Chapter Four: Hope Springs
Annie sat bored on the back porch of the Philips home. Practically everyone was gone until Tuesday and Molly was currently making uses of her renovated sound room in the basement. As an aspiring singer herself, Annie knew when to leave a musician alone and chose instead to sit outside. It had been a poor choice admittedly. Colorado was horribly hot in the summer, something Annie hadn't thought of before packing for her short vacation. So she sat and waited for nothing in particular in her khaki capris and maroon cotton t-shirt. Several birds flew by and somewhere not too far off a dog barked. Sweat began to trickle down her temple and her long blonde hair had been swept up into a messy bun.
Lazily she got up and went inside. She'd be lying if she said being in this home didn't bring back a barrage of memories. She looked lovingly at her favorite mug on the kitchen counter and smiled remembering that Jack would tease her about coffee stunting her growth. She caressed the velour couch in the Philips funky family room. She couldn't count how many nights she had fallen asleep leaning on Jack or Clu or even Carey on this very couch while watching some horrid sci-fi movie. Trotting up the stars she took the time to stare at a family portrait precariously hung at the top of the landing. Jack, Fi, and Molly smiled back at her, their portraits perhaps ten years younger then the people she knew now.
She smelt him before she entered his room. The scent was so Jack, clean and fresh- innocent really. She turned into his room and her eyes bordered with tears. It was exactly how she remembered it, nothing had changed in the slightest. His modest full bed sat in the middle of the room, the cold hard wood floor was a wonderful treat to Annie's warm feet, the walls were still a light blue, and his 20" TV still sat on the desk directly opposite the bed. The bed frame, desk, and dresser that sat along the right hand wall were made of mahogany. The room itself could be mistaken for a child's she supposed but she knew the truth.
The last Annie had been in this room had been memorable. Carey and his current girlfriend Olivia had been making out hardcore on the couch in the living room, Fi was still in Seattle with her aunt, Molly was at the recording studio putting the finishing touches on some tracks for her new CD, and Clu was out to dinner with his parents. Jack had suggested he and Annie watch a movie....
FLASHBACK
"Want to watch a movie?" Jack's big brown eyes smiled at Annie as he grinned playfully.
"Of course!" Annie giggled heading toward the basement where the other official hang out of the kids.
"Actually I thought we could watch it in my room," Jack whispered catching Annie's mall wrist in his own large hand.
"Oh, okay." Her face flushed and she hoped Jack didn't catch onto the eagerness in her voice. Alone with Jack in his room? Could you say fantasy come true?
Annie stepped nervously into Jack's room realizing some of the implications that came along with being in a boy's room. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as Jack plopped the DVD into his player. He smiled up at her showing his perfectly white teeth, "Come here," he said patting the bed next to himself.
Annie sat cautiously on the end of Jack's bed and wondered what exactly was going through his mind. Sure she knew what she hoped he was thinking but she wasn't sure she was ready for the implications of laying on a bed together. Being uncharacteristically timid, Annie asked "So what we watching?"
Besides being a grammatical nightmare, it wasn't exactly a sentence that provoked romantic images in a boys mind. Jack didn't seem to take note of either account and simply replied, "I'll hurt you if you tell anyone but I've always loved this movie" He pointed at the title screen to iwhen Harry met Sally/i.
Annie's face lit up, "I LOVE this movie!!!" Suddenly her uneasiness vanished and she remembered this was Jack and he'd never make her do anything she didn't want to. Settling back into a laying position she curled up against Jack and into his huge fluffy pillows to watch the film.
It couldn't have been a more perfect film to describe how Annie felt about Jack. They too had argued a lot when they first met. Bickering about nonsensical things and issues that weren't really issues of any sort. They too had grown to become fiercely close friends. And they too had been jealous when they saw the other with a new love. Annie could only hope that they too would end up like Harry and Sally.
"Annie...." Jack's voice was barely a whisper as the credits began to roll.
"Yeah Jack?" Annie tilted her head up to look into his chocolate brown eyes, his perfect face, and she wished he were her Jack more so then usual.
"I was wondering, do you think that really happen?"
Annie stared at him puzzled, "People fall in love all the time silly." She giggled to emphasize the ridiculousness of his query.
"I meant, do you think people who used to fight like cats and dogs could ever become more then friends? Do you think they could love one another? And that they could somehow move past their differences and be together like they're suppose to?" It appeared Jack was holding his breath waiting for her response.
"Oh Jack, I really hope so." It had come out with such passion it stunned both Annie and Jack. She had decided to take a risk and lean her head closer to his, staring deeply into his eyes. She could feel his breath on her lips and closed her eyes in anticipation. Just as she was about to make contact he cleared his throat and politely asked her to leave, as he was growing tired.
END FLASHBACK
She hadn't known at the time but only two days later she would have to leave to go and live with her parents again. Being in his room, sitting on his bed, the memories were just too painful and far too real.
"Annie, sweetheart?" Molly's melodic voice carried through the house as she searched for her pseudu daughter.
"Up here," Annie called swiftly exiting the room and standing in the hall where Molly could see her.
"Sweetie, are you crying?" Molly asked concerned when she saw the tears welling up in Annie's baby blues.
"Oh, must be allergies." Annie smiled sweetly hoping Molly would drop it, "Did you need something?"
"I just thought we could run by the mall. It's a Monday afternoon so no one will be there and we could get you some cooler clothes." Molly's big grin showed she bought Annie's lie and honestly did want to spend time with her.
"Sure Mol, I'd love that." 'And I need to get out for this house for a bit' she thought to herself.
Annie sat bored on the back porch of the Philips home. Practically everyone was gone until Tuesday and Molly was currently making uses of her renovated sound room in the basement. As an aspiring singer herself, Annie knew when to leave a musician alone and chose instead to sit outside. It had been a poor choice admittedly. Colorado was horribly hot in the summer, something Annie hadn't thought of before packing for her short vacation. So she sat and waited for nothing in particular in her khaki capris and maroon cotton t-shirt. Several birds flew by and somewhere not too far off a dog barked. Sweat began to trickle down her temple and her long blonde hair had been swept up into a messy bun.
Lazily she got up and went inside. She'd be lying if she said being in this home didn't bring back a barrage of memories. She looked lovingly at her favorite mug on the kitchen counter and smiled remembering that Jack would tease her about coffee stunting her growth. She caressed the velour couch in the Philips funky family room. She couldn't count how many nights she had fallen asleep leaning on Jack or Clu or even Carey on this very couch while watching some horrid sci-fi movie. Trotting up the stars she took the time to stare at a family portrait precariously hung at the top of the landing. Jack, Fi, and Molly smiled back at her, their portraits perhaps ten years younger then the people she knew now.
She smelt him before she entered his room. The scent was so Jack, clean and fresh- innocent really. She turned into his room and her eyes bordered with tears. It was exactly how she remembered it, nothing had changed in the slightest. His modest full bed sat in the middle of the room, the cold hard wood floor was a wonderful treat to Annie's warm feet, the walls were still a light blue, and his 20" TV still sat on the desk directly opposite the bed. The bed frame, desk, and dresser that sat along the right hand wall were made of mahogany. The room itself could be mistaken for a child's she supposed but she knew the truth.
The last Annie had been in this room had been memorable. Carey and his current girlfriend Olivia had been making out hardcore on the couch in the living room, Fi was still in Seattle with her aunt, Molly was at the recording studio putting the finishing touches on some tracks for her new CD, and Clu was out to dinner with his parents. Jack had suggested he and Annie watch a movie....
FLASHBACK
"Want to watch a movie?" Jack's big brown eyes smiled at Annie as he grinned playfully.
"Of course!" Annie giggled heading toward the basement where the other official hang out of the kids.
"Actually I thought we could watch it in my room," Jack whispered catching Annie's mall wrist in his own large hand.
"Oh, okay." Her face flushed and she hoped Jack didn't catch onto the eagerness in her voice. Alone with Jack in his room? Could you say fantasy come true?
Annie stepped nervously into Jack's room realizing some of the implications that came along with being in a boy's room. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as Jack plopped the DVD into his player. He smiled up at her showing his perfectly white teeth, "Come here," he said patting the bed next to himself.
Annie sat cautiously on the end of Jack's bed and wondered what exactly was going through his mind. Sure she knew what she hoped he was thinking but she wasn't sure she was ready for the implications of laying on a bed together. Being uncharacteristically timid, Annie asked "So what we watching?"
Besides being a grammatical nightmare, it wasn't exactly a sentence that provoked romantic images in a boys mind. Jack didn't seem to take note of either account and simply replied, "I'll hurt you if you tell anyone but I've always loved this movie" He pointed at the title screen to iwhen Harry met Sally/i.
Annie's face lit up, "I LOVE this movie!!!" Suddenly her uneasiness vanished and she remembered this was Jack and he'd never make her do anything she didn't want to. Settling back into a laying position she curled up against Jack and into his huge fluffy pillows to watch the film.
It couldn't have been a more perfect film to describe how Annie felt about Jack. They too had argued a lot when they first met. Bickering about nonsensical things and issues that weren't really issues of any sort. They too had grown to become fiercely close friends. And they too had been jealous when they saw the other with a new love. Annie could only hope that they too would end up like Harry and Sally.
"Annie...." Jack's voice was barely a whisper as the credits began to roll.
"Yeah Jack?" Annie tilted her head up to look into his chocolate brown eyes, his perfect face, and she wished he were her Jack more so then usual.
"I was wondering, do you think that really happen?"
Annie stared at him puzzled, "People fall in love all the time silly." She giggled to emphasize the ridiculousness of his query.
"I meant, do you think people who used to fight like cats and dogs could ever become more then friends? Do you think they could love one another? And that they could somehow move past their differences and be together like they're suppose to?" It appeared Jack was holding his breath waiting for her response.
"Oh Jack, I really hope so." It had come out with such passion it stunned both Annie and Jack. She had decided to take a risk and lean her head closer to his, staring deeply into his eyes. She could feel his breath on her lips and closed her eyes in anticipation. Just as she was about to make contact he cleared his throat and politely asked her to leave, as he was growing tired.
END FLASHBACK
She hadn't known at the time but only two days later she would have to leave to go and live with her parents again. Being in his room, sitting on his bed, the memories were just too painful and far too real.
"Annie, sweetheart?" Molly's melodic voice carried through the house as she searched for her pseudu daughter.
"Up here," Annie called swiftly exiting the room and standing in the hall where Molly could see her.
"Sweetie, are you crying?" Molly asked concerned when she saw the tears welling up in Annie's baby blues.
"Oh, must be allergies." Annie smiled sweetly hoping Molly would drop it, "Did you need something?"
"I just thought we could run by the mall. It's a Monday afternoon so no one will be there and we could get you some cooler clothes." Molly's big grin showed she bought Annie's lie and honestly did want to spend time with her.
"Sure Mol, I'd love that." 'And I need to get out for this house for a bit' she thought to herself.