Chapter 2
written by Skykat
edited by I love music
The Days Before...
Martha McKenzie angrily fluffed up her pillows yet again and lay back, but it hadn't worked last time and it didn't work this time either. She just couldn't get comfortable. Wriggling a bit more she re-opened the book Miss Fletcher had asked them to read by Monday. But she was finding it impossible to concentrate. How could you be expected to concentrate when your elbows hurt from holding the book above your face and the lines blurred through a mist of tears?
Frustrated, she threw the book across the room, where it landed upright against the wall, pages open, as if to taunt her. She threw two pillows after it in revenge and lay back on the third, wiped a hand across her teary eyes and concentrated instead on what really mattered. Or who really mattered.
Jack Holden.
They had been a couple almost from the moment they had first spoken, when she had accidentally spilled coke all down his shirt and he had demanded, with a twinkle in his eye and a twinkle in his smile, that she go out with him to make up for it. But she had fallen in love from the very first moment she saw him. The day she had been looking for Cassie and caught a glimpse of him through the doors working out in the gym, his bare chest gleaming as he poured all his energy into pumping iron. He was the first boy she had liked, the first boy she had ever loved and his betrayal with Gypsy had hurt. Really hurt.
In some ways it was easy to forgive Jack for cheating with Gypsy. Everyone knew what Gypsy Nash was like. On the other hand, Jack should have known better.
Of course Martha had finished with him, and it had taken weeks of begging, pleading and flowers before she had taken him back. She had taken him back though, fool that she was. For no other reason than that she loved him and she honestly believed he had made a mistake and regretted it.
Since they got back together their relationship was better then ever but now Martha was unsure. Hayley said she had forgiven him too easily. Martha had told her that she was still giving Jack a hard time about it but she had only really said that to impress Hayley. The truth was, Martha was so scared of losing him to another girl that she had been making too much effort.
The phone rang, interrupting Martha's thoughts, and she heard her Granddad pick it up in the next room.
"Martha, it's for you love!" Alf Stewart called.
Martha reached lazily over to pick up the extension in her room. She hoped it was Cassie, at least with Cassie she could talk about her worries.
No such luck.
"Hi, babe."
"Hi, Jack," she replied calmly, trying desperately hard to ignore the butterflies that erupted in her stomach just on hearing his voice.
"What are you up to?"
"Just reading that novel Miss Fletcher set."
"Do you fancy going for a walk or something, down by the beach maybe?" Jack suggested.
A frizzle of excitement shivered down Martha's spine as she imagined walking hand in hand with him across the deserted beach. The pair of them together, watching the sun set, his arms providing her with the heat the sun had taken away…And then Hayley's disapproving expression filtered into Martha's mind.
"Best not Jack, it's a school night. Granddad won't be happy."
"Oh come on Martha, it's not even seven," Jack protested.
"No sorry. No can do." Firmly Martha replaced the receiver thinking that Hayley would have been proud of her. So why did she feel so wretched?
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Jack Holden stared at the receiver. He had the distinct impression that Martha was upset with him and he was damned if he knew why.
"Dad, I'm going out!" he called, racing out of his room.
"Not so fast Jack. Where are you going?" Jack was surprised at how quickly his Dad moved to block the exit but then he was a PE teacher.
"He's going on a date with Martha, mmmwwaa, kiss, kiss." Jack's younger brother Lucas wrapped his arms around his body, shut his eyes and made little kissing noises.
"Is that what you do with Matilda Hunter from next door then?" Jack snapped, embarrassed and was rewarded when Lucas turned bright red and disappeared.
"Jack, that was a bit uncalled for," Tony cautioned.
"He was winding me up. Look I'm not going out with Martha, she's in a mood with me over something. I was just going to go see if Noah and Will are done surfing yet and grab an OJ or something with them in the Surf Club."
"Have you done your homework?"
"Yes." Jack crossed his fingers behind his back so his Dad couldn't see.
"Okay then, but I want you back in this house by nine."
"Ten," Jack challenged.
"Nine thirty." Tony's voice was firm and brokered no argument so Jack knew it was pointless to argue.
"OK, bye, Dad."
He raced from the house before Tony could grill him anymore and walked at a fairly brisk pace towards the Surf Club. Looking around he could see no sign of Will or Noah. Probably still out surfing, he reckoned, deciding to order a milkshake.
He had not seen the girl behind the counter before but he assumed she was the girl that Will had been raving about. Dani something or other. She was pretty hot, he could see why Will was so smitten. He smiled at her as she handed him the milkshake.
"I wouldn't let the girlfriend see you exchanging smiles with other girls. Wouldn't Martha be jealous?"
Jack recognised the teasing, playfully sarcastic tone straight away and turned round embarrassed to face Gypsy.
"I was just being friendly," he defended hotly.
"Sure. And I was just saying," Gypsy grinned at him.
"You make Martha sound totally paranoid." For some reason Gypsy still managed to get under his skin and Jack always felt uncomfortable around her.
Maybe it was because he never knew what to expect from her or maybe it was because he knew exactly what to expect.
"Isn't she?" Gypsy was standing close to him now, so close he could feel her warm breath on his cheek. Her hazel sparkled mischievously.
"That last wave was awesome!"
Will's voice cut through the air like a knife and Gypsy moved away from Jack but as she did she threw him a look over her shoulder, the sort of look that spelled trouble.
"What was that about?" Will looked at Jack suspiciously.
"Nothing. Just Gypsy being Gypsy."
Fortunately Will at that moment spotted Dani Sutherland behind the counter and the subject was forgotten as he moved off in her direction.
"So what time do you finish here then?" Will leaned casually on the counter and ran his hand through his hair in what he had no doubt was a sexy manner.
Dani gave him a wry look and checked her watch. "In about half an hour," she replied, nudging him gently aside so that she could clean the counter.
"You fancy joining us for a drink when you're done?" Will was pleased with the way he managed to get the invitation out, oh, so casually, but then he had always been pretty good with women. Even if he said so himself.
"I don't think so."
Will's mouth dropped open and he turned to look at her, startled. She had knocked him back!
"Why not? We don't bite, you know," he urged, turning on his best Will Smith grin that had made many a girl fall at his feet.
"I'm sure you don't but I have to get home. My Mum'll have dinner ready for me and besides I'm not sure hanging out with a group of boys is exactly my thing."
Dani glanced over to where Kim and Noah were playfully teasing Jack about something. They were pushing and pinching him, causing Jack to yelp with pain every two seconds and Noah and Kim to burst out in hysterical laughter.
"They're not that bad. Besides Noah's girlfriend Kit will be down here in a minute and Jack's girlfriend Martha might come down too." Will knew that Kit was coming down because Noah had mentioned it a million times but he had no idea about Martha. It sounded good to have lots of girls though.
"Who's the red-haired girl?" Dani asked curiously, "The one who was here before and is now shooting daggers in my direction?"
Will turned to follow her gaze and saw Gypsy turn swiftly back to the games machine she had been playing on.
"Gypsy? Aw, she's nobody." Will didn't want to get onto the Gypsy subject. No girl wanted to hear that a guy's ex was the town bike with a tiny psychosis problem.
"Right." Dani looked unconvinced but she let the subject drop and continued cleaning the drinks machine.
"So will you join us then?" Will tried again.
"Still no. I told you Mum'll have dinner ready." Will put on his best 'hurt puppy' expression and looked at her pleadingly and Dani giggled. "Another time maybe."
"You're still coming the party?" Will was getting desperate now, she just had to come to the party. There was no way he was ready to be at the same party as Gypsy without someone as hot as Dani on his arm. Not that she'd technically be on his arm but it would be enough to make Gypsy spew.
"Yeah, I'll come." She smiled gently, "You should go back to your friends though before they kill each other."
Grinning now, his head somewhere on cloud nine, Will picked up the milkshakes and headed back to the table.
"You look pretty pleased with yourself." Noah looked at Will questioningly.
"She wants me," Will grinned and to his annoyance his three friends burst into laughter. "She does! Anyway Kit's here." Will directed Noah's attention and his ploy worked. Noah was instantly on his feet and heading in her direction.
"That boy has it bad," Jack remarked, watching Noah.
"And you don't? You're like that over Martha!" Will teased.
"It's not that bad. I've just got a lot of making up to do with Martha, that's all. I'm certainly not under the thumb the way Noah is."
"I don't think Noah's under the thumb, just besotted," Kim replied.
"That'll be me and Dani soon," Will told them confidently.
And so what if Gypsy heard and a shadow crossed Gypsy's face as she turned back to the games machine? He was well over Gypsy. Well, well over Gypsy Nash. Wasn't he?