Hi sis,
How have you been? Its been ages since I wrote too you I know but I've been busy. I'm halfway through my sentence now. Just 2 more years and I'll be out. Sounds great, dont it? Would you be able to give me some money when I get out? You'll be 17 by then wont you. My little monkey all grown up. You'll be working by then, earning enough to spare me some change, right?
I know you read these even if you dont reply.
Luv,
your bro.
Jody rolled her eyes, ripping the letter up. She'd got into the habit of doing that after Floss had nicked one of his letters from her bedroom and nearly read it out in front of everyone. Floss had done her a favour, though. Why should she keep his letters anyway? They'd all been near enough the same over the last two years and would probably remain so over the next two years as well. She wondered if he dared to write Luke the same smoozy letters. Probably not. If there was one upside to all this, it was that Kingsley's SPaG was improving. She smiled; she sounded like her English teacher who harped on about spelling, punctuation and grammar all day, every day. Jody herself had had atrocious SPaG when she'd moved into Elm Tree House—the thank you card she'd given to Tyler attested to that—but she'd worked hard on it and within two years, she was able to write properly.
She chucked the fragments of the letter in the bin. She couldn't sit here and dwell on her jailbird brother forever; there were far more important things to do. She'd already watched her daily film with Tyler—they were nearly halfway through their marathon now—and now she had to get ready for her third date with Brandon which was in an hour. Contrary to her prior beliefs, he hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend on the second date but both Candi-Rose and Sasha were sure that she was going to be 'third time lucky' this time 'round. Becoming his girlfriend didn't sound 'lucky' to her, she was sure she could do just fine without him in her life, but she did like how grown-up dating made her feel and it wasn't as if Tyler was ever going to take the plunge and ask her out.
After picking out a nice shirt, skirt (because of the dress code), and a jacket, she quickly changed into them and strolled out of her room, heading downstairs to Candi-Rose's room. The house was relatively quiet which meant that everyone, including Mike and May-Li, was either out or spending time in the garden. Walking through the lounge, she found Joseph and Taz whispering about ghosts or something, but ignored them, opening the door leading to the hallway that housed Chloe and Candi-Rose's room. The bedroom door was open but she knocked anyway.
"Come in," Chloe said, and Jody entered the room to see that it was just her. "Are you here for Candi-Rose?"
"Yeah," she responded, sitting down on the chair in front of Candi-Rose's dresser. She'd only been in this room twice before—once when she and Candi-Rose were messing around with make-up the day after her first date and the other time when Candi-Rose had done her hair and make-up for her second date—but she envied the girls for having their own bathroom and not having to line up for the bog like everyone else did. "Do you know where she is?"
"Erm, I think she went out," Chloe replied, biting her lip. "She told me you're going out with Brandon again. How do you feel?"
"Alright, I suppose," Jody answered casually, not really feeling too bothered. But if she wasn't bothered, why was she here to get her hair and make-up done again? She shook her head. Brandon was totally messing with her head. She turned to Chloe who was lying in bed, reading a magazine. "How's Ryan? He was being so weird last week."
"Oh, he's okay," the younger girl assured, smiling brightly though something seemed a little off. "I think being a hero got to his head; he felt like he needed to become the house clown as well."
"We've already got a house clown," Jody stated fondly, frowning when she realised what she'd just said. These days, either Tyler or Brandon occupied her mind on a daily basis and she was beginning to get sick of it. She felt like an idiot girly girl, something she'd never been and never wanted to be. For once, she actually couldn't wait to get back to school and get her mind off the both of them. "I hope everything's okay between the two of you. I got a letter from my brother today—the one that's in prison. He asked for money, again."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Chloe simply said, offering a sad smile. "What about the other one, though? Aren't you talking to him again?"
Jody sighed. According to Simon, Luke had finished his exams and everything and his lease on his flat was almost up. Truth be told, she was a little worried about where he'd go. Most people in his situation would go back home until they got a graduate job and could afford to move out but their mother was dead, their father was estranged from them, and their totally useless brother was in prison. "He wants to see me next Saturday but I'd have to give up swimming." As lame as the excuse sounded, it was totally legit. She hadn't been swimming in ages. "My social worker told me to get back to him with my decision by Friday." She was a decisive person most of the time but never when it came to her family, whether it was about testifying against Kingsley, sending Denise a birthday card or seeing Luke.
"You could go swimming another time, couldn't you?" Chloe asked, regaining Jody's attention. "Look, Ryan has upset me so many times but at the end of the day, I know he loves me, and most of the time, he makes it up to me. What if your brother's trying to do the same?"
Chloe had a point. Simon had told her over and over that Luke just wanted a chance to explain himself, for her to hear him out. Unlike Kingsley, he'd never used her for money or asked her for a single penny so it wasn't like he had a hidden agenda behind seeing her. What item of value could she possibly give him anyway? She smiled at Chloe, wondering if she ought to see Luke on Saturday after all when two very loud voices travelled into the room from down the hallway.
The first was Candi-Rose's. "Well, if you—"
"Why would I?!" And that was definitely Ryan's. There was a drape blocking the pair from Jody's view but she could tell they were stepping into the room.
"Umm, guys?" Chloe spoke up, "You'v—"
"Chloe, tell your brother to cheer up!" Candi-Rose interjected exasperatedly, dumping a bunch of shopping bags on her bed. "He almost ru—"
"What are you doing here?!" Ryan exclaimed, clearly alarmed. Candi-Rose only just seemed to notice Jody's presence, resembling someone who'd been caught red-handed. Caught doing what, though?
"Ryan!" Chloe chided, "Jody's here to see Candi-Rose."
"And Ryan's here to see you..." Candi-Rose trailed off, her eyes darting between the other three before settling on Jody. "Oh, you need me to do your hair and make-up, don't you?" Jody furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, sensing that the trio were hiding something. Still, as long as it didn't concern her or Tyler, she didn't really care.
"Well, I don't need you," she muttered, facing the mirror and playing with her hair. Did Brandon like her hair? She knew Tyler did. Ugh, there she went again!
"I'll do it anyway!" Candi-Rose announced cheerfully, sounding like herself again. She grabbed something from one of the shopping bags as Ryan pushed past her, going to sit with Chloe. "What colour do you want me to paint your nails? I think pink would look nice."
Ryan sniggered, whispering something to Chloe as Candi-Rose shot him a withering look. Jody witnessed the exchange, rapping her fingernails on the dressing table. "Why've I got to get my nails done anyway?" she genuinely questioned. She'd never understood why anyone would want to put stuff on their nails. It was stupid. "He won't be staring at them, will he?"
"No, but he will be staring at your lips," Candi-Rose replied in a sing-song voice, wagging her eyebrows. She proceeded to wave a lipstick in her face.
"Do I have to?" she asked, sighing. Lipstick looked so over-the-top on the girls at school. She'd always thought of it as an adult thing or something you tried on when you were at least sixteen. "Don't you have lipgloss or something?"
Candi-Rose fixed her with a stern look. "You do want to get your first kiss, don't you?"
"What?!" Jody barked, shrinking away from the younger girl. She heard both Ryan and Chloe giggle. Ryan giggling. It was just wrong. Brandon kissing her, especially being her first kiss, was even more wrong. "No, why would you think that?!"
Honestly. Candi-Rose was going to be the death of her one of these days.
.:. QK .:.
Unlike on the first and second dates, Brandon had personally 'collected' Jody from Ashdene Ridge before they'd got on the bus to town, headed for a fancy restaurant. She couldn't help but feel that he was spending too much on her—a girl who wasn't even his girlfriend yet—but let it slide because she was unable to remember the last time she'd eaten at a fancy place. Tyler was often too busy to eat out with her these days and after two subtle rejections from him, she didn't even feel like asking him out for lunch/dinner as mates. Grant had taken her and her mum to a posh place once but it seemed like so long ago that she couldn't even remember much of it. Funnily enough, Brandon sort of reminded her of Grant; a nice guy with money who was going out with someone who probably didn't deserve him. Well, Denise definitely hadn't deserved Grant due to all the lying but was Jody much better? Brandon had no idea that Jody liked someone else just like Grant had been clueless to Denise's criminal and family background.
"We're here," Brandon said gently, rousing her from her thoughts. She attempted to smile, hoping she wasn't grimacing instead, and followed him off the bus. They walked down to the end of the street until they reached the swanky building. She clamped down on her nerves as they went to the desk. "Reservation for two under Brandon Dalton please." Brandon Dalton. That name sounded well posh.
"This way, sir, ma'am," some guy instructed, escorting them to a table for two. How could a fifteen-year-old afford a reservations-only restaurant? And at such short notice too?
As they surveyed the menus, Jody's gaze freely roamed around the room, taking in the extravagance of it all. The other guests all seemed to be adults what with their suits, fancy dresses and glasses of wine. Most care kids could only dream of coming somewhere like this before reaching the age of eighteen. Mike and May-Li did their best to give her and the others a normal life but they'd never be able to bring them all somewhere like this. It wasn't their fault but the best they could do with their council budget was lunch at McDonald's.
"How did you get us a table here?" she finally asked after they ordered their food.
"My mum knows one of the investors," he replied casually, his skin appearing to be flushed. She bit her lip. Typical, modest, Brandon.
"Oh, how did your dad's operation go?" she inquired, recalling him telling her about his dad's wrist operation on their second date which had been a walk in the park (literally).
"It went well," he answered, nodding happily. "Mum was worried to death about the anaesthesia—too much can kill a person—but then again, she's always worried about him. And me and my sister."
"It must be nice having parents who love each other," she blurted out, biting her lip and looking down when her words registered in her mind. Unbelievable. She was always putting a damper on their conversations by mentioning her scruples as a care kid. "Sorry, I—"
"No, it's okay," he assured, and she peered up to see a hint of understanding in his eyes. "Living in care can't be easy. I wouldn't be able to handle it." He reached for her hand, carefully watching her as if to gauge her reaction, but she hastily pulled away; all she could think about was the one who should've held her hand in the popcorn bowl. He took the hint pretty well, pulling his own hand away and opting for a small smile. "You've dealt with it pretty well."
She exhaled shortly. What did he really know about her? He had no idea what she was like at home, the monster she'd been before she'd learnt to control her anger. No, only a select few knew the real Jody Gray. He wouldn't like her if he knew about half the things she'd done in her lifetime. "Only cos of the boxing," she stated bitterly, "I was a wreck before May-Li took me to the gym."
"Speaking of the gym, how come you didn't go at all this week?" he questioned, appearing to be concerned. "You haven't been since I asked you out... Is it because you think my friends are going to take the piss?"
Her eyes widened at the mild profanity. So he was a normal teenager after all. "Nah, nothing like that!" she responded, laughing lightly. She was kind of lying—those first few days, she'd held off from going to the gym just in case things between them didn't go well and ended up becoming awkward, especially since he had way more friends at the gym than she had, but after their second date, she genuinely hadn't had the time. "I wanted to but I was too busy. I've been doing a movie marathon with my best mate this whole week and then there was just other stuff going on at the home."
"Your best mate?" he asked, his eyes lighting up in recognition. "Tyler?"
She tried not to react. "You know Tyler?" When had they even spoken, besides when one had opened the door for the other? Tyler usually didn't reveal his name to random strangers on the doorstep...
"Yeah, he introduced himself to me when I went 'round the house last week," Brandon informed needlessly. Of course. Where else would they have seen each other? Now that she thought about it, Tyler had been fiddling around with the noticeboard in the kitchen when both she and Brandon had been talking in there. "You known him long?"
"Yeah, we grew up together," she replied, remembering how she'd straight up bitten Tyler the day they met. She'd been a completely different person then, always pushing people around and speaking very rudely to everyone. Apparently, he'd had his ups and downs as well, his worst point being when he'd nicked Carmen's stuff and given her a black eye when they were at Burnywood together, a story she didn't believe because there was no way a seven-year-old could beat an eleven-year-old up. "Since I was eight, nearly nine."
"So he's like a big brother to you?" She swallowed uncomfortably. Maybe this was what she got for telling Tyler that she'd pick him as a brother if she could choose her family. Some sort of twisted karma coming back to bite her in the arse nearly two years later. If only she actually saw him that way. If only.
"He might not look it because he's so tall an' all," she managed to say, putting on a smile so fake that it put Oscar-winning actors to shame, "but he's really just six weeks older than me."
She couldn't call Tyler her brother even though she was probably meant to. One of the main reasons she'd been so distraught when she'd realised she fancied him was because it seemed wrong; most people who grew up together since age nine saw each as other as siblings. Where had the two of them gone wrong?
"I thought he was in Year Eleven," Brandon commented, seemingly oblivious to her inner turmoil. Good. It was better that way.
"Tell me about your best mate," she requested, wanting her mind off Tyler once and for all. She couldn't sit here and think about him while on a date with someone else. It was just not done.
Over the next hour, the two of them chatted and ate their food, and Jody finally found out that Brandon got into boxing because he was over-energetic as a child; his worried parents had consulted a few friends who'd suggested boxing as an appropriate outlet. Boxing calmed him down, much like it did her, but perhaps not to the same extent—anger issues trumped hyperactivity by a mile. She also learnt that, like every other only-child she'd met, he was envious of her living in a full house, as if the DG lot were actually her siblings. Ryan as a brother? No thanks, Chloe was welcome to him.
After dinner was over, the two of them strolled to the bus stop together, and she deliberately dug her hands into her pockets so that he wouldn't try to grab her hand again. He was a nice guy and she could see this working but only on her terms. She didn't want to rush things.
"So..." he began, nervously eyeing her up as they reached the stop. His bus home was a different one to hers.
"So..." she repeated, pressing her lips together and giving him a pointed look.
"I've had a great time today and on those other two dates as well," he admitted, smiling shyly. "I think you have too...?" She merely nodded, feeling truthful for the first time today. She'd had a good time, a much better time than she'd expected. "What do you say to becoming my girlfriend?"
"Yes," she responded casually, butterflies exploding in her tummy. Finally, an indication that she did fancy him. Everything was falling into place.
"Cool," he let out, leaning in and brushing his lips against her cheek. She blushed, hoping the streetlights didn't illuminate her too much. It wasn't quite the sort of first kiss Candi-Rose and Sasha had been hoping for but it was one she was comfortable with.
His bus arrived first and she sat on the bus stop bench, waving him off. It was official. She was now someone's girlfriend.
A/N: I know, I know, the way Brandon asked Jody to be his girlfriend is so cringe but let's not forget that they're teenagers. This is pretty much what most fourteen/fifteen-year-olds are like; a few dates and BAM(!), they're in a relationship. I'm pretty sure my Year Two boyfriend and I got together after no dates at all LOL. At this point in the story, Jody's more in love with the idea being in love than she is with the actual guy, if you know what I mean. I know some writers tend to write tomboys as cold and distant and not really into guys (because that's apparently exclusive to girly girls) but that is not how I see it. And, oh yeah, the SPaG mistakes in Kingsley's letter are intentional.
As always, thank you CharlieSMarts12 for your review, especially your kind words. I'll read your Jyler fic after finishing this one. I meant vain bish about not reading and reviewing other people's stories, not about my writing (lol, now this sentence makes me look vain).