*I DO NOT OWN KICKIN IT*
It's been a little over a month since my first day at Seaford High and I'm going to day its been hard. Trying to get use to all my classes, currently looking for a part time job to pay for my car, keeping up with friends from back home, and not to mention the amount of school work I'm trying to keep up with. The school work is the most difficult part. Because I am taking some AP classes, it means twice as much work and twice as hard. Having a lot on my plate and being mostly home by myself because of my mothers new job has definitely been stressful in many ways. Not to mention the gang wanting to hang out almost every day and night so that makes it hard to get my homework done. Sleep has been a big issue in this as well. If I'm like this now I don't want to know what the end of senior year will be like. Before I knew it my alarm clock went off and I was scrambling to gather my stuff and get ready for school. I had fallen asleep for the fourth time this week trying to finish my homework. I did remember falling asleep about 1:00 this morning which is better than the other nights this week. But before I could catch a breath it was already 7:50 on this Friday morning and I was already late to meet the gang by our usual spot. I quickly run to my closet and pick out some blue shorts, a navy blue tank top with a white elephant on the front, a white cardigan to go over that and my white converse. I brushed my teeth and straightened what parts needed fixing and threw on deodorant and perfume while grabbing my car keys, glasses, and swing my book bag over my right shoulder running out the door. It's mornings like this I'm glad I have my car so jack wouldn't have to wait on me. I race to school and manage to find a semi close parking spot. When I walk in the school I look at my phone which reads 8:05. I walk over toward the gang and wave.
"We were beginning to think you weren't going to show up to school today" grace mumbled with a concerned look.
"Yeah sorry I slept through my alarm" I said shuffling through my bag throwing my car keys in it and shoving my phone in my back pocket. They all gave me a look of disappoint knowing that was my excuse just like I've been saying all week.
"Kim are you sure you're ok? You look really exhausted." Jack asked with the same concerning look as grace previously did. Just as I was about to answer the bell rang signaling we had 5 minutes until first period starts.
"Come on guys. I can't be late to Mrs. Mitchell's again or I will have detention for the third time this week." Jerry yelled pulling his girlfriend and Eddie and his girlfriend following behind them. Julie and Milton had gone to class before I got there so now it was just me and Jack
"You ready to go to class?" I asked starting to walk toward the class.
"Hey Kim our class is this way." he said pointing the opposite way I was walking.
"Oh. I knew that" I whispered trying to hide the blush on my cheeks walking the other way to class with jack behind me. All he could do was laugh and throw his arms around my shoulders pulling me close to him in a side hug. Before I knew it I was in my seat and first period had started.
* Skip to lunch time*
The whole gang was sitting at our usual lunch spot eating their lunches as I continued to work on my last minute homework for fourth period since I fell asleep before finishing it last night. As much as I hated it I was in such a hurry this morning that I forgot to put my contacts in, so I have had to wear my reading glasses all day today. I look like such a nerd. But the good thing is I haven't seen Donna at all today cause I really can't take her snotty remarks today of all days. Just then Jack comes and sits down in the empty seat next to me.
"Kim are you going to eat lunch today?" jack asked slinging his backpack on the back of his chair as he sat down.
"I don't really have time to eat. I need to get this done" I said pulling my legs up in my chair crossing my legs while fixing my glasses that were falling off my face as I turned to the next page of my science textbook looking for the answer to the question I am currently stuck on.
"Kim you need to at least have something in your stomach. Here have an apple." he said grabbing the apple off his tray and setting it down on my text book. I just smiled and thanked him taking a bite out of it as I write down the answer to the question I have been looking for.
"Kim I didn't know you wore glasses. They look super cute!" Julie told me knowing she sometimes wore glasses as well but she didn't care if anyone knew. And neither did I but I like my contacts better because they don't fall off my face every 10 seconds when I'm looking down at a book.
"Thanks Julie. I was in such a hurry this morning I forgot to put my contacts in." just as I said that I caught Donna and her girls out of the corner of my eye. Great. I really don't have time for her today. Or any day for that matter. Now that Jack and I are such good friends and I'm with him all the time, she doesn't really like me that much. But I could care less. She walked up with her group of girls and started talking.
"Nice glasses Kim you look worse than the nerds at this school. And that's saying something." she laughed with her girls giving one a high five
"Donna I don't really have time for your lame remarks I'm trying to do homework. I know that's a hard concept for you considering you don't even know what that is but I would rather not fail. So if you will excuse me.." I said not taking my eyes out of my book. I could tell she was mad because she stomped her 5 inch heal to the floor making it echo in the cafeteria causing everyone to stop what they were doing and look over here.
"I think Kim's glasses look cute. I wish I could pull off glasses like she can." Grace said as the other girls nodded their heads and I smiled into my book. Donna was about to say something before she was interrupted.
"I think she looks cute too." Jack said with Jerry, Milton, and Eddie nodded their heads just to make a point. All I could do was blush and look up just to see donna's face. She just stood their like she had been hit by a car and her face went completely white like a ghost was in the room. Her friends had the same look and all they could do was stare at her and wait to see what she would do
"Well she doesn't" was all she said as she ran out of the cafeteria snapping her fingers together signaling her friends to come along. All I could do was laugh a little and write down the last answer that was on the homework as I finished my apple. A few minutes later the bell rang letting everyone know lunch was over. I slid my homework in the open page of my book, close my book and get up from my seat grabbing my bag. Before anyone could move I spoke up.
"Hey guys thanks for what you guys said to Donna about me." I removed my glasses putting them in my bag and walked over to them. I got some no problems and you're welcomes. Just then Jack grabbed me pulling me in for a hug yelling 'GROUP HUG' as everyone hugged around us squishing me in the middle of all of them. "Guys can't breathe here" I whispered into Jack's chest as they all awed and squeezed me tighter before letting go. Jack let me go giving me a goofy smile as I playfully pushed his face away rolling my eyes as we all headed to our last class together. Before we knew it, it was the end of the day and we were all out standing beside our cars.
"Hey we should all do something fun tonight" Jerry said wrapping his arms tightly around Graces petite waist. Grace and Jerry were probably the cutest couple in this group because they always have cute moments. I hope to have that one day.
"What did you have in mind?" Julie asked holding Milton's hand. "Oh I know we could go to that little diner down the street from the beach and have burgers and shakes and then do something after that" she said excitedly jumping up and down begging if we could all go. We all said sure and went back to our houses to get ready. I wasn't going to change becauses I knew it wouldn't matter so I decided to take a nap before we went.
*TIME SKIP*
I woke up looking around the house seeing Sophie on her bed in front of the fire place. I had gotten some good sleep but before I knew it, it was already 6:30 and grace would be here at 6:50 to get me. I quickly got up and fed Sophie who jumped right up at the sound of her food hitting the bowl and made my way to my room. I quickly straightened my hair again and brushed my teeth. I re-applied my makeup seeing as my nap had messed it up. Right as I finished the doorbell rang and Grace was standing in the doorway. I got in the car with the girls and grace was the first to speak.
"So Kim when are you and Jack going to go out." she asked as the rest of the girls looked at me waiting for me to answer.
"What are you talking about? Jack and I are just friends" I said rolling down the window in desperate need of some fresh air.
"That's not what he told Jerry." my face went white and I looked at her. "Well ok don't freak out. All I know is Jack told Jerry that he likes you a lot and he doesnt know if you like him like that so he doesn't want to ruin your friendship if you don't like him back. But do you?" she asked with one eyebrow up looking at me with a questioning look.
"Ok yes I do like Jack" I said as all the girls in the car screamed and grace just smiled and yelled 'I KNEW IT' "But I don't know. Would it be weird?"
"No it wouldn't be weird. We would love to go on dates like tonight and have you and Jack with us. Not just jack sitting there by himself" Kelsey said in the back seat. Before I could say anything we were at the restaurant and the boys were already seated. I couldn't help but smile big when I saw Jack. Everyone kissed their boyfriends and I heard a few 'hey babe' along with kissing their boyfriends cheeks. Jack just stood up and said hey as he let me slide into the booth and then sliding in after me. Of course I sat right next to Jack because everyone else was sitting next to their boyfriends but it was a booth so on the other side of me was grace. She gave me a 'you should go for it' look knowing we didn't get to finish our conversation in the car. as everyone was talking to their boyfriends I looked over at Jack and smiled as he scanned over the menu figuring out what to eat.
"What are you thinking of getting?" I asked a little too excited. He just looked over at me and laughed.
"I might just get a burger and fries with a strawberry shake. What about you? What were you thinking about getting?"
"I think I'm just going to get a medium fries and a half vanilla half chocolate shake" I said looking him in his big brown eyes and then biting my lip looking back at the menu
"So what's got you in such a good mood?" jack asked interested which made all the girls look over at me
"What do you mean?" I asked smiling while grace smiled as well
"Come on Kim, I know you. Anytime you are nervous or you're in a really good mood you bite the side of your lip" he adjusted himself so he was facing me.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said smirking at grace and the girls as the guys looked completely confused. Looking at the menu out of the corner of my eye I see Grace whisper something to Jerry, which I'm assuming she told him I like Jack too, because he looked completely happy and smiled at me in which I returned a smile. As our drinks came and our waitress took our orders the group continued to talk about stuff that went on today at school. A few times I could feel Jacks leg brush up against mine or his hand brush against mine. I don't know why but I really wanted to hold his hand. It was like all of my feelings were coming and I could not stop smiling. And he had definitely noticed throughout the night. While waiting for our food, I was showing grace a secret tickle spot in your hand that my mom showed me when I was a little girl.
"Ew that feels so weird and it tickles. How did you learn that" Grace parked scratching at her hand to make it stop tickling
"My mom showed it to me when I was little" I smiled remembering how she would chase me around the house and try to do it to me. I ran my right finger over my left palm as Grace tried it out on Jerry.
"Can I try it?" jack asked as I gave him my hand to see if he can do it. I just giggle as he tries to do it the way I did. "Maybe I'm not doing it right" he laughs still trying to accomplish it. I laugh and take his hand in mine and lay it upside down. I'm trying to not blush as I'm doing it but I can feel my cheeks getting warm from touching his hand. Everyone is watching me closely to see how to do it as I lightly run my fingers down his palm and up his fingers. I feel all the eyes on me disappear as I finish. He just laughs and moves his hand quickly when I finish running it down his pants trying to get the tickles out. When our food comes everyone quickly eats and waits for others to finish and our checks to arrive. While we were all sitting there completely stuffed wee all hear Kelsey yell 'BRAIN FREEZE' as she sets her empty glass down from her shake as she holds the sides of her head. We all laugh as she scrunched her head and Eddie rubs her back. I can see jack laughing as I feel my hand closest to jack start to tickle under the table and his hand over mine. He tries to tickle me but ultimately fails. At the last second part of my hands tickles and I immediately lean toward jack laughing as my hand grabs for the first thing near me which is his hand. I don't really think about what I'm doing until its too late. I grabbed jacks hand and held it which he held back. I looked at him fast and then scooted back to my original spot keeping my hand in his. We payed for our meals and decided to go to the park down the street that was right on the beach. As Jack slid out of the booth I let go of his hand to grab my purse and phone throwing my purse on my shoulder. I got out and let grace go by to catch up to Jerry. As jack and I began walking his hand brushed mine and I immediately grabbed it missing my hand in his. He looked at me smiling then at our hands and intertwined our fingers as we walked toward the park. I don't know what this means but I didn't care. A long as I was with my best friend nothing else mattered.
"Are you guys coming or what?" grace asked looking back smiling as she noticed our hands. We were at the park and everyone was already playing. We ran down to the swings and both got on letting go of each others hands seeing who could swing the highest. It felt like we had been here for an hour. Kelsey and Eddie were going down the slides, Grace and Jerry were kissing by the water and Julie and Milton were laying on the beach pointing at the stars. I had slowed down on the swings and had my legs dangling toward the sand barely touching it slowly rocking back and forth.
"So are you going to tell me what's got you in such a great mood" jack asked standing behind me lightly pushing me in the swing.
"Just something that Grace told me before we came here" I smiled down at my now bare feet that were inches away from the sand.
"Oh. What did she tell you" he asked curiously while pushing me slowly
"Something about you" I quickly said hoping he didn't hear me
"Me? What about me?" he asked nervously. Shoot. I was hoping he didn't hear me.
"I'm just gonna say it. She told me you like me Jack. Like more than a friend." I suddenly felt the swing stop and turned my head looking at jacks face which was inches away from mine. He was standing there with his face looking at the ground and his hands on the metal parts next to my head holding the swings up. He almost had a look of embarrassment but it wasn't that at all. I couldn't tell what it was. "Jack don't be mad at grace or Jerry for telling her. I'm actually glad grace told me." and right when I said that he looked me straight in the eyes. Suddenly I felt all this pressure on my heart not knowing what to do next. He smiled but then it quickly disappeared and a confused look took over.
"Wait why are you glad grace told you?" just as he said that I could feel a smile creeping up and I bit the side of my lip and looked down at the sand. "There's that lip thing again" I just let the smile come out and looked at him.
"Because I might like you too" I whispered as a smile appeared on his face and he spoke
"Really?"
"Maybe" I whispered back placing my hands on the metal just below jacks hands. A small smile formed on my lips which made Jack smile even more in return. We were so close at this point I could feel his breath on me but before I knew it we were both leaning in and our lips were just inches apart. But before anything could happen Grace came running over.
"Hey Kim we should probably start heading back to..." she stopped when she saw us which made both of us slowly lean away and look at her. "Sorry" she said looking at Jerry who came running up behind her.
"It's fine" I said getting off the swing and putting my shoes back on. She just smacked herself in the head and ran off. We all started walking back and for a few minutes Jack and I were completely silent. Then he intertwined our fingers and continued on with the silence. I think now that Jack and I know we like each other it won't be that hard to want to hold his hand but right now I have never felt so awkward. We made it back to the cars & the boys said goodbye to their girlfriends. Jerry kissed Grace on the cheek but all she could do was look at me and Jack like she had just ruined everything. Jack and I stood in silence facing each other with me looking down at our hands before Jack finally spoke.
"I will talk to you in the morning ok?" I just nodded my head looked up at him
"Ok. I'm gonna hold you to that" I said laughing lightly with him smiling. Then took his free hand and held my cheek and bent down and kissed my other cheek. I smiled and let go of our hands walking to the car. Everyone was silent the entire ride home and I was the last one grace dropped off. I could see Jacks car in his driveway so I knew he was already home. I went to get out of the car but before I could grace started to speak.
"Kim I'm really sorry..." she started before I interrupted
"Grace it's ok. Hey I didn't get the kiss I wanted but I still got a kiss and I got something better. I got to tell Jack how I feel and that's good enough for me. And I have you to thank for that." I said giving her a hug
"Ok. You better tell me what happens with you and Jack tomorrow!" she pulled back from the hug
"I will. Thanks Grace" I got out of the car and waved to her s she drove away. Once I got in my pajamas and got into bed I heard my phone ring. I looked at the caller ID and answered it. "Hey Jack did you forget something?" I asked
"Yeah I did" his voice sounded groggy like he had fallen asleep and woke up again. It sounded really hot to be honest.
"And what would that be" I laughed a little at how tired he sounded
"I forgot to say goodnight. So goodnight Kim" all I did was smile and snuggle into the covers more
"Goodnight" I said as he hung up the phone and I couldn't believe half the stuff that happened tonight. I hope tomorrow will be just as good. And with that I drifted off into a deep sleep.
