New Girl in Town Pt. 23

"We won't be here that long," he stated. "We're due back in court soon."

He threw a glare at Jake when he said the latter. Jake's jaw tightened as he forced himself not to say something back. Mrs. Greene gave the teens a smile that didn't seem as forced as the one that was plastered on Mr. Greene's face.

"How are you two doing?" she asked them.

"We're good, ma'am," Jessica answered. "A little confused at the moment but good."

"I can understand that," Mrs. Greene said. "I'm thrilled that you both are looking so good and I can't tell you how sorry we are about all of this. What Patrick did was inexcusable but I'm hoping not unforgivable."

"Is that what this is?" Jake asked. "You need us to help Patrick? I'm sorry but that's not going to happen."

"No, Jake, I wouldn't ask that of you," she assured him. "The forgiveness part is more for you and Jessica's peace of mind than for my son. While I would like you to forgive him that's not why we're here."

She pulled a pair of envelopes from her purse then slid them across the table to Jake and Jessica.

"We spoke with your parents about these earlier but it was pointed out to us that we should have spoken to you about them first," Mrs. Greene explained. "These are about your futures after all."

"Our futures?" Jake asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Should we open them and find out, Jake?" Jessica asked.

"What do you think?" Jake asked his parents.

"I think that it's your call, son," Jake's dad answered. "I know what I think about it all but this is your decision. Yours and Jessica's."

"It is your decision, Jake," his mom said, "but you should know all the facts before you make a decision. I would open them."

Jake looked at Patrick's father and sized him up. He knew all about Buck and his reputation around town. Add that in with what he knew about Patrick and Jake expected the very worst.

"What's the catch?" he asked Buck. "We accept these... whatever these are and what?"

"You accept them and you can't..." Buck started to answer.

He had gotten pissed at these kids and their questions. This was supposed to be a simple transaction but they just had to dig into it. He wanted to tell them to shut their damn mouths but Courtney dug her fingernails into his thigh to shut him up.

"These have nothing to do with what happens to Patrick if that's your worry, Jake," Mrs. Greene answered him. "They are our attempt to apologize for what happened and to help you."

Jake heard the sincerity in her words but he was still skeptical.

"But there is a catch," he said.

"In a way, Jake," Mrs. Greene sighed. "Our lawyer has drawn up some papers that you and Jessica would need to sign should you accept these."

"What exactly would we be signing?" Jessica asked as she pushed her envelope away. "Do we need our own lawyer?"

"That is an option," her father said. "What is the time frame on this thing?"

"We'd like to be done with this today," Mr. Greene answered.

"But you two can take all the time that you need," Mrs. Greene broke in. "Talk to whomever you feel the need to and make the best decision for yourselves. Wouldn't you like to know what you're deciding on though? I promise you both that opening them won't cost you a thing."

Jake and Jessica shared a look. Jake shrugged then reached for his envelope. Jessica followed his lead and carefully opened hers. She pulled out the paper inside and looked at it. Her eyes grew wide as she read it. She looked over at Jake and his eyes were wide as well.

"That's... this is..." Jake stammered. "Is this for real?"

"Yes, Jake," Mrs. Greene answered him. "It's very real."

"We are definitely going to need some time to discuss this," Jessica said as she placed the check back into the envelope.

She and Jake passed them back to Mrs. Greene who nodded as she put them back into her purse.

"You're parents have our number," she said as she and Buck stood to leave. "You can call us anytime once you decide and please take all the time that you need."

"You never told us the catch," Jake pointed out. "If we're going to make a decision we should know what all we're deciding on correct?"

"I see that the accident didn't affect your memory, Jake," Mrs. Greene joked to cut off her husband's grumble. "The paper that our attorney wants you to sign, should you accept the checks, says that you forfeit the right to sue us over this accident in the future."

"We need a copy of that," Jessica's dad said. "We'll want our lawyers to look it over before anything this significant is signed off on."

"Of course," Mrs. Greene said. "We have a couple for you both. Look them over, have your lawyers look them over and get back with us whenever you feel it's appropriate."

"Yeah," Jake said after the Greenes walked out the door, "So now we need a lawyer? Should we have gone ahead and taken their money so we can afford one?"

"We'll be fine, sweetie," Jake's mom assured him. "You and Jessica can take all the time you need to decide on that."

"And we have a lawyer, Jake," Jessica's dad told him. "I'll put in a call to him as we're headed back to the courthouse for the sentencing."

"Jake and I will head back to school," Jessica said. "We can still make Coach Pennington's class and I think we could both use the distraction from all of this."

****

"Do you think that you can do anything in class if we go back," Jake asked as Jessica started her car. "Because I'm still thinking about those checks and what we're going to do about them."

"I'm not sure that I can, but it's either back to school or we go home and keep thinking about it," she said. "At least at school we'll have our friends there and we can talk to them about this. We can talk to them about this right? Was there anything in that paper that said we couldn't?"

"I don't think there was," Jake answered. "Was there? Maybe we should have kept one of those copies with us."

"Maybe," she nodded. "We didn't sign anything and Mrs. Greene said that we should talk to whoever we want. I say that includes our friends. Right?"

"I'm the one with the scrambled brains so if you say so then I'll agree with you," Jake answered.

"You don't get to play that card with me, Jake," she told him. "We either agree to talk to our friends or we don't."

"I agree that we can talk to our friends," he said. "Like you said, we didn't sign anything but do you think that we should wait until your dad's lawyer gets a look at the papers before we do?"

"That would probably be the smart way to go about this but I'm not sure how long I can keep my mouth shut," she admitted. "I mean that amount of money. Jake. That's crazy, right?"

"Yeah, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw those zeros," Jake admitted. "And according the Mrs. Greene that's on top of their insurance company paying for everything else, right?"

"We should definitely be sure before we sign anything. That would be nowhere near enough for your car, the hospital bills and the rehab that we'll both have to do," Jessica said. "Ugh! I wanted answers today, not more questions!"

"Let's just go back to school and see if that can help us get our minds off all this until we get home," he suggested. "Your family is still coming over to eat with us, right?"

"More to tell us the sentencing in person but yes, they'll meet us there for dinner," Jessica answered. "Then we'll both start texting our misfits to let them know. That might take all night now that our little friends group has expanded so much."

"I blame you," Jake chuckled.

"I take no blame, Flirty Boy," Jessica grinned. "You charmed me into this little group of yours so any and all blame is yours."

"Flirty boy, huh?" he asked. "Is there anyway that I can kiss you right now?"

"See? Flirty," she laughed. "No. Not until we get to the school parking lot at least. Then kisses before we hurry to Coach Pennington's class."

"Hurrying might be a little problem for me at the moment," he said as he patted his bad leg.

"We'll make it in plenty of time," she smiled. "Provided you don't kiss me so good that I lose all track of time and we miss class entirely."

"Don't tempt me, Jess," Jake warned her with a grin. "You know the consequences when you do."

"Mister, you are on punishment," she reminded him. "Don't think that I forgot about that. I'm going to have a fun weekend with you."

****

Jake and Jessica walked into Coach Pennington's class just as the bell rang to start class.

"Sorry we're late, Coach," Jake apologized as he hopped to his table where Bobby waited. "Too much traffic for a one legged guy."

"Uh huh, sure it was, Jake," Coach Pennington said as he stepped to the front of the class. "Everyone we'll be working on shading again today so if you'll grab your drawings from last week. Bobby, if you can grab Jake a clean sheet of paper when you grab your work. You can sketch something pretty quick so you can get caught up to the rest of class right, Casanova?"

The class laughed at his joke while Jake looked confused. He looked over at Jessica who shook her head while she giggled. Shelly and Caitlyn were no help as they just mimed kissy faces at him.

"Dude, your cheek," Bobby pointed out while he laughed. "Up near your ear."

Jake reached up, rubbed and his fingers came back with tinge of pink on his fingertips. The same pink as Jessica's current lipstick.

"Jessica, I'm sure you remember where I keep the wet wipes," Coach Pennington said.

"Yes, sir," Jessica answered.

She got to her feet as did the rest of the class. She went to Coach Pennington's desk while the other students got their drawings. Bobby snagged his and a clean sheet of paper for Jake. As he sat down with it, Jessica stood by the table and started to wipe her lipstick clear of Jake's cheek.

"You were warned about kissing so well, Jake," she whispered to him while she scrubbed. "How does me in Staci's micro kini sound, Casanova?"

"Really not fair," Jake answered as she patted his hand.

She went to the wastebasket, tossed the wipes then put an extra swish in her hips as she went to get her drawing then back to her table. Jake's eyes didn't leave her backside until Bobby waved his hand in front of Jake's face.

"Dude," Bobby chuckled. "You've got it so bad. Still!"

"Obviously," Jake chuckled. "Now what am I drawing?"

Coach Pennington stopped by the table and helped Jake get started then checked several times over the course of the class to show him what the class had worked on in his absence.

"Nice work, Jake," he told him as the bell to end the day was about to ring. "I should have you all caught up in a couple of days."

"I hope so, Coach," Jake said. "I appreciate the help."

"If you can stand a little more help hang out a second after class," he told him as he went back to his desk.

Coach Pennington glanced at the clock then told the class to put away their work until tomorrow since the bell was about to ring. Once it rang most of the class got up to leave but Jake remained seated.

"Is your leg hurting, Jake," Jessica asked as she, Shelly and Caitlyn came to his table.

"Coach wants to see me for a minute," he explained. "You guys go ahead and I'll be out in a minute."

"I'll get your books," Bobby said as he joined the girls.

"We'll be right out in the hall," Jessica told him then gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. "Oops. Sorry about the PDA again, Coach Pennington."

"It's fine, Jessica," Coach Pennington chuckled. "I'll have him back out to you in just a sec."

She thanked him and went to join the groups that were gathered just outside the door. Coach Pennington leaned against Jake's desk and nodded down at his cast.

"How long are you in that thing?" he asked.

"Four weeks if I'm lucky and the supplements that Jessica's friend out in California suggested work," Jake answered. "She has both Jess and I on protein supplements and some other stuff that have been shown to speed up healing of broken bones. The worst case is twelve weeks with the possibility of surgery if things aren't looking right but we don't mention that in front of Jessica. She doesn't like hearing worst case scenarios."

"Looking forward to you being moderately healthy for spring break is she?" Coach Pennington surmised.

"We're hoping to go out to California," he told him. "Tour the campus. See the sights. All that sort of stuff. I can go with this thing on my leg of course but I'd rather not hobble around."

"I heard that you were going to UCLA," he said. "Congratulations on that, by the way. That's big time and you've earned it."

"Thanks, Coach," he nodded. "If you had told me at the beginning of this year that I would be going to college out of state, much less all the way out to California, I would have told you that you were crazy."

"It's been a helluva year for you," Coach told him. "You've handled it pretty well considering all that's gone on. Did you hear anything about Patrick's punishment yet?"

"Nothing yet," Jake answered. "It was pushed to this afternoon was the last I heard."

"I had better let you get going then," he said. "I just wanted to ask you when you were thinking of getting back into the weight room. The team has been asking since you got out of the hospital."

"I've got an appointment with my doctor on Thursday," Jake said. "I can ask then when I'm cleared to start working out again. Cardio will take a little longer I think."

"Don't lose that sense of humor, Jake," Coach Pennington said. "Let me know what your doctor says and we'll see about getting you set up in the weight room."

"Thanks, Coach," Jake said as he pushed himself up. "I appreciate it."

Jake hobbled his way to the classroom door but paused and looked back into the room.

"Hey, coach," Jake called back. "Thanks for everything this year. It's meant a lot to me. Jess and me both actually."

"You both are welcome," Coach Pennington said. "Don't think that is going to make me go easy on you in the weight room though, Jake."

Jake gave out an exaggerated sigh and shook his head.

"It was worth a shot, Coach," he smiled.

"Uh huh," he nodded. "You keep thinking that once we get you into the weight room, Jake. Jessica is going to have to carry you home afterwards."

****

"So everyone agreed to meet us over at your house after our parents tell us what Patrick's sentence is, right?" Jake asked as Jessica drove them to her house where their families awaited them.

"Some are," she answered. "Most of our misfits will be over. Marybeth has to work so Bobby will be hanging out with her as usual. Jody and Javier have a study date for a test they have tomorrow but the rest will be over once we text them."

"Sarah is going to have the best time," Jake laughed.

"So many guests for her tea party," Jessica agreed with a giggle but then turned serious. "Jake, what are we going to do about this... this deal with the Greenes? It feels..."

"Wrong," Jake finished for her.

"Exactly," she said. "I guess that it's a good thing that we have some time to decide."

"And friends to talk to about what we should do," he added.

"It was so hard not to tell them when we got back but I knew that it would cause a huge uproar if we did and I didn't want it to get around the school you know?" she asked. "I know that it will happen sooner or later but I'd like for us to have made a decision about it before that, you know?"

"Yeah," Jake nodded. "Do you know what you want to do about it?"

"Yes. Well... no," she answered. "Maybe? What about you?"

"I've been trying not to think about it," he said. "That said, it's very tempting but I want to hear what a lawyer says about it before I decide anything."

"Agreed," Jessica nodded. "Now let's go get the other shoe dropped on us with Patrick's sentencing."

****

Sarah ran out the front door and leapt down the porch steps as Jessica parked her Mustang. She hurried over to Jake's door and smiled at him.

"I'm here to help, Jake," she announced as Jake opened his door.

"Is that so, Sar Bear?" Jake asked. "Think you can carry me into the house? This cast is heavy!"

"Uh, I was thinking about your backpack," Sarah said. "Sissy can try and carry you into the house."

"Sarah!" Jessica exclaimed. "I'm injured too, you know?"

"Looks like you're on your own, Jake," Sarah told him as she took his bag from her sister and headed for the house. "I can get the dads come and get you if you want. They're inside waiting for you."

"I think we can manage, Sarah," Jessica told her. "Take Jake's bag up to my room please. Some of our friends are coming by later and I don't want anyone tripping over it."

"Got it," Sarah nodded as she headed for the door. "Which friends?"

"What?" Jessica asked as she helped Jake with his crutches.

"Which friends are coming over?" Sarah called back.

"Most of the usual motley crew," she answered. "Enough for you to have the biggest tea party so go in and start getting ready for it. Jake and I will be up to do our homework later."

"Awesome!" Sarah shouted then hurried into the house.

"I hope our friends are ready for her tonight," Jessica commented as she helped Jake hop up the steps. "We're lucky that it's a school night otherwise her party would go past midnight."

"That could mean that I sleep over," Jake suggested with a grin.

"Not happening, Jake," Jessica said. "Save it for the weekend."

"My punishment weekend?" Jake chuckled.

"Getting worse for you by the second," she smiled.

They went inside and found both sets of parents were in the living room. Jake and Jessica sat on the unoccupied love seat and waited. Jessica's dad broke the silence.

"Firstly, he did not get any jail time," he started. "Something about being a first time offender with a promising future ahead of himself."

"Are you kidding me?" Jessica asked. "He almost killed us!"

"Jess, that wasn't all of it," her mother soothed her.

"Did he get awarded a medal or something too?" she asked annoyed.

"Jess," Jake smiled at her snarky question.

"Anyway," her dad continued. "He was sentenced to house confinement for twelve months with three years probation and his driver's license is suspended for two years. There was talk of some kind of fine and community service but that was some deal between his lawyer and the distract attorney that we weren't privy to."

"Well that's a bit more than I thought it would be," Jake said. "At least they didn't give him a medal, right, Jess?"

"Not yet they haven't," Jessica shook her head.

"Probably after his community service," Jake said. "I guess this is why his parents were so anxious for us to accept the checks and sign that paper huh?"

"I'd like to say that one doesn't necessarily pertain to the other but with the timing I'd have to agree," Jessica's dad nodded. "The question for you two is does it change anything?"

"I guess that's something that we need to figure out," Jake answered and turned to Jessica who nodded in agreement. "Time to call our friends over?"

"In a couple of minutes," she answered. "Were you able to set up a meeting with a lawyer?"

"I faxed over the paper to them once we left the courthouse," her dad answered. "She's going to look it over then call us back and set up a meeting. She said that it shouldn't take more than a day or so. I've already let the Greenes know that it will probably be the weekend before any decisions are made."

"I can't imagine they were too happy with that," Jake commented.

"I talked with Courtney," his mother said. "She reiterated that you and Jessica were to take all the time that you needed to make the best decisions for yourselves."

"I guess that means it's time to call our friends over to help us in making that decision huh, Jake?" Jessica said.

As she pulled out her phone she looked at her parents.