A/N: This is my latest Definitions Of Love, and it's a Jelsi. It's not something I usually work with. I'm a big Troyella devotee, and that's usually my main focus. But lately I've been trying to work on expanding my reach. So, anyway, enjoy! R&R! Thanks! –Mac
Disclaimer: I don't own HSM, I'd be so set if I did. But alas, nope, not me.
Definitions Of Love: Tentative
Tentative (adj) 1: not fully worked out or developed 2: to hold back (as in doubt) 3: pause. Synonyms: hesitant, uncertain, reluctant, wavering, teetering, faltering.
Kelsi Nielson wasn't the tentative type—with the exception of when it came to Sharpay Evans, but everyone was afraid of the blonde drama queen. She was confident in herself to the extent that she could be in her own person. She was the look-before-you-leap kind of girl, leaving the flurry of emotion to her music. Her only hesitation came from wanting to meticulously plan what she was to do.
So when Jacob Cross came into her life, she didn't know quite what to do.
There were a few select categories in which Kelsi was absolutely certain. The first, her friends, Kelsi could be confident in the fact that they would always be there for her—especially since Gabriella came to Albuquerque and the entire gang came together. The second was drama. And the ultimate was her music, she would always be able to understand the music in her head.
Boys was not one of those categories. And that, it seemed, would be her downfall.
It wasn't that Jason was so very intimidating. In fact he was quite accommodating when it came to easing her nerves. He had no problem going at a slow pace, as they neared beginning a relationship. Kelsi couldn't explain why his attentions had her wavering. It was just Jason's, when Troy or Chad or Ryan spoke her she didn't get half as frustrated as she did when Jason so much as looked at her. She couldn't figure what she was afraid of.
Kelsi felt she shouldn't be so reluctant to be in his presence. She had no doubt she wanted to be with him, and he obviously like her too. If he didn't he wouldn't spending so much of his time on her. Something unexplainable was causing her to falter on her course.
"Hey Kelsi!" Jason called out as he took a couple extra quick strides to catch up with her in the hall.
"He-Hey Jason." Kelsi responded, "What's up?"
"Well, I actually had something to ask you?" Jason replied, "See I've noticed we've kinda been spending more and more time around each other, just the two of us."
Kelsi swallowed, "Really? I hadn't noticed."
"We have." Jason confirmed, "And I wondered if you wanted to officially do that some more?"
Kelsi frowned, "What?"
"What I meant to say is, would you like to hang out with me, say, Friday night around eight?" Jason reworded his question.
"Friday at eight?" Kelsi repeated, "That's when the dance is."
"I know." Jason nodded, "I was thinking we could go together."
"L-like a, a…date?" Kelsi gulped.
Jason smiled sheepishly, "Only if you want it to be."
"I, I don't know…" Kelsi said, "Do you want it to be?"
"Only if you want it to be." Jason repeated, "Because I don't want to do anything you don't want to do. So really, it's all up to you. You know, if you want to go, if you don't want to go…or whatever."
"Why don't you tell me what you want?" Kelsi suggested, "Because believe me, you don't want to leave it up to me…I couldn't make that decision to save my life. Not by Friday at least."
"Why not?" Jason asked.
"Because I think I know what I want, but I've become a big mess and I can't get anything done and I can barely speak properly let alone form a coherent decision and boy is this the longest run on sentence I have ever spoken. See! There's something wrong with me."
Jason chuckled, "I agree."
Kelsi frowned, "You're laughing…"
"Only because I feel like I'm going through the same thing. You hit the nail on the head." Jason explained, "You know, I have trouble wrapping my head around certain things normally…but now with you, it's like ten times worse!"
Kelsi didn't understand why, but hearing that Jason was being tortured in the same manner she was brought a smile to her face. A smile that widened and wouldn't go away. She felt as if she was teetering on the edge of a cliff and she had just made the decision to let go and just jump off.
"Now you're laughing." Jason stated.
"Yes." Kelsi replied suddenly.
"Yes, what?"
"I'll go with you to the dance, you know, only if you want to."