AN: C'mon, guys lacking powerstones.
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The next morning felt slower than usual.
Jack finished letting the caretaker help him wash up. No proper shower yet, just a sponge bath, shampoo over the sink, and a lot of instructions about not slipping. He hated it, but he hated falling on his ankle even more.
By the time he was back in bed in fresh clothes, he felt oddly restless.
He reached for his phone on the nightstand, mostly to kill time until the next painkiller kicked in. Notifications flooded the screen as soon as he unlocked it. Messages about the book, teammates replaying highlights, and a few unknown numbers. He ignored all of it and opened his gallery instead and started scrolling backward through the camera roll.
Hundreds of shots flew by in a colorful blur. Images of parties, and people wearing smiles so convincing they'd fool anyone on social media. He mindlessly swiped through, not really paying attention.
Then came the movie set pictures.
He stopped scrolling, his finger hovering over the screen.
And there he was, just ten years old. He was standing there in shoes that were way too big. He had that smile actors are told to give, and sporting messy hair that was clearly styled to look like it just "naturally messy." Directors were visible in the background, and boom mics were just barely out of the main shot. Someone next to him looked like they were right in the middle of laughing.
He started scrolling again.
Another set of photos. Different clothes this time, more people around. It looked like a read-through, with half the cast looking totally bored and the other half trying hard to seem interested.
He kept going, his thumb moving slower and slower until it just stopped. An old photo from way back filled the screen.
There she was.... Dakota. The photo showed both of them standing shoulder to shoulder at what had to be the wrap party for that old comedy they filmed together. He wore a dumb paper party hat tilted sideways. She had glitter smeared across one cheek and a giant grin that made her eyes disappear into crescents. They both looked so young, so unbothered, arms slung around each other like they had known each other forever.
Jack stared at the picture longer than he meant to. Something tight started uncoiling in his chest, slow at first, then faster. The memory hit him full force, the kind that arrives with its own soundtrack and smell and temperature.
He remembered the exact corner of the rented hall where it happened.
//Quick flashback//
Paper streamers were hanging down from the ceiling. The music was blasting so loud it was making the plastic cups on the table shake. It seemed like someone had turned the volume way up on a playlist filled with songs that nobody their age should even know the words to yet. Dakota tugged him away from the snack table, telling him she wanted to show him something cool outside. They stepped out onto the patio. The night air felt so fresh after being in that stuffy room. Orange streetlights were glowing just behind the fence.
She turned to face him, still laughing about some dumb joke the director told during the final take. Then she stepped closer. Before he could process what was happening, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his, quick and Soft, tasting faintly of cherry soda and cake frosting.
Jack froze. His whole body went rigid. Heat rushed into his face so fast he thought his ears might catch fire. He jerked back, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand like he could erase it, and snapped at her.
"What the hell, Dakota? Why would you do that?"
She blinked, smile fading fast. "I just... I thought it would be funny. Or cute. I don't know. I... I think I like you and people who like each other kiss."
"It's not funny. That's my first kiss. You can't just take it like that. And we are just kids. It's not funny," Jack said, looking flustered and angry.
Her face crumpled for a second before she forced a smile. "Sorry. I didn't... I thought... I'm sorry."
Jack walked away.
It was a big deal to him. He was just a kid. Kissing was something that happened in movies or on TV, not in real life, not yet, not to him. He liked girls fine. He just didn't want anything to do with dating or kissing or any of that confusing stuff people kept whispering about in the hallways at school. He wanted to keep things simple.
He spent the rest of the party glued to the craft-services table, pretending to be fascinated by the vegetable tray. Dakota didn't try to talk to him again that night. When shooting wrapped for good a few days later, they said polite goodbyes like polite kid actors do, and then they drifted into different projects and different lives.
//Flashback end//
Jack blinked hard and looked at the photo again. The same two kids. The same smiles. But now he could see the tiny flicker of nervousness behind Dakota's eyes even back then. He hadn't noticed it at twelve. He had been too busy feeling violated and embarrassed.
He set the phone facedown on the blanket and stared at the ceiling.
"Ah! That's why she was acting kinda awakardly back then and since I didn't bring that kiss up and continued to act normal, she must've thought I forgot all about it," He mumbled to himself with a small chuckle.
The phone buzzed, pulling him out of the ceiling stare. He flipped it over fast, half expecting Haley's name or maybe one of those random publicist numbers that kept popping up since the book took off. Instead, the screen showed Dakota's name.
"What a coincidence," he muttered.
He answered.
"Hey."
There was a tiny pause on the other end, like she had not expected him to pick up that fast.
"Hi," Dakota said. Her voice sounded lighter than usual, but there was something careful under it. "Am I interrupting anything?"
Jack glanced at the ceiling again, then at his taped ankle.
"Yeah, I was in the middle of my intense training montage," he said dryly. "Lots of ice packs and dramatic staring at the wall."
She laughed softly.
"Okay, that tracks."
He shifted slightly against the pillows.
"And," he added. "I was just thinking about you just now."
Another pause.
"Oh?" she asked, and this time the word carried actual surprise.
"Yeah," he said. "I was scrolling through old set pictures. Found that wrap party photo. The one with the ridiculous paper hats and way too much glitter."
She groaned lightly.
"Please tell me you are not about to send that to anyone."
"Tempting," he replied. "You had glitter on your cheeks after that balloon burst."
"And you looked like you had never worn real shoes in your life," she shot back. "Those things were huge."
He chuckled a bit.
There was a small silence that felt different from the playful ones. It stretched just long enough to matter.
"I remember that night," Dakota said quietly.
"Yeah," he answered.
Another second passed.
"I kind of called to ask how you are," she continued, voice steadier now. "I saw the game clips online. That touchdown was insane. And then I was reading the comments and they were saying that you got hurt. Are you okay?" She sounded concerned.
"Sprained ankle, bruised ribs, shoulder strain," he recited. "Doctor says I will live to annoy people another day."
"Good," she said quickly, and the relief in her voice was not subtle. "I mean, not good that you got hurt. You know what I mean."
"I know what you mean."
"Total bed rest, I guess?"
"Yeah, doctors say six weeks and I'll be back to normal. Or close to it."
"Six weeks sucks." Her tone softened. "You hate sitting still. I remember that from set. You were always bouncing your leg under the table during notes, driving the AD crazy."
He smiled despite himself. "Still do it. Haley calls it my tell. Says she knows I'm antsy when my foot starts going."
Another tiny pause. "Haley. Right. Your girlfriend."
"Yeah." He kept his voice even, casual.
Dakota said. "She seems sweet from the clips I've seen. The way she jumped you on the field after the win and you two..."
There was an awkward pause.
"Well, she got grounded for a week by her mom for that kiss," Jack said casually as he shifted a bit on the bed. "Enough about me, what are you up to?"
Dakota thought for a moment before replying. "My life's been weirdly quiet lately. Too many auditions, not enough good roles. Then I saw your book trending everywhere. My sister loved it and kept bugging me to ask you when the sequel is dropping. By the way, congrats on the success of your book."
"Thanks. And tell her, next time we meet, I'll give her the early edition of the book but she gotta keep it a secret," Jack replied.
"What about me?" She asked.
"You can share and maybe have a sibling fight over who is going to read first and spoilers," He replied with a smile, already imagining Dakota and Elle fighting.
"You're evil."
"I know."
Then there was another moment of comfortable pause.
"Hey, Dakota," he started, then stopped.
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something kind of random?"
There was a tiny inhale on her end.
"Sure."
"That night. At the wrap party... I handled that badly. I was a kid and I freaked out, but I shouldn't have snapped at you like that," Jack said.
She didn't answer right away.
"I thought you forgot," she said finally.
"I didn't forget," he said. "I just didn't know what to do with it. It felt like this huge thing in my head at the time."
"I know," she replied softly. "I could tell I messed up the second you pulled back. I was so embarrassed I wanted to dig a hole in the ground and disappear."
He closed his eyes briefly, picturing it.
"I'm sorry," he said. "For making you feel that way."
She let out a slow breath that almost sounded like she had been holding it for years.
"Thank you," she said. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to take something from you. I just… like you... I mean, liked you. And I thought that was what you were supposed to do when you liked someone."
"Yeah," he murmured. "Turns out nobody actually explains that stuff properly."
A faint laugh slipped from her end.
"No, they really don't."
The tension that had been sitting quietly between them loosened just a little.
"So," she said after a moment, shifting the mood. "You were thinking about me because of ancient photographic evidence. I was thinking about you because the internet won't shut up about your book. I guess that makes us even."
"Guess it does," he replied.
He hesitated again, then spoke more carefully.
"I'm glad you called."
"I'm glad you answered," she said.
Another pause followed, softer this time.
"Rest," she added gently. "Heal properly. And don't pretend you're invincible just because you dramatically caught a football."
"I would never," he said with mock offense in his voice.
"You absolutely would," she shot back.
He smiled despite himself.
"Hey," she continued, quieter now. "You mind if I drop by around 2 PM?"
Jack went still for half a second, staring at the ceiling again like it might offer guidance.
"Uh," he said, buying himself a second. "Drop by?"
"Yeah," Dakota replied, her voice careful but steady. "Just to check on you. I promise I won't bring glitter or steal any more milestone moments."
He let out a quiet breath through his nose.
"My house is kind of chaotic lately," he said. "Caretaker comes and goes. My parents are hovering like I'm made of glass."
"I can handle hovering parents," she said softly. "We survived network executives at twelve. I think we'll live."
That made him smile despite the knot forming in his stomach.
Two PM.
Haley usually texts around lunchtime. Sometimes she stopped by after school when she could.
Still, this wasn't wrong. Dakota was an old friend. They had just cleared years of weird tension. That was healthy. And it's normal for friends to check up on an injured friend.
"Okay," he said finally. "Two PM is fine."
"Cool." Her voice lifted a little, like she'd been bracing for a no. "I'll bring something edible that isn't hospital Jell-O. Any requests?"
"Anything that doesn't require a straw. Surprise me."
"Deal. See you then."
She hung up before he could add anything else.
Jack dropped his phone on his side and slowly sat up, leaning back on the pillow. He then took the laptop from the night table. "Might as well get some work done. Let's write a movie script..."
He opened the laptop, booted and then opened Docs.
He typed... [Zombieland]
"Alright, perfect script for my big comeback after 17 Again," He mumbled with a smile as he started to write.
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