New Girl in Town Pt. 07

"It's not that far." I argue. "You cut through the woods at the end of my street and I'm practically here."

"I remember, but I also know that it's not that easy especially when you've only got one good arm." He answers.

"As long as I don't pick up anything that weighs more than a gallon of milk or twist it weird, it's fine." I tell him.

"Uh huh," He grunts at me unbelieving. "So you ready to talk about what your dad's done or do you need me to bullshit with you some more?"

"Be nice to your groupie wrangler." I tell him but he just stares at me until I relent. "It's the football bullshit."

"Figures." Bobby snorts.

"He's even pissed at Jessica because of it."

"Jessica? What the hell did Jessica do?" he asks.

"Nothing, but good luck explaining that to him." I answer getting to my feet and grabbing a water out of the mini fridge nearby. "It's like he blames her for my getting hurt or something."

"You're really the one to blame." Bobby answers.

"Excuse me?" I ask confused.

"Jake, how many of those Blue/Orange scrimmages have you played in?" He asks.

"Uh... all of them, I guess. What's your point?" I ask.

"My point is that you never cared about them. Not when you were a freshman, sophomore or junior. Then Jessica comes along and suddenly you're a different guy. I remember those games and your team always got creamed. You guys practically laid down for first team just so they could be seen as the kings of the school. Now Jessica shows up, you went out there like you had something to prove or maybe you finally got fed up being shit on by them all the time. Either way, Jessica was the push that you needed to stand up and finally tell them to fuck off."

"So you're saying that she's my inspiration then?" I ask with a laugh.

"You're the one that drew her in art class, man." He answers with his own chuckle.

"I'm going to pay for that tomorrow, thank you very much. You know, you're supposed to be my best friend. Why in the hell didn't you stop me that first day when I started drawing her?" I ask.

"Don't blame me. I thought you were just drawing pretty flowers remember?" He tells me.

"Speaking of pretty flowers, how are things going with you and Marybeth?" I try and segue.

"That may have been the worst way someone's ever tried to change the topic in the history of language." Bobby points out.

"The history of language, really?" I ask. "Damn, things must be going really great if you're pulling out lines like that."

"I've got a date with her Friday night." he answer with a huge smile.

"Nice," I answer. "You know, there's a meteor shower this weekend. You could take her to the planetarium and watch it."

"You're such a nerd, Jake. There is no hope for you." He chuckles.

"I'm going with Jessica." I argue.

"Of course you are but you're both nerds and you aren't even calling it a date, are you?" He sighs.

"Well no, it's just two..."

"Two friends who need to quit wasting time being just friends." He interrupts.

"Says the guy who just got a date with the girl that he's had a crush on since our freshman year I believe it was." I point out.

"Yeah well, time is a luxury that you don't have." Bobby responds.

"You know we should have gotten you a girlfriend sooner. It's made you a lot smarter than you used to be." I joke.

"Yeah you should have you fucking loser. How you can sit there on my couch, drink my water and call yourself my friend is beyond me." He states.

"Hey, if I wasn't your friend who would be?"

****

Thursday

"Jake, you haven't called me." Somer Douglas says in a sing songy voice when she catches me standing outside the gym after school.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I've been a little busy." I answer.

"Too busy for me?" She asks while pushing her impossibly large breasts together to make them seem even larger.

"Hey, Jake." Cheryl, aka C.C, says as she walks up. "Thanks for helping me out with that quiz prep the other night. I aced it with your help."

"You aced it all on your own, C.C. I just asked questions while you supplied the answers." I tell her.

"Wait, you two talked?" Somer asks staring at C.C.

"Well duh," C.C. answers. "I asked Jake if he could quiz me on my English words after our Geometry class since he's in AP English. You really helped me a lot, Jake."

"Not a problem," I tell her and my phone chirps. "Sorry, but that's my cue. C.C., I'm glad you nailed that quiz and Somer, I guess I'll catch you later."

"Yeah, later." Somer growls as she watches me head toward the front of the school.

"He's really nice." C.C. notes then turns to head into the gym to get ready for practice when Somer stops her.

"What in the hell are you doing, C,C.?"

"Going to practice." she answers.

"I meant with Jake." Somer sighs.

"Homework... well test work... no, test prep I guess it was. Why?" C.C. asks.

Somer shakes her head and lets out another sigh. "Just never mind, C.C."

"Oh, okay. Sure thing, Somer." C.C. answers then heads into the locker room.

"Problem, Somer?" Staci asks as she pauses at the locker room door.

"Just saying bye to Jake." Somer gloats while slapping a huge smile on her face.

"Yeah, he should be meeting up with Jessica and her parents right about now." Staci tells her. "They came to look at the picture that he drew of her before he goes home with her. She even told him that he might have to pack an overnight bag. How funny is that? Well, see you at practice."

****

Jessica is looking down at her phone, sending a text to Jake to let him know her parents have arrived, when she hears her name called out.

"Jessica, it's so nice to see you here. I see the whole family came out." Pam Gibson says as she and Wes make their way over to them.

"Yes, uh... hi Mrs. Gibson. Mr. Gibson." Jessica stammers.

"It's so good to see you all again." Dr. Golden says moving to shake hands. "I was just telling Tim the other day that with our kids hanging out so much that we should invite you guys over for dinner some night."

"She was and we'd certainly love to have you both over anytime. This is assuming that Jake will probably already over." Mr. Golden jokes.

"Well if he's ever making himself a nuisance you just send him right home." Mrs. Gibson tells them.

"What's a new-scent?" Sarah asks jumping into the conversation.

Jessica shakes her head then kneels to Sarah's level. "It's nuisance and you know how your cousin Lily comes over, takes your dolls and won't give them back? She's a nuisance."

"Jessica," Dr. Golden scolds but with a slight laugh.

"Jake doesn't take my dolls, Mrs. Gibson. He just talks to them and he makes Jess ank-shush." Sarah informs them.

"Oh he does, does he? How does he do that?" Mr. Gibson asks with a chuckle.

"I dunno but her legs get all bouncy when he's supposed to show up." Sarah answers.

"Okay, you stop talking any time now, Sar-bear." Jessica nearly begs.

"Jessica, how about we step outside and see if Jake's on his way?" Mr. Gibson suggests.

"Um, sure, sir." She answers and follows him out the double doors.

Once they're outside, Mr. Gibson takes a deep breath before speaking. "Jessica, it's been pointed out to me that I haven't been very welcoming to you." He begins.

"Oh no sir, I haven't felt that way at all." Jessica assures him.

"You're sweet to say that but it's the truth." he says. "I've been angry about some things, none of which have to do with you. I know that Jake goes over to your place often and I'd like you to know that you're welcome at our place anytime."

"Thank you, sir. I'd like that very much." Jessica answers.

"That is as long as your little sister allows Jake to drag you away for long." He jokes and Jessica laughs.

"We'll have to give her a few extra tea parties but I'm sure she'll let us get away once that's done." Jessica tells him.

"If she serves any of those little sandwiches at her parties and you can sneak me a few when you come over, I sure wouldn't hate it." he tells her.

"I'm making a note now for the next time I come over." she assures him.

****

I round the corner and spot my dad standing outside with Jessica.

"Shit," I think as I pick up my pace wondering what's going on.

"There he comes now." Dad says spotting my approach.

"Hey Dad... Jess." I say in greeting.

"Everyone else is inside waiting." Dad points out. "I guess we should rejoin them."

"Yes sir," Jessica answers but before she can step away I snag her arm and pull her close so I can whisper.

"What's going on? Are you all right?" I ask.

"I'm fine and we were talking about finger sandwiches." She tells me.

"Finger sandwiches?" I ask.

"Finger sandwiches." She answers.

"Well saying the words I just said certainly cleared that right up." I state.

"Wow, sarcasm really is your defense mechanism when you're nervous, isn't it?" She states dragging me towards the door.

"I'm listing it on my college entrance letters." I tell her. "I assume that you're doing with same with avoidance expert ?"

"Keep it up, Jake. You're going to need it when my family and yours see your drawing of me." she states.

"Couldn't you have at least told them that's what they were coming to see?" I ask.

"Where's the fun in that?" She asks gleefully. "Look who finally made it."

"Hello, Jake." Dr. Golden says. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, thank you." I answer.

"Jake!" Sarah shouts then runs up and hugs me.

"So you went with blue, huh?" I ask pulling a few strands of her now colored long hair out for inspection.

"Uh huh," She answers. "Roxie said I could do two colors if I wanted but I just wanted one to start with."

"Good call and I like the blue." I tell her.

"Are you still coming over after this?" she asks.

"I hope so." I answer her. "Mr. Bear and I were having a most enlightening conversation at your last tea party."

Sarah looks at my parents and shakes her head. "He's so silly but I like him." she announces.

"Well that's a ringing endorsement if I ever heard one." Dad laughs.

"What's an indoors-mat?" Sarah inquires.

"I'll explain it to you later while you help Jake and I with our homework, deal?" Jessica asks stifling her giggles.

"Deal." Sarah answers making a pinky swear with her sister then she turns to the rest of us. "Well, let's go look at some pictures."

Jessica takes Sarah by the hand and begins leading the group around the small exhibit. As she points out the entries from people she knows, I drift to the back of the group since we're getting closer to my picture.

"And this one is Jake's." Jessica says.

"Oh... oh wow." Mr. Golden exclaims.

"Jess, that... that's you." Dr. Golden states.

"I'm glad you two could tell. Caitlyn had to point it out to me and Shelly had to snap a pic at the same angle so I could really see it." She tells them.

"It's beautiful, Jake." My mom tells me.

"It really is great work." My dad agrees.

"I want one of me." Sarah chimes in causing everyone to laugh.

"Told ya," Jessica tells me.

"Coach Pennington let me snag some extra art sheets and I've got my pencils, Sarah. We can work on it tonight after we get our homework done." I assure her.

"And you finish your conversation with Mr. Bear." Mr. Golden adds with a chuckle.

"Oh, I can talk and draw at the same time, sir." I answer.

"With my baby in your class, I guess you'd have to be." Dr. Golden jokes.

"That class is strictly girl talk class. Jake and I have English and Biology to chat through." Jessica informs them.

"She means before class starts." I add.

"I'm sure she does, Jake." Mr. Golden chuckles.

****

"Jess, what did you get for number seven?" I ask as we sit around her kitchen table doing our homework.

"Seven?" she asks. "I was just going to ask you what you got for that one."

"Sounds like it might be time for a break." Dr. Golden announces.

"We were going to try and work until dad got back with the pizza but I think you're right, mom." Jessica answers as she stretches.

"Yeah, we could really use a break." I agree leaning back from the table.

"Are you two done now?" Sarah asks looking up from her coloring book.

"We're done for now but let Jake rest up and eat before you start demanding he draw you, okay?" Jessica asks.

"I wasn't gonna ask him that but I was gonna ask him something." Sarah answers.

"What would you like to ask me Sarah?" I ask her.

"When are you going to take my sister out again?" She asks.

Jessica's eyes go wide at the question and her mom giggles at her youngest daughter.

"Saturday." I answer giving Jessica a wink. "We're going to the planetarium again to see a meteor shower. Do you want to come along with us?"

"That sounds cool!" Sarah announces excitedly then looks at Jessica. "Can I come, too?"

"If it's okay with Jake then it's fine with me I guess." Jessica answers.

"What's fine?" Mr. Golden asks as he walks inside holding a large pizza box.

"I'm gonna see a meteor shower!" Sarah declares then looks at her mom. "Mom, what's a meteor shower?"

Everyone laughs and Dr. Golden points at Jessica and I. "You two are in for it on Saturday night. You've been warned."

****

After dinner, I draw a rough sketch of Sarah while Jessica attempts to distract her with a card game but Sarah seems to be full of questions.

"Jake, do you have a girlfriend?" She asks as I'm putting pencil to paper.

"I have a few girls that are my friends." I answer evasively.

"That means no." Jessica answers as she looks over her cards.

"Oh good." Sarah answers. "Don't you want a girlfriend?"

"It might be nice." I answer. "Do you have someone in mind for me, Sarah?"

"Maybe." she answers.

After Jessica stays silent I give her a look. "So you're not going to translate that, huh?" I ask.

"I don't what you're talking about, Jake. I'm just sitting here playing Go Fish." Jessica giggles then to Sarah. "Any fives, Sarah?"

"Go fish," Sarah answers her.

"Go fish is right." I mutter as I continue to draw.

"Jessica needs a boyfriend." Sarah states after a few moments of silence.

"Oh wow, look at the time." Jessica says hurriedly putting the cards down. "Jake will have to finish this some other time."

"But I'm not tired." Sarah argues but her heavy eyelids betray her.

"We all have school tomorrow, Sarah." I tell her while hiding my smile. "I'm nearly finished with it anyway."

"Can I see it?" Sarah asks mid-yawn.

"Not yet. I still have to ink it but I'll have that done by the time you see me on Saturday." I assure her.

"'Kay," She answers sleepily.

"Sarah, I'm going to walk Jake out while you get your teeth brushed and your jammies on. Have that done by the time I get back and I'll read you a story before bed." Jessica tells her.

"Tangled." Sarah insists.

"Tangled it is as long as you're ready and in bed when I get back." Jessica assures her.

"Sweet dreams, Sarah." I tell her.

"Night, Jake." She says giving me a quick hug before she heads to the bathroom.

"So you need a boyfriend do you?" I tease Jessica as we head downstairs.

"Shut it." She orders me.

"Leaving already, Jake?" Mr. Golden asks looking up from his book.

"Sarah was getting tired and my shoulder is getting stiff." I answer him.

"Oh, do you need me to look it over for you, Jake?" Dr. Golden asks.

"I'm sure it's fine, ma'am." I answer. "I usually have it out of the sling by now. I think it's just gotten a little too used to that bit of freedom."

"That's fine as long as you aren't lifting anything with that arm and definitely not throwing anything." She answers.

"I'm definitely not doing either of those." I assure her.

"He tried to throw with his other arm the other day. It was not pretty." Jessica shares.

"Dr. Golden, do you remove knives when they're stuck in peoples backs?" I ask cutting my eyes at Jessica.

"That one sounds like it's stuck in pretty deep, Jake. I don't think even I could help you with it." Dr. Golden laughs.

"That was barely a flesh wound." Jessica tells us.

"Well if you're healed by Saturday we'll see you then, Jake." Mr. Golden says with a chuckle.

"Healed or not, we'll see him." Jessica states. "We're finding me a car and then I'm seeing my first meteor shower. I'm not missing out on either of those."

"Drive safe." Dr. Golden tells Jessica as she hands her the keys to her SUV.

"Oh that's right, I'm driving you home." Jessica says accepting the keys.

"Thanks for pizza, sir... ma'am. I'll see you on Saturday." I tell Jessica's parents.

"See you then, Jake."

****

"I guess I should apologize about Sarah." Jessica says after cranking the car. "I mean with all the questions and stuff. I don't know what got into her tonight."

"Really, because she sounds just like you when you're doing your matchmaker thing." I laugh.

"Oh... oh god, that's it!" She declares.

"What's it?" I ask.

"The matchmaker thing." Jessica answers. "At the game, Sarah heard me talking about trying to hook up Bobby and Marybeth."

"So?" I ask.

"So she asked me who was playing matchmaker for you and me. When I told her no one, she said that she'd do it." Jessica answers. "I didn't think she was being serious."

"I think it's sweet that she's looking out for you." I state.

"Looking out for me?" Jessica asks. "If anything, it's you she's looking out for, Jake."

"Trying to set me up with a smart, beautiful, all state volleyball player. Okay, yeah I can see that she's looking out for me." I answer with a grin.

"You know that you aren't playing fair when you say all those nice things about me, right?" She asks.

"I promised to wait, I never said that I would play fair." I answer.

"I guess I'm not really playing fair either but I'm still working through some stuff." She tells me. "I don't expect you to wait though, Jake. If you want to call Somer and go out on Saturday you can. Though me giving you permission doesn't sound right either so I guess it's more like if you want to do that, it's fine. There I go again, giving you permission..."

"Jessica, stop." I tell her.

"Did I miss a turn?" she asks as she slows the car.

"No, I meant stop babbling about me going out with Somer. It's not happening." I assure her.

"It's not? But what about her huge ti..."

"Attitude?" I interrupt. "Yeah, that's a reason but mostly I'm afraid that Staci will murder me if I went out with Somer."

"Why would Staci murder you?" She asks.

"She's your best friend for one." I answer. "I also think that there's some rivalry thing going on between them but I don't know anything about it."

"Yeah, I guess Staci has become one of my best friends but I don't know anything about a rivalry either." Jessica answers. "I could ask her about it I suppose."

"Only if you want to. It doesn't really matter because I was never interested in Somer anyway." I state. "Too rude."

"Ugh, I know, right? I mean who walks up to a guy walking with a girl and just gives out her number?" Jessica asks.

"Somer." I answer.

"Bet she was pissed when she saw that it wasn't in your phone." Jessica giggles.

"She wasn't happy, that's for sure." I answer.

"Good." Jessica answers with a smirk. "She looks like she could stand a little disappointment in her life."

"You probably should have let me date her then if that's the case." I joke.

"I said disappointment Jake, not delight." Jessica says then gives me a warm smile as she pulls to a stop in my driveway.

"Delight, huh?" I ask as I'm getting out.

"I did say little , Jake." She points out.

"Wow, you really know how to hurt a guy." I tell her.

"Yep and I didn't even have to use my elbows or knees."