was trying to ignore me.

"Do I need to? It's not like I'll ever get to anyway. Besides, I've never got that choice, now do I!" My face slowly becomes less intense from what he'd said. His words like venom as they hurt more than I thought they could.

"Sorry, I didn't know what it was like for you....but if you do have something in mind, maybe I can give you that chance." Gazing at him, I try to read his movement; looking for something that probably isn't there.

"I'm here to protect you, I'm pretty sure I don't need any help. I'll be fine." With that, I sat back down. It was very quiet after he said that.

Thirty minutes later, our food was done, and I couldn't help myself from asking,

"So are you like an imaginary friend or..?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean, I feel like I'm going crazy and this is all just one big dream!"

He paused and put his fork down.

"I don't know if I am, but if I am I'm glad I met you."

"W-what? what makes you say that?" He softly spoke.

"Because these pancakes taste so good!" The smirk on his face turned into what appeared to be disappointment, but I'm not sure. After stuffing my face with more food I ask,

"What is it you want to do?"

"You want to know?" He questioned with surprise.