Jess was surprised at the date she found on the map. She was mostly surprised to find a map that was that old inside of her house. Could this be the map to find the hidden treasure that was so very sought out for way back during that time? Was this a map lost by one of the conquistadors from way back? Did they lose it and was it found by one of Jess's ancestors?
Her mind was filled with questions. And she had a strong urge to find some answers.
She ran down to her mother's study, which was more like a library, to look for some clues as to what this might exactly be.
Jess's mother was a professor at the Fandriv Central University. She taught Advanced History of the Origins of Fandriv and the Islands of Loxso. Jess's mother, Melanie, was one of the best history teachers in all of Fandriv. She was a history major in college and was in advanced placement for history ever since seventh grade.
Melanie Walker, like her daughter, had light brown hair, hazel eyes, and a muscular build. She had hollowed cheeks and a look as though she were always bored. She could be a very talkative person and when she smiled the whole room would light up. Jess's father, Jeremy, said that Melanie was the most beautiful girl at Bromain High when they both went.
Jeremy Walker, Jess's father, had dark hair and always wore glasses. He had high cheekbones and, like his wife, had hallowed cheeks. He had thick eyebrows and was muscular despite his nerdy presence. He was a geometry teacher and was quiet a nerd in high school. Jess remembered one dinner conversation with her family.
"I remember, sophomore year, your mother and I had history together and she made me look like I didn't know anything." Mr. Walker said.
"Oh, please, Jeremy. I barely talked in that class." Mrs. Walker blushed.
"So modest. She knew practically every question. If she wasn't so beautiful then I would've been extremely annoyed."
"But weren't you a genius in math?" Jess asked her father.
"He was! I remember! I was sitting two seats to his left. Our teacher, Mr. Milco, wrote some crazy equation on the board and expected the whole class to know it right away. That old bag was crazy. Only your father knew the answer to it. He looked at it once and then raised his hand." Mrs. Walker said, an annoyed look on her face.
"Well, anyways, this girl was smarter than me at history and I was smarter than her in math. I think that leveled it out a bit. Except she kept dating a whole lot of boys." Mr. Walker looked a little angry.
"Yea. Well, you were a nerd and I was a soccer player. C'mon, you really expected guys not go for me?" Mrs. Walker teased.
"Ouch…" Jess said silently, moving food around her plate with her fork.
"I got better looking!" Mr. Walker argued.
"Yea, senior year." Mrs. Walker muttered.
"Fine then!" Mr. Walker said, pushing himself away from the table on his chair then storming out of the room.
Mrs. Walker and Jess sat in a very awkward silence. Mrs. Walker looked over in the direction that her husband had stormed off in.
"You'd think I'd be the one storming out... I guess I'll go comfort him." Mrs. Walker left the table with a mingled look on her face. It was a look that was grouped from being annoyed, feeling awkward, and also a bit of being tired of all the times that her husband had stormed out.
That conversation reminded Jess of how happy she was of being an only child. It sort of made her life a bit easier. She didn't have to worry about comforting a younger sibling if they got hurt or if they saw their dad storm out in a fit of rage. And she didn't have to worry about an older sibling teasing her and making fun of her awkward habits.
Jess looked for any book about journeys of the year 1892, or any other book that sounded as though it would come from that time. There were books that talked about British captains and their crews sailing and finding places that were unknown. Only to find out that people had already found them. There were other stories in books about the ancient Indians of the Islands of Loxso that would have wars amongst the other tribes.
Jess gave up her search then and put all the books back into their right places. Feeling a bit brought down, she decided to continue on her map for Mrs. Mark.
Once Jess was finished she received a text message from Jared, her stomach suddenly got butterflies.
Hey, why weren't you at the beach today?
Jess decided to reply saying, "Oh, I just didn't feel like going."
After a minute or so, Jared replied, his text saying:
Brian didn't go either. It was quiet without you two. But the waves were still awesome.
Jess sighed, suddenly regretting not going. She was surprised that Jared had actually noticed her absence. Or, maybe someone pointed it out for him… She replied telling Jared that Brian was grounded for doing nothing.
He was grounded… For nothing? What?
Jess replied,
Not exactly. He didn't do anything, so he was grounded.
It took Jared about 3 minutes to reply, Jess noticed outside of her window that it was getting dark. She suddenly felt very tired as she looked outside.
Jared replied,
Oh. I'm gonna go do some homework before my mom notices. See ya tomorrow.
Jess replied saying "See ya," but she wanted to add "I love you," to it. But she knew that would've been extremely weird and awkward so she decided against it.
The next morning she woke with a jolt, realizing that she woke up late. She rushed to wash her face, brush her teeth, apply make-up, and clothe herself. She left without breakfast and almost forgot her backpack. She ran quickly to school. Making it 5 minutes before the starting bell.
Jess's friend Sierra, Stephanie, and Brianna were belting the Sexy Sax Man song at the top of their lungs, just to annoy Brian and Jared.
"You're late!" Brian yelled when he saw Jess, sweating and out of breath.
"Woke up… late…" Jess said breathing heavily and using Jared to help keep her up.
Jess looked around at all the people that were in their groups of friends, some staring at Stephanie, Sierra, and Brianna like they were crazy or on something. Others were laughing and dancing to the song. There was one boy that was staring directly at her. He quickly looked away just as Jess locked eye contact with him.
His name was Charlie Forseph. He had light brown hair that drooped in and around is face. He was a pretty scrawny guy but he seemed to be a ladies' man. He would always wear light blue sunglasses over his green eyes. He had a stunning smile, which was probably why so many girls would swoon over him.
Jess smiled and turned her attention back to her group of friends. Jared was telling Brian about the waves yesterday just as the bell rang. Jared and Jess walked to their first period, Mr. Mackens, for Biology.
As the class sat at their tables with their lab partners, Mr. Mackens was typing something quickly on his computer. The bell rang and the class stopped talking. Jared and Jess were lab partners and Jared passed Jess a piece of paper to take notes on. It was pretty much one of their daily routines.
As Mr. Mackens talked on and on, Jess and Jared took notes. But Jess's mind was thinking about one thing: the map from 1892. She planned to go into the library and look around the books after fourth period.
Jared suddenly elbowed Jess hard in her ribs.
"Ow!" Jess whispered.
"Now that I have everyone's attention," Mr. Mackens said, looking annoyed, "Work with your lab partner and decide which class each of these bugs belong to. Don't worry, they're all dead and in glass cases." He added, seeing the horrified looks on the girls' faces. "Jared, Jess, pass out the microscopes and bugs, please."
They stood up, walked to the desk in the front of the classroom and started passing out the bugs and microscopes. Jess looked down at the bugs and felt automatically grossed out. She had goose bumps all over her arms.
After they were done passing out the things, they sat down at their lab table and started their work.
"I saw that Forseph kid staring at you before class…" Jared said out of no where.
"And?" Jess asked, not seeing the point.
"Oh, I was just saying… I think he likes you. He's in my sixth period. Isn't he in your next class?" Jared asked.
"Yea. Why do you think he likes me?"
"He's always staring at you." Jared said, looking into the microscope.
"He is? I've never noticed…" Jess said, feeling slightly creeped out.
"Yea. Especially during lunch. It's sort of annoying…" Jared said, writing down something else onto his piece of paper.
Jess was surprised to hear him say that. She looked at him, "How is it annoying?"
Jared looked up, a stunned look on his face, like he hadn't meant to say that. "Uh… I don't know… It's just… different… seeing someone stare at you a lot. I guess…"
Jess laughed, "What's that supposed to mean? Guys don't like me very much? I could've told you that. Guess how many guys I've dated this year."
Jess noticed a worried look that crossed Jared's face for a fraction of a second, "How many?"
Jess smiled, "Zero."
"Why don't you date people?" Jared asked.
"I don't know. People never ask me. I never ask people." She looked down at her paper. "I get too nervous to ask out the person that I like. I always do." Jess looked up at Jared, watching his expression, "It's annoying."
"I bet it is for the person if they like you back." Jared commented. Jess thought that he clearly didn't understand that she liked him very much.
"Yea… Of course it is." She replied, disappointed.
"Well class! Pack up, leave the supplies on the tables, I have a free period next and I can take care of them myself." Mr. Mackens told the class.
As the class filed out after the bell, Jared passed Jess, leaving in a different direction. Jess looked after the way he went and sighed. Would he ever realize that I like him? Jess thought.
Of course he wouldn't. Maybe Jess should tell him. But… what if he just laughed in her face… What if he just ignored her after that? And what if it ruined their friendship?
Jess walked to the girls' locker room and changed into her gym clothes. She was prepared to pay attention to Charlie Forseph and see if what Jared had said was correct. She had a song stuck in her head and she couldn't remember the name of it, but she hummed it as she walked past Charlie to her spot on the gym floor. She looked over at Charlie and he looked down at the floor.
Second period pasted quickly, Jess had hung out with her friends Violet, Larissa, Angelica, and Caelin and told them to watch for Charlie looking at her. Charlie looked 12 times, according to Caelin. And the rest of her friends said similar things. They also kept asking Jess if she likes Charlie. Jess reminded them that she liked Jared.
Then third period, band, came and went quickly. Jess tried not to talk to Jared during that period because she had a tendency to get caught by their teacher. They played through all of their songs for the concert that was coming in the next week and then when they were leaving Jared joined Jess.
"So, did you count how many times Charlie looked at you?" Jared asked.
"About 12 times, according to my friends." Jess told him.
"Ha. I told you." Jared grinned.
"Yea, whatever. At least I don't get stared at by several girls at one time. I don't need to worry about that kind of stuff." Jess said to Jared, smirking.
"Yea, but I'm not getting glared at by those girls." Jared retorted.
"Haters gon' hate." Jess stated simply.
Jared laughed, "Good luck going through today's lesson with Elena glaring at you."
"I'm not worried about her." Just as Jess said that, someone shoved past her. Not to Jess's surprise, it was Elena. "Wow. You're cool. If you hate me, come say it to my face instead of acting like a little kid." She yelled after Elena.
Jared laughed and looked at Jess. "Somehow, I knew you were going to do something like that."
Elena turned around. She walked up to Jess. "Oh really? I know you're not going to do anything if I do it again." Elena pushed Jess's shoulder with her hand.
Jess laughed. "You're just trying to look cool in front of Jared. Act like you can beat people up. It's not a good idea to try to do that to one of his friends. And do that one more time. I dare you. And let's see what happens." Jess said with a threatening look on her face.
Elena blushed; a panicked look crossed her face. She backed off Jess after looking at Jared's face as he was trying to hold back laughing. Elena hurried into the classroom just as Jared started laughing.
"I'm proud of you, Jess. You stick up for yourself. It's adorable. You're so tiny and you don't take crap from anyone." Jared said, "But I'd still like to see you fight someone. You don't seem like someone who'd beat someone up."
"I would if it was needed. Only, the person has to start the fight me first. And I'm only tiny to you. And some other people… But mostly you." Jess said.
Jared laughed and they went to their seats. Elena's face was red because half the class saw the confrontation. They did the same thing during class as they did the day before. The bell rang and Jess started heading for the library.
"Jess, where are you going?" Jared asked.
"The library." She replied.
"Why…?" Jared gave her a weird look.
"What? Do you want to come with me?" Jess asked.
"No. I'll see you in fifth period, then." Jared said, and then left.
Jess walked down the hall to the library. It wasn't a long walk, but not all the short. She noticed the usual people that hung around the library. She walked over to the history section.
Conquistadors of 1892 looked like a good choice. Jess picked up the book and walked to one of the many tables in the middle of the large room that's shelves on the walls were filled with books. She opened the book and started to search for anything that could help her figure anything out.
After 3 minutes of flipping through pages, someone sat right across from the table she was sitting at. Jess looked up and to her surprise, Charlie Forseph, with his light blue glasses on, had taken the seat across from her.
"Hi." He said.
"Uhm, hey…" Jess said, unsure about what he was doing there.
"What are you looking for in this large, old book of yours?" He asked.
"It's not my book and I'm looking for something for a certain date. But I'm not sure which date exactly." She replied, still turning pages.
"Do you want me to help?" Charlie asked.
"Thanks, but no thanks. You'd need to know the whole background and everything and it takes up quite some time, so… Yea…" Jess didn't want to tell someone who was practically a complete stranger about what she had found inside of her house.
"Oh, okay. You're really pretty." Charlie said unexpectedly.
"Uh, thanks…" Jess said, dumbstruck.
"I'd like a girlfriend that would be as pretty as you." He continued.
"You've dated girls that are a lot better looking than me. Why do you want to date me anyways?" Jess felt her face growing hot.
"Because I like you." He said casually.
"Why?"
"You're different."
"I'm… different… That's your deal breaker for wanting to date me?" Jess felt really confused and embarrassed.
"Well, yea. You see, most of the girls that I've dated, they're… Well, they're not that bright. There's sort of stupid. Not to be mean or anything, but the truth hurts sometimes, right? Plus you seem really down to earth. I like girls like that. And didn't you win the 14 year old division at the competition last summer?" Charlie asked.
"Uh… Yea, I did. I've noticed that you stare at me a lot." Jess said, she folded her hands on top of the book."
"Oh… Well, I can't help but stare at you sometimes. You're beauty… It's unbelievable… It takes my breath away." Charlie said.
Jess stared at him for a moment. She couldn't tell if he just wanted to get some or if he was honest. Part of her brain felt as though what he had just said was well rehearsed and well thought out. But the other part, the hopeful one, thought that maybe he was being honest. And that, maybe, if Jess dated Charlie then she would've be so in love with Jared. Maybe then she'd find out there there's more to live than just one guy forever.
"Uh… Sure. I'll date you." Jess almost couldn't believe what she had just said.
"Great!" Charlie leaned over the table and kissed Jess right on the lips. "Let's get out of here. It's too quiet."
Jess had realized that that was her first kiss. Unless you count when Jared was giving her CPR after she had whiped out. Jess followed him out of the library and into the area where everyone ate their lunch.
Charlie led her to where he and his friends would hang out. It was across the area from where she and her friend hung out. She walked right past Jared and he turned just as she walked past. He was smiling when he turned around, but once her saw Jess with Charlie's arm around her, his face looked angry and surprised.
"Boys! This is Jess, she and I are dating." Charlie announced to his friends. "Jess, this is Bradley," Charlie pointed to a boy with dark brown hair that swept to one side, he was muscular and intimidating," and this is Chase," Charlie pointed to a blonde boy that saluted to Jess," Carlos, Marky, and Roger."
Marky and Carlos were both Mexican and both were muscular. Carlos had long, black hair (long for a boy) that swept to the side and Marky had black hair that he gelled back. Marky would wear bow ties to school and suspenders. He dressed sort of like a nerd, but it was his swag. Roger was in two of Jess's classes. He was an extremely quiet boy that usually avoided eye contact. Roger had greasy, flat hair and he wasn't muscular or intimidating, like Bradley. Instead, he looked sort of wimpy.
Jess introduced herself to Charlie's friends and they all sat at a table and talked for a bit. Jess looked back to where he friends were. They all were staring at her with astonished looks on their face. Except Jared, who looked angry and betrayed. Jess couldn't understand why. Jared was saying something to the group but Jess couldn't attempt to read his lips.
The bell rang a few minutes later and all the students out for lunch headed to their fifth periods. Jess felt her stomach fill with butterflies. If Jared was as pissed as he looked, Jess didn't want to sit next to him.
She walked into her classroom behind him. They sat at their desks that were, of course, next to each other.
"Why Charlie? Charlie Forseph? I mean, we even talked about him this morning!" Jared got straight to the point.
"He showed up in the library and we started talking and he was really… uh… persuasive. So I agreed to going out with him… I didn't get to finish my research though." Jess was avoiding eye contact with him.
"I thought you didn't like him!" Jared said, Jess could feel him staring at her.
"I never said that…" Jess replied, finally looking up at Jared. He was glaring at Jess. Pure hatred was the only thing she could see in his eyes. "Why are you mad at me? It's not like we were dating." She looked back down.
"Good evening class! Today we'll be watching a movie since I don't feel like teaching." Mrs. Burroh said. She was Jess and Jared's English teacher. She was one of the coolest teachers at their school. She didn't make them do much of anything. But, strangely enough, she was always ahead of the other English teachers.
"Don't you know that I don't like Charlie?" Jared whispered.
"No. I didn't. But you haven't answered my question." Jess whispered, looking up at Jared. She was determined to find out why he was so mad.
"What'd he say to persuade you?" Jared asked.
"You haven't answered my question yet!" Jess reminded him.
"Why do you care?" Jared glared.
"Because apparently dating Charlie Forseph is offensive to you! And why do you care who I date? It's not like you wanted to date me. You'd never have wanted to date me." Jess looked back down at her desk.
"What makes you think that?" Jared whispered. Jess could tell that his patience was practically gone.
"Really, Jared? You haven't noticed by now?" Jess looked up at him, he now looked surprised.
"What do you mean?"
"Figure it out for yourself. Once you do, then you can talk to me." Jess was positively angry now. She didn't want to speak to him. For the first time since she met him, she wanted nothing to do with him.
"Listen, Jess, I-"Jared began.
"No." Jess interrupted. "I don't want to hear it. Not right now."
"I wasn't about to apologize," Jared said,"I don't understand what you mean by 'You never wanted to date me,' and, 'you haven't noticed by now."
"I don't think I should tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because… I don't know…"
"Tell me." Jared said.
Jess sighed. It was now or never. Even though the circumstances were sort of… not right. "I like you. I've liked you ever since seventh grade. But, apparently, you're too dull to notice. No offense… I'd thought that after I had given you part of the money that I had won, that you would've wanted to date me. But, apparently I was wrong."
There was silence. Jess looked up at Jared, who was now staring at his desk.
"You… You've liked me all this time. That's a long time, Jess. Kind of pathetic…"
"Wow, I knew you would've said something like that."
Jess realized, then and there, that if this was how Jared would react to her feelings, that she didn't want to be friends with him. More so, she didn't want to date him. Her heart broke. She wanted to cry, but she knew this definitely wasn't the place to do so.