Jake leaned against the single gas pump. She talked mostly to Bella's backside as it protruded from under a cars lifted hood. "So...how are things with you?" Jake asked.
"Fine." Bella answered as she tinkered.
"That's good." Jake said looking down at her feet. Bella backed up and closed the hood of the car with a bang. She reached out for a rag and wiped off her grease covered hands.
"Ok...tell me what's wrong." She said looking at Jake.
"Wrong?" Jake looked at her questioningly.
"Yeah...I can hear it in your voice. Let me guess first though...It has something to do with that witch Melanie doesn't it?" Bella asked. Jake smiled at her. The two girls headed into the service station and Jake recounted to Bella the past evenings events.
Jake sipped at a coke she had purchased from the machine. "Maybe he did...just forget?" Bella said hopefully.
"Bella...I called his house. His mother was very much awake when I spoke to her. It takes five minutes for him to walk five-hundred yards to his house. He wasn't there. He wasn't home yet." Jake answered.
"Maybe he went out to walk the dogs first...or something." Bella suggested.
"Thanks...but I don't think so." Jake smiled at Bella knowing she was grabbing at any idea so that Jake wouldn't feel so hurt.
"Did you ask him?" Bella asked.
"Not quite. After he lied to me at breakfast this morning...I didn't know what to say." Jake said.
"Well, I think you should give him the benefit of the doubt here. Just ask him." Jake contemplated Bella's words.
"Well, I have to meet him and HER at the library at six. " Jake shuddered dramatically. "So, if I live through that experience...maybe I'll talk to him later."
Bella looked at her watch. "You've still got some time to kill...let's head over to Friendly's and drown YOUR sorrows in a hot fudge sundae.
Jake smiled. "My treat." Bella ran inside to tell her Dad where she was going and the two girls crossed the street to the diner.
"Ladies..." Scout cleared his throat and raised his voice for the spectators. "...And gentlemen." He said as he wiped off the counter in front of them. "What will it be today?"
Jake and Bella placed their orders and Scout left to scoop the ice-cream.
"Do you really have to work with her on this essay?" Bella asked.
"Yeah...Finn sort of threw us together." Jake answered. "Hopefully one session together will do it. That's about all I can take." Jake grinned slightly.
"You'll be fine." Bella said sympathetically. "You have Hamilton on your side."
Ryder's voice echoed from the other end of the counter. "Hello kids...Aren't you cute. Is this a date or something? " He said. Both girls exhaled loudly. Ryder proceeded to slide, uninvited, from his end of the fountain to theirs. "Fancy meeting you here." He said.
"It's a small town Ryder." Jake said.
"And getting smaller by the minute." Bella said.
"Dear, dear ... aren't we a bit biting this afternoon. What's this Pratt...are you finally checking out how the rest of us do it?" Ryder smiled.
"Shut up, Ryder" Jake said lowering her voice.
"Look around Ryder...I'm sure there are some unsuspecting girls around you could annoy." Bella said.
"Yes.....but unfortunately the one I'm interested in...seems to be taken.
"And what unlucky girl would that be?" Jake asked, not really wanting to know.
"The fair maiden Melanie..." He answered.
"Ugh..." Just the sound of her name made Jake shiver. "Ryder...I never thought I'd be saying this...but even YOU are to good for her." Jake said.
"Well...Mr. Pratt, coming from you I'll take that as a compliment." Ryder smiled. "I'm only sorry that Mr. Fleming got to her first."
Jake choked when she heard Hamilton's name mentioned. "What?" She attempted to question him casually.
"Mmmm" He nodded." I just saw young Hamilton Fleming and the lovely Ms. Manos playing tonsil hockey at the library." Jake checked her watch again. It was only five. She got up off the stool and headed toward the door. Ryder smiled, quite pleased with himself, as his eyes followed Jake to the door.
Scout arrived setting two sundaes on the counter.
"Jake!" Bella called out...but she knew it was pointless to go after her.
Ryder snatched the cherry from the top of one sundae and popped it into his mouth. "Well...cheerio kids." He confidentially strode out of the diner.
Jake raced back to school. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She used the time to rationalize the meaning of Ryder's observations. She ran up the front steps of Rawley Academy and down the main hallway to the library. She burst in through the doors, the noise causing several heads to lift from their required reading. Jake slowed her pace and took a breath. She glanced around the library but couldn't find either of the familiar faces she was looking for. She exhaled in frustration and exited the library, heading back toward the dorms.
Jake walked through the empty Common Room to the stairway that led to her second floor room. She stopped cold when she saw Melanie standing on the bottom step. Jake slowly approached her...but said nothing.
"Hi Jack." Melanie began coyly. "Sorry you couldn't join us this afternoon."
"Jake...and I thought it wasn't..." Melanie cut off Jake's sentence.
"Look Munchie and I....I mean Hamilton and I work really well together. We got a lot accomplished. And, we were thinking that maybe it would be better if you worked with another group. Maybe that Callahan guy...or something."
Jake stood in stunned silence. She studied Melanie carefully.
"Ok? Thanks. Buh-bye" Melanie gave a little wave as she turned she left not bothering to wait for a response.
Jake trudged up the steps. She stopped outside her door and ran her hand along the top of the door jam to find her key. It wasn't there. She turned the knob and found her room unlocked. Jake carefully pushed opened the door and hesitated before entering.
She saw Hamilton stretched out on her bed reading a paperback.
"Hey..." He smiled at her. "Where were you?"
Jake entered the room. She was confused by his question. She wasn't sure if she wanted to run to him, pounce on top of him and kiss him...begging him to leave Melanie and come back to her. Or, if she wanted to pick something up and hit him really, really hard with it. She circled the room like a tiger in a cage.
"What do you mean...where was I?" She said glaring at him.
"We were supposed to meet at the library at four." Hamilton said, an attempt to jog her memory.
"Yeah...well two's company...three's a crowd." Jake said.
The words created a small shiver that ran down the back of Hamilton's spine. "What?" He responded.
"I got your note. I was going to head over to the library at six. But, I guess you had made other plans." She said angrily.
"What note?" He asked.
"Look...I really don't care." She lied. "If you've made your choice...that's fine. Just don't lie to me. Don't make me look like a fool." Jake tossed her backpack on the desk.
"Jake...I'm sorry..." Hamilton looked at her very confused.
"You two can work together if you want...I don't care. You can do whatever you want together. I don't care!" Jake raised her voice as she ranted.. "I just want out! I want out of this relationship, if that's even what you call it." Jake paced back and forth. "I don't want to be a part of your life anymore and I want you out of mine. This is it...Good-bye Hamilton. Forever." Jake turned and walked out of the door and slammed it loudly for emphasis. She left a stunned Hamilton sitting on the bed in complete bewilderment.
A moment later the dorm room door reopened and Jake walked in. She looked down at the floor. "This is my room...you get out." She said, embarrassed.
Hamilton remained on the bed. His confused look turned first into a grin then into a chuckle as he looked at Jake standing in the middle of her room.
"Jake...honey...?" Hamilton stood up and went to her. "What's going on with you?" He held out his arms and attempted to hold her.
"Don't Jake, honey...me." She said backing away from him. "You were at the library...with Melanie. Weren't you?"
"You knew that...you were supposed to be there too." He responded. "We waited for you."
"And while you were waiting for ME...you decided to make out with HER?" Jake retorted.
Hamilton was silent for a moment. "Ryder." He whispered. "Ryder told you that...didn't he?" He asked.
"Who cares who told me. The fact is...at least I know. I know where I stand." Jake was hyperventilating now. Her eyes were misty. Hamilton reached out and grabbed Jake and pulled her into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as she struggled against him.
"Jake...stop it. I was not making out with Melanie. She kissed me...once...and I took off out of the library and came here. I let myself in with your key and I waited here...for YOU. I guess you and Bella were right. She does seem to have a "thing" for me. But I don't have a "thing" for her." Jake had stopped struggling half way through his speech. Hamilton loosened his grip on her but did not let her escape the confines of his arms Jake looked up at him. Her instinct was to believe him. He had never lied to her before.
"What about last night?" She asked.
"What about last night? He said.
"I called your house. " Hamilton exhaled surprised that his lie had caught up with him so quickly. "Your mother said you weren't home yet. Where were you? Where did you go? " A tear fell off her cheek.
Hamilton closed his eyes for a moment. "Jake..." He opened them. "When I was going home last night...Melanie was there...waiting for me." Jake began to struggle again and Hamilton held firm on his grip. "This...is why I didn't want to tell you. She was at the gate...with my shirt. Then she complained about not wanting to walk home in the dark. Blah...blah...blah...and I guess...I fell for it. I was stupid. I didn't see it coming. So, the dogs and I walked her back and left it at that. Then I walked back to my house and I sat and thought about what I should do. I felt pretty guilty...even though I had NOTHING to be guilty about. But, I guess I thought you'd hear it in my voice or something...and then you'd be upset. And..." Hamilton looked across at the top of her head. "...I guess I would have been right." Hamilton continued to hold Jake in his arms. Finally he let his arms fall down to his sides. "I'm sorry Jake. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the complete truth." Hamilton looked and sounded sincere. "If you still want me to go...I will."
Jake backed up a few steps and looked at him. He looked completely sincere. Jake wanted it to tell him to leave...but she couldn't. She believed him.
"Jake...come on. I love you, and only you." Hamilton said. Jake melted into his arms.
"I know I should be furious with you...but I can't help it. I believe you." Jake whispered.
"Of course you should believe me...I'm telling you the truth." Hamilton said. Jake looked directly into his blue eyes. "well...now." He added.
Jake chuckled a little. She exhaled again in frustration and he rubbed her back.
"Tell you what, let's get out of here for a while. It's a nice night...let's take a walk by the lake or something and totally forget about Melanie. What do you say?" He looked hopeful.
"Who?" Jake smiled.
"Exactly.... Let's go." Hamilton said as he put his arm around her shoulder lead her out the door.
"Fine." Bella answered as she tinkered.
"That's good." Jake said looking down at her feet. Bella backed up and closed the hood of the car with a bang. She reached out for a rag and wiped off her grease covered hands.
"Ok...tell me what's wrong." She said looking at Jake.
"Wrong?" Jake looked at her questioningly.
"Yeah...I can hear it in your voice. Let me guess first though...It has something to do with that witch Melanie doesn't it?" Bella asked. Jake smiled at her. The two girls headed into the service station and Jake recounted to Bella the past evenings events.
Jake sipped at a coke she had purchased from the machine. "Maybe he did...just forget?" Bella said hopefully.
"Bella...I called his house. His mother was very much awake when I spoke to her. It takes five minutes for him to walk five-hundred yards to his house. He wasn't there. He wasn't home yet." Jake answered.
"Maybe he went out to walk the dogs first...or something." Bella suggested.
"Thanks...but I don't think so." Jake smiled at Bella knowing she was grabbing at any idea so that Jake wouldn't feel so hurt.
"Did you ask him?" Bella asked.
"Not quite. After he lied to me at breakfast this morning...I didn't know what to say." Jake said.
"Well, I think you should give him the benefit of the doubt here. Just ask him." Jake contemplated Bella's words.
"Well, I have to meet him and HER at the library at six. " Jake shuddered dramatically. "So, if I live through that experience...maybe I'll talk to him later."
Bella looked at her watch. "You've still got some time to kill...let's head over to Friendly's and drown YOUR sorrows in a hot fudge sundae.
Jake smiled. "My treat." Bella ran inside to tell her Dad where she was going and the two girls crossed the street to the diner.
"Ladies..." Scout cleared his throat and raised his voice for the spectators. "...And gentlemen." He said as he wiped off the counter in front of them. "What will it be today?"
Jake and Bella placed their orders and Scout left to scoop the ice-cream.
"Do you really have to work with her on this essay?" Bella asked.
"Yeah...Finn sort of threw us together." Jake answered. "Hopefully one session together will do it. That's about all I can take." Jake grinned slightly.
"You'll be fine." Bella said sympathetically. "You have Hamilton on your side."
Ryder's voice echoed from the other end of the counter. "Hello kids...Aren't you cute. Is this a date or something? " He said. Both girls exhaled loudly. Ryder proceeded to slide, uninvited, from his end of the fountain to theirs. "Fancy meeting you here." He said.
"It's a small town Ryder." Jake said.
"And getting smaller by the minute." Bella said.
"Dear, dear ... aren't we a bit biting this afternoon. What's this Pratt...are you finally checking out how the rest of us do it?" Ryder smiled.
"Shut up, Ryder" Jake said lowering her voice.
"Look around Ryder...I'm sure there are some unsuspecting girls around you could annoy." Bella said.
"Yes.....but unfortunately the one I'm interested in...seems to be taken.
"And what unlucky girl would that be?" Jake asked, not really wanting to know.
"The fair maiden Melanie..." He answered.
"Ugh..." Just the sound of her name made Jake shiver. "Ryder...I never thought I'd be saying this...but even YOU are to good for her." Jake said.
"Well...Mr. Pratt, coming from you I'll take that as a compliment." Ryder smiled. "I'm only sorry that Mr. Fleming got to her first."
Jake choked when she heard Hamilton's name mentioned. "What?" She attempted to question him casually.
"Mmmm" He nodded." I just saw young Hamilton Fleming and the lovely Ms. Manos playing tonsil hockey at the library." Jake checked her watch again. It was only five. She got up off the stool and headed toward the door. Ryder smiled, quite pleased with himself, as his eyes followed Jake to the door.
Scout arrived setting two sundaes on the counter.
"Jake!" Bella called out...but she knew it was pointless to go after her.
Ryder snatched the cherry from the top of one sundae and popped it into his mouth. "Well...cheerio kids." He confidentially strode out of the diner.
Jake raced back to school. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She used the time to rationalize the meaning of Ryder's observations. She ran up the front steps of Rawley Academy and down the main hallway to the library. She burst in through the doors, the noise causing several heads to lift from their required reading. Jake slowed her pace and took a breath. She glanced around the library but couldn't find either of the familiar faces she was looking for. She exhaled in frustration and exited the library, heading back toward the dorms.
Jake walked through the empty Common Room to the stairway that led to her second floor room. She stopped cold when she saw Melanie standing on the bottom step. Jake slowly approached her...but said nothing.
"Hi Jack." Melanie began coyly. "Sorry you couldn't join us this afternoon."
"Jake...and I thought it wasn't..." Melanie cut off Jake's sentence.
"Look Munchie and I....I mean Hamilton and I work really well together. We got a lot accomplished. And, we were thinking that maybe it would be better if you worked with another group. Maybe that Callahan guy...or something."
Jake stood in stunned silence. She studied Melanie carefully.
"Ok? Thanks. Buh-bye" Melanie gave a little wave as she turned she left not bothering to wait for a response.
Jake trudged up the steps. She stopped outside her door and ran her hand along the top of the door jam to find her key. It wasn't there. She turned the knob and found her room unlocked. Jake carefully pushed opened the door and hesitated before entering.
She saw Hamilton stretched out on her bed reading a paperback.
"Hey..." He smiled at her. "Where were you?"
Jake entered the room. She was confused by his question. She wasn't sure if she wanted to run to him, pounce on top of him and kiss him...begging him to leave Melanie and come back to her. Or, if she wanted to pick something up and hit him really, really hard with it. She circled the room like a tiger in a cage.
"What do you mean...where was I?" She said glaring at him.
"We were supposed to meet at the library at four." Hamilton said, an attempt to jog her memory.
"Yeah...well two's company...three's a crowd." Jake said.
The words created a small shiver that ran down the back of Hamilton's spine. "What?" He responded.
"I got your note. I was going to head over to the library at six. But, I guess you had made other plans." She said angrily.
"What note?" He asked.
"Look...I really don't care." She lied. "If you've made your choice...that's fine. Just don't lie to me. Don't make me look like a fool." Jake tossed her backpack on the desk.
"Jake...I'm sorry..." Hamilton looked at her very confused.
"You two can work together if you want...I don't care. You can do whatever you want together. I don't care!" Jake raised her voice as she ranted.. "I just want out! I want out of this relationship, if that's even what you call it." Jake paced back and forth. "I don't want to be a part of your life anymore and I want you out of mine. This is it...Good-bye Hamilton. Forever." Jake turned and walked out of the door and slammed it loudly for emphasis. She left a stunned Hamilton sitting on the bed in complete bewilderment.
A moment later the dorm room door reopened and Jake walked in. She looked down at the floor. "This is my room...you get out." She said, embarrassed.
Hamilton remained on the bed. His confused look turned first into a grin then into a chuckle as he looked at Jake standing in the middle of her room.
"Jake...honey...?" Hamilton stood up and went to her. "What's going on with you?" He held out his arms and attempted to hold her.
"Don't Jake, honey...me." She said backing away from him. "You were at the library...with Melanie. Weren't you?"
"You knew that...you were supposed to be there too." He responded. "We waited for you."
"And while you were waiting for ME...you decided to make out with HER?" Jake retorted.
Hamilton was silent for a moment. "Ryder." He whispered. "Ryder told you that...didn't he?" He asked.
"Who cares who told me. The fact is...at least I know. I know where I stand." Jake was hyperventilating now. Her eyes were misty. Hamilton reached out and grabbed Jake and pulled her into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as she struggled against him.
"Jake...stop it. I was not making out with Melanie. She kissed me...once...and I took off out of the library and came here. I let myself in with your key and I waited here...for YOU. I guess you and Bella were right. She does seem to have a "thing" for me. But I don't have a "thing" for her." Jake had stopped struggling half way through his speech. Hamilton loosened his grip on her but did not let her escape the confines of his arms Jake looked up at him. Her instinct was to believe him. He had never lied to her before.
"What about last night?" She asked.
"What about last night? He said.
"I called your house. " Hamilton exhaled surprised that his lie had caught up with him so quickly. "Your mother said you weren't home yet. Where were you? Where did you go? " A tear fell off her cheek.
Hamilton closed his eyes for a moment. "Jake..." He opened them. "When I was going home last night...Melanie was there...waiting for me." Jake began to struggle again and Hamilton held firm on his grip. "This...is why I didn't want to tell you. She was at the gate...with my shirt. Then she complained about not wanting to walk home in the dark. Blah...blah...blah...and I guess...I fell for it. I was stupid. I didn't see it coming. So, the dogs and I walked her back and left it at that. Then I walked back to my house and I sat and thought about what I should do. I felt pretty guilty...even though I had NOTHING to be guilty about. But, I guess I thought you'd hear it in my voice or something...and then you'd be upset. And..." Hamilton looked across at the top of her head. "...I guess I would have been right." Hamilton continued to hold Jake in his arms. Finally he let his arms fall down to his sides. "I'm sorry Jake. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the complete truth." Hamilton looked and sounded sincere. "If you still want me to go...I will."
Jake backed up a few steps and looked at him. He looked completely sincere. Jake wanted it to tell him to leave...but she couldn't. She believed him.
"Jake...come on. I love you, and only you." Hamilton said. Jake melted into his arms.
"I know I should be furious with you...but I can't help it. I believe you." Jake whispered.
"Of course you should believe me...I'm telling you the truth." Hamilton said. Jake looked directly into his blue eyes. "well...now." He added.
Jake chuckled a little. She exhaled again in frustration and he rubbed her back.
"Tell you what, let's get out of here for a while. It's a nice night...let's take a walk by the lake or something and totally forget about Melanie. What do you say?" He looked hopeful.
"Who?" Jake smiled.
"Exactly.... Let's go." Hamilton said as he put his arm around her shoulder lead her out the door.