High School isn't, Like, Over
Summary: Season 2 fic. Picks up somewhat from where "You Just Know" leaves off. Everything changes after she gets in the car with Jordan.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, not in any way, shape or form. Be a doll and don't sue. You can find the preceeding fic, You Just Know on my page, but if you really don;t want to read it first...its not too hard to follow this.
He gets bored of how juvenile it all is, how entirely useless it is.
If train a travelling forty-five miles an hour leaves its location fifteen minutes after train b travelling twenty-two miles an hour…
He hates trains, and a career as a conductor isn't in his future. Why does he care? Why does he care…that's the real question.
Why does he care is the only question that matters.
It doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter doesn't work anymore. The truth is, she has him all worked up, he can't sing, he can't play…he can't even work on his car because he can't figure out what he did. Maybe he should have just walked away, maybe when Angela called him…
My parents aren't home, they're going away for the weekend.
They are?
My little sister is spending the night over at her friend's house…you could come over, if you want.
He's not stupid. He knows what Angela asked him, its all he's thought about for weeks, about having sex with Angela. And she just opened the door.
The teacher's whose name he doesn't remember turns to look at the board, and write something that he's not bothering to follow. He takes advantage to slip out the door; she'll never notice. They never do.
--
He settles in under the bleachers and lights up a cigarette.
Angela. Angela Chase is different, he figured it out from about the moment she pushed him away because he kissed her when he was talking.
He thought he could handle different, but it feels like too much, but he can't not not handle Angela either. Handling her or not handling her is…nice. Different nice.
He doesn't know what to do when she doesn't want to deal though. What does he do when its been days since she's called him, talked to him and she's not calling. The last he saw her, she was pushing him out the back door because her parents had gotten home early.
It feels…weird being hung out to dry. Not knowing where he stands with her, what he did that she doesn't want to see him-not even at school, like she's avoiding him…its too much.
--
"Jordan Catalano."
The blonde in the letterman's jacket sort of sneers at him-disdainful like-and he realizes that he knows that face. She's friends with Angela, he thinks.
He tilts his head up in her direction, blowing the smoke to the side.
"Yeah." He says slowly, though he's pretty sure it wasn't a question. "You're Angela's friend."
"Yeah." She says, and her tone is sort of sharp like he did something to offend her, and its pretty funny in a way because he's not sure how to offend a person he's not even sure he knows, and in another way its not, because this is a potential link to Angela, and he can't ask a favor from someone who possibly hates him. "I am."
He's not saying anything and she looks more put out. He feels like he should-say something, anything-but he's not sure, and sorry doesn't seem to fit since he's still not sure this is about him.
"My God," She says finally, wrinkling her nose, "Rayanne Graff was right…this is a waste of time."
"What does…Graff have to do with anything?" He thinks about how Angela's not talking to him, apparently, and wondering if that has anything to do with her. She's like a-splinter or something.
"Well, she's slept with you too, so she'd probably know, and since Angela won't talk to me…I asked her…because Angela's friends are worried about her…"
Which, he isn't, apparently. Which leaves him to wonder what that makes him. The random guy that she fooled around with when her parents were away? And what is this girl even saying?
"You know, she hasn't been at school, and not that it means anything to you, Jordan Catalano…"
He can't stand the way she says it all accusing like-like she's demeaning him or something.
"She's way bummed out, and you wouldn't care since you're not even like her boyfriend…because like, Jordan Catalano isn't like that…but its really rotten of you to be like this when she's going through such a hard time with her parents. Just…so you know."
Jordan's mind races. This girl-Shanna? Shauna?-talks so fast and he's not sure what is totally being said except its like…he's in the wrong.
"I'm…sorry?" Jordan's trying carefully to follow and almost wishes it was Graff instead because even though she is even less articulate, Rickie translates well.
"Her parents split up." She shakes her head at him the way teachers do, like he's a lost cause. "Like I said, not that you care, but she's really broken up about it…and we thought-well, fine I thought-maybe she'd talk to you."
"Who are you?" He asks.
She shakes her head, disgusted like. "God, you really don't know? Whatever."
Shannon? Sarah? Turns her back on him and walks off and he leans back, taking a long drag off his cigarette and processes…
So…he still doesn't know what he's supposed to do.
--
He knocks on the door at Angela's house, unsure if this is actually what he should be doing, or where he should be but its not like he can turn back now.
A little girl answers the door, he assumes this is Angela's sister.
"Who are you?" She asks.
"Is Angela here?" He asks, "I'm-"
"Angela!" The girl yells, practically in his ear. "There's a guy here for you."
"Danielle," He hears Angela yell back from inside the house. "Is Emily…"
Her voice trails off and he sees her standing behind her sister.
"Hi." He says.
There's this really awkward pause of silence. Really awkward. It seems like even the little girl notices.
"Can I go now, please?" Danielle asks impatiently. "Emily is waiting for me."
"Yeah…go ahead."
He's leaning against the doorjamb and the little girl runs past him, and gives him a weird look. He's starting to get used to it.
"Hi." Angela says finally, biting her lip. "You can come in."
She steps to the side, and he walks in, closing the door behind him.
"It's…okay?"
"My mom works late." Angela shrugs, "It's fine."
"I called." He says, "I didn't know…"
"I know." Angela leans against the wall, folding her hands over her chest.
He's uncomfortable, he's not used to having to do all the talking. Its disconcerting. He tries to notice something other than her breasts, but they're all the more noticeable. He wonders if it would be easier if they hadn't had sex.
"You never called back."
He's thinking too much, and he wishes she would talk so he could figure out what went wrong. Maybe she's angry about the letter, she said she didn't care but…girls lie, a lot. If he's learned anything, its that they don't always put everything up front.
Angela rubs her lips together before she talks. "Things…happened." She stops, like she wants to not say something. He wishes she just would-say it. It would just be better to have whatever it is out in the open, even if its like…she's done.
"Right." He nods his head, stepping closer and thinking about how…relaxed she looks. The nonchalance is different.
He makes the effort because in one minute, she makes it worth it. She flicks her hair back over her shoulder.
I like you.
"I…missed you." He breathes softly, he's taken so many steps they're only a body width's apart. Frustrated with the lack of feeling he presses a hand into the wall. "Angela…"
He presses his lips against hers. They're soft, and like last time, she smells like cherries. He thinks its shampoo, and not a perfume. Angela presses back into him, and he's not sure what this means…but he likes it. Her lips probe his hungrily and he's not really thinking logically anymore because her fingers are too close to his belt to not think about that, and his hands are on her hip and thinking about how fast this can go from making out in her hallway to having sex.
Jordan pushes himself away, and feels a pang of desire when she bites her lip. Its so overtly sexual in a way he doesn't think she even realizes.
"Do you…want to go somewhere?" He asks, running a hand through his hair and pushing it out of his eyes.
She nods her head. "Yeah."
Angela takes him by the hand and pulls him up the stairs.
----------
She sort of pulls away from him right after and he has a three second debate whether to just let her or pull her back towards him.
He doesn't even totally get it, but he loves just being around her, and he's like…worried about her. Something is off.
Angela is unbelievably quiet. Its so unlike her. Its not like he has so much to compare it too, but after the last time, he could hardly get her to stop talking. It was almost a relief when she pushed him out the door, in a frenzy when she heard her parents' car.
She pushed him out the back door and ran to the front to distract her parents and he just remembered getting into his car and…sort of missing it. Too quiet.
"I'm…sorry." He rifles through the pile of clothes on the floor and finds the necessities. Underwear. Pants.
"For what?" She asks, her back to him.
He doesn't look as he pulls his clothes on, but he knows that she's doing the same.
"Did I…" Jordan pauses, sometimes he wonders if he did, did he push her into this too fast? He didn't want to push her into anything…he just likes her. Angela is like, a necessity for him. "Did I do something?"
He turns around to look at her, and her back is still facing him. She runs a hand through her hair, and he grabs his shirt in the silence and slips into it.
She's like air. Something he totally doesn't notice he needs until its gone.
"Why-what-" Angela shakes her head, like she's angry at him, but she doesn't look angry. "This isn't-no. I'm…"
Angela's voice trails off and the phone rings. She closes her eyes for a minute and walks around the bed. He's closer to it, so he lifts it off the hook and hands it too her.
When she takes it their fingers brush against each other's.
"Hello?" She says, and he doesn't miss the way her face changes a second into the conversation. "No. No, she's not here."
Another beat.
"She's at her friend's house."
Her eyebrows arch, and her voice snaps at the phone.
"No, I don't!" She shakes her head, "I've got to go. No, dad, Rayanne and Rickie are here-I have to go."
She reaches past him and slams the phone down, and she looks so upset that he wants to hug her or hold her…touch her, maybe, but he doesn't know if this is the time, if its one of those times where he's just supposed to take a step back and…he doesn't want to fight with her.
"You okay?" He touches her arm lightly.
Angela turns toward him, and he takes it as an invitation. He stands up and wraps his arms around her and neither one of them say anything for a really long time.
His shirt is still unbuttoned and he can feel her hair scratch against his chest. He wants to tell her everything is okay, but he doesn't want to lie to her, and he knows from experience, things aren't always okay.
"My dad…left." He can feel Angela's forehead against his chest. "The day that we…its why they came home early."
"I'm sorry." He tilts her forehead up and kisses her. "That's rough. Is there…anything I can do?"
Angela's quiet for a long time again. "I didn't call after, because…well…" Angela shrugs out of his arms. "I get it."
"Get what?" He asks, almost feeling like he's been brushed away. "What do you 'get'?"
"You don't need to do anything you don't want to, Jordan." Angela bites her lip, "You don't have to feel sorry for me."
"I-" Jordan's confused, but that's regular with Angela. "I just don't get you sometimes. Are you saying you don't want me here?"
He's hoping not because he's too used to her now, she's the last person he wants to walk away from. There is a list of things he truly hates doing but that he would do-for her.
She shakes her head. "No, I-I want you-"
Jordan interrupts. "I want you. Too."
Something in her face brightens, and it makes him feel good.
He takes her hand and pulls her close, kissing her.
"You can like, count on me." he tells her, "Don't think…you're not important and…stuff. Because you are, completely, to me."
"Okay…then." There's like a smile in her words. "You are to me too."
He kisses her on the cheek, feeling like this weight was sort of…lifted.
"Angela!" Danielle's voice shrieks up the stairs, "Angela, I need you!"
"Shit." Angela sighs, looking from him to the door. "Can you just hang out a minute before you come down…I'll tell her you were in the bathroom or…something."
Jordan smiles, slowly buttoning his shirt. "Sure."
"Angela!" Danielle screams again.
Angela turns to run down the stairs, and he bites his lip.
So it was good…it was really good.
--
"Angela!" he hears the little girl squeal. "That hurts."
"Danielle, if you don't stay still-" Angela sighs, "I don't know, okay? Maybe I should call…"
"Everything okay?" He asks.
"Who are you?" Danielle asks, flinching as Angela puts an ice pack on her wrist. "We're not supposed to have friends over that our parents don't know."
"Be quiet, Danielle."
"I-uh-know your parents." Jordan says uncomfortably. He's never really done families before. He doesn't have one, and Angela's the first girl who really…
"Oh." She turns to Angela with a glare. "That hurts!"
"What's wrong?" He directs the question to Angela.
"Oh," Angela runs a hand through her hair, "Danielle thinks she broke her wrist or might have or…I don't know. I should probably call my mother…"
"I can uh-look at it." Jordan offers, "I know my broken bones pretty well."
"Like what?" Danielle asks doubtfully. "What have you broken?"
She's…like Angela. He almost laughs, wondering if either of them realize. They both ask a lot of questions.
He holds his hand up, showing her the back of it, and points to a almost perfectly straight white scar. Danielle observes the scar and he leans against the table, waiting for her to pass her judgement.
"So…how'd you get it?"
"It got caught in a car hood." He tells her, leaving out the part where his dad was so drunk he 'accidentally' slammed the car hood on his hand.
"Oh, ow…" Danielle acquiesces to letting him check her wrist. "Okay then."
With her good hand she takes off the ice pack.
"Are you Angela's boyfriend?"
The wrist is pretty swollen.
"Leave Jordan alone." Angela tells her sister.
"Oh my gosh!" Danielle almost hops out of the chair in what strikes him as like, major excitement. "Like, Jordan Catalano, Jordan? Oh. My. God. Wow."
Jordan holds back a laugh. So, his reputation has proceeded him?
"Have we met before?" He teases her surprised by how natural it feels.
"Danielle!" Angela's voice has a warning tone. She's embarrassed.
And he'd never tell her, but he loves that. The way her cheeks turn pink and her eyebrow raises up just a little.
"I don't know. You'd have to ask Angela." Jordan probes the wrist carefully and doesn't think its broken. He's had enough almost's and nearly's to know the difference.
"Angela?" Danielle turns to look at her sister. "Well?"
"Danielle." Angela chews her bottom lip. "Stop it."
Danielle shrugs. "Well," she surveys him looking back at Angela, "He's like, really cute."
Its his turn to blush. He's not stupid, he's heard girls talk about him before but never to like, his face.
"It doesn't look broken to me."
He leans over and whispers in Danielle's ear. "I'm your sister's boyfriend if she wants me to be."
And if Angela laughs it off too, than so can he. He's never really done this boyfriend/girlfriend thing, but he can-he wants to-with Angela.
"What did you say?" Angela asks him, then turns to her sister. "What did he say to you?"
Danielle grins as her sister hands her back the ice pack.
"He's your boyfriend if you want him to be." She stands up and takes the ice pack with her. "I'm going to my room. Don't worry, I won't tell."
Both of them wait for the silence of the door upstairs closing.
"You weren't joking." Angela says.
Jordan nods his head. "No."
"I do…want you to." Angela tells him. "Totally."
"Good." He kisses her forehead. "Listen, I better go…we've got band rehearsal that started like half an hour ago and maybe Tino actually showed up…"
Angela nodded her head. "Right."
"I'll…call you." He says, "Tonight."
"Good."
He backs out the door with a smile, so…its like really, really good.
--
Jordan Catalano like, wants me.
It's something I can hardly even believe except that every time I do anything, his voice repeats in my head like a CD stuck on repeat and "I want you. Too"
And besides that, he talked to my little sister like, so nice and..and he said he wanted to be my boyfriend if that was what I wanted and like…like I wouldn't want to?
--