Title: Selling My Body, Selling My Heart

Chapter 4: Knowing You More


Unknowingly, the stress of knowing someone could be revealing my prostitution seemed to help time pass by much faster. Before I realized it, I was walking out of the lunch line with a tray full of nachos and chili cheese. I looked around the room at where I should sit. I really didn't know where to sit, even though I knew majority of the guys in here. I saw Paige and Alex having an important conversation and Marco was nowhere in sight. I saw Craig sitting alone for a change and if it wasn't for what happened earlier this morning I probably would've ate with him. Then again, maybe not, it wasn't until a couple of seconds after spotting Craig lonesome did I see Jimmy motioning me to come sit with him.

"Hi Nash!" Hazel said comforting around Jimmy's arms and trying not to sound too excited.

"Hi." I said lowly, trying not to give any hint of my unknown anger of seeing her with Jimmy.

"Since we're partners and we already have a project, I figured we'll talk about it now." Jimmy said biting into his licorice stick. "That's okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine with it."

"Cool, so… What do we do?" He said as he gave his head a round rotation as he usually does when asking stupid questions.

"We have to make a lame poster presentation, an informative 5-page essay on the body and how it works and what does it have to do with chemistry."

"That sucks for you two. Now I think I'm actually happy I don't have a class with you." Hazel said as she playfully poked Jimmy's chest. "You two can discuss that whole… Ordeal, I'm going to catch some air." Hazel then took a walk outside of the school building.

I hardly knew what to say once we were alone. I could say anything I want. Instead, I sat there the entire time watching Jimmy slowly eat his plate and smile at random people who seemed to call his name and wave, or come over and tap him on the shoulder. For the 1st time the entire day, just seconds went by as slow as hours and for a minute I could've sworn I seen the sun fall and rise again. Not wanting to seem akward or unsocial I finally spoke.

"You and Hazel are still pretty tight?" I asked curiously, though I planned to make it sound like a statement. "I mean—"

"Yeah. We are."

"There isn't any emotional tension, even after all these years?"

"Well, I won't lie, but I think I'm upsetting Hazel…" He took a long pause, as if he didn't really mean to let that out.

"You can tell me. The best way is to let it out." I scooped my chair closer to Jimmy so he can tell I was serious.

"I don't…" He let out a sigh. "Did I ever do something wrong? You know, something that pisses off girlfriends."

"Not that I noticed."

"I don't know what the real problem is but she's acting like she under stress. She recently started smoking and—"

"Smoking?" I interrupted quickly and loudly realizing what she probably meant when she said she had to catch some air.

"And drinking!" He said as his voice softened and he placed his head down a bit. "I've been really worrying about her lately. One night…" Jimmy finally took a pause. "No…" He said very low.

"It's okay Jimmy. You can tell me." I said scooting my chair just a little bit closer.

"No…" It almost seemed like his voice was cracking for a couple of moments. He still kept his head down the whole time. "I… I…"

"You don't have to tell me, Jimmy. If you'd rather keep it all on your shoulders right—"

"Yeah." He muttered with his head still faced down to the floor.

I swallowed my spit and slowly consumed the rest if the softened nachos. I never realized just how adorable Jimmy was until he was miserable. I don't know what made him stand out the most at the moment. It was maybe the fact that he was sad. Even though this should've been a bad and weird moment for me, I was happy. I was happy because Jimmy was so close to me and I was getting to know him more. The only thing that would've made this moment even better for me was too look him in his lowered and saddened eyes.