"So now that I'm feeling a bit better, how've you been Jake? I missed you, haven't seen you in ages!" she said cheerfully.
He looked down as the side of his mouth curled up into a smile. "You missed me, really?"
"Yeah! You were my buddy when we were kids. I had some great times here. Actually it's kind of nice to be back."
He stared at her, his eyes traveling over her face, expressionless.
"What?" she asked after about a good twenty seconds of him staring.
"You're really beautiful."
She felt her face heat up at his remark.
"Well, thank you. You're kind of fine yourself."
He laughed out loud. "So I'm fine huh?"
"Yeah, or guapo, if you'd prefer."
"So what's guapo about me?"
She looked embarrassed at his question, and swallowed as she fidgeted with her hands.
"Well, this conversation has taken an interesting turn," she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Come on! You said it! Now, answer my question…please," he said, biting his lower lip.
"Well, I like the whole dark hair, dark eyes, brown skin thing you have going on. And my dude, you are pretty ripped up there. Erm…something you need to tell me? Are you on roids or is Schwarzenegger your idol or something?"
He roared with laughter, falling back into the coach, before sitting up and looking at her again.
"You're really huge man. I mean look at your legs, it looks like you're sitting on a toddler couch. And I thought I was tall at 5'8! Come on G, admit it. You're juicing."
He starting cracking up again, with slight tears in his eyes, trying to calm his laughter.
"No…haha….Really, no. All man baby. I just work out, and it's kind of genetic. You should've seen Billy back in his day."
"Mentiroso," she said.
"What's that mean?" he retorted.
"I called you a liar," she chuckled. "Just kidding. But yeah, you look great… Jake. Nice and healthy."
"Say that again," he said softly.
"What? You look great?" she said, looking at him as if he'd grown a third eye.
"No, my name."
"Uhh…Jake?"
He squeezed his eyes shut, and let out a soft sigh.
"Are you okay?" raising her eyebrows again, a habit she couldn't seem to shake.
His dark eyes suddenly popped open, "Yes, I was just deep in thought for a sec there."
"Oh…well why did you want me to say your name again?"
"I just wanted to hear you say it," he said matter-of-factly.
"Ohh kay." Jade looked around the room, thinking of something else to say.
"So, what have you been up to all these years? Are you ready to start school?"
"Nothing much, just working on cars. I like to do that a lot. Umm, and I kind of have a job, working for the reservation. As for school…..Yes, I'm kind of glad it's starting. I need the boringness of school to take my mind off of things."
"What sort of things?" she pressed.
"Well, let's just say I've been going through some changes, lots of changes, and just trying to get adjusted to them," his eyes search her face as he spoke.
"Okay…Mr. Vague. Don't worry, I'm not going to get all in your business," she chuckled. "I hope you work through those—changes," she said making air parentheses.
He smiled at her again, and slowly reached to grasp her hand. His hand was very warm, in fact a little too warm much like the temperature of a fever.
"Jade, you are my business now."
He got off the couch and moved towards her on his knees, coming to kneel in front of her, his hands resting on her thighs.
"I want to be friends with you. Can I come visit you? Like, often?"
Jade just stared at him, not sure how to act, because the situation was little weird considering she felt she'd known Jake forever, despite having reconnected with him just over an hour ago.
"Sure. Come visit whenever you want, you're only right down the street besides. We were friends before, I don't see why anything has to change that."
He dropped his head down, letting out as sigh, as his hands gripped her legs tighter and their warmth seem to burn through her leggings into her flesh. Jade jumped a little and let out gasp. His closeness was really unsettling, and as she stared at his chiseled physique her body began to rise in temperature.
"Good. Because I really want to be your friend," he raised his head again, his eyes then focusing on her mouth.
"Jade…" he leaned closer to her, and his face drew in towards hers. Jade shivered and her eyes fluttered closed in anticipation.
"Jade! Jacob! Are you guys hungry?" called her mother.
The both jumped, whipping their heads toward the dining room.
"Yeah, we're coming!" she said, as her voice cracked slightly.
Jacob had a smug look on his face as she stood up quickly, but stopped when she realized his hands still grasped her thighs. She stared down at him puzzled, and his head was level with her stomach due to his 6'6 stature.
He rested his head on her stomach and wrapped his arms around her body, embracing her in a tight hug.
"It's good to see you Jade. I'm so glad you're here," he murmured.
She looked down at his head tentatively, before finally reaching down and running her fingers through his hair, then embracing him around his shoulders.
"It's good to see you too. And I'm glad to be here," she said, and he looked up at her while she played in his hair.
Damn he was sexy, she thought to herself as she stared at his handsome face.
He stood up, then brushed a hair out of her face before taking her hand and walking towards the dining room, "Come on, let's go eat. You probably need some food after your little episode earlier," he said.
She slapped him playfully while he feigned fear.
Jacob and Billy stayed until about seven, just after they'd had dinner. She and Jake had talked more, he told her about his friends, a bit about his family and job, and she told him about her life back in Virginia.
They'd hugged again as they said goodbyes, and she could swear that she never wanted to let him go. Her lean, athletic, yet curvy body felt perfectly molded against his hard defined one, as if they were made to fit together.
Jade felt a tug in her heart as she thought about his smile, his eyes, his laugh, body, and deep voice. He had made her laugh all night, and she never would've guessed he'd be so funny by his appearance.
She chuckled as she thought about the enormous amount of food she watched him consume at dinner.
"Damn, Jake! Don't hurt yourself, it's not going anywhere!" she said.
He stopped eating and looked at her sheepishly, while Billy, her mother, father and Sosimo all laughed at his embarrassment.
"Jade, leave the boy alone, he's growing…obviously," said her father.
"He went straight smash mode though," she said grinning at him. Jake returned the grin with a mouth full of spaghetti.
"That boy could eat a horse," remarked Billy.
Jade laughed out loud again as she remembered the dinner conversation, and then sighed, stretching in front of her laptop at her desk.
She was more than ready for bed after a shower, and headed toward her closet to change. She sat on her bed in fresh pajamas, scrolling through her phone and checking her social network page. Thinking she'd heard something, she glanced at the window, feeling an urge to walk over to it.
As she stared out the window, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, and her brow furrowed in uneasiness. She pulled her hair tie out, and shook her curly hair, and it fell down her shoulders in tumultuous brownish golden waves.
Jade peered out the window and whispered, "Goodnight," although she was unsure as to why she said it. She decided to leave her curtains open, and walked over to her bed, slipping in it. She felt different after her day with Jacob. Her heart felt fuller for some reason, and she couldn't wait to see him again. Her eyes began to feel heavy as she recapped the day, and her conversations with Jacob. As she slipped into sleep, a long powerful howl reverberated into the night, bringing her a strange sense of comfort.