Marie took one last long look in the mirror before heading out to the living room to wait. Jen was picking her up to go dress shopping for the fall dance. Not that the dance was really close enough to be going dress shopping, but with those girls it was never too soon. Jen in particular did tend to take ages to find something she liked enough to buy. Britney, Alicia and Angela had promised to meet up with them in a few hours, as they had decided upon going to Saks Fifth Avenue first, and Marie was not quite willing to allow herself to indulge that much. Her mother had given her $600 to find a nice dress, but even that seemed too much to Marie. She decided to save that kind of money for the prom at the end of the year, and use her own money to buy a dress for the fall formal. It was something most girls only wore sun dresses, or short formal dresses to. Then again, the way the school went through plans for the fall formal, one would think it was just as important as the prom. The school had a tendency to go overboard as far as renting out places and decorating. Then again, most of the students attending the school were wealthy enough to handle $90 per person for a small formal, and seeing as most alumni were generous and wealthy, Belle Tech certainly had the funding. Marie's family was fairly well off too of course. Perhaps not as rich as Britney, Angela or Alicia, but definitely rich enough to pay for those tickets and a nice dress without a problem. Her mother was a fairly renowned psychiatrist, with a very successful business in the city, and her father the chief of the city police. Though this psychiatry practice seemed to keep her mother in the city more often then not, and her father was often on long periods of scheduled and unscheduled duty. Marie was fine with that, she rather enjoyed having much of her own company. Her mother came out into the living room then and took a seat beside her, newspaper in one hand, cup of tea in the other, dressed in her usual suit jacket and skirt. She was always this well dressed, even on a sunday morning. Despite the fact that they were not, and had never been, church goers, whether Marie's grandmother approved or not.
"Good morning honey." she said taking a sip of her coffee as her eyes skimmed across the headlines.
"Morning." Marie replied, turning her attention back to the window. Although she loved her mother very much, Marie could not say she was the easiest person to make casual conversation with. Unless there was a direct subject in mind, it was difficult not to feel a little awkward.
"Are you going out today?"
"Yea, with Jen. We're going to the mall..."
"Oh yes, Jen. Didn't she come over for christmas last year?"
"No mom, that was my ex boyfriend Freddy..."
"Oh right," she said calmly with a small chuckle, never raising her eyes from the paper, "Are there going to be any other boys attending the christmas party this year?"
Marie couldn't help but grin, wondering briefly what it would be like if Jamie were with her this year. Surely her family would be very surprised, and her mother would probably go nuts trying to psychoanalyze him. He did dress rather-and he wore makeup...and the piercings. The christmas party they had was the biggest part of the year. All of her family attended, including Marie's favorite relative, her grandma Fran. It was really almost cruel to bring a friend along though, as joyous an occasion as it was, as most people were quite put off by the prissy and sometimes obnoxious nature of her extended family. She couldn't say that hadn't influenced her decision to bring Freddy last year...
"Maybe..." she said, biting her lip to hide the amused smile that was about to spread across her face.
"Oh!" she said, leaping out of the chair, "There's Jen, I'll be back late so don't wait up."
"Okay have fun, and tell Jen to watch her driving!"
Marie rolled her eyes with a small giggle as she walked out the door, and hurried out to Jen's car, actually quite excited about their plans today. She couldn't say she didn't enjoy a good shopping trip. Jen greeted her with an excited squeal, obviously a little more then happy to be doing her all time favorite activity.
"Alright, now that I've got you alone..." Jen said as they started down the road with a squeal of her tires. Jen was not the most wonderful driver in the world. Marie usually ended up doubled over ready to vomit by the time she got out of the car.
"What is going on with that artsy kid you've been hanging out with! You're not dating him or something..."
Marie was stunned into a temporary stupor by her friend's sudden interest, Jen had been the one to help her out in the beginning, if not a little hesitantly, and had been oddly quiet about it since. Marie had just decided that it was one of those instances that was meant to be wholly ignored. However, it only took Marie a few moments to realize a situation like this would play to Jen's interest, as she so enjoyed the kind of intense gossip it would start.
"What?! No...of-of course not! He's just helping me...I want to get in the AP art program at school..."
Jen sighed exasperatedly, "Oh that's no fun! I thought there was some secret special fling going on with him..."
Marie flushed a deep crimson, averting her eyes. Of course there really wasn't, there could never be. She couldn't even wave to him at school, why on earth would she date him...
"Oh come on, am I supposed to believe you when you give me a look like THAT?"
Marie shrugged, getting slightly annoyed by Jen's prying, "There's nothing going on...there won't ever be..."
Jen giggled, "But you wish there was! Don't deny it it's written all over your face!"
Jen was so excited by this that Marie had to scream at her to hit the breaks at the next stoplight. This didn't phase Jen however, who just stopped and turned back to her, expression unchanged. This was not the rarest of occurrences of course, but that did not stop Marie from being frightened out of her wits. Whoever had taught Jen to drive had obviously been too busy to pay attention to how she really drove. Then again, Jen could have killed them in the process...
"I bet if he didn't wear all that makeup and weird clothes he'd be really cute, and if you really wanted him nobody would know who he was without it. You should give him a makeover." Jen said lightly, but Marie caught the awkward undertone in her voice. Jen wasn't just suggesting something so lighthearted.
"Why does it matter what he looks like." Marie said suddenly, but the second she blurted out these words she immediately regretted it. Of course it mattered. Jen gave her a tense look, "You know why. You can't honestly expect it to be okay, I mean- you should be more careful. If you're gonna keep giving him those 'looks' you better figure out a way to MAKE it okay or else..."
"Or else?" Marie asked tentatively.
"Look, I really shouldn't even be encouraging it, it's just- not very cool...you know I won't tell anybody. But seriously," Jen said gravely, "if it leaks, you know I can't just defend you..."
Marie physically winced, as if her words had literally smacked her in the face. She didn't know what she would have expected Jen to say, but she had certainly hoped for a little more sympathy then that particular string of words. She tried to hold back the strange numbness filling her at her friend's words, but she couldn't help it. Her hopes were slowly getting crushed, whether she let herself believe she was even hoping for them or not.
"So, why don't you just go with Tyler..." she said, changing the subject entirely.
"I don't much like his brand of 'self involved jerk off."
"There are plenty of boys to pick from."
"Let me emphasize that 'jerk-off' statement." Marie replied sarcastically.
"Hey," she exclaimed, playful note returning to her voice, "Antonio isn't like that!"
Marie laughed sardonically, noting the fact that Jen did not defend the other boys that were so obviously matching her description.
"No, you're right he's not, thank god you finally picked a good one..."
"Hey, Paul wasn't that bad."
Marie frowned slightly. Paul had cheated on Jen not once, not twice, but three times. Worse, with two of Jen's own friends. One of them was Britney, much to no one's surprise. Of course, these betrayals were overlooked, as was custom in this little societal order of theirs. Jen was far less popular than those girls, so they naturally had the benefit of the doubt. Paul himself could be a very decent guy, if only he could control his natural impulses.
"Okay, don't give me that look. He was kind of a jerk..."
"Antonio is a good pick," Marie said with a suggestive smile, "now don't miss the exit it's about to come up..."
By the time Jen and Marie had finished shopping, Jen had gone through at least 13 dresses with no luck of finding the perfect one. Marie had looked and found one almost immediately, as she didn't much care what she wore in any case today. After that tough conversation in the car, she was feeling a little iffy about shopping. Jen accredited this quick decision to the fact that Marie would look good in anything, to which Marie just waved a hand in dismissal. Jen did however, find a few marvelous outfits for any number of occasions, and when they went to the car, the trunk was completely stuffed with bags of her new ensembles. Marie had spent most of the time sitting in the dressing room as Jen hurried in and out of her stall wearing various things and questioning her opinion. Marie had almost forgotten just how annoying this was. After a few wrong turns and a near miss of a car parked on the side of the road, they made it to their next destination, Neiman Marcus. Marie of course, had already decided she wasn't planning on doing anything but laughing at their outrageous prices while the other girls shopped. She would not have come if it not for the fact that she hadn't actually hung out with all the girls in quite some time, she had to make sure to keep up on relationships or she would slip out of the ring. They made it there at the most convenient time, for Britney, Alicia and Angela had already started walking up to the mall as Jen and Marie pulled up. They waved casually and waited as they parked, got out and headed towards them.
"I bought the cutest new outfit!" Jen exclaimed, "I got it from Hollister, its this cute knit top..."
"Oh me too! Oh my gosh I can't wait to wear it tomorrow." Alicia said enthusiastically, "I would have gotten this other outfit too but Angela picked it up before I could grab it..."
"I told you to get it! They did have it in pink," Angela said quickly, "you know I'd never wear it in pink."
"Yea but still someone would notice we had the exact same outfit," Alicia whined as they stepped inside the front door, "but you know I could always go back and get it..."
They had decided ahead of time, as was customary when going on a shopping trip, to park on the opposite end of the mall from their destination. This way they could pass every store on their way, just in case by some amazing chance, they forgot to look for something. Not that it was very likely. It wasn't a very large mall, but packed within its sunny and decorated interior were some of the most expensive shops one could find. This spoke quite a bit about the residential population that was nearby. They chatted amicably as they walked, even Britney in a more chipper mood than usual, which spoke volumes about what a shopping spree could do for a girl. Various people passed them, a few boys smiling, winking, even whistling as they went. Many of which Marie recognized from school, football players, soccer stars, members of the lacrosse team. They were just rounding the first corner of the mall when an unfamiliar boy caught her eye. He had a very sweet smile, dark hair and dark eyes. He was with a few other boys that Marie recognized from the other school in the district, and when he passed, he caught her eye and flashed her a shy smile. She blinked a few times, then flashed a smile of her own. Once the boys had passed, the smile did not escape her, and Jen took notice of this immediately.
"I don't know his name, but he's from Century High, and don't even bother. I mean, just look at his friends..."
Marie rolled her eyes, pretending she had merely shrugged off the information. Jen was the girl to go to if one wanted information on any person of interest, even from different high schools. It was a strange talent, but because of it's uses, none of the girls complained. It was curious however, and Marie couldn't help but wonder if Jen kept a telescope in her backyard that could see through walls. They stopped in a few places, finding various things that had to do with the dance, but most that didn't. Marie was actually quite enjoying herself, feeling a little more comfortable then she usually did when she was around them. She had begun to think she was starting to like them, when the inevitable happened. They were passing hot topic when some familiar faces came out, one of which was Britney's most favorite person, Sam. And worse yet, she had dyed her hair, and of all colors a bright eye blinding pink, giving Britney an open reason for mockery. It was barely a moment before Britney spotted her, not enough time for Marie to devise a plan to distract her. Josh and David were close in tow as Sam spotted their posse and immediately started toward Britney, who had blown her a kiss with the most exaggerated mockery she could possibly muster.
"Oh SAM, I just adore what you've done with your hair. What would you call that color girls? Acid bubble gum?" Britney said loudly.
As they got closer, Marie could hear Josh and David trying to coax their friend out of the confrontation, but no amount of calming seemed to work, and within moments Sam had stomped her way up as close to Britney's face as she could.
"What the hell is wrong with you huh? Bet you're not brave enough to say anything NOW, are you!" Sam exclaimed, face rouging with rage.
Though Marie knew it was hardly Sam's fault, she wondered why such a simple gesture, despite it's rudeness, could produce such hostility. If someone had walked into the conversation at that point they might think they'd already resorted to blows. Britney did not shrink away however, but merely cackled, a most unattractive sound that Marie had not heard from her before.
"I'll say whatever I want to." she replied, studying her nails as if quite unperturbed.
Sam growled, curling her fists into tight balls, "Then say it!"
"Okay," Britney said with a half smile, putting her hands on her hips, "You're a freak. And everybody knows it, so why don't you just give up defending yourself and start getting used to the idea."
It took a moment for Sam to react, and in that moment Marie saw Josh smack himself in the forehead in a rather animated way, and David cover his mouth in shock.
"Oh really?" Sam said through gritted teeth, "Is that what you think then?"
Britney pretended to think about it for a moment, then nodded with a sarcastic smile, "Yep that about covers it."
"Oh, WELL then..." Sam said beginning to turn on her heel.
Marie barely had time to express her surprise at Sam's subservient gesture, when she whirled around and punched Britney square in the jaw. Britney doubled over, hand held over her bloody nose in shock, eyes widened to twice their normal size. For the first time Marie had seen, Sam was grinning with pure satisfaction, and though they were stifling it, so were Josh and David. Marie had to bite her lip to stop herself from doing the same. She met Josh's gaze briefly then, and they exchanged discreetly amused smiles, before the group turned and hurried away, in hopes of escaping the security that was now heading their way. Alicia and Angela were examining Britney's face with slight disgust, and forced sympathy, while Jen was just standing by watching. Marie was content to just absorb the scene for a few moments, drinking it in with slight amusement. She knew if she really liked Britney, then she would of course be upset. What was truly telling, was the fact that not one of the girls there had a truly empathetic look on their face. Neither did they help all that much when Britney was complaining overzealously to the guard that had come over to assist her. Marie felt a twinge of pity for Britney for this. She couldn't help but think if they would act any differently with Marie in this situation. Though she did not have the confrontational problems that Britney had, she was sure the only one in their group that truly cared anything for her was Jen. But then, Jen had been practicing her facade long enough to be very good at it, she could very well be faking that as well. She watched Britney for a few moments silently. That could be her. At any moment, when she needed them most, they could abandon her. She would never know until it was too late if she'd ever really made true friends in her life. Friends like Sam, who would defend her against anything, friends like she saw in movies, friends that would do anything to help. She thought briefly of Jamie, the one person she had begun to open up to, and realized that she could have already ruined that, unwilling to sacrifice what she had for something more real. She felt very alone right then, whether she was surrounded by the prettiest girls in school or not, she was utterly alone.
"Hey, perk up! Neiman Marcus is around the corner!" Jen said happily, waking her from her daze.
Marie merely glanced at her, and said nothing. She had the sudden urge to scream at Jen for being so cold, but bit her tongue. She wasn't really sure if Jen had the right or not. Britney had done her many wrongs in the past, but was that really a reason to ignore her like this?
"You go ahead, I'll wait here."
Jen raised an eyebrow in both surprise and question, but merely shrugged and turned to follow the other girls as they hurried away. Britney was still chatting animatedly with the security guard when Marie spotted him, the same boy she had made eye contact with before, who was now walking alone down the walkway on the other side. She had a sudden flare in her to talk to him as his eyes met hers again. He hesitated under her gaze, gait wavering for a moment before he shook his head a little and continued walking, watching his feet as he went. She took one glance over at Britney before making up her mind and hurrying over to him. He jumped in surprise when she called "Hey!" to slow him down.
"Uh-er hi!" he said nervously, flashing her a sweet smile again.
She giggled involuntarily, looking back over her shoulder again to make sure Britney was still occupied.
"What's your name?" she asked quickly, as if she didn't keep his attention he might run away.
He sure had that sort of look on his face. Am I that repulsive? she thought.
"Oh- I'm Teddy. What's yours?"
"Marie..."
"That's a really pretty name." he said quietly, grinning again.
She blushed a little, smiling and looking down at her feet for a moment. An awkward silence fell between them, and before Marie lost her courage, she hurriedly pulled out a pen and a piece of torn paper and jotted down her name and number. She looked back at Britney again, stomach jolting a little when she realized the girl was gone.
"Here's my number." she said quickly, handing it to him "We should hang out sometime..."
He just grinned at her a little stupidly, not saying anything for a long time before he finally replied, "Al-I mean, yea, okay! I'll call you..."
She nodded, offering one last friendly smile before heading off towards Neiman Marcus. It wasn't until she had left that her stomach began to swirl with butterflies. He hadn't totally repulsed her, that was certainly a step up. In fact, she thought he might be rather pleasant to be around. However, as her little act of defiance began to sink in, she began to get more and more nervous as to what would happen. This would be an experiment. Just how far could she push the boundaries of this masquerade?
Jamie sat up slowly in bed, eyes still heavy with sleep. It was still dark in his room, the sun hadn't risen yet, but the sky was beginning to have that dull orange glow. He swung his legs over the side and threw off his blankets with a yawn, sitting on the edge of the bed for a moment before standing slowly. He stretched in the chilled air, walking, or rather stumbling over to his dresser to throw on some clothes. Once he was done changing he walked slowly out the door to the bathroom to brush his teeth, eyes half closed with weariness. He stopped in front of the mirror, rubbing his eyes again. However, the next moment, when he opened them again, his heart leapt in his throat as he saw familiar faces staring back at him...
Jamie started, eyes flying open. He was sweating profusely, breathing as if he'd run a mile. He sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes shakily. He'd had this dream so many times, but it never ceased to terrify him. He shook his head free of the images still running rampant in his mind and got up slowly, peering out his bedroom window. It was long before dawn, as it usually was when he woke up. He tiptoed down the hall and opened his sister's door as quietly as he could. She often had the tendency, as he did, to wake early in the morning. It was something their mother had done as well, perhaps it had been passed down to them. He smiled slightly upon hearing her rhythmic breathing, she was sleeping soundly, head hidden beneath the blankets. He closed the door gently and started towards the bathroom, hesitating slightly before stepping in front of the mirror, shivering in the morning chill, and splashed cool water on his face, in hopes of waking himself a bit more. Then, he brushed his teeth and staggered out to the living room. It was unnaturally neat, just like his father liked it. This of course only served to make the house less comforting then it already was. There was a coldness that had settled in the house, it got worse in the night, a coldness that was never present before everything had happened. He had forgotten just how present it was in that year long absence, and being in someone else's old home reminded him what homes were meant to feel like. This house held so much warmth and cheer when Jamie was a child, when there were familial memories still being made. Now it's walls were clean, but stained beneath the surface, littered with imperfection that had been wallpapered and plastered till the nuances had disappeared. Jamie curled up on the chair in the living room, staring quietly out the front window. The house was surrounded by woods, so there wasn't much to look at, but he wasn't looking for anything in particular, he just hoped to find some comfort outside, take in some benign presence that was absent within these walls. He shivered again, looking around the dark living room as if to find someone there. He often had that feeling, of being watched. Especially in these wee hours of the morning. Sometimes he turned to find his little sister, or his father was there as well, but most times, he was alone. Then again, most times his father was not home. He often left for weeks on end, but Jamie was used to that by now. He had to learn to fend for himself and his sister at an early age, when his older brother could no longer help. He rubbed his eyes again, taking a deep breath and going into the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat. His father had been gone a long time, and Jamie hadn't made it to the grocery store. He searched in the cabinets and through the fridge, but both were empty, as he suspected. He frowned deeply, wondering what he could do for Jenna. She couldn't go to preschool with an empty stomach. He reached deeper, hoping to find something he looked over, anything at all. He raised his eyebrows when, to his great surprise, he located something. A packet of oatmeal. With a sigh of relief he placed the packet on the countertop and went to his room, searching his drawers for the stock pile of money he kept for times like this. He pulled out the envelope and dug in its depths hopefully, only to pull out a few dollars. So that's was why he hadn't gone to the store yet. He stared at it for a few moments, brows furrowed. He had had a full time job that summer, which had been quite a help in saving all that money. So soon after losing the job it was already gone, but this was no surprise to him. Jenna had wanted so badly to be enrolled in the special preschool program, and despite its price, he didn't have the heart to tell her no. He didn't tell her their father had said no, she would have been crushed. Instead, he'd decided to pay for it himself, and had asked for hours beyond what his boss could offer. Jenna deserved it, she was a very smart 4 year old. She already knew her alphabet, numbers, state names and capitals, most things Jamie hadn't learned until first or second grade. Learning was something she loved. He sighed and placed the money on his dresser. He had hoped to have another job by now, but most places were hesitant to hire someone so far away that had no car, not to mention a student when school was in session. His house was almost out of range of the high school even, it was so far out in the woods. He searched through the drawer again, this time for clothes. He didn't want to think about what he would do for dinner, he just hoped his father was back by tonight... He threw something on without precognition and trudged into the bathroom, stopping to stare at his reflection in the mirror. He looked tired, as usual. He chewed his lip and searched under the sink to locate his eyeliner, quite handy for days when he didn't want to be questioned why he looked so exhausted. He never really was, whether he looked it or not, he'd gotten used to waking so early by now. When he came back out, he was greeted, or rather frightened out of his wits, by a chipper and cheerful, "Jamieeee!"
He laughed as Jenna latched onto his legs.
"Hey, what are you doing up so early?"
"I'm not sleepy!" Jenna exclaimed quickly, with a bright smile.
She looked just like their mother, ice green eyes and dark hair, always a smile on her face, and a light sprinkling of freckles across her rosy cheeks.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, picking her up with a huff.
She latched onto him tightly, "Lucky charms!"
Jamie frowned slightly, realizing quite suddenly that oatmeal was probably Jenna's least favorite breakfast food.
"Sorry kiddo, all we have is oatmeal..."
"Aw...okay I guess."
He walked her over to the table and sat her down, then went to the kitchen and got out a bowl. Jenna watched him patiently as he prepared it. She had always been a little mature for her age, very uncharacteristically patient and calm for a four year old. She even preferred reading to playing outside. He stuck a spoon in the steaming oatmeal as a finishing touch and put it on the table, turning on the light as he went.
"Mmmm!" she said as she stuck the spoon in her mouth, "You make it good!"
He smiled, "Good, then eat up!"
"Where's yours?" she asked, hunched over her bowl as she shoveled it in her mouth.
"Eh-I'm not hungry yet." he said slowly.
Though he knew Jenna was probably more aware then he liked to admit, Jamie always tried to make the situation out to be better than it really was. For the most part, Jenna usually seemed contented and unworried, like a kid her age should be. Like he wanted it. She should never have to worry about things like this, and he intended to keep it that way. It had grown increasingly difficult to shelter her from certain things over the years however, and he could not help the fact that their father was never there. It was not a good thing for any kid, but he tried to be there for her when she needed someone. She finished with a hiccup and smiled at her brother.
"When is Joshy coming?"
Jamie snickered. Jenna had grown rather fond of Josh, since he was now driving her to preschool when he and Jamie went to school. Josh was an only child, but he had a way with younger children, always willing to make silly faces and play. You could say he was quite in touch with his inner child, or more likely a part of him had never grown out of it.
"Not for a while, we should get you dressed. Unless you wanna go to school in Pajamas."
She giggled and leapt out of her chair, "No pajamas."
She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall to her room and up to her dresser.
"Help me pick?"
He nodded and stood by as she rummaged through her drawers, pulling out various tops and dresses with a frown or a head shake. Then after a few minutes she pulled out a dress slowly and a grin spread across her face.
"This one!"
She held it up to him, and he studied it for a few moments with a thoughtful expression.
"Hmmm....I dunno..."
She giggled, "This one this one!"
"Okay okay, that one!" he said laughing a little.
She clapped her hands and started pushing him towards the door, "I have to put it on!"
"Okay I'm going!" he said hurrying out of the room, "I'll be in the living room."
She nodded and closed the door behind him quickly. Jamie took a seat on the sofa and waited a few moments, smile fading slowly. He had to find a job, and soon. He was rather picky when it came to work, as he outright refused to take jobs after school. Jenna needed him then, and their father certainly wouldn't be home to take care of her. He could find her a babysitter, but it was already hard enough on her to not have their mother there, and their father gone all the time. Last year he had worked after Jenna went to sleep, staying there until the early morning hours and returning before she woke, but that had not worked out for long. He rubbed his eyes with a sigh and stood again, feeling restless. None of the places he had applied to had called him. Perhaps it was time to take his old job back.
"Jamie! Look, isn't it pretty?"
He whirled around and grinned as she spun on her heel to show her off her dress like a proper model, "It's perfect! You want me to do your hair?"
She nodded enthusiastically and skipped to the bathroom. Jamie had been doing her hair since she was two, after Jenna had started caring how her hair looked. Once he finished they went to her room to read as they waited for Josh to come. He read her favorite book with her, it was the first book he had taught her to read from. After they had been reading for a few months she picked it up and began trying to teach herself, so he decided to help. She could recite every page word for word now, and always notified him immediately if he skipped a page without even looking at it.
It was not long before there was a knock on the door and Jenna leapt up with a squeal of excitement. She loved going to preschool. She hurried out to the living room and opened the door with much effort, then greeted Josh with her usual 'Joshy!' and a hug.
"Hey, don't you look pretty today." Josh said with a chuckle.
"I picked it out." she said proudly, twirling on one heel, "and Jamie did my hair."
"Oh no," he said dramatically, "so that's what's wrong with it!"
She giggled as Jamie walked up behind her, crossing his arms, "Ha ha. You're here a little early."
"Ah I figured you might want breakfast." Josh replied, stepping inside and turning serious for a moment, "Unless you already ate..."
"He made me oatmeal," Jenna said quickly, "and I dunno how he did it but it was good!"
"Oh really? Since when can Jamie cook? Maybe it wasn't really oatmeal." Josh waggled an eyebrow at her, warranting a little chuckle, "Hey, where's all your stuff? Why don't you go get it squirt." he continued, messing up her hair playfully.
"Hey!" she said sticking out her tongue, then hurried back to her room.
"What about you?" Josh asked when she was out of earshot.
"Eh..." Jamie fingered the money in his pocket, "I need to go to the grocery store..."
Josh nodded slowly, crossing his arms, "Why don't you come over for dinner tonight, both of you. You know my mom would love to have you."
Jamie frowned, knowing very well Josh only asked because he was aware of the situation. He rubbed the back of his neck, hating that he may just have to accept. Even if he did go to the store, there wasn't much he could buy with a few dollars.
"Alright...thank you."
Josh offered a weak smile. When Jenna came back, book bag in hand, Josh turned to him.
"Hey where's your stuff?"
"Oh right!" Jamie said, running back to his room.
They pulled up to the preschool slowly, mindful of the parents and their kids crossing the road. Jamie got out of the car and walked Jenna to the front door, then knelt down in front of her.
"You have everything?" he asked.
She nodded with a brilliant smile.
"Okay, we'll pick you up after playtime."
Playtime was a part of the school's program. A session of play learning that lasted from 3 to 5 pm. In between most students went home, but the school offered a daycare for those who couldn't, and also provided lunch for free. It was of great relief at times like this to know Jenna would not have to go hungry. It was beneficial to Jamie too of course, who could now have time to work on his artwork in the short time after school.
"We're going to Josh's house for dinner tonight." he added with a smile.
Jenna squealed with excitement. Josh's mom was a very sweet woman, and Jenna loved her to pieces. Of course it helped that she always gave Jenna her special homemade cookies.
"You go to school now." she said, then latched onto him tightly. She hugged him for an extended time, then pulled away and ran into the school, waving to him as she went. He waved back at her, watching her as she ran in for a few moments, then walked back to Josh's car slowly, and got in without a word. Josh had a very solemn look on his face as he stared at the school, and for a time was silent, as if thinking.
"What do you want for breakfast?"
Jamie looked out his window, fingering the bills in his pocket again. He had to save it, or else there would be no oatmeal tomorrow...
"I'm fine. We're gonna be late..."
"I'll pay for you, I've got money."
Jamie shook his head slowly, "You do it too much..."
"Yea well you never let me help any other way." Josh said, a tone of frustration in his voice as he put the car in gear.
Jamie didn't say anything as they pulled away from the school. He didn't want to make it a habit, taking money from Josh. He was not rich, nor was his mother. When she gave Josh money it was enough for him, and when he had his own money he gave it to her. He couldn't disrupt that, he'd already put them out enough going there for dinner all the time.
"You need that, just keep it." Jamie said quickly, waving his hand in dismissal.
"You need it more then I do. Mom's doing pretty good right now...you know she's gonna give you money tonight anyway..."
"Yea, but she shouldn't..."
"Hey," Josh said turning to him, face stern, "I told you, she's doing pretty good at work. She knows you need it, just take it from her this time. And take it from me..."
Jamie crossed his arms, averting his eyes, a sick feeling settling in his stomach. He knew no matter what Josh would continue to harass him until he said yes. He didn't quite feel like putting the effort into that endless argument again, so his only option was to accept.
"Alright, but next time..."
"Yea yea, I know...How about Mcdonald's?" Josh said with renewed cheer.
They pulled up to school twenty minutes later, chewing on egg mcmuffins and hashbrowns, and sipping at bitter coffee. It was a pretty typical morning so far. Sam and David pulled up after them then, both hopping out of the car and meeting them with sleepy yawns of greeting. The parking lot was fairly empty, as was usual when they pulled up at school. Most students didn't show up until 10 minutes before the bell.
"I'm gonna fa-haaa-haaaail that geometry test." Sam said between a wide yawn.
"No you won't," Jamie said immediately, "You'll ace it, like always."
She offered a small smile, "Yea okay, maybe I will, but it'd be kind of annoying if I told you guys that every time I had a test."
"Yea, she does have a point..." David said groggily.
Another car pulled up then, a boxy maroon one. A car Jamie had never seen in the parking lot so early before. He nearly choked on his hashbrown when he saw who stepped out. It was Marie, clad in a very short skirt, high heels and her usual very low cut shirt. She was awfully early. He hadn't had time to prepare for her arrival. Normally he would think over what he should say to her, what he should do, and more recently, how he could fix their argument. This however, gave him a split second to decide whether she wanted to ignore him and he her, or if he should wave in high hopes that she would respond without a snub. Surely he couldn't just blatantly ignore her. The minute she got out of the car, her eyes locked on him like an arrow on a target. He gulped, feeling that for some reason, even though he was sure he hadn't done anything wrong, he was in trouble. She walked over to him confidently, drawing the attention of all present, including a very reproachful glare from Sam, and stopped, placing a hand on her hip.
"Can I talk to you for a second?"
Jamie gulped hard, face rouging as his friend's eyes bored into him, then he nodded, and handed the remainder of his breakfast to Josh, who took it without question. Marie led him a little ways away, under the shade of the big willow in front of the school and whirled around to face him.
"I don't want to argue with you, but I want you to listen to me. I know that when I walked over to you today you must have had some kind of worry about what your friends would say. Don't even deny it, I saw the look on your face."
He gaped slightly at her, but didn't say a word, allowing her to finish.
"I know...maybe I was a little hasty the other day, but my friends don't adjust so quickly as yours might. I don't know when we can stop keeping this a secret, but I'm gonna try"
He nodded silently, feeling slightly abashed. He was too ready to put blame on her.
"I'm sorry." he said quietly, meeting her eyes briefly.
She nodded, accepting his apology, then squinted her eyes at him for a moment, furrowing her brows.
"Are you okay? You look sick...or tired..."
He looked away, flushing slightly at her concern. He hadn't noticed that much of a difference in his appearance this morning, why was she? Apparently he hadn't put on that ever-useful eyeliner very well today...
"I'm okay, just didn't sleep well last night."
"Oh...okay..."
He smiled weakly in assurance then glanced briefly back at Josh, Sam and David. Sam looked ready to stomp over and give Marie a good bashing.
"Eh, well I hate to leave, but for fear of your safety..." he said pointing discretely over to the group. Marie paled slightly upon seeing the reproachful glare she was getting, then turned back to Jamie.
"Okay, well...I'll see you later today then."
She smiled nervously, peering once again over at Sam before hurrying up to the school. Jamie stood there for a few moments, steeling himself to watch her as she walked, a little baffled, then shook his head slightly, clearing his mind and walked back to his friends as slowly as possible, knowing full well he was about to get a load of crap. Most of which would come from the tornado that was Sam. Josh gave him a sympathetic shrug when he came back, handing him his now cold breakfast. Sam began to question him immediately of course.
"What the hell was that? What's she doing wanting to 'talk to you for a minute' what..."
"Sam," Josh said before she could even finish, "leave him alone will you? You don't have to know every little thing that happens anymore..."
Everyone gaped at Josh then, even Jamie. Clearly he had decided to take a more offensive approach to his clever redirection. Either that, or Josh was feeling especially confrontational that day, because the inevitable outcome to a comment like that was a heated argument.
"I-he's...SHE'S..." Sam stuttered, obviously unsure how to react to a comment like this. After all, no one in her own circle of friends had said something like that to her before, least of all Josh. David was having a very difficult time stifling a guffaw apparently, as he had a hand secured tightly over his mouth while his eyes were squinted with the effort. Clearly he was enjoying this. Sam flushed a deep scarlet.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it to be harsh..." Jamie began, feeling like he should stop this before it became a huge disagreement. After dating her for a full six months, he had become especially skilled at calming Sam before she did anything she regretted, which was the look she was giving Josh now, a look that meant she was conjuring up the most horrendous injuring retort she could muster. Josh however, just continued munching on his breakfast as if nothing was going on.
"Don't try to fix this!" she exclaimed hotly, giving Jamie a reproachful glare before turning her dagger gaze back on Josh, "What exactly do you mean by that Josh? Maybe you want to explain so I can understand you a bit better!"
Josh shrugged nonchalantly, "Okay, I will. You bug Jamie every time there's a girl within ten feet of him. Why don't you just let him be? He's allowed to talk to girls , or dare I say DATE them now, since you two have been BROKEN UP for two years..."
Jamie kneeded the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh, clearly this was going to be a very long, and a very unusual day.
By the time Jen and Marie had finished shopping, Jen had gone through at least 13 dresses with no luck of finding the perfect one. Marie had looked and found one almost immediately, as she didn't much care what she wore in any case today. After that tough conversation in the car, she was feeling a little iffy about shopping. Jen accredited this quick decision to the fact that Marie would look good in anything, to which Marie just waved a hand in dismissal. Jen did however, find a few marvelous outfits for any number of occasions, and when they went to the car, the trunk was completely stuffed with bags of her new ensembles. Marie had spent most of the time sitting in the dressing room as Jen hurried in and out of her stall wearing various things and questioning her opinion. Marie had almost forgotten just how annoying this was. After a few wrong turns and a near miss of a car parked on the side of the road, they made it to their next destination, Neiman Marcus. Marie of course, had already decided she wasn't planning on doing anything but laughing at their outrageous prices while the other girls shopped. She would not have come if it not for the fact that she hadn't actually hung out with all the girls in quite some time, she had to make sure to keep up on relationships or she would slip out of the ring. They made it there at the most convenient time, for Britney, Alicia and Angela had already started walking up to the mall as Jen and Marie pulled up. They waved casually and waited as they parked, got out and headed towards them.
"I bought the cutest new outfit!" Jen exclaimed, "I got it from Hollister, its this cute knit top..."
"Oh me too! Oh my gosh I can't wait to wear it tomorrow." Alicia said enthusiastically, "I would have gotten this other outfit too but Angela picked it up before I could grab it..."
"I told you to get it! They did have it in pink," Angela said quickly, "you know I'd never wear it in pink."
"Yea but still someone would notice we had the exact same outfit," Alicia whined as they stepped inside the front door, "but you know I could always go back and get it..."
They had decided ahead of time, as was customary when going on a shopping trip, to park on the opposite end of the mall from their destination. This way they could pass every store on their way, just in case by some amazing chance, they forgot to look for something. Not that it was very likely. It wasn't a very large mall, but packed within its sunny and decorated interior were some of the most expensive shops one could find. This spoke quite a bit about the residential population that was nearby. They chatted amicably as they walked, even Britney in a more chipper mood than usual, which spoke volumes about what a shopping spree could do for a girl. Various people passed them, a few boys smiling, winking, even whistling as they went. Many of which Marie recognized from school, football players, soccer stars, members of the lacrosse team. They were just rounding the first corner of the mall when an unfamiliar boy caught her eye. He had a very sweet smile, dark hair and dark eyes. He was with a few other boys that Marie recognized from the other school in the district, and when he passed, he caught her eye and flashed her a shy smile. She blinked a few times, then flashed a smile of her own. Once the boys had passed, the smile did not escape her, and Jen took notice of this immediately.
"I don't know his name, but he's from Century High, and don't even bother. I mean, just look at his friends..."
Marie rolled her eyes, pretending she had merely shrugged off the information. Jen was the girl to go to if one wanted information on any person of interest, even from different high schools. It was a strange talent, but because of it's uses, none of the girls complained. It was curious however, and Marie couldn't help but wonder if Jen kept a telescope in her backyard that could see through walls. They stopped in a few places, finding various things that had to do with the dance, but most that didn't. Marie was actually quite enjoying herself, feeling a little more comfortable then she usually did when she was around them. She had begun to think she was starting to like them, when the inevitable happened. They were passing hot topic when some familiar faces came out, one of which was Britney's most favorite person, Sam. And worse yet, she had dyed her hair, and of all colors a bright eye blinding pink, giving Britney an open reason for mockery. It was barely a moment before Britney spotted her, not enough time for Marie to devise a plan to distract her. Josh and David were close in tow as Sam spotted their posse and immediately started toward Britney, who had blown her a kiss with the most exaggerated mockery she could possibly muster.
"Oh SAM, I just adore what you've done with your hair. What would you call that color girls? Bubble gum?" Britney said loudly.
As they got closer, Marie could hear Josh and David trying to coax their friend out of the confrontation, but no amount of calming seemed to work, and within moments Sam had stomped her way up as close to Britney's face as she could.
"What the hell is wrong with you huh? Bet you're not brave enough to say anything NOW, are you!" Sam exclaimed, face rouging with rage.
Though Marie knew it was hardly Sam's fault, she wondered why such a simple gesture, despite it's rudeness, could produce such hostility. If someone had walked into the conversation at that point they might think they'd already resorted to blows. Britney did not shrink away however, but merely cackled, a most unattractive sound that Marie had not heard from her before.
"I'll say whatever I want to." she replied, studying her nails as if quite unperturbed.
Sam growled, curling her fists into tight balls, "Then say it!"
"Okay," Britney said with a half smile, putting her hands on her hips, "You're a freak. And everybody knows it, so why don't you just give up defending yourself and start getting used to the idea."
It took a moment for Sam to react, and in that moment Marie saw Josh smack himself in the forehead in a rather animated way, and David cover his mouth in shock.
"Oh really?" Sam said through gritted teeth, "Is that what you think then?"
Britney pretended to think about it for a moment, then nodded with a sarcastic smile, "Yep that about covers it."
"Oh, well then..." Sam said beginning to turn on her heel.
Marie barely had time to express her surprise at Sam's subservient gesture, when she whirled around and punched Britney square in the jaw. Britney doubled over, hand held over her bloody nose in shock, eyes widened to twice their normal size. For the first time Marie had ever seen, Sam was grinning with pure satisfaction, and though they were stifling it, so were Josh and David. Marie had to bite her lip to stop herself from doing the same. She met Josh's gaze briefly then, and they exchanged discreetly amused smiles, before the group turned and hurried away, in hopes of escaping the security that was now heading their way. Alicia and Angela were examining Britney's face with slight disgust, and forced sympathy, while Jen was just standing by watching. Marie was content to just absorb the scene for a few moments, drinking it in with slight amusement. She knew if she really liked Britney, then she would of course be upset. What was truly telling, was the fact that not one of the girls there had a truly empathetic look on their face. Neither did they help all that much when Britney was complaining overzealously to the guard that had come over to assist her. Marie felt a twinge of pity for Britney for this. She couldn't help but think if they would act any differently with Marie in this situation. Though she did not have the confrontational problems that Britney had, she was sure the only one in their group that truly cared anything for her was Jen. But then, Jen had been practicing her facade long enough to be very good at it, she could very well be faking that as well. She watched Britney for a few moments silently. That could be her. At any moment, when she needed them most, they could abandon her. She would never know until it was too late if she'd ever really made true friends in her life. Friends like Sam, who would defend her against anything, friends like she saw in movies, friends that would do anything to help. She thought briefly of Jamie, the one person she had begun to open up to, and realized that she could have already ruined that, unwilling to sacrifice what she had for something more real. She felt very alone right then, whether she was surrounded by the prettiest girls in school or not, she was utterly alone.
"Hey, perk up! Neiman Marcus is around the corner!" Jen said happily, waking her from her daze.
Marie merely glanced at her, and said nothing. She had the sudden urge to scream at Jen for being so cold, but bit her tongue. She wasn't really sure if Jen had the right or not. Britney had done her many wrongs in the past, but was that really a reason to ignore her like this?
"You go ahead, I'll wait here."
Jen raised an eyebrow in both surprise and question, but merely shrugged and turned to follow the other girls as they hurried away. Britney was still chatting animatedly with the security guard when Marie spotted him, the same boy she had made eye contact with before, who was now walking alone down the walkway on the other side. She had a sudden flare in her to talk to him as his eyes met hers again. He hesitated under her gaze, gait wavering for a moment before he shook his head a little and continued walking, watching his feet as he went. She took one glance over at Britney before making up her mind and hurrying over to him. He jumped in surprise when she called "Hey!" to slow him down.
"Uh-er hi!" he said nervously, flashing her a sweet smile again.
She giggled involuntarily, looking back over her shoulder again to make sure Britney was still occupied.
"What's your name?" she asked quickly, as if she didn't keep his attention he might run away.
He sure had that sort of look on his face. Am I that repulsive? she thought.
"Oh- I'm Teddy. What's yours?"
"Marie..."
"That's a really pretty name." he said quietly, grinning again.
She blushed a little, smiling and looking down at her feet for a moment. An awkward silence fell between them, and before Marie lost her courage, she hurriedly pulled out a pen and a piece of torn paper and jotted down her name and number. She looked back at Britney again, stomach jolting a little when she realized the girl was gone.
"Here's my number." she said quickly, handing it to him "We should hang out sometime..."
He just grinned at her a little stupidly, not saying anything for a long time before he finally replied, "Al-I mean, yea, okay! I'll call you..."
She nodded, offering one last friendly smile before heading off towards Neiman Marcus. It wasn't until she had left that her stomach began to swirl with butterflies. Teddy had given her one of those rare feelings, that were quickly becoming not so rare. Two people in one year, she thought, what's gotten into me?
Jamie sat up slowly in bed, eyes still heavy with sleep. It was still dark in his room, the sun hadn't risen yet, but the sky was beginning to have that dull orange glow. He swung his legs over the side and threw off his blankets with a yawn, sitting on the edge of the bed for a moment before standing slowly. He stretched in the chilled air, walking, or rather stumbling over to his dresser to throw on some clothes. Once he was done changing he walked slowly out the door to the bathroom to brush his teeth, eyes half closed with weariness. He stopped in front of the mirror, rubbing his eyes again. However, the next moment, when he opened them again, his heart leapt in his throat as he saw familiar faces staring back at him...
Jamie started, eyes flying open. He was sweating profusely, breathing as if he'd run a mile. He sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes shakily. He'd had this dream so many times, but it never ceased to terrify him. He shook his head free of the images still running rampant in his mind and got up slowly, peering out his bedroom window. It was long before dawn, as it usually was when he woke up. He tiptoed down the hall and opened his sister's door as quietly as he could. She often had the tendency, as he did, to wake early in the morning. It was something their mother had done as well, perhaps it had been passed down to them. He smiled slightly upon hearing her rhythmic breathing, she was sleeping soundly, head hidden beneath the blankets. He closed the door gently and started towards the bathroom, hesitating slightly before stepping in front of the mirror, shivering in the morning chill, and splashed cool water on his face, in hopes of waking himself a bit more. Then, he brushed his teeth and staggered out to the living room. It was unnaturally neat, just like his father liked it. This of course only served to make the house less comforting then it already was. There was a coldness that had settled in the house, a coldness that was never present before everything had happened. The house held so much warmth and cheer when Jamie was a child. Now it's walls were clean, but stained beneath the surface, littered with imperfection that had been wallpapered and plastered till the nuances had disappeared. Jamie curled up on the chair in the living room, staring quietly out the front window. The house was surrounded by woods, so there wasn't much to look at, but he wasn't looking for anything in particular, he just hoped to find some comfort outside, take in some benign presence that was absent within these walls. He shivered again, looking around the dark living room as if to find someone there. He often had that feeling, of being watched. Especially in these wee hours of the morning. Sometimes he turned to find his little sister, or his father was there as well, but most times, he was alone. Then again, most times his father was not home. He often left for weeks on end, but Jamie was used to that by now. He had to learn to fend for himself and his sister at an early age, when his older brother could no longer help. He rubbed his eyes again, taking a deep breath and going into the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat. His father had been gone a long time, and Jamie hadn't made it to the grocery store. He searched in the cabinets and through the fridge, but both were empty, as he suspected. He frowned deeply, wondering what he could do for Jenna. She couldn't go to preschool with an empty stomach. He reached deeper, hoping to find something he looked over, anything at all. He raised his eyebrows when, to his great surprise, he located something. A packet of oatmeal. With a sigh of relief he placed the packet on the countertop and went to his room, searching his drawers for the stock pile of money he kept for times like this. He pulled out the envelope and dug in its depths hopefully, only to pull out a few dollars. So that's was why he hadn't gone to the store yet. He stared at it for a few moments, brows furrowed. He had had a full time job that summer, which had been quite a help in saving all that money. So soon after losing the job it was already gone, but this was no surprise to him. Jenna had wanted so badly to be enrolled in the special preschool program, and despite its price, he didn't have the heart to tell her no. He didn't tell her their father had said no, she would have been crushed. Instead, he'd decided to pay for it himself. Jenna deserved it, she was a very smart 4 year old. She already knew her alphabet, numbers, state names and capitals, most things Jamie hadn't learned until first or second grade. Learning was something she loved. He sighed and placed the money on his dresser. He had hoped to have another job by now, but most places were hesitant to hire someone so far away that had no car, not to mention a student when school was in session. His house was almost out of range of the high school even, it was so far out in the woods. He searched through the drawer again, this time for clothes. He didn't want to think about what he would do for dinner, he just hoped his father was back by tonight... He threw something on without precognition and trudged into the bathroom, stopping to stare at his reflection in the mirror. He looked tired, as usual. He chewed his lip and searched under the sink to locate his eyeliner, quite handy for days when he didn't want to be questioned why he looked so exhausted. He never really was, whether he looked it or not, he'd gotten used to waking so early by now. When he came back out, he was greeted, or rather frightened out of his wits, by a chipper and cheerful, "Jamieeee!"
He laughed as Jenna latched onto his legs.
"Hey, what are you doing up so early?"
"I'm not sleepy!" Jenna exclaimed quickly, with a bright smile.
She looked just like their mother, ice green eyes and dark hair, always a smile on her face, and a light sprinkling of freckles across her rosy cheeks.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, picking her up with a huff.
She latched onto him tightly, "Lucky charms!"
Jamie frowned slightly, realizing quite suddenly that oatmeal was probably Jenna's least favorite breakfast food.
"Sorry kiddo, all we have is oatmeal..."
"Aw...okay I guess."
He walked her over to the table and sat her down, then went to the kitchen and got out a bowl. Jenna watched him patiently as he prepared it. She had always been a little mature for her age, very uncharacteristically patient and calm for a 4 year old. She even preferred reading to playing outside. He stuck a spoon in the steaming oatmeal as a finishing touch and put it on the table, turning on the light as he went.
"Mmmm!" she said as she stuck the spoon in her mouth, "You make it good!"
He smiled, "Good, then eat up!"
"Where's yours?" she asked, hunched over her bowl as she shoveled it in her mouth.
"Eh-I'm not hungry yet." he said slowly.
Though he knew Jenna was probably more aware then he liked to admit, Jamie always tried to make the situation out to be better than it really was. For the most part, Jenna usually seemed contented and unworried, like a kid her age should be. Like he wanted it. She should never have to worry about things like this, and he intended to keep it that way. It had grown increasingly difficult to shelter her from certain things over the years however, and he could not help the fact that their father was never there. It was not a good thing for any kid, but he tried to be there for her when she needed someone. She finished with a hiccup and smiled at her brother.
"When is Joshy coming?"
Jamie snickered. Jenna had grown rather fond of Josh, since he was now driving her to preschool when he and Jamie went to school. Josh was an only child, but he had a way with younger children, always willing to make silly faces and play. You could say he was quite in touch with his inner child, or more likely a part of him had never grown out of it.
"Not for a while, we should get you dressed. Unless you wanna go to school in Pajamas."
She giggled and leapt out of her chair, "No pajamas."
She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall to her room and up to her dresser.
"Help me pick?"
He nodded and stood by as she rummaged through her drawers, pulling out various tops and dresses with a frown or a head shake. Then after a few minutes she pulled out a dress slowly and a grin spread across her face.
"This one!"
She held it up to him, and he studied it for a few moments with a thoughtful expression.
"Hmmm....I dunno..."
She giggled, "This one this one!"
"Okay okay, that one!" he said laughing a little.
She clapped her hands and started pushing him towards the door, "I have to put it on!"
"Okay I'm going!" he said hurrying out of the room, "I'll be in the living room."
She nodded and closed the door behind him quickly. Jamie took a seat on the sofa and waited a few moments, smile fading slowly. He had to find a job, and soon. He was rather picky when it came to work, as he outright refused to take jobs after school. Jenna needed him then, and their father certainly wouldn't be home to take care of her. He could find her a babysitter, but it was already hard enough on her to not have their mother there, and their father gone all the time. Last year he had worked after Jenna went to sleep, staying there until the early morning hours and returning before she woke, but that had not worked out for long. He rubbed his eyes with a sigh and stood again, feeling restless. None of the places he had applied to had called him. Perhaps it was time to take his old job back.
"Jamie! Look, isn't it pretty?"
He whirled around and grinned as she spun on her heel to show her off her dress like a proper model, "It's perfect! You want me to do your hair?"
She nodded enthusiastically and skipped to the bathroom. Jamie had been doing her hair since she was two, after Jenna had started caring how her hair looked. Once he finished they went to her room to read as they waited for Josh to come. He read her favorite book with her, it was the first book he had taught her to read from. After they had been reading for a few months she picked it up and began trying to teach herself, so he decided to help. She could recite every page word for word now, and always notified him immediately if he skipped a page without even looking at it.
It was not long before there was a knock on the door and Jenna leapt up with a squeal of excitement. She loved going to preschool. She hurried out to the living room and opened the door with much effort, then greeted Josh with her usual 'Joshy!' and a hug.
"Hey, don't you look pretty today." Josh said with a chuckle.
"I picked it out myself." she said proudly, twirling on one heel, "and Jamie did my hair."
"Oh no," he said dramatically, "so that's what's wrong with it!"
She giggled as Jamie walked up behind her, crossing his arms, "Ha ha. You're here a little early."
"Ah I figured you might want breakfast." Josh replied, stepping inside and turning serious for a moment, "Unless you already ate..."
"He made me oatmeal," Jenna said quickly, "and I dunno how he did it but it was good!"
"Oh really? Since when can Jamie cook? Maybe it wasn't really oatmeal." Josh waggled an eyebrow at her, warranting a little chuckle, "Hey, where's all your stuff? Why don't you go get it squirt." he continued, messing up her hair playfully.
"Hey!" she said sticking out her tongue, then hurried back to her room.
"What about you?" Josh asked when she was out of earshot.
"Eh..." Jamie fingered the money in his pocket, "I need to go to the grocery store..."
Josh nodded slowly, crossing his arms, "Why don't you come over for dinner tonight, both of you. You know my mom would love to have you."
Jamie frowned, knowing very well Josh only asked because he was aware of the situation. He rubbed the back of his neck, hating that he may just have to accept. Even if he did go to the store, there wasn't much he could buy with a few dollars.
"Alright...thank you."
Josh offered a weak smile. When Jenna came back, book bag in hand, Josh turned to him.
"Hey where's your stuff?"
"Oh right!" Jamie said, running back to his room.
They pulled up to the preschool slowly, mindful of the parents and their kids crossing the road. Jamie got out of the car and walked Jenna to the front door, then knelt down in front of her.
"You have everything?" he asked.
She nodded with a brilliant smile.
"Okay, we'll pick you up after playtime."
Playtime was a part of the school's program. A session of play learning that lasted from 3 to 5 pm, and it was Jenna's favorite part of the day. In between most students went home, but the school offered a daycare for those who couldn't, and also provided lunch for free. It was of great relief at times like this to know Jenna would not have to go hungry. It was beneficial to Jamie too of course, who could now have time to work on his artwork in the short time after school.
"We're going to Josh's house for dinner tonight." he added with a smile.
Jenna squealed with excitement. Josh's mom was a very sweet woman, and Jenna loved her to pieces. Of course it helped that she always gave Jenna her special homemade cookies.
"You go to school now." she said, then latched onto him tightly. She hugged him for an extended time, then pulled away and ran into the school, waving to him as she went. He waved back at her, watching her run in for a few moments, then walked back to Josh's car slowly, and got in without a word. Josh had a very solemn look on his face as he stared at the school, and for a time was silent, as if thinking.
"What do you want for breakfast?"
Jamie looked out his window, fingering the bills in his pocket again. He had to save it, or else there would be no oatmeal tomorrow...
"I'm fine. We're gonna be late..."
"I'll pay for you, I've got money."
Jamie shook his head slowly, "You do it too much..."
"Yea well you never let me help any other way." Josh said, a tone of frustration in his voice as he put the car in gear.
Jamie didn't say anything as they pulled away from the school. He didn't want to make it a habit, taking money from Josh. He was not rich, nor was his mother. When she gave Josh money it was enough for him, and when he had his own money he gave it to her. He couldn't disrupt that, he'd already put them out enough going there for dinner all the time.
"You need that, just keep it." Jamie said quickly, waving his hand in dismissal.
"You need it more then I do. Mom's doing pretty good right now...you know she's gonna give you money tonight anyway..."
"Yea, but she shouldn't..."
"Hey," Josh said turning to him, face stern, "I told you, she's doing pretty good at work. She knows you need it, just take it from her this time. And take it from me..."
Jamie crossed his arms, averting his eyes, a sick feeling settling in his stomach. He knew no matter what Josh would continue to harass him until he said yes. He didn't quite feel like putting the effort into that endless argument again, so his only option was to accept.
"Alright, but next time..."
"Yea yea, I know...How about Mcdonald's?" Josh said with renewed cheer.
They pulled up to school twenty minutes later, chewing on egg mcmuffins and hashbrowns, and sipping at bitter coffee. It was a pretty typical morning so far. Sam and David pulled up after them then, both hopping out of the car and meeting them with sleepy yawns of greeting. The parking lot was fairly empty, as was usual when they pulled up at school. Most students didn't show up until 10 minutes before the bell.
"I'm gonna fa-haaa-haaaail that geometry test." Sam said between a wide yawn.
"No you won't," Jamie said immediately, "You'll ace it, like always."
She offered a small smile, "Yea okay, maybe I will, but it'd be kind of annoying if I told you guys that every time I had a test."
"Yea, she does have a point..." David said groggily.
Another car pulled up then, a boxy maroon one. A car Jamie had never seen in the parking lot so early before. He nearly choked on his hashbrown when he saw who stepped out. It was Marie, clad in a very short skirt, high heels and her usual very low cut shirt. She was awfully early. He hadn't had time to prepare for her arrival. Normally he would think over what he should say to her, what he should do, and more recently, how he could fix their argument. This however, gave him a split second to decide whether she wanted to ignore him and he her, or if he should wave in high hopes that she would respond without a snub. Surely he couldn't just blatantly ignore her. The minute she got out of the car, her eyes locked on him like an arrow on a target. He gulped, feeling that for some reason, even though he was sure he hadn't done anything wrong, he was in trouble. She walked over to him confidently, drawing the attention of all present, including a very reproachful glare from Sam, and stopped, placing a hand on her hip.
"Can I talk to you for a second?"
Jamie gulped hard, face rouging as his friend's eyes bored into him, then he nodded, and handed the remainder of his breakfast to Josh, who took it without question. Marie led him a little ways away, under the shade of the big willow in front of the school and whirled around to face him.
"I don't want to argue with you, but I want you to listen to me. I know that when I walked over to you today you must have had some kind of worry about what your friends would say. Don't even deny it, I saw the look on your face."
He gaped slightly at her, but didn't say a word, allowing her to finish.
"I know...maybe I was a little hasty the other day, but my friends don't adjust so quickly as yours might. I don't know when we can stop keeping this a secret, but I'm gonna try"
He nodded silently, feeling slightly abashed. He was too ready to put blame on her.
"I'm sorry." he said quietly, meeting her eyes briefly.
She nodded, accepting his apology, then squinted her eyes at him for a moment, furrowing her brows.
"Are you okay? You look sick...or tired..."
He looked away, flushing slightly at her concern. He hadn't noticed that much of a difference in his appearance this morning, why was she? Apparently he hadn't put on that ever-useful eyeliner very well today...
"I'm okay, just didn't sleep well last night."
"Oh...okay..."
He smiled weakly in assurance then glanced briefly back at Josh, Sam and David. Sam looked ready to stomp over and give Marie a good bashing.
"Eh, well I hate to leave, but for fear of your safety..." he said pointing discretely over to the group. Marie paled slightly upon seeing the reproachful glare she was getting, then turned back to Jamie.
"Okay, well...I'll see you later today then."
She smiled nervously, peering once again over at Sam before hurrying up to the school. Jamie stood there for a few moments, steeling himself to watch her as she walked, a little baffled, then shook his head slightly, clearing his mind and walked back to his friends as slowly as possible, knowing full well he was about to get a load of crap. Most of which would come from the tornado that was Sam. Josh gave him a sympathetic shrug when he came back, handing him his now cold breakfast. Sam began to question him immediately of course.
"What the hell was that? What's she doing wanting to 'talk to you for a minute' what..."
"Sam," Josh said before she could even finish, "leave him alone will you? You don't have to know every little thing that happens anymore..."
Everyone gaped at Josh then, even Jamie. Clearly he had decided to take a more offensive approach to his clever redirection. Either that, or Josh was feeling especially confrontational that day, because the inevitable outcome to a comment like that was a heated argument.
"I-he's...SHE'S..." Sam stuttered, obviously unsure how to react to a comment like this. After all, no one in her own circle of friends had said something like that to her before, least of all Josh. David was having a very difficult time stifling a guffaw apparently, as he had a hand secured tightly over his mouth while his eyes were squinted with the effort. Clearly he was enjoying this. Sam flushed a deep scarlet.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it to be harsh..."Jamie began, feeling like he should stop this before it became a huge disagreement. After dating her for a full six months, he had become especially skilled at calming Sam before she did anything she regretted, which was the look she was giving Josh now, a look that meant she was conjuring up the most horrendous injuring retort she could muster. Josh however, just continued munching on his breakfast as if nothing was going on.
"Don't try to fix this!" she exclaimed hotly, giving Jamie a reproachful glare before turning her dagger gaze back on Josh, "What exactly do you mean by that Josh? Maybe you want to explain so I can understand you a bit better!"
Josh shrugged nonchalantly, "Okay, I will. You bug Jamie every time there's a girl within ten feet of him. Why don't you just let him be? He's allowed to talk to girls , or dare I say date them now, since you two have been broken up for a year..."
Jamie kneeded the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh as Sam scoffed at him, clearly this was going to be a very long, and a very unusual day.
