Alright, I would like to thank Blackangle2011, kunoichiXwitch, samantha hockeychick08 and Sweet-Romantic for the reviews on Chapter three.
Disclaimer: Still don't have ownage of those Mercer boys'.
Enjoy Chapter Four!!
Chapter Four: Bobby's Affect
Time had past quickly. To Amity it felt like she had gone to sleep in December and woke up to it being March. In that time period, she had become very close to her new friends and she found that all her past fears had disappeared. In these few months her clothing style had changed as well as Jack's and their friends CaraLynn, Hannah, Adam and Donnie. They had all worn mostly black or darker clothing, but soon that's all they wore. They all had taken on what most would call the punk rocker look. And kids at their school had taken to calling the group "the wannabe rock stars", which none of them minded. The girls had taken to wearing black eyeliner and colorful eye shadows, as well as studded belts and wallet chains. The boys were basically the same except that they didn't wear make-up and they made sure their hair was always spiked. What was most shocking to the Mercers' was when the whole group walked into the house to go hang out in the basement. Evelyn had been so proud that both Jack and Amity had friends, since the three oldest Mercers' had un-kindly expressed that they didn't believe Amity or Jack when they had told Evelyn about Amity's first day three months before.
That had happened in the beginning of March, it was now the end of the month and in a few days would be Jack's birthday and a week later would be Amity's birthday.
"Jackie what do you want to do for your birthday?"
Jack was sitting at the kitchen table as his mother worked on baking a cake for him. He shrugged. "I don't know. Probably just do the usual."
Evelyn nodded. "Okay, no party then?" She smiled and looked over at Jack, his eyebrows were raised questioningly. "Mom, I haven't had a party since I was ten."
"I know, Jackie. I was only kidding." Evelyn said as Amity walked into the room and sat down across from Jack. "I mean, you have a party when you turn four, not fourteen."
"I never had a party at the age of four and... Jack, why did you have a party when you turned ten then? I mean if you supposedly only have parties at the age of four." Amity smiled to show that she didn't mean anything by asking the question. Jack just made a face at her. "Because I didn't know better and I hadn't had a party in years by that point."
Amity rolled her eyes. "Bobby told you it was girly, didn't he?" Sure Amity had only been there for a few months, but she had learned a lot about all the inhabitants of the Mercer home in those few months.
Jack glared at her. "No! Bobby has nothing to do with that!" Amity smiled. "Jack, sometimes you really shouldn't listen to Bobby."
Evelyn nodded. "Amity is right, Jackie." Jack sighed slightly. "Well I still don't want a party." He mumbled.
"Well then, Amity would you like one. Because you haven't had one?" Evelyn looked over at Amity as she thought. Finally she shook her head. "I don't need a party. Just hearing people say Happy Birthday to me and mean it would work, it would also help if it is said on my birthday and not five months after."
Evelyn closed the oven door and walked over to the table, she seated herself next to Amity and smiled. "You don't need to worry about that dear. We are on top of birthdays' in the Mercer home, right Jackie?"
Jack nodded and stood up. "Where are you going Jackie?" Evelyn looked at the boy with concern, Jack just pointed to the ceiling. "I'm gonna go upstairs, I feel kinda weird for some reason."
Evelyn frowned. "Are you feeling sick Jackie? Maybe you should sleep and see how you feel when you wake up." Amity looked at Jack and when she thought about it he did look a lot paler. Jack nodded again and left the kitchen. Evelyn stood up and left as well, leaving Amity alone. Bobby walked into the kitchen and grabbed a soda from the fridge. He looked over at Amity and raised his eyebrows questioningly. Amity looked up at him. "What?"
He shrugged. "Why are you sittin' there lookin' all depressed?"
"I'm not depressed. I was just thinking." She said slowly as if she was making it up as she went along. Bobby noticed this, but said nothing about it. Amity was glad that he hadn't asked more about it, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to tell Bobby that she had been thinking about how cute Jack looked in the shirt he was wearing.
Bobby looked around the kitchen. "Where's Ma... and Jack for that matter?"
"Jack went upstairs cause he might be sick and Evelyn must have gone up to check on him." Bobby smiled at that. "The fairy probably needs Ma to tuck him into bed or some shit." Amity frowned as Bobby laughed. "Ya know, he doesn't like it when you call him a fairy, Bobby."
Bobby stopped laughing and looked down at Amity. "Of course he does! He just acts like it bothers him to impress you." Amity rolled her eyes. "Yeah sure Bobby." Bobby laughed and walked out of the kitchen.
Amity got up and followed, just as she sat down beside Bobby, Evelyn came down the stairs. They both looked at her. "Bobby, can you go upstairs and watch Jackie please?" Bobby set his soda down on the coffee table and nodded as he stood up. "Be careful, Bobby. There's sort of a mess in the hallway." Bobby stopped and looked at his mother, she smiled slightly at his expression. "Just step over it sweetie." She said as she patted Bobby's shoulder.
Evelyn looked over at Amity. "Jackie is probably going to be staying upstairs, so you can sleep down here if you'd rather not share a room tonight." Amity nodded. "Do you think he'll be okay for school tomorrow?"
"I don't really think so." Amity nodded again and sat down on the couch. Evelyn walked into the kitchen to get the mop and a bucket.
- - -
Bobby folded his arms across his chest and leaned himself against the door frame of the bathroom. Jack had himself leaned over the toilet bowl, his mouth was opened slightly as he couldn't breath through his nose because of the smell. Bobby's scowled face was twisted into an uncomfortable look, it was obvious he didn't want to be there, then again Jack didn't want to be there just as much, maybe even more than Bobby. Jack's stomach was empty, now he would only spit, in an attempt to get rid of the terrible taste in his mouth.
"Here, I'll get you something to drink okay?" Bobby's voice echoed with concern that Jack had very rarely heard before, he nodded meekly and Bobby was gone before anything else could be said. Jack smiled slightly at his brother's speed to get away from the bathroom as he slowly let himself fall back on his bum and let his back line up parallel with the tiled wall.
Jack looked into the hallway and saw his mother, she walked into the bathroom and handed him a glass which was full of what he assumed, by it's color, to be Ginger Ale. "Jackie, take this and then go to your room and try to sleep." Jack nodded and Evelyn walked into the hallway to clean up. Jack took a drink from the glass and swished the bubbly liquid around his mouth. He spit it out and did that two more times, he then flushed the toilet and walked past his mother and into his room. He found a bucket by his bed and an un-opened can of Ginger Ale on his nightstand. Jack sighed and closed his bedroom door, he quickly stripped down to his boxers and changed into a t-shirt. Jack fell onto his bed and pulled the covers over his body so only part of his head was sticking out.
There was a light knock on the door and it opened. Jack felt himself squeeze his eyes shut, though he wasn't sure why. "Jackie? Honey, I know you're awake. If you need anything just come get me. Okay?" Jack nodded his head and Evelyn left closing the door behind her. Jack laid there for a few minutes before the warmth of his bed lulled him into sleep.
- - -
"Well, Amity you'd might as well help me with dinner. Jerry and Angel are having Sofi and Camille over for dinner and I believe Bobby is having... oh what is her name?" Amity smiled, it seemed that no one in the Mercer home paid much attention to Bobby's girlfriend. "Her name is Jessica."
Evelyn nodded as she took chicken out of the freezer. "Ah yes. I don't see her enough to remember her name."
"None of us like her either, Evelyn." Evelyn made a tutting sound. "Now, Amity you can't judge her. You don't know enough about her to judge her and it isn't that I don't like her, I just don't know very much about her." Amity let her eyes fall to the floor. "I know, I just think that Jack was right about Bobby and Molly, that's all." Evelyn laughed. "Sweetie, we all think that about Bobby and Molly."
The back door opened and Jerry walked in with Camille by his side. They were both laughing about something. Amity smiled as they both said their hello's, she had become fairly close to Camille as well as Sofi and Molly, in her few months at the Mercers'. They were like the sisters' Amity never had, just as the Mercer brothers' were the brothers' she'd never had. Jerry and Camille kissed, then Jerry left the kitchen to watch tv with Bobby while Camille stayed in the kitchen to help with dinner. Soon everyone else came home, except Bobby's girlfriend. All the women were in the kitchen talking and working on dinner, while all the guys were in the living room. Amity set up the table as Camille and Sofi set out different dishes. "Amity, will you go check on Jackie and see if he'd like to join us?"
Amity was reluctant, but nodded and left the kitchen, she hurried up the stairs and slowly walked toward the room she shared with Jack. Amity was ready to bolt back down the stairs at the slightest hint that Jack was getting sick. There were somethings that Amity feared and being around people that were sick was one. It was stupid, but Amity couldn't help herself, from a young age she would avoid people if they had been sick. It had gotten her in trouble many times before and she was so grateful when Evelyn had suggested she sleep on the couch that night. Amity slowly opened the door, it was dark in their room, the only light came from the hallway light. Amity let out a breath when she could only smell her favorite perfume and Jack's favored body spray, which was Axe.
"Jackie." Amity whispered as she touched Jack's back lightly. "Jack Attack, wake up." Amity smiled and felt herself quietly giggle at the nickname she had given Jack after he had beat up a kid who had been harassing Amity at their school. Jack's head lifted up slightly and he twisted his body so he could see her better. He blinked sleepily. "School, right?"
Amity shook her head. "No, Jack. Evelyn sent me up to see if you wanna come down and eat."
Jack was quiet and shook his head. "I'll probably get sick again. The smells from downstairs are making me nauseous." Amity's eyes widened a bit and she felt herself subconsciously step back. Jack noticed this and frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Please, Jack. If you're going to be sick, please don't miss the bucket or at least give me a warning." Jack's eyebrows furrowed. "Amity, even if I do get sick, there's only two sips of soda in my stomach, if its still there, and the most I'll do is gag or spit up."
"Still..." Amity said quietly as her eyes fell and found the carpet. "Does that bother you?" Amity laughed nervously. "Very much so."
Jack felt himself smile. "Then we better never have kids together." Amity's gaze shot up to him.
"Because it bothers me too." Jack quickly explained. Amity nodded slowly, then Evelyn's voice echoed up the stairs. "Uh, I'm going to go..."
Jack nodded as Amity closed the door, she quickly descended the stairs and Evelyn watched her. "Jackie isn't coming. He thinks he'll get sick again." Evelyn nodded and they both walked into the dining room and sat down. It amazed Amity that that amount of people could somehow fit comfortably at the table. They all stood up and said grace, like always, and then dug into the huge meal. Everyone around her was eating and talking, but Amity found that she couldn't talk and enjoy herself, her thoughts were plagued with Jack. Why am I thinking about him so much today? She thought. This was new to her and she couldn't understand it. If only she knew that Jack had been plagued by the same thoughts that had him just as puzzled, only he'd had to dream about Amity too.
After dinner everyone sort of just hung out and talked, soon Amity felt her eyes getting heavy and since it was still early-ish, Amity sighed and headed up the stairs. No one really seemed to notice that she had gone, if they had, they said nothing. Amity didn't mind though, she went straight to her room, she had totally forgotten that Jack was in there and in the darkness started changing into pj's, she had just taken her shirt off when the light by Jack's bed went on. Amity spun around, they both gasped. Amity grabbed her converse and threw it, Jack ducked quickly and it hit the wall, making a loud bang.
"Goddammit, Jack! Turn the fucking light off!" Jack obeyed and they were plunged into darkness. Amity quickly finished changing and jumped into bed. "Oh my god! I can't believe you!"
Jack sat up. "You can't believe me!? You knew I was in here! And it was dark in case you didn't notice so how the fuck would I know if you were changing or not!?"
"Well excuse me for being a little upset about the fact that you just saw me half naked! God! Now you're probably going to rape me or some twisted shit like that!" Amity stopped and realized what she had said.
Angry didn't even begin to describe how Jack was feeling. "Rape you!? Amity, did you forget that I was raped too!? I thought we got over this!? I'd never rape you! I can't! I wouldn't even think to!" Neither of them realized that the rest of the Mercers' had come up the stairs to investigate when they heard the bang that Amity's converse had made and they could hear the whole fight.
"If you've been through the same shit that I have than you know that words mean nothing, Jack!" Jack nodded his head in the darkness. "Yeah I do know that. But, you can trust me! If I was going to rape you, I would have done it way back in November! But, I did nothing! Nothing! So, you can stop worrying about it cause I'm not going to do anything to you!"
They were both quiet and the rest of the Mercer home waited in silence, some of them wanted to walk in the room and stop the fighting, but Evelyn shook her head. They needed this to take away any of the remaining awkwardness or tension between the two.
"If it makes you feel any better, you can walk in on me pissing." Amity sat up in bed and looked in Jack's direction. "Why the fuck would I want to see that, Jack!? It's disgusting!" Jack sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that. One... of my foster father's used to get turned on by that. He'd walk in on me just to see that. It was really creepy." Jack laughed. Sure he had bad memories from his time at that guy's house, but it sounded funny with the current situation. Soon he could hear Amity laughing too.
"It isn't funny, but I can't help but laugh!" Amity said as tears formed in her eyes from all the laughing. Jack laughed and nodded. "I know!"
Soon their laughter died down and it was silent in the room once again. Everyone in the hallway smiled and went back down the stairs. Amity felt herself laugh. "What are you laughing about?" Jack asked.
"Jackie you should have waited until we were sixteen. You would have gotten a better view." Amity giggled at the thought and Jack laughed quietly. "So, are you feeling better Jack?"
"Yeah, but I think I'm gonna stay home tomorrow, just to be safe." Jack frowned as Amity chuckled. "You just wanna stay home cause Bobby will be there." Bobby had only recently gotten a job at a local bar, and he worked at night so all day he was home. He'd keep things that way until hockey season, then he'd be all over the country for games.
"No!" Jack denied. "I just don't feel like puking in school." He said, hesitantly.
Amity nodded. "Okay Jackie, okay. Now, why don't we try this new thing called sleep? Hmm?" Jack chuckled and settled into his bed, as did Amity.
"Goodnight Amity." Jack said quietly as they heard people going to their rooms for the night outside the door. Amity smiled. "Goodnight Jack." She said just as quietly.
- - -
Amity got out of bed and tiptoed over to Jack's bed. It had been five days since Jack had been sick and now it was the morning of his birthday. She smiled and poked the side of Jack's head. "Jack Attack, wakey wakey." Jack's eyes opened and he blinked a few times. He pulled his head back slightly. "Can I help you?"
Amity shrugged. "Not really... Oh! Happy birthday, Jackie!" Jack smiled sleepily. "Thanks, Amity." Amity nodded and left Jack alone to get ready for school.
"Eww, do I have to go to school today?" Jack looked at his mother with pleading eyes, but Evelyn just shook her head. "Jackie, you stayed home once this week already! You can't stay home again." Jack nodded his head sadly and went back to his breakfast.
Even though Jack was bummed about having to attend school on his birthday, the day ended up going by very quickly and they found themselves free from school. Once Evelyn came home, she set to work making dinner, which was chosen by Jack. Only the Mercers' and Amity and Molly were present at Jack's birthday since Sofi and Angel had gotten into a fight and were broken up. Camille had to go have dinner with her grandmother and Alex had been put into a Juvenile Correction Facility, because he had been caught with drugs in school. There wasn't much Evelyn could do when it came to it because his social worker had placed him into a new home and that family had decided to send him to the Facility. Despite having people missing, Jack's birthday still went well and no one really minded that people were missing.
- - -
"Amity!" Jack yelled. He had been fourteen for a week and now it was Amity's birthday. Amity sat up and her tired eyes fell onto Jack, he was smiling at her. "Happy Birthday." Amity felt an over whelming need to hug Jack and that is what she did. Jack instantly stiffened up and of course Amity felt herself stiffen slightly so, she pulled away. "Uhm, sorry Jackie. I uh..." She laughed nervously. "haven't had anyone say that to me in like eleven years now."
Jack shrugged and nodded. "I know. It's okay." Amity smiled, got out of bed and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. The day was perfect, on the morning announcements for the Middle School, they would announce who was celebrating their birthday that day and Amity's was the only one for April 7th so all day she kept hearing people say Happy Birthday to her and it was nice.
As for a birthday dinner, Amity was going to choose Evelyn's baked chicken, like Jack had, but she quickly found that the more things the two of them did together, the more Bobby teased them about dating and whatnot. It embarrassed her and she could only wonder if that's how Jack felt when he was on the receiving end of Bobby's teasing.
"You still want chicken right Amity?" Evelyn looked over at the newly turned fourteen year old, Amity shook her head. "I changed my mind if that's okay?"
Evelyn smiled as Jack walked in. "Sure sweetie. What did you have in mind?"
"Well I was thinking of spaghetti." Evelyn nodded and started gathering all the things for spaghetti. Jack closed the refrigerator door and set down two cans of soda on the table. He smiled at Amity as she nodded her thanks. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Amity, you really shouldn't listen to Bobby."
Amity glared at Jack as he laughed and stood up. "Hey I was just tellin' you a little something I heard a few weeks ago." He said as he walked out of the kitchen.
Amity rolled her eyes and noticed Evelyn looking at her. "Is there something going on that I should know about?" Amity didn't really want to talk about what Bobby had been joking about, because it was true, at least the some of it. But, one look at Evelyn's soft blue eyes made her mouth involuntarily open and she spilled everything. "Bobby, has been teasing Jack and I. Saying that we should be dating and singing that stupid song. Ya know that song where they spell out the word 'kissing'." Evelyn nodded. She was all too familiar with that song thanks to Bobby's teasing.
"Amity, I will speak with Bobby about his teasing habits if you'd like me too." Amity shook her head. "No, I'll just tease him." Evelyn smiled as she shook her head and went back to dinner.
Amity's birthday dinner went like Jack's, except that Camille was able to join them. And she, to her surprise, received presents just like Jack had. Though she shouldn't have been surprised since she got presents on Christmas too, but she still was. That night Amity went to sleep with a smile on her face and she finally believed that things would be okay.
