“Well, Francine said she wanted us to become friends,” Amy said.
“Why?” Carrie asked, growing more skeptical about Francine and her motives. Francine was not a person who you could definitely count as a friend. She always seemed to be lurking in the shadows, and never in the broad sunlight. While Carrie agreed that Francine was one of the best-looking girls at school, there was something elusive about her, as if she had some secret agenda. This was not something which Carrie agreed with, as she was always upfront with everyone she knew. Francine wanting a friendship with Amy was strange; it just did not sound right to Carrie.
“Well Carrie, if you see it one way, Francine and me are in many of the same classes together, so in some ways, we’ve got something in common.”
Carrie looked at Amy, still unconvinced.
“Really?”
“I couldn’t believe it either, but Francine’s really nice to talk to,” Amy said, eyes wide in astonishment.
Carrie could sense something here was not quite right, but, was unable to exactly put her finger on it. She was puzzled about Francine’s sudden show of friendship towards Amy, and what Francine really wanted out of all of this. Carrie thought and thought about what Francine’s intentions could be, but, could not come up with anything solid. Carrie was awakened from her thoughts by Amy, who was looking at her with concern.
“It’s great to hear Francine’s so nice,” Carrie said. For the time being, Carrie did not want to reveal her true thoughts about Francine to Amy just yet; preferring to say only good words about Francine until she was really sure she was up to something. The school bell released its familiar ring, which disrupted the mood of the discussion. Amy and Carrie were not in the same class for the next subject, and looked at each other in disappointment, as they were unable to finish their conversation.
“Okay Carrie, thanks for listening to me. See you later.”
“Bye Amy.”
“Bye.”
As Amy walked off to class, Carrie watched her from afar, and thought about Francine. Carrie noticed that Amy met up with Francine, and they were walking together to Science class, locked in discussion. Carrie looked upwards to the sky, thinking about Francine, and how she went to see Amy at home. As Carrie looked down from the sky, she saw Francine and Amy, still talking together, and frowned at this sight.
“Francine, what do you want from Amy? Why’re you interested in her? Whatever it’s about, and whatever you do, I’ll be watching you, and, in the end, I’ll find out,” Carrie nodded, watching Francine like a hawk.
Chapter Nine
“Chad, seems like we’ve got a little problem here,” Francine said, her face glum.
It was a beautiful early afternoon, and the sun was shining just nicely, adding some needed warmth to what had been a slightly chilly day. Francine and Chad were at school, and leisurely walking up the path towards the school’s front gate. As they had a few things to talk about, Francine and Chad decided to settle in a shaded area in front of the school hall.
The school’s song festival was forthcoming, and choir practice was taking place today in the hall. The choir was largely composed of freshman and sophomore students, as many boys in this age group still had their voices intact. Junior and senior boys generally did not participate, as their voices had broken, and, of course, it was not the ‘in thing’ to do. The sweeping, velvety voices of the choral singers was a soothing distraction for Francine and Chad, who were becoming increasingly concerned about Jake and Amy’s closeness.
Francine’s visit to Amy, and what Amy had told her about Jake, had been on Francine’s mind. While Francine knew she was far from giving up on Jake, she also realized Amy’s connection to Jake was stronger than she first thought, making it harder for Jake to notice her. Chad, like Francine, also knew, after speaking to Jake in the locker room, that things really were serious between Amy and Jake. Chad noted that Francine was not as talkative as usual, and believed that she was thinking about Jake. He was intrigued by her silence, and asked Francine,
“You think we’ve got a problem? You mean with Amy and Jake?”
“Exactly,” Francine replied softly but angrily. She bit her bottom lip, her eyes alight with irritation.
“What happened to make you think that?” Chad enquired, interested by Francine’s mood.
“Well, I went over and saw Amy yesterday.”
“Oh, you did. What’d she say?” Chad said, moving closer to Francine.
“Oh, Amy went on and on about Jake, how romantic he is, and stuff like that,” Francine said, rolling her eyes.
“You must’ve been happy,” Chad said.
“More like bored, really bored.” Francine’s displeasure with the whole situation was very evident. She was not taking Amy’s fascination with Jake too well, and could not hide it from Chad. Annoyed, but trying her best to keep Amy’s chatter about Jake out of her mind, Francine asked Chad,
“So, how’d you go with Jake? Find out anything different from him?”
Chad shook his head, and frowned.
“Nah, seems Jake has the same feelings for Amy,” Chad said, his turn at being disappointed occurring. Like Francine, Chad could not believe how Amy and Jake had bonded so quickly, in spite of their best efforts so far. He was unsure what to do next, but knew Francine would throw some new light on their situation.
“Looks like our plan isn’t going as well as it should. What do we do now?” Chad asked, shrugging his shoulders.
Francine looked at Chad, who had a grim expression, and slowly began to smile, this proving infectious with him.
“Know what, Chaddie?”
“What?” Chad asked. Francine knew exactly how to excite Chad, and keep him on a string. He also knew how to do the same for her — this was why they were such great partners, and one of the many reasons they had been best friends so long.
“Wouldn’t say we’re finished, yet,” Francine countered, varied thoughts racing through her mind. Francine looked at Chad, and deviously darted her tongue. Nothing, nothing at all, could discourage her from going after Jake.
“Well Franci, if we’re not finished yet, what can we do next? Can we do anything else to make them see us differently?” Chad asked Francine, looking desperate.
Francine stared deeply into Chad’s eyes, and smiled. Chad could tell what Francine was about to tell him would be good, and help them move one step closer to Amy and Jake.
“Now’s the time for us to show Jake and Amy how we feel about them — by asking them to the fancy dress gala. We’ve got to do this before things get more serious between them,” Francine said, green eyes shining in the afternoon light. Chad smiled at Francine, liking what she was saying.
“Think it’ll all go well?” Chad asked, a little more confident after Francine’s announcement, but still a little uneasy. Francine tilted her head back, and listened to the choir performing their music. After a few seconds, she looked at Chad, who was watching her very keenly.
“Everything from now on will flow like a beautiful song — but one that’s written specially for us, and no one else,” Francine said sweetly.
“If that’s the case, let’s start writing that song, and now,” Chad said, with enthusiasm.
“Chad, there’s no time like the present, let’s start writing it,” Francine replied, smiling at Chad, he responding the same way. Chad and Francine felt better after their pep talk, and soon afterwards, walked away from the school hall, leaving behind the exquisite choral voices in their wake.
* * * *
“Phew, what a day!” Amy said, looking frazzled.
Amy had some errands to run after school, and came home later than usual. She had made a quick dash to the supermarket to buy some groceries, and had two arms full of bags. Although a little tired from a long school day, Amy was happy the day was finally winding down, and looked forward to some time out. With a sigh, she opened the gate to her home, and walked through to the front door.
Amy wanted to retrieve her h
ouse keys, and put down the shopping bags, and searched in her bag. Once she found these, Amy opened the door, and lifted the bags. Amy ventured inside and hung her schoolbag on the hook, leaving the shopping bags on the floor until she had caught her breath. After recovering her composure, Amy spotted an envelope on the floor, and shook her head with interest at this.
“What’s this?” Amy said, bending down to pick it up. She saw that it was addressed to her, and Amy tried to recognize whose writing it was. The handwriting was very neatly done, but, despite this, Amy was still unable to identify it. To end her growing curiosity, Amy opened the envelope, wanting to see who sent it to her. Upon opening it, Amy discovered there was a letter inside the envelope, and carefully unraveled it.
“Amy, meet me at ‘The Place’, and don’t keep me waiting. Jake.”
After reading this message, Amy went over to the sofa, and sat silently for a moment. Jake’s note sent a shiver up her spine, and made her all tingly inside. While she and Jake had become close over the past few weeks, Amy contemplated why he would invite her to ‘The Place’, and why his note was so mysterious. Despite nearly kissing Jake several times, Amy was still uncertain exactly what he felt for her. Amy wanted to know what was going on with him, and her mind spun off in many different directions at once at all the possibilities.
“Yes Jake, I’ll come see you,” Amy said, folding the letter, and putting it into her bag. Amy picked up the shopping bags in excitement, and went into the kitchen, where she swiftly packed away the groceries. After doing this, Amy zoomed back into the lounge room. Amy checked her appearance in the living room mirror, and quickly exited the front door, feeling she did not have a moment to lose with Jake.
As it was late in the afternoon, the sun was not as prominent as it had been, and was setting slowly, but surely, on another busy day. The stroll from Amy’s house to the restaurant was brisk, but, as usual, an enjoyable one. When Amy arrived at ‘The Place’, she took a deep breath, and let herself calm down for a few moments. Amy, though, noticed some things about the restaurant which did not seem quite right to her, and this pricked her interest.
Amy observed that the restaurant’s front doors were locked, and the bright curtains which normally framed its large, clear windows were drawn. As Amy walked closer to the doors, she noticed that there was a ‘Closed’ sign displayed there. Amy shook her head in confusion, and looked blankly at the restaurant.
It was odd for ‘The Place’ to be closed as it was usually open at this time, and still busy in the late afternoon after school finished. People would usually still be all over the restaurant at this time, the sounds of chatter easily heard. Amy was uncertain what was going on, and knocked on the door. She thought for a minute that maybe Jake was having her on, but remembered he would not do such a thing — he did not seem to be that kind of person.
Amy was unsure when Jake would open for her, and, becoming impatient, was about to try the restaurant’s back door. Amy decided, though, to wait a few more seconds, and see what would happen. Amy’s wish to see Jake, though, was finally fulfilled, and he opened the door in a leisurely manner. Amy was anxious to see him, and even these few seconds seemed like forever to her.
“Hi Amy,” Jake said, greeting her with his trademark to die-for smile. Amy’s heart skipped a beat as she saw him. She was just as dizzy as the day she bumped into Jake at school, his comforting gray eyes watching her with sincere concern. In her mind, Jake seemed to become handsomer by the day.
Amy observed that Jake was wearing a gray overcoat, and appeared very sophisticated. On the other hand, he seemed to be over-dressed, and this piqued Amy’s curiosity. Jake generally wore smart, casual clothes, but, Amy had never before seen him wearing more formal clothing. Amy was unsure what to make of all of this, as she was silent, but Jake picked up on this.
“Amy, I’ve been waiting for you,” Jake said, eyes wide with excitement. “Come on through,” he said. Again, Amy was speechless, but this did not bother Jake in the least.
Upon entering the restaurant, Amy was astonished by what she witnessed. Not only were all of the restaurant’s curtains drawn, ensuring total privacy, but Amy saw that she was alone with Jake — the restaurant was completely empty. Amy observed that it was decorated in a decidedly romantic manner, designed to make someone feel cherished. It resembled the interior of a luxurious palace, and appeared completely unlike it normally did. There were beautiful fabrics, chandeliers, divans and other sensual design accessories in abundance, and Amy could do nothing but stare at these visions of splendor.
Jake had secured the entire restaurant to be alone with her, and had totally transformed it. And all of this was for her, just her. This was the first time someone had done anything so romantic for her. Amy was still astounded, but at the same time, thrilled with Jake’s gesture, and felt that Jake had done all of this for a reason — he wanted to tell her something. Still starry-eyed, she asked Jake,
“I don’t want to sound ungrateful for everything, but why’ve you done all of this? You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
Jake did not answer Amy immediately, but instead, took a long pause, and looked intently at her.
“No Amy, but I wanted to — I’ve wanted to for a long time.”
Amy realized Jake was finding it difficult to say what he wanted to, but did not interrupt him. Jake was unsure how Amy would react to what he was about to tell her, but decided to just say it. Again, Amy was waiting to hear from Jake with bated breath. Would she be hearing what she wanted to for weeks now? Jake cleared his throat, and looked at Amy, with a shy smile.
“I invited you here ’cause, well, how can I put it? Do you wanna come with me to the fancy dress gala?”
Amy was taken aback by Jake’s invitation, and could not reply for a few moments. While she and Jake had become close recently, it had never entered her mind that Jake would want to take her to the gala. Jake’s gesture warmed her heart, and made her feel as if she was the luckiest person in the world. Amy believed she was living in a dream, and that none of this was really happening.
Jake noticed that Amy was absorbed by her thoughts, and was worried she would refuse his offer. Jake wanted to find out where he stood with Amy, and asked her, face serious with doubt,
“So Amy, what do you say? Will you come with me to the gala?”
Amy recognized that Jake was waiting on her every word, his face very sober, and decided to put him out of his misery, once and for all.
“Yes!” Amy said. “I’d love to go with you to the gala!”
“Great!” Jake’s face instantly lit up. He threw his arms excitedly around Amy, and they laughed together. Amy and Jake felt so much better now that the wall between them had finally been torn down. Instead of being two separate people unsure whether one wanted the other, they were now, officially, a twosome. Both Amy and Jake felt as if they were on a cloud and that nothing, nor anyone, could bring them back down to earth.
After these joyous moments, Amy remembered one small detail, which she knew was important, and one she needed to mention to Jake. Her excitement at being asked by Jake to the gala had made her forget all about this, which she knew would have a major effect on her and Jake. To his surprise, Amy pulled away from Jake’s embrace, and looked at him with a doubtful expression. This struck Jake as odd, especially how Amy could be on top of the world one minute, quiet the next. Jake wanted to find out what was wrong with Amy, and brushed his hand over her cheek.
“Amy, what’s up?”
Amy was looking away from him, but raised her head, and stared him straight in the eye.
“Jake, haven’t you forgotten about someone?
Jake shook his head, looking confused by what Amy was saying.
“What ’bout your sister. Weren’t you going to take her to the gala?” Amy said. The last thing Amy wanted was to cause any tension between Jake and his sister. Jake examined the unease on Amy’s face, and flashed a wide smile, which mystified Amy even more.
“Jake, why’re you smiling? What’s going on?”
Jake chuckled, and shook his head.
“Amy, I was never gonna take my sister to the gala. The only person I ever wanted to take was you.”
With Jake’s admission, Amy was made speechless, but at the same time happy, that Jake had always had her in mind for the gala. Now that this was out in the open, there was something else Amy felt embarrassed about, which she had to clear up. Like Jake, Amy had told him that her brother was taking her to the gala. Jake picked up on what Amy was thinking about, and said,
“Oh, don’t worry Amy. I know you planned on going with your brother as much as I wanted to go with my sister.”
Amy raised her eyebrows, and her eyes boggled in amazement.
“How’d you know?” Amy asked.
“I have my connections,” Jake said, returning her smile.
Amy and Jake realized the silliness of the entire situation, and they both laughed, happy that this matter was finally, and well and truly, out of the way. They had come a long way since that day at school when Jake bumped into Amy, and knocked over all of her books. Jake, though, had several other things he wanted to tell Amy, and resumed eye contact with her.
“Now that’s over, I wanna tell you something else.” Jake bowed his head after stating this, as if ashamed to face Amy. Amy realized what Jake wanted to tell her was important, and waited patiently for him to speak. Jake was the kind of person who always thought very carefully about what he did, and said, before he actually doing it.
“Amy, I’ve always liked you, but’ve never had the guts to speak to you. Since that day at school, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you,” he said quietly.
After listening to Jake’s confession, Amy realized she had totally misjudged him, by thinking he was like the other guys at school. Jake was the direct opposite of them, this clear by how he treated her. Amy knew Jake was very popular at school, and admired by many of the girls there, and remembered how many girls had overstated their relationship to him over the years. This whole situation with Jake showed Amy one cannot always believe the stories they hear about others.
The Great High School Love Game Page 10
