Chapter XXI

When Monday came Sherry found herself more excited than ever to get to school. She knew that it was Jake Muller's fault, but she wouldn't let herself think that. She tried to cite other reasons for her excitement… like… homework and… pop quizzes...

Since Chris already knew where it was that Sheva was living he picked her and Sherry up. The entire ride over to school Chris drove with a grin on his face and a hand on Sheva's knee. Sherry sat in the back, trying to ignore the memory of Jake and her in the backseat. The way he had touched his lips to her jaw was like a brand on her skin.

When they had arrived at school Sherry's eyes immediately searched out Jake. When she found him leaning casually against his bike she clenched her muscles in an attempt to squeeze out all of the tense excitement building up inside of her. It was like wet rag, only wringing it out would take out all the water.

Chris, Sherry and Sheva made their way out of the car and began approaching Jake who looked up to them from his phone and smiled.

"I was just texting you," he grinned at Sherry, ignoring the knowing look that Sheva and Chris gave one another, "I started wondering if Chris and his cage were going to make you late."

"My car is better than your stupid bike," Chris glared, "besides – you have to obey the traffic laws too."

"But I don't – it's easier to get away with it on a motorcycle," Jake smirked, then he looked to at Sherry who had still not uttered a word and only failed at attempting to look neutral. There was a happy grin on her face.

"Hi," his voice rolled through her.

"Hi," she squeaked, Sheva smirked and began towing Chris towards the school with Jake and Sherry right behind them. Casually Jake slid an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. She grinned and allowed him to do so.

"How was your weekend?" His question was cocky and she knew it.

"It was great."

"Oh really? What made it so great?"

"I had a great time with this guy," she shrugged, "I'm thinking that I really like him. He's taller than I am, really sweet, kind of funny, a good dancer," she noted, "and he's really intriguing. You might have heard of him, his name is Piers."

Jake glared down at her and she burst into a fit of laughter, "that's not funny."

"I'm sorry," she giggled some more, stopping as he pulled the door open and tugged her inside, still keeping his arm around her, "he is a good dancer though," she grinned.

"No he's not," Jake grumbled, then he smiled a bit slyly, "so which part if what you said applied to me?"

Now she blushed, ducking her gaze slightly and trying to play it off coolly, "none."

"Yeah?" he grinned at her teasing humor, "I'm going to bet that every part was based off of me."

"How haughty," her smile widened.

"Well, I am taller then you. I am pretty nice to you, more than anyone else, and I know you're interested in finding out more about me," his suggestive tone did not escape her, "I'm not a great dancer but I can keep up, plus, I'm funny."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," she told him, "you're not funny."

"Yeah? Well you can hardly say that Pears is funny with his fucking highlights, there's nothing funny about a grown ass man dyeing his hair."

She laughed wildly, drawing the stare of Chris and Sheva who were walking in front of them some feet away, "his name is Piers, and I think they're natural."

"Yeah, as natural as his girly lips," Jake flashed her a grin, "and I made you laugh."

The rest of the day Sherry spent it with thoughts of Jake, she wanted to know random things.

What made him laugh, what made him thoughtful? What made Jake Muller tick? What did he hate the most? What was his favorite color? What was his religion if any? What did he plan to do after high school? What made him fight and party so much? When did it start? What made him truly happy, if anything? What made him truly angry, if not everything?

In gym Sherry and Jake spoke. He watched her with a carefully composed expression, trying to not break out into a grin that she might consider stupid. Everything she did intrigued him, from the way she folded her legs and then casually used her elbow to lean on her upraised knee – then rested her chin in her hand, to the way she seemed to ensure that the topic was never about her.

In lunch Chris and Sheva talked animatedly about the party and Billy admitted that he had decided to spend the night with Rebecca.

"Well that's sweet," Sherry smiled, "I'm glad you found her. She seems like a nice girl."

"She's totally different from anyone else I've met. She doesn't brush me under the rug and she actually listens to me," he smiled and then bit his lip a bit, "I'm just worried that she's going to find someone better than me."

"Don't say things like that. At the end of the day your own insecurities will eat at you and make you say and do things that you don't really mean to do or say. Trust me, I know."

Jake looked at Sherry suspiciously. Once again she had completely intrigued him with her statement. But he knew better then to ask in front of everyone so he said nothing and just eyeballed her suspiciously.

"How was the party?" Billy raked a hand through his dark hair and chewed on his burger quietly, "was it as fun as everyone says?"

"It was great," Jake remarked, casting a dark smile at Sherry, "very eventful."

Sherry nodded, "very fun."

Chris raised a brow and then smirked down at his food. They were so obvious.

…

At the end of the day Sherry looked though her locker and carefully put all of her books back into the metal storage. They never gave seniors homework, knowing they weren't going to bother with it, so why even bother bringing her bag home when she knew there was nothing to do?

"Hey," Jake's cool voice came from behind her. She smiled and tuned her head slightly.

"Are you stalking me Jake Muller?"

"Would you be mad if I was?"

She shrugged and shut the locker altogether, when she turned to stare at him she grinned at the sight of him. He was smiling at her all too knowingly, "maybe."

"I don't think you'd complain," he murmured quietly and approached. His hand came up until it rested beside her head. She tried to not let her breath shudder out of her but failed, "I think you'd like it. A good girl like you must have some darker wishes."

"Not me," she shook her head surely, "scouts honor."

Jake smirked and wrapped an arm around her waist and began towing her down the empty hallways and towards the parking lot. Sherry beamed and leaned into his side. He smelled like apples and cinnamon, the most perfect scent she had ever encountered.

When they pushed past the exit doors the smell of pollen assaulted them. Sherry liked it, it felt like a sharp zap at her senses. Tingling them to life. Jake scowled at it and kept his arm around her.

Steve Burnside looked up at them from where he stood smoking with his friends and frowned at the sight of Jake Muller with his arm around the petite blonde. Steve had been eyeballing her appreciatively, and it had escaped no one's sight. Everyone knew that he had a thing for the new girl, whether it was pure lust or not was not known. But everyone knew.

"Hey!" He called out and began walking towards Sherry and Jake. Her blue eyes turned in his direction and Jake Muller swiveled his head stiffly towards the approaching male. His eyes narrowed as he realized that he was talking to them and coming closer.

"Hey," Sherry muttered quietly when Steve was in hearing distance. Sherry was growing nervous. It was no mystery to her that Jake did not like Steve, and it was clear by the daggers that Steve shot in Jake's direction that the feeling was mutual.

"What's up, you're going home?"

"Yeah," she smiled.

"Do you need a ride?" he dared to ask, glaring at Muller who tilted his head very slightly, "I can give you a ride, my car is right over there and I was just about ready to get going any way."

Sherry shook her head slightly, "no thanks, I mean… Jake is going to give me a ride anyway. But really, thank you."

Jake tried to not roll his eyes at the way that she thanked Steve. Inside, he hoped it was not sincere. Unable to hide his annoyance with the situation and Sherry's thankful attitude he rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Beat it, Burnout," Jake glared, "you're depriving us of oxygen."

"Jake!" Sherry gasped and pulled out of his arm. He smiled at the way Steve scowled.

"I'm just offering her a ride home so that she doesn't have be stuck with your roaring bike. That thing is like a fucking death machine. Sorry for caring."

"You sound like a whiny bitch," Jake countered, narrowing his eyes further, Sherry's bulged, "get the fuck out of my sight."

"Or?" Steve stepped closer, aware that his friends were near and approaching. They sensed a fight, and Sherry did too. Tensely she stepped closer and spoke, not daring to touch either of them for fear of hyping their already agitated personas up.

"Jake, please, let's just go?" She asked quietly, "I have to get home and I am really tired. Let's just go."

"Come near me again and I'll break your goddamn face," he ignored her and continued, "don't talk or look at us, ever."

"Nice threat," Steve smirked, "the only reason you talk so much shit is because no one has put you in your place. But I'm going to be the one to do that-

"Jake no!"

Jake grabbed him by his shirt, fisting his hands into the material and yanking him close. Sherry jumped forward and grabbed his shoulder and now Steve's friends were cursing at him and ordering him to let Steve go. They had surrounded them in no time at all. And Steve's toes were the only part of his feet touching the ground. Jake looked eerily calm, although his hands trembled from the grip he had on Steve's shirt.

"Jake please let him go, this is really not worth it," she hated fights. Not only that but she knew that Jake could do some damage. The fact that he wore gloves to hide the injury he had inflicted upon other people's bodies frightened her.

"You're going to do what?" Jake asked with a stony scowl, "are you going to be the one to finally put me down? I've kicked all of your friend's asses two times over. And you think that you're going to be the one to do something?"

"Put him down!" Sherry repeated nervously.

"Look at her, or Chris, or Sheva, or me again and I swear you'll wish you were never born."

Jake dropped Steve to the ground angrily and stepped over his trembling body. Angrily he took Sherry's hand in his and pushed people aside as Steve came to his feet.

Sherry stumbled behind him and looked back, noticing Steve staring in their direction.

When they came to the motorcycle Jake didn't wait, he took Sherry up by the waist and gracefully lifted her onto the motorcycle. When he got on he turned it on and she wrapped her arms around his waist. He could practically feel the anger flowing out of him as she did that, then they were off.

She was scared. And her fright came only from all she had seen before. Fights were not her thing. Self-defense was another story. But seeing Jake like that made her skin crawl. She did know that he was easy to anger, but it never occurred to her that she might witness it being taken to another level.

It made her wonder whether there was more to the story of his hatred for Steve then everyone led on. It was just so intense.

Or maybe he was just intense.

When they got to her house Sherry climbed off the bike wordlessly on trembling legs.

Before she could really get away from him Jake climbed off the motorcycle and went after her. As soon as she pulled out her keys he wordlessly held on to her around the wrist and tugged her away from the door. Without speaking she allowed him to.

They walked a few feet away from the door and then he turned, staring at her intensely.

"What, are you mad at me or something?" His stare was just as strong as the rest of him. There was a nervousness in his eyes that made her think better then to start ranting and raving. Her intuition told her that he did not want her to be angry with him.

"No, Jake, I'm not mad at you."

A small breath left him, but he felt no relief. Just nerves, nerves he had not felt since he was a child and he stole his father's things. He would always be afraid that his father would lash out and yell at him. That's where he thought he left those nerves.

"I just… I didn't like what I saw."

He nodded, clenching his jaw, "I just… I hate that kid. He gets me so fucking mad-

"You can't jump off the handle like that, okay? That's not cool Jake. For all you know he has a weapon somewhere on him, what if you were to get really hurt one day? Do you think about that?"

He shook his head, "he wouldn't be able to hurt me."

"You don't know that Jake," Sherry's voice took an exasperated turn, "you can't always be sure that someone won't take things to another level. Please don't risk your safety on stupid things and people like Steve Burnside."

Jake raised his eyes, not realizing he had lowered them, Sherry ran a hand through her hair and looked off towards the other side of the too sunny street, "don't be scared, alright?"

She bit her lip and nodded shakily.

Carefully he reached out and turned her face back to him. Her eyes were not sad, or scared as he had expected, just stunned, "nothing's gonna' happen to me. Especially not at the hands of Steve Burnside."

"You don't know that."

"I know, but I don't want you to worry. He's stupid, but he'd never do something that's going to put his freedom in danger."

Sherry nodded, accepting his. Jake didn't remove his hands from her face and she grew nervous again. Would he kiss her? Did she want him to? She could imagine what his kisses were like, she had gotten a bit of a kiss the other day. She shivered as he came nearer and bent his face to her.

With one hand around her jaw Jake bent her face to the side and kissed her half on the cheek and half on the ear. She shivered at the touch of his lips and tried to ignore the way that heat pooled between her thighs at his breath on her skin. Would he always tease her like this?

"See you tomorrow Sherry," he smiled softly and pressed his lips once more to the skin right on her face and nearest to her ear.

"See you," she breathed.

Jake smirked at the sound of her voice and moved away from her. She watched him get on his bike and then he took off. Sherry's eyes had gone droopy from the sensation of his lips on her face.

Sherry marched up the stairs happily and went into her apartment. Instantly she dropped by to see her father and waved hello to Jill.

Kissing her father on the cheek she was determined to spend the entire day with him. He looked sickly again, and it worried her. It saddened her.

"Sherry," her father murmured that night when they lay together and watched the Ace Ventura rerun, "you know how much I love you."

Instantly her body stilled, "of course dad," her eyes watered slightly and began to burn. She blinked them all back. She knew where this was going. She'd had this conversation with him way too many times. Way too many times…

"Honey, you know that soon I'm going to go…" his tired eyes blurred with his own tears and he held her a bit closer. Her body began to tremble beside his, "you're going to be okay Sherry. I know how strong you are. I've seen it. I know that you're going to be a fine young woman and you're going to take care of yourself. You're responsible."

"Dad," she croaked and shook her head, "please don't tell me this."

"I need to Sherry, I can feel the life leaving my body." His statement made her stiffen again, "I know that it's almost time."

She shut her eyes and took calming breaths.

William's blue eyes shut too as he trembled. He would start to cry soon, the thought of leaving her terrified him.

"Please… when I'm gone go to Mr. Wesker. Even if just for a few days, okay? Just… don't stay here all alone."

Sherry nodded, "okay dad. I'll stay with him for a few days."

"And cremate me. I don't want you to have a memorial of my dead body still on earth. Cremate me and throw me to sea-

"Dad-

"Please?" He begged.

Sherry shuddered and nodded again, "Okay dad."

Sighing he rubbed her arm soothingly, hoping she wouldn't hate him when everything was all said and done, "I love you Sherry. You've been the only joy in my entire life. The only person that has given me meaning. I can't express to you how happy you've made me. I am so proud of you sweetheart."

Sherry bit her lip and tightly wrapped her arms round her father's waist.

She had never thought the day would come when he would tell her so fully that his death was approaching. Her heart throbbed painfully and she steeled her will and shut her eyes tighter, to the point where it almost hurt. She wouldn't cry.

"I love you too daddy."

:( Things aren't looking too good..

So - I have an awesome confrontation planned out for the coming chapters :)

Review? :)