Janet looked around her knew room, trying to settle in to her knew life. Her mom had been gone for a few months and her dad just up and moved her to Knight's Ridge without much of an explanation but since the only family they really had left was on her mother's side she understood and didn't give him to much flack about it.
Junior year in a new private school would be interesting. The Ridge as every one seemed to call it wasn't all that unfamiliar, they had stayed a great deal of her summer's growing up there. Sully was there, her dad's most important person for whatever reason. Her mom was originally from there and she would love to see where they grew up and met. She was looking forward to that.
It all went rather smoothly, school was okay. She seemed to survive that well enough though she had to work hard at it. She did finally make it to the place her mom and dad met and started spending a lot of time there on the bluff over the lake, mostly alone just drawing and thinking. She managed to keep straight A's with all the peace and quiet she used to do her homework and study.
"Hey, what are you doing up here?" "Are you by yourself?"
"Just listening to the quiet and you"
"Not much really, hiding from someone I really don't want to see right now"
"I know the feeling"
"So what are you doing, you looked pretty intent" he added
"Trig homework"
"A smart girl, you don't find those around the Ridge. At least not at make out point anyway"
"That explains a lot"
"Mind if I sit"
"Not at all go ahead, pull up a rock. Watch out for the pointy ones" She made him laugh.
"Yeah those can be a real bitch can't they" Janet just smiled looking up from her page.
"So you go to Knight's Academy?"
"Yep, that's what the shirt say's anyway"
"I've got a buddy that goes there, Ickey well his real name is…."
"David Eichorne" Janet replied
"You know him?"
"Unfortunately I have Earth science with him"
"He doesn't mean to be a jerk, he's actually a pretty good guy once you get to know him."
"Can I ask you something. Why are you here?"
"I told you I 'm avoiding someone"
"Okay, but why did you choose this place to avoid them?"
"I didn't think anyone would be here. I can go if I'm bothering you"
"No, I was just curious. My parents met here and I just wanted to know why they would come here. It was stupid, never mind"
"It's not stupid but why don't you just ask them?"
"I can't mom's dead and my dad doesn't want to talk about it."
"Sorry, so you're not from around here then"
"Nope, I'm a Rhodie. Dad decided we needed to move here a couple of months ago so here we are."
"Well do you like it here?"
"Here yes the rest of the Ridge I'm still unsure about"
"Have you had a chance to see the rest of the Ridge?"
"I've been to the Duff, October Road, out here, I went to mission flats two weeks ago there's really not much there"
"I guess you've seen it all then, though personally I've never been to the Duff and never will, they passed me up on a football scholarship and well I guess I'm a little sore about it."
"I figured you were a jock"
"What's that supposed to mean"
"Nothing"
"No really"
"I don't know you just don't look like the geek squad type of guy"
"Thanks, Actually I'm the Captain of the Football team at Knight's Ridge High which is why I'm a little sore about the whole scholarship thing, don't tell anyone but I wanted to get my business degree."
"There's still a couple of games left in the season maybe they'll change their mind."
"Maybe"
"How old are you?"
"I'll be 17 before long"
"So what you a Junior or Senior"
"Junior, which means when this year's over I've still got a whole new one to look forward to"
"I wish I did, I've pretty much messed up this whole year, a re-do would be nice"
"Because of the scholarship?'
"A little but that's just part of it"
"So the other part would be the person your hiding from right now"
"Yeah"
"So who is she?"
"What makes you think it's a she"
"I have a feeling if it was a he, you would've already taken care of it"
"She is my girlfriend though right now she's not thinking about that "
"Ouch"
"What about you, who are you hiding from."
"My dad, he's going to be furious when he finds out I got a job."
"Really, mine was thrilled when I started working speaking of which I'm going to be late for"
"See you around sometime maybe."
"Maybe"
--
"Alright, stay behind the bar and don't let anyone flirt with you. Lana will show you the ropes and if someone gives you any trouble we're in the back" Sully instructed Janet when she started her first shift. She's been around Sully some growing up and he and her Dad got along well but Janet didn't really know him or have much to do with him.
All went well, she made a fortune off of the tips and everyone seemed to like her really well. She had a contagious smile and her and Lana got along great.
"So who's the new girl behind the bar in there?" Joe asked Sully
"None of your business so stay away from her, she isn't legal and she's off limits"
"Did you tell Richard yet?" James asked outing his friend.
"Tell Richard what?" Richard asked
"Tell you who our new barmaid is going to be?" James continued to make it a big deal
"Look, Eddie's going to be back here when he gets off work and you ain't complaining about that so shut your trap old man" Sully tried to shut James up
"If my 18 year old son was my 16 year old daughter it would be a much different story"
"Sully, tell me you didn't give Janet a job working the bar" Richard was holding out some hope
"I didn't offer, she asked and you can't tell that girl no."
"So, I have to be the bad guy?"
"You can't tell her no either" That's why she's got that mint condition Charger that cost you a fortune" Sully chuckled
"I can, when I have to"
"Give her a chance, I think she can hold her own. She's got to much of her mother in her to sit behind a desk."
No sooner than he got it out Lana and Janet came in with the fresh pitchers of beer. "Janet, you want to tell me what you think you're doing?" Richard barked
"Working, what are you doing?" The guy's cracked up knowing instantly how big a handful Janet was.
"There's not a chance in hell I'm going to let you work in a bar"
"I'll play you for it" a young, feisty Janet offered her father
"I'm your father, I'm not bargaining with you"
"Scared you're going to lose?" Jack asked Richard Meadows
"No"
"Then what's the problem " Sully asked
"Get a chair" Richard scooted over making room.
"Now come up with the money and not your tips from flirting with old men" That wasn't a problem seeing how every one at the table pitched in quickly.
"What? I didn't flirt for it" Janet responded to her dad rolling his eyes just as Eddie came through the door.
"Hey Latekka fork over some dough so the girl can play" Ben caught him at the door.
When Eddie saw it was the girl he meet two weeks before he did but didn't say a word. Just nodded when she said thank you.
"Pushing it little girl" Richard warned his daughter when she started drinking his beer.
"You can't afford to buy beer the way you're loosing and I'm not buying it for you"
"Aren't you supposed to be working?"
"I just gave her the night off" Sully was enjoying watching Richard be run over by yet another woman in his life the same as her mother did.
"Thanks a lot" Richard was sarcastic
"Go get us some pitchers, Latekka go help her" Sully ordered
"Since when did I grow boobs"
"I've got it" Janet stood to go
"Get your own so you'll leave mine alone." Richard barked at his daughter
"Seriously, if she gets to drink so do I"
"Since when did you grow boobs" Sully teased him
"Take it up with your mommy, I'm not suffering so you can have a beer" James was wrapped tight around Lana's finger
"Fine I will" Eddie left out behind her
--
"I hope he doesn't think that was all that subtle" Joe laughed
"He's eighteen he doesn't know what subtle means yet and if he does he ain't got the will power to do it" Jack added
"Keep your horny son away from my daughter, James"
"They are on their own, it's not like their going to listen to a damn thing we say anyway"
"I mean it, James If I catch him………………."
"He's not going to let you catch him and it's not fair when you're daughter makes it so tempting"
"What's that supposed to mean" Richard was furious
"Come on, Richard she's the kind of girl men can't resist. She knows exactly what she's doing" James didn't make any bones about it.
"Keep him on a leash or I'll neuter him"
"Relax, he's got a girlfriend, head cheerleader really cute blond, she's got him wrapped" Sully tried to defuse the situation
"Rory doesn't stand a chance against that one. The Ridge doesn't grow women like that often. I can't control him no more than your going to be able to control the other ones."
"She's not a woman, she's a child" Richard defended
"No, that ones a grown woman. You might not be ready for it but I can guarantee the men are. He'll fall for locks in there you watch and see" James chuckled
"What are we watching?" Eddie asked taking his seat back
"Nothing, what took you so long" Sully investigated the accusation
"Rory's pissed at me cause I blew off some cheer thing she wanted me take her to so she called to bitch about it as usual" Eddie answered and Sully got up to check on Janet
"Don't you think you aught to go make nice" Richard asked testing the waters himself
"She'll get over it, she's just going to want to go to another party and frankly I'm sick of babysitting her wild ass. Let her take care of herself, it'll do her some good to wake up in a strange place maybe then she'll stop trying to wake up with me"
"So you don't care if your girlfriend is waking up with someone other than you?" Richard thought Eddie was a bit like himself as a young man
"She can do what the hell she wants to tonight, I don't really give a shit. You want her number let her bitch at you for a while don't worry she'll make it worth you're effort" Eddie tossed his phone across the table at him
James just laughed and patted Eddie on the back. "It'll be alright, something better will come along" James just grinned at Richard as Lana came through the door.
"You alright" Lana asked her son
"Yeah, he's good" James assured her
"Eddie your girlfriend is out back and wants to see you. Sully wouldn't let her in" Janet came through the door with her beer and two more pitchers.
"Keep her away from the bar, Latekka. She's still underage." Sully warned as he came back in. You had to be 18 to get in at that time and she was two weeks shy of it. Janet and Eddie were the two exceptions.
"Will you do me a favor and tell her you can't find me or that I ran off with somebody else or maybe that I disappeared into thin air or even that I've been captured by wild Comanche's"
"Ooo-Kay" Janet just looked at him strange
--
"Hey, Rory is it" Janet asked looking at the perfectly built blond in a cheer-leading outfit. "I'm not going to lie to you because it's just not right but Eddie wanted me to tell you that I couldn't find him because he ran off with someone else then disappeared into thin air when he was captured by wild Comanche's so just which ever one you want to pick is fine."
"I'm sorry I don't mean to be rude but how do you know my boyfriend?"
"Ohh, my dad and Sully are friends and I sorta work here now. I don't really know him."
"What's your name?"
"Sorry again, it's Janet, nice to meet you."
"Will you tell Eddie something for me?"
--
"Was she pissed?" Eddie asked with a grin
"Not really, she did ask me to give you a message though"
"What?"
"She said that when I find you and someone else to pull a tee-pee out of thin air and shove it up your ass." The room burst into laughter. Janet just bit her lip as she sorted her cards . He looked her right at her, swigged his beer and gave her the most coveting smirk that could be read by everyone in the room but the one he had a sudden hunger for.