Jack was born and raised in New Jersey. He’s son to Alice McAdams and Arthur Branson. Offspring out of a summer romance between teenagers, Jack was born even though his parents weren’t a couple or stayed together. Arthus had spent the summer in New Jersey before he went back home to Minnesota where he soon met his wife, who he had also children with. While Arthur tried his best to be there for Jack, it was hard to keep much in touch with the young boy due to the distance. The only person he had was his mother and because she got into a very toxic relationship herself, Jack grew up with the image that this was the way to treat women. And as older he got, the more he started seeing love not the way it should be but like a thing you use to get women. Love was not love anymore, it was a game. And he was very well at playing it. Going out and hooking up with many girls during his school years, his mind changed a little when he met Harley. Sister to one of his mates on the football team, he got to chat with her on after game party and the girl had something that was addicting. The two started dating shortly after, Jack knowing there were feelings involved he had never had before, he went along with the relationship. He went off to college, coming home whenever he could and as soon as Harley was out of High School, he proposed to her. Jealous someone could steal her from him, he wanted to tie her to himself. During the few years, Jack showed her a lot of affection but also wanted to decide over her. He was just as toxic as his stepfather. But the closer their wedding day came the more he was freaked out about the future and things with her. And he did the most awful thing. the night before the wedding, he hooked up with one of the bridesmaids, Harley’s bestest friend and they got caught by her. The wedding was called off and Harley moved away shortly after. He had nothing to explain to her, nothing to say as it was clear that things wouldn’t last between them anyway. And Jack knew it was time to leave again. He couldn’t stand the thought of living further in a town where everyone judged him by his decisions. He started off, going for the coast where he worked here and there until he was hired as a sailor on one of the ships that carried goods oversea. And that’s where he got stuck. He travelled over to Europe and Asia, hooking up here and there with woman but never getting to close to any of them again. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, Harley kept a special place in his heart and he never got over her.
Jack returned to America the moment he heard she was getting married again. Jealousy took over him and he wanted to stop the wedding. The moment he arrived and found out she was getting married to no one else than his half-brother Josh, Jack knew he needed to win her back. He showed up at the eve before the wedding where he got kicked out. He waited for Harley and had a chance to talk to her again but instead of finding the right words, he went with the ones she was so used to. And he lost her forever. He showed up uninvited at the wedding the day later and left the moment he got kicked out from the party as well. He went back onto his ship, never returning and never getting over the pain he felt and loss of the one real thing he ever has ever known.