New Girl in Town Pt. 16

"They figure a month or so before they make their final decisions," Jake answers.

"And if for some reason they don't come through for any reason? Have you got a worst case scenario plan?" He asks.

"Learn to surf," Jake jokes.

"Pardon," his dad asks confused.

"I plan to try to get a job selling surfboards and it was pointed out that I couldn't possibly sell something that I hadn't tested so I have to learn to surf," Jake explains then shakes his head. "Sorry, dad, it was just a dumb joke."

"It's not that bad," His dad chuckles. "Plus it's not a terrible idea since you'll be on the west coast. Surfing is kind of mandatory as I understand it."

"If I make it," Jake sighs.

"Have a little faith, son," he tells him with a smile. "If there's a way to work this out, we'll figure it out. Between your mom and I, Jess, her parents and that feisty little Sarah of theirs I promise you that we'll all figure it out."

"I know that you will, dad," Jake nods then begins to head to his room but stops on the stairs and looks back. "And, dad, thanks."

His dad nods then watches as Jake bounds up the stairs all the while hoping that Jessica's dad is able to work out whatever it is he has cooked up.

****

Friday December 1st

Jessica is standing in the school parking lot beside the bus that is taking Carter students to the playoff football game in Raleigh.

"She's not showing, Jess," Shelly states as she leans out the window.

"She'll show," Jessica answers while fighting the urge to check the time again.

A car hurriedly pulls into the parking lot and takes an available spot. Jennifer hops out, followed by her friend Amy then a tall, raven haired girl. The trio walk tentatively towards Jessica who waves at them with a smile on her face.

"Hey, Jessica," Jennifer calls out as they get closer. "We're late, I know that we're late but traffic getting out of the parking lot was a nightmare."

"Hey, Jen, it's all good," Jessica assures her then nods at Amy. "Amy, right?"

"You got it," Amy smiles. "Hey, Jessica. It's nice to see you again."

"It's great to have you along, Amy. So that would make you, Marie," Jessica says to the quiet girl.

"That's me," Marie responds with a smile. "Thanks so much for suggesting this! I've wanted to talk to Jamie again ever since I met him and to get to see him play is... well it's gonna be amazing!"

Jessica giggles at her enthusiasm and nods towards the bus.

"He's one of our best and we're glad to have you along to see him, Marie. I'm happy to help you out so let's hop on then. We've got seats saved for all of us and the team bus just left a few minutes ago." She tells them.

Jennifer feels the stares as soon as she boards the bus behind Jessica and begins to feel uneasy.

"Maybe my coming was a bad idea," She comments to Amy.

"You think?" Tonya states with a glare.

"Tonya, be nice," Tabitha tells her sister as Jessica takes the seat behind the twins.

"Jen, you sit with me and, Amy, you and Marie can sit across the aisle," Jessica tells them.

The girls follow Jessica's suggestion at seating and soon the bus is underway.

"Thanks again for doing this, Jessica," Jennifer says as the bus rumbles down Hwy 65.

"It's fine, Jenny," Jessica answers. "Jamie did a nice thing for Jake so this is us returning the favor."

Jennifer shakes her head. "Jamie doing something nice for Jake? Just when I thought that the Jake and Staci thing would be the strangest thing I would see! I cannot believe how much has changed since I left," She comments.

It's been a pretty great year so far," Jessica agrees.

Jennifer is quiet for a few minutes trying to work the nerve to ask Jessica a question.

"Um, Jess, can I ask you question?" She asks. "It's kind of personal... okay it's like really personal but it's been bugging me since I called Jake out of the blue."

"You can ask anything but I might not answer," Jessica answers.

"I get that," Jennifer quickly assures her. "It's just... well... how is the... um... sex with Jake?"

"Un-fucking-believable," Tonya comments.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have ever asked that," Jennifer apologizes thinking she's offended them but she notices that Tabitha is giggling while Jessica is shaking her head.

"I think my sis was answering your question, Jenny, not criticizing you for asking," Tabitha giggles.

Tonya turns in her seat so she can look at Jess and Jenny.

"I totally was answering you," Tonya laughs. "That's how our naughty Jess here described it to us."

"I don't think that was the word I used exactly," Jessica says shaking her head.

"Maybe not but that's what all of us interpreted from your blushing and bragging about it." Tonya laughed.

"I was not bragging!" Jessica argues then looks at Jenny who is trying not to laugh. "There was no bragging."

"From what I was hearing she has every right to brag about it," Jennifer stated.

"The blow job thing you heard? That was pretty wild of Jessica," Tabitha says. "We couldn't believe she actually did it!"

"I can confirm for you that she did indeed do it," Jennifer answers with a wicked smile.

"My girl claimed her man," Tonya laughs.

"Oh she sure did but I meant what happened she gave her performance," Jennifer says.

"Afterwards?" Jessica asks.

Jenny smiles and leans in so she can whisper in Jessica's ear.

"Give it all to me Jake. That feels so much deeper but so good!" Jennifer whispers with a giggle.

Jessica blushes even deeper which isn't missed by Tonya.

"Oh my God, Jen, what did you tell her! I've never seen Jess turn so red before!" Tonya exclaims.

"I think that Jess meant to hang up after the blow job but kind of didn't so I uh... heard everything," Jennifer announces so Tonya and Tabitha can hear. "It sounded like it was really enjoyable."

"I need to hear everything about this, Jenny!" Tonya announces.

"Same!" Tabitha jumps in.

"What are you all talking about?" Amy asks. "You're all so excited and Jessica is so red!"

Tonya proceeds to tell her and soon both Amy and Marie are moving so they can get told the story as well.

"Oh god," Jessica sighs as she sinks back into her seat realizing that it's going to be a long ride to Raleigh.

****

The Wildcats win the coin toss and elect to put their defense on the field first. Jake is tossing a ball to Ray to keep his arm warmed up when he hears his name being shouted from the bleachers. He turns and sees Jessica waving at him. He waves back then nods when she points to the dark haired girl standing beside her. Jake holds up his index finger for Marie then jogs over to find Jamie.

"Hey, Jamie," Jake calls out when he finds Jamie is watching the teams line up for the kick off.

"What's up, Jake?" He asks.

"Got someone that wants to say hey to you before the game starts," Jake tells him as he nods towards the stands.

Jamie turns and spots Jessica easily. She waves then points to the girl standing with her. It takes Jamie a second to realize who the girl is but then he smiles in recognition.

"Dude, that... that's Marie," He tells Jake. "How is she here?"

"Turns out she's been looking for you," Jake answers. "I'll explain the how later but right now you owe Marie that smile and a wave so she knows you're still interested. She's very cute."

"Dude, I know! I owe you, Jake! You and Jess both!" He says with a big grin.

Jamie immediately turns and waves at Marie who smiles shyly as she waves back.

"Now what?" He asks Jake.

"Now, we go out and win this game so you have something to celebrate with her when we get back home," Jake tells him.

"Hell yeah," Jamie states as he dons his helmet. "We've got this!"

Jamie's play proves his statement on the field during the Hickory Road Raptors first possession. He's in on two tackles for losses and sacks the quarterback on a third and long play. He jogs off the field as the Raptors line up to punt and gives another wave towards Marie. She smiles down at him then goes back to cheering for the Wildcats as Des returns the punt twenty five yards.

"It's on you now, Jake," Jamie states as he slaps his shoulder pad.

"Patrick!" Yates calls out and Patrick jogs onto the field with the offense.

"Oh man, what the hell?" Jamie asks. "I thought Coach was giving you a shot, Jake?"

"He said that he would swap Patrick and I as the game situation dictated," Jake tells him. "I had a feeling that Patrick would start. I may not even get sent in unless we fall behind."

"That's crap," Jamie comments.

"Coach doesn't want to hear Patrick cry about not getting to start," Des states as he walks over. "Then again none of us want to hear it either. It's gonna be a long enough bus ride back when he puts Jake in anyway."

Jake chuckles as they turn their attention to the field. Patrick hands the ball off to Kendall who rips off a five yard gain on first down. A sweep on second down only garners the Wildcats two yards bringing up third and three. Yates glances over at Jake but doesn't send him. At the snap, Patrick drops back then dumps a screen pass off to Kendall who makes the first tackler miss gaining eleven yards on the play. With a series of runs and a couple of short passes the Wildcats march down the field until Patrick calls his own number and dives in for a touchdown on a goal line dive. He jumps up and pumps his arm enthusiastically but the offense ignore his grandstanding and jog off the field.

****

Jake spends the rest of the first half on the sidelines tossing the ball to the receivers to keep himself loose but as the game goes on he realizes that he might as well stop. Yates hadn't called for him at all and the Wildcats play calling and the defense have put them up by three touchdowns as halftime approaches.

"This is bullshit," Ray comments as he and the rest of the offense sit on the bench around Jake. "He said that you'd be out there!"

"We're winning," Patrick sneers as he gets water from the cooler. "We don't need Mr. Miracle Arm out there to save your sorry asses for once!"

"Patrick, why don't you sit with your friends," Ray comments and points to the empty end of the bench. "They look like they miss you."

Patrick flips him off but walks away leaving them with Jake.

"He's not wrong," Jake says once he's gone.

"That you've got a miracle arm," Mitch chuckles. "Thought you didn't have an ego, Jake."

"I know that he wasn't agreeing with him about our asses," Monte chimes in. "I have it on good authority that I've got a pretty nice ass."

Jake and the rest laugh as Monte turns and shakes his rump at them.

"Dude, we believe your mom. You have a great ass," Jake jokes.

"Man, you know that it was your girl that told me that, Jake," Monte counters playfully.

"She does have good taste," Jake laughs.

"And an amazing ass," Ray comments. "I'm sorry, Jake, but damn, it's near perfect!"

"Just like Staci's," Jake states with a grin.

"I still can't believe that she flashed you," Ray says. "I mean I can because it's Staci but you know what I mean."

Jake nods his head as, on the field, Jamie sacks the Raptors quarterback for the third time of the night as the clock clicks down to half time. The Wildcats head to the locker room up twenty one to nothing. Coach Yates stops Jake as he starts to pass him on the way inside.

"A second, Jake," Yates states.

"What's up, Coach?" Jake asks.

"Jake, I know that I said that I was going to swap you and Patrick out but..."

"But you stick with the hot hand," Jake says with a nod. "I know that, Coach."

Yates grunts out, "I'll get you in at some point," then nods dismissively so Jake walks into the locker room nearly running into Coach Pennington as he does so.

"Not sure I'd call anything Patrick is doing out there hot ," Coach Pennington says to Jake as he passes.

"Maybe not but we are winning and that's all that matters, right?" Jake asks.

"Winning is one thing while doing the right thing is something else, Jake," Coach Pennington tells him.

"I'll remember that, Coach," Jake tells him then goes to sit down for Yates half time speech.

"Defense," He begins as everyone quiets down, "you guys are doing a great job of shutting down their offense. We've got ourselves a nice lead but I don't want anyone letting up. Two more quarters like the first two and we're playing for the state championship next week."

Yates pauses to take a sip of water before continuing.

"Offense, you're looking better this week but you can do better. We've got this team on the ropes so we're running clock. We need first downs out there so let's go get'em!"

****

The Wildcats take the field in the second half and the offense executes Coach Yates plan which nets them another touchdown on their opening drive of the second half when, after using Kendall to get them all the way down to the three yard line, Patrick calls his own number and struts into the end zone. His showboating afterwards is again ignored. The defense keeps the Raptors shut down with Jamie and Antoine leading the way with tackles and sacks. The Raptors are forced to punt the ball from their own end zone with just under a minute left to play.

"Jake," Yates calls out as Des calls for a fair catch at the seventeen yard line. "Head out there and finish this thing off for us."

"Sure thing, Coach," Jake answers.

He dons his helmet and jogs out with the rest of the offense.

"Welcome to the game finally, Jake," Ray states.

"Yeah, just in time to hand off twice then take a knee," Jake states. "At least I won't have to wash my uniform this weekend. Kendall, we'll do dive right on one."

"That's about all I can give you, Jake," Kendall states. "I'm spent."

"You've had us on your back for the whole game, Kendall," Mitch tells him. "It's no wonder you're gassed."

"Just a couple more plays, Kendall," Jake assures him as he breaks the huddle.

The team lines up on the ball and Jake shouts out the cadence. The center snaps the ball into his hands, Jake takes a step to the side and buries the ball in Kendall's stomach. Kendall lowers his head and pushes forward for a couple of yards before being tackled by half the Raptors defense. Jake watches the clock ticking down as he forms the huddle.

"Kendall, how you feeling?" Jake asks him.

"Good to go, Jake," Kendall answers.

"One more play and we're done. Got it in you?" Jake asks.

Kendall nods but looks winded which gives Jake pause.

"How do you feel about running an option here," He asks.

"Looking for a little glory, Jake?" Kendall chuckles.

"My ego is a little bruised since I haven't got to play," Jake chuckles. "Shotgun formation, run option to the left on two."

They break the huddle and Jake lines up in the shotgun position with Kendall standing to his right. Jake watches the clock ticking down and calls for the snap with two seconds on the play clock. He catches the snap then breaks left. Kendall takes off just to his left and the pair run parallel to the line of scrimmage as the line pulls to block for them. One of the Raptor defenders breaks through the line and takes a step towards Jake. Jake makes to pitch the ball to Kendall and the defender momentarily freezes from indecision. He decides to go for Kendall as he's the one that has gashed their defense all night long and leaps for him. Jake keeps the ball, however, and takes off up the hole left in the defenders wake. Most of the Raptor defense converge on Kendall leaving Jake to run up field alone. Kendall is tackled behind the line of scrimmage and it's then the Raptor realize that he doesn't have the ball. They start to pursue Jake whose legs are churning towards the end zone. He's twenty yards ahead of most of the defenders when they start to try to chase him down. Jake angles towards the sideline still keeping an eye towards the ticking time clock. In front of him is the end zone but when he sees the clock tick to under thirty seconds left he slides down at the Raptors six yard line.

"What was that?" Ray asks as the team huddle up.

"The ballgame," Jake answers nodding towards the clock.

"Well yeah but why not score?" Kendall asks.

"We're up by three touchdowns," Jake answers. "Why make it four with so little time left? We've won. Why rub it in?"

Kendall shakes his head and laughs.

"Jake Gibson, sportsman of the year, guys," Mitch laughs.

"Victory formation on one, funny guys," Jake says as they break the huddle and walk to the line. Jake takes the snap then kneels down as the clock ticks out its last few seconds.

After the teams slap hands Coach Yates pulls Jake aside as the team is heading to the locker room.

"Didn't feel the need to score there, Jake?" Yates asks.

"Just wanted to get us the win, Coach," Jake answers.

"Nice heads up play and it didn't go unappreciated just so you know," He tells Jake. "Now it looks like you have a few friends that want a word with you but make it snappy. Bus leaves in twenty."

****

"You um... played really great, Jamie," Marie tells him as she, Jennifer, Amy, Jess and Staci meet the team as they head to locker room to shower.

"Thanks, Marie," Jamie smiles at her. "I can't believe that you're here but here you are!"

"Here I am," Marie smiles at him warmly.

Jamie smiles back her then they both start talking at the same time only to stop then start again before laughing together.

"Cute huh?" Jessica asks Jake as they stand off to the side watching them.

"Very," Jake agrees as Jennifer walks over to join them.

"Hey Jake," Jennifer says with a smile. "Planning to stay over at Staci's again anytime soon?"

"She heard us. The whole ending thing," Jessica explains as she again blushes.

"The whole... thing," Jake asks feeling his own cheeks flush red.

"All of it and I hate I missed out on my chance with you, Jake," Jennifer smiles. "It sounded like it was very fun for you both."

"It really was," Jake smiles at the memory then nudges Staci with his arm. "Hey, when are we invited to come back over again?"

"Anytime you want, Jake," Staci answers with a giggle. "You know that!"

"After next weeks championship game for sure," Ray chimes in. "We'll definitely have something to celebrate then."

"And I should be well rested," Jake comments.

"Yates is going to play you next week, Jake. He won't have much choice," Ray says.

"If he wants a chance to win at all he'll have to play you some, Jake," Jamie agrees. "We've got the number one D in the state but we'll be going up against the number one offense. That game begs to be a shoot out and you're our guy if it comes to that."

"We'll see, Jamie," Jake states.

The guys excuse themselves to go shower but only after Jamie makes plans to meet up with Marie once the buses get back to Carter.

"Dude, I cannot believe that you two went and got Marie for me," Jamie shouts over the sound of the shower.

"Well she kind of came to us," Jake shouts back from where he's getting dressed. "I mean Jenny came to me because Marie had come to her, Jess answered my phone and well, yeah it sounds complicated but it worked out and that's all that matters."

Jamie shuts off his water and walks out with his towel around his waist.

"Yeah it is but I can't thank you both enough," He tells him.

"Are you kissing Jake's ass now too?" Patrick asks as he exits the shower. "It figures that a loser like you would end up on the side of the king of the losers."

"Fuck off, Patrick," Jamie says.

"Big man now that Jake got that little bitch you were whining..." Patrick begins to say but is cut off when Jamie turns and slams him into the lockers.

"Call her a bitch again, asshole!" Jamie shouts and cocks his fist back.

The anger that blossoms on Jamie's face causes real fear to alight in Patrick's eyes when he realizes his past friendship with Jamie won't save him now. Patrick closes those eyes and waits for Jamie's fist to crash into his face but Jake jumps up and grabs Jamie's arm before he can let his fist fly.