Young Love

by Paige Powers

  “Yeah I’m fine.” I nodded. He came over to me and stared down into my eyes. “Bye,” he said and then left. I heard his car start up and blew out a quivering breath. ‘Wow that was exciting!’ I thought. ‘But wait. You don’t like him, remember?’ I reminded myself.

  “Yeah, I don’t like him. I’m just using him,” I thought and smiled.

  “Lidia?” I was in my room doing homework that night when my mom called. I went down the stairs and she was in the kitchen holding empty beer cans.

  “Mom, I-I-I...I can explain,” I stuttered. I’d forgotten to get rid of the cans! Ugh! Why was I so silly? She shook her head.

  “How many did you drink?” she asked.

  “Just five and Jack had five too.” She sighed and closed her eyes.

  “Lidia, I’m disappointed, but I’m not going to ground you.” I looked at her surprised.

  “What? Why?” She laughed and then smiled.

  “They’re non-alcoholic, sweetie.” My mouth fell to the ground as she came over to me and kissed my forehead. “Night.” I swear a fly went into my mouth. If I wasn’t drunk…and he wasn’t drunk...and we were both sober...that means...I gulped. We both did that. We both wanted to make out with each other.

  “Non-alcoholic beer...what the—.”

  Chapter 11

  The next day Jack didn’t call or come over. He didn’t pick my calls up on Monday morning either. I was almost late for school when I arrived just before the bell rang. I sighed loudly as I ran into class. Jack wasn’t there. I frowned wondering what was wrong. Should I text him? Maybe he decided that he didn’t want get back together with Kendra and just decided to give up. I sat down in the back row and stared off into space.

  I saw Jack moving in the crowd but I couldn’t get to him so I went to his locker and there he was.

  “Jack!” I said angrily. He looked over at me with a blank expression on his face. “What happened? You said you were going to pick me up today.” He looked at me with a frown on his face then turned back to his locker. “Jack?” I whispered. He didn’t look at me. “Would you look at me, please?” I yelled, grabbing his arm. He turned around and his eyes were dark blue. No emotions in them. “What happened on Saturday night?” I asked. “Is your mom okay?” I asked, really worried. He looked away and then back at me.

  “Why the hell do you care?” he said. I was so stunned that I didn’t even move. He pushed past me and went in through to the crowd without a glance back at me.

  “Aw, are you two having a rough patch?” Kendra asked, coming to my side. She had a little compassion on her face and I ignored the urge to punch her. I put on a fake smile.

  “Not really. It’s just that he’s in a crappy mood. You know how guys get.” She nodded, looking mad by my cheeriness.

  “One thing you got to know about Jack is that he can be bipolar.” She acted as if she knew him more than me. Which she did but I was turned off with her acting that way.

  “Oh really? Wow, he has never been that way to me before!” I said, acting stunned. She glared. “He’s always so happy with me. Maybe it was just something he got over when we got together.” She was now glaring daggers at me.

  “Well maybe—.” she started, but Grant came up behind her and put his hand around her waist.

  “Hey Lidia,” said Grant, smirking at me.

  “Hi,” I said biting the inside of my mouth.

  “Oh, Grant. It was horrible. Jack is completely being a jerk and totally blew her off. I really hope you two don’t break up.” She fluttered her eye lashes and pouted. This time I glared.

  “No, we’re not breaking up. We’re just in a bad place today.”

  Grant shrugged.

  “Well, if you need anything, ask. We’re always here if Jack blows you off again.” I wanted to rip both of their heads off.

  “Yeah, okay,” I said and walked away. Damn them! I hated them! Oh but Jack was so dead! I didn’t want to talk to him at all that day! He was being an asshole!

  The last bell rang and I quickly went to my locker trying not to let anyone see that I was alone. Kendra was probably already spreading rumors about Jack and me.

  “Hey Lidia!” I turned around and saw my other friend Candice running over with my history book. “Here. You left this in there.”

  “Oh, thanks!” I said relieved. “Wow, I can’t believe I almost forgot that!” She laughed.

  “Big test tomorrow, too.” I nodded and groaned. “I hate tests.”

  “You and me, both!” We laughed together. “Hey, are you going to try out for the play?”

  I laughed.

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Aw, you should. It’s Hamlet and I’m producing it.”

  “Oh, that’s cool!” I said.

  “Lidia,” I turned around and saw Jack making his way through to us. I looked back at Candice.

  “Ugh, sorry. I should probably go.” She smiled.

  “It’s fine. We can talk in History.” I nodded.

  “Thanks again for the book!”

  She nodded and I took off down the hall.

  “Lidia!” he yelled. I didn’t turn around. If he could run away, so could I! “Would you stop?!” he yelled. People were watching us. I got to the door and was about to open it when he grabbed my arm, swinging me around.

  “Let go!” I threatened.

  “Would you stop? I’m trying to talk to you!” he whispered fiercely. I rolled my eyes. “Whatever you have to say, you can save your breath.” I pulled my arm back.

  “Listen, I’m sorry!” he said rolling his eyes. I shook my head.

  “You left me. Grant and Kendra completely humiliated me! No thanks to you!” I gritted my teeth together. He shook his head clenching his teeth. “See, that’s what I thought.” I swung open the door accidentally hitting him in the stomach with it. I didn’t turn back, I just went out to my jeep.

  “Ugh! You are such a pain in the ass, you know that?” Jack said running behind me. I ignored him. I put my bag in the back and got into my car. “Lidia, come on,” he said pleading. I looked at him through the window. His eyes were sad. ‘No, Lidia. Don’t you dare! He was a jerk to you. You don’t need that foolishness from him.’ I looked away and drove off.

  “Lidia! There you are,” my mom said, as I came in through the door. I raised an eyebrow at her. “What?” She smiled.

  “Now, now don’t say anything. Just let me tell you. Okay, so there is this Beauty Pageant in New York this weekend and I—“

  “No!” I yelled rolling my eyes. She frowned.

  “But honey it’s—“

  “I said no. How many times do we have to go through this, Mom? I don’t want to do that! I don’t want to do what you did.” She pouted.

  “I got a couple of scholarships to really good colleges. You—“

  “Yeah, and you didn’t even go to any of them.” She huffed.

  “I just want what’s best for you sweetie.” She came over and put her hands on my face.

  “Then let me do what I want.”

  She scrunched her nose.

  “What was it that you wanted to do?”

  I rolled my eyes, pushed her hands away from me and walked around her.

  “I want to go to medical school to become a doctor.”

  She put her hands on her hips and turned around to face me.

  “Oh…that,” she sounded disgusted. I ignored it. I wasn’t in the mood.

  “Where’s Dad?” I asked. Her eyes looked hurt for a moment.

  “Um, he’s with, um a meeting at his work.”

  I nodded. “I’m going upstairs.”

  She nodded. I went to my room and changed into comfortable clothes. I hated wearing this uncomfortable stuff. The tight jeans, the tight reveling shirts, the high heels. I hated not being myself anymore. I forgot how much I liked being myself.

  Chapter 12

  That morning I neither put on a lot of
makeup nor wear the fancy shirts. Instead, I wore a pair of nice dark jeans and one of my old T-shirts. I slipped on my jacket and grabbed my backpack. Mom was downstairs making breakfast, which surprised me because she couldn’t really cook.

  “Hey baby, I made pancakes.” I frowned at her.

  “I can’t eat. I have to go.”

  She sighed. She had powder on her nose from the mix and she looked very tired. “Are you okay?” I asked. She smiled and nodded.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Have a good day at school.” I nodded, still a little worried. As I got my keys out of my purse and opened the front door Jack was already there leaning on his car. I jumped when I saw him, very surprised.

  “Ready?” he asked. I didn’t speak one word to him. I almost ran to my jeep. He caught me. “I don’t think so!” he said laughing a little. I grunted and tried to get him to let me go. “You’re coming with me!” he said and pulled me by my waist away from my car. I struggled and struggled, but he had too much of a good grip on me.

  “Ugh, put me down!” I yelled. He laughed.

  “No!” He dragged me over to his car and started to open the passenger’s side. I kneed him in the stomach. He reacted and I quickly got out from under his arm but that wasn’t enough time. He spun and grabbed me and put me over his shoulder.

  “Man, you’re heavy,” he complained. I hit him in the back and he winced. He dunked me down and tried putting me in the car but I stuck my arm out and caught the top of the car. “Just get in the car!” he yelled. I laughed and pushed myself back out but he pushed me in. We both were laughing at this point.

  “Hey! Is something wrong?” We both jumped and I looked up to see our neighbor looking at us strangely.

  “Um, no, Mr. Rogers I’m fine.” He nodded and went back to his yard work, still feeling suspicious. Jack looked back at me his eyes amused.

  “You have a neighbor named Mr. Rogers?” At that point I burst out laughing, nodding my head. He laughed, too. I was lying on the seat on my back as my legs were wrapped around one of his legs. It was a very weird way to sit, but it was funny. “Can we just go to school?” he asked sighing. I smiled and nodded. I let go of him and he let go of me. I turned myself around in the seat and he got in though the other side.

  “You know that I totally would have won!”

  He laughed and shook his head. “No way! You were so weak!”

  “Says my knee to your stomach!” he rubbed his stomach and pouted. I laughed.

  “Whatever. That’s what you think.”

  “It is,” I smirked and he playfully glared.

  “So, are you guys ok now?” Kendra asked, coming up to our table during lunch. Jack narrowed his eyes at her. He reached across the table and put his hand over mine.

  “Yeah, we’re fine now. Actually we’re more than fine.” He gave me a smile that almost made me stop breathing. Wow, he was really good at faking! Something in me wished he wasn’t. Kendra bit her lip roughly.

  “That’s good,” she said. Grant smiled at me but I rolled my eyes.

  “Hey!” Candice said coming up to our table. I smiled.

  “Hey, Candice. How did you do on the test?” She sighed and sat down on a chair beside me with her lunch.

  “I think I did well. But who knows? What about you?”

  Kendra was completely ignored and she and Grant retreated.

  “I have no idea. But if I fail this, I’m dead meat!” Jack laughed.

  “Oh, Candice, this is Jack,” I introduced. She smiled kindly at him.

  “Hi, Candice,” he said and shook her hand. She seemed impressed.

  “Do you know Tommy Collins?” she asked. He thought for a moment.

  “Yeah, he’s in gym with me. He’s a cool guy.”

  She grinned.

  “He’s my boyfriend.”

  He smiled.

  “Well, he’s a lucky man then.” I bit my lip as I watched him talking to her like a normal, kind guy. He was sweet. How come I never saw this side of him before? I looked down at my tray of half eaten food and blushed.

  “Lidia?” I looked up. Jack looked amused and Candice just smiled. “You okay?” I nodded eagerly.

  “Yeah I’m great.” But will I be great when this thing with Jack is over?

  “So, you and Jack,” Candice said as we walked to English. I nodded.

  “Yeah after Grant broke up with me Jack asked me out. I said yes.” The way I said it, it sounded so reread. She saw it too and raised an eyebrow.

  “Interesting.”

  I nodded and looked away from her. “Well, you guys are cute together. I think you, Jack, Tommy and I should go out together. It would be fun.” I smiled over at her.

  “That would be fun.” Wait, what are you doing Lidia? You’re with Jack to make Grant jealous, not to actually go on double dates with other people! But would it really hurt?

  “Tommy would love Jack. But my parents don’t like Tommy. They think he’s a bad influence on me.”

  I laughed. “But he’s sweet and so what if he smokes? He’s a great guy.” I smiled at her. She looked like she was glowing when she talked about him. She looked at me. “I see the way Jack looks at you.” I clenched my teeth. Her eyes were soft. “He looks at you as if you’re the sun itself in the sky. It’s really romantic.” Her words drowned in my ears. Was that for show too? Did he really look at me that way? Why would he? This whole relationship was fake! How could he do that? Questions swarmed in my head that needed answers.

  “H-he…really?” I asked, my mouth going dry. She smiled and nodded.

  “You guys are really meant for each other.” There was a giant lump in my throat that I couldn’t swallow.

  “Thanks, Candice,” I said. She nodded and went on talking about something else. I looked down the hall but I wasn’t really seeing anything. Why was he looking at me like that?

  Chapter 13

  I felt distant at school. I just didn’t feel like myself. Jack asked if I wanted him to stay, but as much as I wanted him to, I needed space. So I said I was just going to study. He nodded, but seemed suspicious and left. I watched him get back into his car and drive away. After changing my clothes, I went out the back door, across my yard and Mr. Rogers’ yard to one of my favorite spots. I needed air. I needed to get my head straight. I couldn’t get Candice’s conversation out of my head.

  “I see the way Jack looks at you. He looks at you as if you’re the sun itself in the sky. It’s really romantic...” It echoed in my ears. ‘It was fake, remember, Lidia? He’s just a really good actor. He’s good at faking it. The looks, the smiles, the way he seems protective when Grant comes around...It’s all fake.’ I opened up the old rusty gate and walked in my little playground. I went to my swing and sat down. The air was cold, warning us that winter was coming. Even though it was freezing, I took off my shoes and ran my feet through the sand beneath me. I sighed and started to swing. Other things were on my mind, too. Things that I should be worrying about. My head started to hurt and I brought the swing to a slow back and forth. The thing squeaked every time I went back.

  “I knew I’d find you in here.” I jumped slightly and looked up, startled. Jack stood at the gate and smiled at me. His blue eyes looked lighter and kinder today. My heartbeat went faster.

  “Um, yeah,” I said and looked down. Part of me wanted to scream at him to go away and leave me alone. The other part wanted him to hold me. Huh…why? He sighed and came over to me. He sat in the swing next to mine and started moving.

  “Are you going to tell me what’s on your mind?” he asked, kicking his feet up in the air. I couldn’t! I couldn’t ask him why he would look at me...look at me in a way you would only look at someone….someone like your real girlfriend. Someone you really loved. It would be so humiliating if he said it was just for show. I would embarrass myself too much. I looked over at him and he was wearing his leather jacket but a pack of cigarettes were in it. “Since when do you smoke?” I ask
ed. He slowed to a stop and grabbed it out of his pocket. He shrugged.

  “Only once in a while. When I’m stressed. My friend buys them for me.” I nodded and he stuck them back into his pocket. “You got off the subject,” he said looking at me with a half-smile. I looked down at my hands and started to move my feet.

  “It’s nothing.”

  He groaned. “Would you look at me?”

  I wouldn’t.

  “Olli—.”

  Before I knew it I was spitting out something else.

  “My dad’s cheating on my mom,” I said, cutting him off. The words I had spoken hurt me deeper than I thought they would.

  “What?” Jack asked, confused.

  “I never wanted to admit it. But two years ago I followed him to work. He didn’t go to work. He went to a prostitute house…I think my mom knows now.” It was silent. The only sound was the wind blowing the dead leaves.

  “Oh,” Jack said quietly. I rubbed my fingers together.

  “I was going to tell her but I couldn’t. It would break her.” I saw him nod.

  “Lidia,” he said and the word made a shiver run down my spine. I finally looked over at him. “I don’t know how you’re feeling but I can understand somehow.” I searched his face for something that would indicate he was just messing with my head. That he didn’t care. But it was the opposite. His eyes were soft, sad and understanding.

  “How?” I asked. His eyes glazed over a little.

  “When my dad left, he had a whole other family in California. He had another wife and 5 children. My mom was the other woman.” My mouth fell a little. “She got pregnant with me and my dad stayed here for a while then he decided he didn’t want us anymore and went back to his old wife.” His teeth were clenched, his hands in fist. Finally he came out of his thoughts and looked at me. His eyes were a little shocked that he had told me all of that. “See, we’re not so different, are we?”

  I smiled lightly.

  “No, I guess not.” I looked away but that wasn’t the big thing on my mind. He didn’t even know it was about him.

  “Cold out here, isn’t it?” he asked, shrugging.