So the ending's a bit corny but I loved Jade's seeming disgust at Beck's heritage in Beggin' on Your Knees.
As always please review. Hope you enjoy!
"Who's that?"
Jade's shrill voice was my alarm clock, the first sound which greeted me each morning, and the last thing I heard on most nights, save for the few nights when she would actually sleep at her own house.
"Who's who?"
"This girl!"
"Huh?"
Begrudgingly I climb out of bed and walk over to the couch where she is perched with my computer on her lap, my Facebook open to my latest messages. I see that the one she's reading is from a smiling bikini clad blond, one who spots her writing with lots of exclamation points and smiling emoticons. Just the way Jade hates it.
"Why is this chick sending you messages? Who is she!"
"Babe, just calm down please."
"No, Beck, I will not calm down. You see how small the sidebar is? Yeah, dozens and dozens and dozens of messages worth."
"It's not what you think."
"Oh really, 'cause I don't know what to think. Maybe that my boyfriend of three years is cheating on me with some skinny blonde idiot."
Her voice caught on the last words and I could tell that she was past upset about this. I just loved dealing with an over-reactive and jealous Jade. As much as I loved her, she could really be frustrating sometimes.
"Babe, she's just a friend, I swear. I've mentioned her to you before, Miranda, remember?"
"No, you haven't."
"Yes, yes I have. She lives near my grandparents in Canada, we went to preschool together. I tell you about all the stuff we do whenever I get back from visiting my family."
"You never mentioned having some hot 'girl' friend in Canada."
"Well, that's because every time I start talking about Canada, you scoff and zone out and don't bother listening."
Sighing, I moved so that I could pull her closer, pushing the laptop off of her lap so that she fit better on mine.
"She's just a friend Jade. Ok? I hardly ever get to see her, and who else am I going to talk about my family, or skiing, or hockey with?"
"Since when do you like hockey?"
"I've never been a huge fan, but everybody watches hockey. Everybody's played it as a kid out on the street or nearest shallow lake."
"I don't know anyone who has ever done that."
"Well, that's because you're from California."
"So it's a bad thing that I didn't grow up in a perpetual state of cold, or that I didn't have to watch where I played as a child for fear of encountering some horrible forest beast."
"Horrible forest beast?"
"Yeah, like… bears.. or….. Sasquatches."
"Sasquatches."
"What!"
"You believe in sasquatches Jade?"
"No. I'd be cool if they existed though….. Big hairy aggressive creatures that only reveal themselves to people who they know will never have the chance to tell the world about their existence, keeping the world in a fearful and wary awe."
"I don't think I've ever heard someone speak so eloquently about sasquatches."
"They're just cool, ok."
"Ok. And Miranda's just a friend."
"But why do you need to talk with her so much?"
"Because I talk with her about stuff that you won't."
"I could."
"Jade, you hate all things Canadian."
"I like you, so the rest might not be that bad."
"You really want to learn about Canada?"
"Will you talk less with this Miranda chick?"
As much as there was no way Jade was going to control who my friends were or how much I spoke with them, but getting her to do some "Canadian" activities is not something that I would pass up. She makes enough fun of my roots, it's like it was some faraway distant planet to her.
"You'll do whatever I want to do?"
"Sure?"
Oh god, her fit must have pushed her over the edge. Jade does not, ever, willingly go along with my ideas. Not wanting to waste a second, I leaped up and rushed into my parents house and frantically searched around for all of the ingredients for pancakes. About four minutes later Jade wandered in, staring at me as if I had three heads.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting started."
"What?"
"You can enjoy some real Canadian food."
"I've had pancakes before Beck."
"Yeah, but not paired with real Canadian maple syrup, or Canadian bacon, or Tim Hortons Coffee."
"I don't need any new Canadian coffee."
"You'll like it."
"Don't mess with my coffee Beck."
"Well you'll love everything else."
I finish up as quickly as I can and serve Jade, staring at her pointedly as she ate, which earned me some glares. She finished her food, her expression never changing, but I could tell that she didnt hate it, so that was a good sign.
Grabbing her arm I pulled her back towards the RV, not giving her a chance to protest before we were on to my next activity. I was silently thanking my grandmother for the Degrassi DVD's.
"No way, I am not watching this."
"And why not?"
"Because it's stupid."
"It's quality Canadian television."
"It's about some of the only Canadian television."
"That's so not true. This Hour Has Twenty-Two Minutes, Corner Gas, Whistler, those are all great TV shows."
"I haven't heard of a single one of them."
"Well you just have no taste."
We spend three more hours watching the show, miraculously without a single complaint from Jade. Sure, she sighs, and huffs and I think I saw some eye rolls, but no vocal displays of disgust. Around one I decided to go make us some lunch and was glad when Jade only glanced in my direction before returning her attention to the screen.
I came back less than thirty minutes later, with plates full of food to see Jade stretched out on her back, gaze fixed to the screen.
"Hey babe."
Looking up, she turned her head, but did a double take when she realized what was in my hands. Sitting up, I slid in behind her and brought the plates around.
"Sandwiches? You promise me a cultural experience and you bring me sandwiches?"
"Hey, grilled cheese sandwiches. Aged Canadian cheddar grilled cheese sandwiches."
"Whatever."
She leant back against me and brought the sandwich to her lips, her eyes never leaving the drama unfolding before her.
"So, you like it?"
"Like what?"
"The show? Or the sandwich?"
"They're ok."
"Come on, I have shown you some of the best of what Canada has to offer. There must be something Canadian that you like."
"Well there is one thing."
Turning around, she leant up and gently placed her lips against mine.
"Well I do fancy myself to be very patriotic."
"Just shut up and eat your sandwich."
R&R please.
