Jack stared at the ceiling for a second like he was consulting some invisible financial advisor in the sky.
"So here's the plan. I'm putting half into some boring index funds that Dad keeps preaching about. Then, I'm saving a portion for book two. Cover art, editing, maybe a better launch strategy."
"You are so annoying," she said affectionately. "You already have sequel plans."
"Of course I have sequel plans. There will be like seven books and I've already finished the second one," Jack replied.
She stared at him like he had just admitted he casually solved world hunger on weekends.
"And," he added, voice softening slightly, "we are going shopping."
"We are?"
"After I can walk without looking like a glitchy NPC in a video game," he said, glancing at his ankle.
Haley's lips curved into a small smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Wow. You have everything figured out already. Like, actual adult-level planning. Stocks, savings, sequels, shopping spree. You even have a timeline."
Jack tilted his head and studied her face. The playful spark he usually counted on was missing, replaced by something quieter and heavier.
"Hey," he said softly. "What's wrong?"
She looked away almost immediately.
"Nothing."
"Haley."
She chewed on her lip. Her fingers started tracing patterns on the comforter like she needed something to focus on.
"It's just…" she sighed. "You already know what you want to do. You're writing books. You're investing. You're planning sequels. You probably have spreadsheets for your spreadsheets."
"I do not," he said.
"You do."
He smiled faintly but didn't interrupt her again.
"And here I am," she continued quietly, "I have no idea what I'm going to do after college. I don't even know what I'm majoring in for sure. Some days I think about fashion. Other days I think about marketing. Then I panic and think I should pick something serious. Then I don't even know what serious means."
Jack shifted carefully so he was facing her more directly.
"Haley."
"I'm happy for you. I really am. This is huge and you deserve every bit of it. But sometimes I look at you crushing it and I feel like I'm still waiting for my own version of that spark to show up. What if it never does? What if I just keep drifting?"
Jack reached over slowly, careful of the tape on his ribs, and covered her hand with his. His fingers laced through hers without any rush.
"Haley, I did not wake up one day knowing I was going to write a book that sells thousands of copies in a week," he said calmly.
She looked at him, eyes still uncertain.
"You think I had this whole master plan at sixteen?" he continued. "I've wasted a good four or five years of my life doing absolutely nothing productive. I had fame and everything, but I got arrogant and destroyed my own image without even realizing it. Then one night, I just sat on my bed and thought… what next? Should I continue to waste my life like before or actually build something that matters to me?"
Haley stayed quiet, listening.
"So, I chose to build something that matters to me and decided to take my life seriously. And believe me or not, even now, I'm trying to figure things out. So, all you gotta do is believe in yourself and take one step at a time. There is no rush. We're sixteen... We have enough time to figure things out... together."
"Really?" She whispered.
"Yeah," He nodded. "Now, I'm gonna make out with you to break this gloomy atmosphere..."
He tried to move, but the pain in his ankle shot up.
"...on the second thought, you have to kiss me. I can't move."
Haley stared at him for half a second.
Then she laughed.
"You are unbelievable," she said, leaning closer. "You just gave me a motivational speech and now trying to cash in on it."
"Hey, therapy sessions are costly in this day and economy. So, I take my salary in kisses," Jack replied.
She laughed, shaking her head, then closed the last inch of space between them. Her lips brushed his gently at first, testing, making sure she wasn't adding to the pain anywhere. When he kissed her back without flinching, she relaxed into it fully. One hand came up to rest against his cheek, thumb tracing the line of his jaw. The kiss deepened slowly, steady and unhurried, the way kisses feel when both people know exactly where they stand in the moment.
When she finally pulled back just enough to breathe, her nose stayed close to his. "Better?" she asked quietly.
"World-class medicine," he whispered. "Better than whatever they gave me at the hospital."
"I think you could use another dosage," Haley replied as her lips brushed his.
"Yeah?"
She nodded. "Yeah."
Their lips met again. She tilted her head just enough to let the kiss deepen naturally. Tongues brushed, tentative at first, then bolder, exploring in slow, warm circles. Jack let out a quiet sound against her mouth, the kind that vibrated through both of them. His good hand slid up her side, fingers curling lightly against her waist before she caught his wrist and guided it higher. She pressed his palm over her right boob. He squeezed gently, thumb brushing in a slow arc that made her breath hitch. She arched into his touch a little, encouraging him without words.
Haley's free hand cupped the back of his neck, fingers threading into his hair as she kissed him deeper and sucking on his lips and tongue. Jack responded with the same hunger, mindful of every taped spot on his body but clearly not willing to stop.
Then her phone rang on the nightstand. They both froze mid-kiss. Haley pulled back just far enough to groan against his lips.
She thought of ignoring the call, but...
"Take the call. It could be important."
Haley reached over and grabbed the phone. She swiped to answer and put it on speaker without thinking.
"Hey, Dad."
Phil's voice came through bright and rushed. "Hey, sweetheart! How's our star quarterback slash bestselling author doing today? Still looking like a walking first-aid kit?"
Haley glanced at Jack, who gave a small thumbs-up with his good hand. "He's okay. Crutches, ice packs, the usual. We're just... hanging out."
Jack raised an eyebrow at her choice of words. She swatted his arm lightly.
"Good, good," Phil said. "Listen, I hate to do this, but I just got a call from a huge client. Like, potential-mansion-in-the-Hills huge. I need to run to the office right now to put out some fires before they turn into forest fires. Your mom's out with Gloria and Alex doing whatever mysterious thing they do when they're together, and I can't leave Luke home alone. I don't want him to microwave a burrito inside its foil wrapper. Can you come home and make sure he doesn't burn the house down? Or himself? Or both?"
Haley closed her eyes for a second, the universal teenage expression for "why now." She looked at Jack, who gave her a small nod that said go ahead.
"Yeah, okay," she said into the phone. "I'll be heading home. Tell Luke if he starts any fires, I'm making him eat the ashes."
Phil laughed. "You're the best. Tell Jack we're proud of him on his successful book launch and no more fence-vaulting until the doctor clears him. Love you, kiddo."
"Love you too, Dad."
She hung up with a dramatic sigh. "Saved by the world's most dramatic ringtone."
Jack chuckled, then winced when the movement pulled at his ribs. "Timing could have been worse. Five more minutes and your dad would have walked in on something that requires way more explaining."
Haley leaned down and kissed him once more, quick but sweet. "To be continued."
"Deal," he said. "Bring me back a victory burrito next time."
She smiled and slid off the bed, smoothing her shirt down. "Only if you promise to rest and not try writing the next book with one hand while icing your ankle with the other."
"No promises."
She rolled her eyes, grabbed her bag from the floor, and paused at the door. "Text me if the numbers go up again. Or if you need anything. Or if you just want to brag some more."
"Already planning the next brag session," he said.
Haley blew him a kiss, then walked out into the hallway.
Jack listened to her footsteps fade down the stairs, then leaned back against the pillows and stared at the ceiling. He let out a slow breath, half laugh, half disbelief, and reached for his phone to check the dashboard one more time. The graph was still climbing.
---
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