Jane was just invited to a simple thing - simply going out to some nifty little bowling alley to go bowling, have dinner, hang out with the guys. That was all that was planned, that was all that was going to happen.
But of course, that's not what happened.
Jane decided to dress nicely for the occasion; nothing fancy, but a skirt that reached her mid-thigh, with light blue lace on hem (sewn on by herself, suggested by Roxy), black leggings that were covered by the pair of cowgirl boots Roxy threw at her and commanded her to change into. Jane also wore a simple short sleeved white shirt with a creme cardigan, which Roxy called her old fashioned for, but allowed her to keep it. Add some "plain a-an' boring" make up, and Jane was ready to go.
"You look bee-you-tuh-ful." Roxy said, picking up one of Jane's curls and watching it fall. Roxy wore a tight-fitting strapless party dress and fur boots, along with pink leggings - Jane was wearing the black ones. Roxy also insisted on wearing "bowling gloves", but it was really fingerless lace wrapped around her thin hands as she entangled them in Jane's hair-sprayed stiff hair.
"Are you having trouble pronouncing that?" Jane said with a slight giggle, the blush making it look like she had laughed harder. Roxy shook her head, her hair flying out like... Well, a girl rapidly shaking her head side-to-side.
The faintest honk was heard, and Roxy smirked from double pierced ear to ear.
"They're heeeeeeeeeeeeerrreeee!" She sang, imitating the little girl from that movie that Jane was always too scared to watch because Roxy had emphasized the only actual horrible parts in it so much.
Dirk blared the horn again, rapping his ringers along the steering wheel as he stared down the street. Awfully boring place, he noted, when he hear a door slam and turned back to see the two teenage girls running, Roxy leading with Jane almost being dragged by her wrists down the path to his car.
Bop, Roxy didn't stop and slammed herself against the side of the car, Jane watching, horrified from sidewalk as Dirk snickered and Roxy doubled over laughing at her own failure.
"Ladies," Dirk greeted them once Roxy had fixed herself and managed to slide in the backseat, along with Jane, of course. Dirk had asked of them to both pop in the back - Jake would be accompanying him in the front seat.
Dirk noted they both had dressed up rather nicely, and he felt awfully lame in his plaid button-down shirt and black white beater, along with some distressed jeans and sneakers, and Jane noticed this as well.
"Looking mighty swell." She joked, a slight smirk taunting her light pink lips as she leaned into the two front seats.
"As are you." He paused, expression to changing, but realizing his statement was wrong. "You look nice, I mean. Roxy does, too." Dirk pressed his back to the seat and shifted the car into drive. "But I wouldn't recommend moving around so much."
Jane cocked her head in confusion as Dirk glanced in the side mirror for cars - there were none, such a boring neighborhood. "And what do you mean like that?" He sighed heavily.
"Jane, you are a young but growing woman," he started, and Roxy rolled her eyes violently in the back, leaning against the window and staring at orange leaves that threatened to fall off the trees in the breeze, and some did, but others stuck with their friends and held on a little longer. "But I think your cupcakes are trying to pop out of the oven a little too soon. Before they're completed baking - Not that the size of the cupcakes now are bad, just..." Dirk had no idea it would be this awkward talking to them, and they were still sitting outside the front of her house.
"He's sayin' yer titties need to stay ins'de for naow." Roxy advised, and Jane turned as red as the candy-apple wrist band Dirk had around his right wrist. She opened her mouth to ask about it when she noticed Dirk was blushing madly as well and pulled out the parking position and began the drive to Jake's house out in the rural part of town.
He was sitting on a large stone at the end of his driveway, his knees up and his arms resting on his bony knees, hands dipping in towards his crotch. He hadn't really dressed up; a plain light grey short-sleeved shirt, and cargo shorts that were baggy enough they could all see well up his thigh - thank God for briefs. He smiled when he noticed them, pushing himself up and brushing off any dirt.
"Tally ho!" He greeted Dirk after he had rolled down the driver's window, and Dirk only nodded a reply, sticking his thumb towards the seat next to him, silently telling him 'Get in'. Jake nodded and decided to be cool, doing an action slide over the hood of the car and hopping off on the other side, and Jane could see Dirk cry a little on the inside, this being a new car that Jake's ass had just rubbed all up on.
"And here we go," Dirk commented, and Jane wasn't sure if it was under his breath of meant to be heard, but no one replied to him. Roxy busied herself texting someone and giggling about the hilarity as Jane shifted uncomfortably.
They couldn't have arrived at the bowling alley fast enough, as Jane found herself walking oddly close to Jake up the steps and into the building. It smelt like soap that had been washed with more soap, and Dirk was silent as he paid for everyone and Jake went off to find a good bowling ball.
"Gotta have a good grip," He was saying as Jane followed him in pursuit of a ball - she could use some balls herself, she thought as she wrung her hands behind her back. "Can't slip out and can't get stuck, y'know?"
"Yeah." She replied too quickly, but Jake didn't notice.
Just as Jake was holding up 'the perfect' bowling ball, shinier and greener than fresh grass with dew, Dirk came over, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Bowling actually sounds boring." His voice was so nonchalant, it irritated Jane, but she said nothing. Jake's eyes dropped slightly, but he only sighed a small little sexy exhale of breath and place the ball back on the racks, pausing to admire it a little more.
"Tooooooooootally," Roxy chimed in, spinning herself on one of the stools at the little cafe counter. "We should get some drinks!" She suddenly exclaimed.
"Roxy, we came to bowl, not drink." Jane sighed, rubbed her temples, foundation getting smeared on her fingers.
"It's something better to do," Dirk added, giving his shoulders the slightest of a shrug. "Plus I'm already awfully drunk."
"Dirk!" Jane screeched, putting her hand to her chest as she gasped loudly. No one else moved and Dirk's face was completely serious. "You're kidding!"
"'Fraid not. Had a beer or two before coming her-" He didn't get to finish his sentence when she frankly slapped him across the face, obviously disgusted with him.
"Jane, I'm only kidding. I could go for a cold one, however." This was really pissing her off, and Jane didn't know why she was friends with these... weirdos.
"I guess you guys are right!" Jane turned to Jake and gave him the biggest "What are you, a dumbass? Don't agree with them!" face she could muster, but no one noticed and she just twitched a small smile of irritation when Jake did turn to look at her.
"Le's go get skots!" Roxy yelled, hoping off the stool and sticking her pointed index finger in the air, dress rising on her hips and Jane noticed Jake's eyes drooping to meet her. Jane would love to slap him as well.
"Shots," Dirk corrected, and they shuffled towards the bar at the end bowling alley, ever day families bowling and having fun, cheering even when their ball flew straight to the gutter within seconds.
"Um," Dirk said, leaning over to whisper to Roxy and Dirk as Jake tapped his fingers on the bar a few feet away, but out of earshot. "Would you girls mind going somewhere else? Another table or the other side of the bar, perhaps?"
"Woah, rude!" Roxy said in a very loud whisper.
"I need to talk with Jake, and I'd appreciate some privacy." Jane could've sworn she saw the slightest blush on Dirk's cheekbones, as if he was nervous about going and talking to Jake alone. Jake, in the background, talked with the waitress in the short skirt and tube top, belly ring glistening in the low bar lights.
"O." Roxy nodded and sauntered off, clearly not caring about why, just wanting a drink. Jane wanted to ask what it was they were going to converse that was so secretive, when Dirk just frankly turned on his heel and put his hand on Jake's shoulders as he slid into his own seat, mumbling something to Jake and then the girl.
Left alone and feeling overwhelmed, Jane felt her knees wobble, as if she was just going to collapse. Fall to the floor, fall through the floor, disappear. It would be better then being here.
She only came along (besides the fact Roxy practically begged for her to join) because she wanted to ask Jake out. Get him alone for a moment and just casually pop the question. But the look - the gleam in Dirk's eyes as he politely asked them to give him a moment alone with the same boy, Jane knew he had the same intentions.
"Yo, tight-ass! Hurry it up!" Roxy called from a booth in the back, and Jane's jello legs somehow managed to get her over there, slide her in the booth, pick up a menu, order a basket of fries and a martini. The only thing she wanted right now was a drink.
The same waitress came back over and Jane wanted to punch her in the face. She resisted the urge and mumbled a thank you for the food, downing the martini easily.
"Hey, girl, calm yerself." Jane could not for the life of her keep her baby blue eyes of the two teen guys at the bar. The way Dirk's hand rested casually on his thigh, the way Jake kept smiling a buck-toothed smiled, and the way he would adjust his glasses. Jane decided to go all out today and use contacts, but watching Jake gave her the instinct to reach up to her face and push up where her glass would've been.
"Jane yer actually realllllly weird. You okay?"
"Yes, I just... I need another drink." Roxy nodded, almost happy her friend was getting into the party, and flagged the waitress down lazily.
Dirk moved his hand from his thigh to Jake's knee, and Jane screamed inside. He leaned in close and whispered something, and Jane couldn't see Jake's face, but she could see his ears, which turned a bright red.
"Oh God." Jane said, getting up and starting to walk over there.
"Jane, oh my God, what're you doin'?" Roxy slurred as a little bell chimed. Two girls walking into the bar. "Well fuck you too!" Roxy yelled as Jane ignored her, and one of the girls perked her head up.
"You talkin' to me?" She sneered, stepping over to the both, dreadlocks down to her waist as her knuckles and fingers were covered in gold jewelry. "You little asswhip talkin' to me?"
"No no no no no no," Roxy only replied, but was too drunk to realize the scenario. Jane was still in pursuit of Jake and not really paying attention.
"'Cause I'll fuck you right back." The girl smirked, teeth sharp and viscous, grabbing Roxy's arms and pinning her to the wall as she crawled onto the booth.
"Halp!" Roxy then yelled, and Jane and Dirk turned their heads to see what the commotion was about.
"Crocker, what're you doing? I asked if you girls could-"
"HALP!"
"Oh Goddamnit." Dirk jumped out of his seat and confronted Jane, who was shaking like a leaf. "Jane, I'm sorry, but I really need this moment. I'm, uh," he bent his head into Jane to whisper. "I'm trying to make a move, alright?" So it was true, Jane thought. She knew something fishy was going on and she did not like it one bit. "Now, if you could, please help me with Roxy." They two of them were in a yelling match, and Jane was surprised no one else had come to do anything. Dirk had to grab the mysterious girl by the hips and pull her off of Roxy, and Jane had to squeeze between all of them in order to keep Roxy back.
"Hello." A girl said, voice soft spoken as she gave a tentative wave to Jake from her anxious spot at the front of the restaurant. Jake turned around and his jaw dropped. She was gorgeous; short black hair that just curled back her shoulders, a tight fitting short blue dress and white stockings, and Jake was just overwhelmed by it all.
"H-Hi," He responded, but her friend with the rings was shoved by Dirk back in the direction of the entrance, and she grabbed the blue-dress gal and they left, Jake in a daze.
"Sorry for the interruption," Dirk said as he slid back into place, but Jake was out of it. He'd already had a few drinks and made was she beautiful. "Jake." Dirk snapped and Jake flinched, giving a tispy and love-struck smile.
"I-I-I need to use the restroom." Jake blurted, tugging on the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his crotch as he quickly huddled over to the bathroom.
"Way to go, Crocker." Dirk called to her as she stood, quietly, a few feet behind him. He stretched out and kicked his feet up on his friend's stool. "Way. To. Go."
"You know what?" She walked around Dirk and sat in Jake's seat - he'd probably be a while - and took his drink, downing it quickly. "I don't care. This night is kind of a disaster but you know what? Don't care. Don't give a shit."
"Way to go, Janey!" Roxy cheered her on from the booth she was just practically molested in.
"Sorry your plans didn't work out. Really, I am." She took Dirk's drink and drank it as well. "Except I'm not, because fuck you."
Jake returned, satisfied, but said nothing, and just stood behind Jane as she rambled on, clearly on a roll.
"I guess tonight isn't the night. We both wanted to do it but we fucking didn't and oh well. I guess Jake will neeeeever know, at least not tonight. If anything," The waitress set down another drink that Jane happily took, spinning it as she talked. "If anything it's my fault for falling in love with the guy. Here that, Dirk? I love him. Woopsies-daises, I fell, and I fell hard, and Dirk you just fucking keep pushing me down." She threw the remaining contents of the drink at Dirk, hopping off the stool and heading back to the booth to grab her purse and leave, even if she had to walk back home.
"Oh." Was all Jake said, and Jane's eyes went as big as saucers the moment she realized he had heard her whole rant. Suddenly everything got dizzy and she felt sick, grabbing on the nearest chair to balance herself as Roxy giggled like the drunk maniac she was beside her, draping her thin arm around Jane's waist and cheering loudly, Jane flinching in reaction. Roxy had more drinks, that's for sure.
"H-Heeeeey Dirrrrrrk," She slurred out, standing back up straight but swooning off to the side by a step. "We shoul-should like so-" She paused, putting her balled fist in front of her mouth as she either burped, hiccuped, or threw up a little, squeezing her eyes shut like it was a ride that would quickly be over. "L-Like soooo do this agi-again!" Roxy was oblivious to what was really going on - of course she was, Jane thought. It's Roxy.
All Roxy saw was getting drunk with her friends, and that seemed like a Hell of a time to her.
And Hell it was.
"Jane, I-I hadn't known..." Jake said, voice trailing off like he'd much rather not be having this conversation. No one would.
"It's better you don't know. But you heard it, and here we are." She paused. "And now you fucking know." She said, words sharp and harsh, like final daggers. She didn't say anything as she left, just spun on her heel and quickly walked straight out of there.
"Join us, they said." Jane rambled under her breath as she tugged on her cardigan and walked down the steps. "It'll be fun, they said." She didn't bother apologizing to Jake - she was most certainly not in the mood to even think about talking to him, let alone could she function enough to open her mouth and say something that wasn't gibberish or hateful words she would regret or, worst of all, accidentally say what was really on her mind, though that's pretty much how the night went, anyway.
And Dirk could go fuck himself.
"Jane, wait uuuu-AHHHH" Roxy immediately fell on the stairs, tumbling down the concrete until landing on the sidewalk in a pathetic, curled up ball at Jane's feet. "Where ya goin'?"
"Home. I don't want to deal with anyone or anything right now."
"But I thou-thought we was hangin' out?" Jane didn't bother looking at Roxy, because she knew she put on her puppy dog eyes, and even drunk, Jane couldn't say no.
"Hop on." She grumbled, and Roxy giddily strode back up the steps, hopping on Jane's back like a koala, clinging to her, her hands falling all over Jane's face. Jane didn't mind, it busied her so she wouldn't talk about what happened, which is just what Jane wanted/needed right now.
They walked back to Jane's house like that, Roxy falling asleep three blocks in and Roxy just dropped her off on the sofa in the living room, bringing a trash can to set beside her in case she got sick again, and Jane took a shower because Roxy had thrown up on her back.
She dried off and changed, walking downstairs, looking at Roxy and regretting even meeting her. It was her fault, Roxy dragged her into this mess. Roxy introduced her to Jake. And Roxy knew Dirk was making a move at the same time Jane wanted to.
Fucking Roxy.
"He-ey." She said, voice raspy, reaching up with a shaky arm to touch Jane's hand. "Thank you." Roxy said, eyes closing again as she drifted back to sleep.
"Aw, shucks. I can't stay mad at you." She commented and crawled on the sofa with Roxy, ignoring the 27 and counting phone calls from Dirk and Jake, more or less drunk and angry.
