Part III
The class lay strewn about the grass covered hill listening to Finn lecture on the works of Browning. Jake lay lengthwise, legs stretched out comfortably keeping Will well within her sights. Hamilton was curled up next to Caroline...a new student he was hoping to impress. Will sat with his back against a tree enjoying the slight breeze as it whispered through the trees. Scout took a space on the lawn near him...with a clear view of Hamilton.
"Hamilton..." Finn said as he tried to revive Hamilton's attention to the topic at hand and off of his intended conquest.
"Yeah..." He looked up startled.
"So...you like these coed classes?" Hamilton nodded his approval.
"Ah huh..." Finn continued turning his attention to Scout who was laughing heartily at the interruption. "Scout...had a crush lately?"
Will grinned...watching the uncomfortable look on Scout's face.
"Ah...Maybe?" Scout answered.
"What poem...no, what song makes you...feel?" Finn asked.
Scout thought for a moment..."I Try...Macy Gray."
"Let's hear it..." Finn said totally putting him on the spot. "You don't have to sing it, just recite it."
"OK.." Scout looked down trying to remember the words. "I keep my cool, but I'm fiending, try to say good-bye and I choke, try to walk away and I stumble, though... I try to hide it, it's clear...."
Scout's words were cut off..."My world crumbles when you're not here." Will accidentally said out loud. He looked around at his other classmates. "What? It's a good song." He said now embarrassed. He looked at Jake...who was smiling back at him.
"Those words comfort us, because we personalize them. Now, let's personalize Browning. Mr. Fleming..?
"Umm maybe what Browning is saying is that...even the strongest armies and empires can be wiped out no one can stop people from falling in love."
"Spoken like a hopeless romantic." Finn said. Jake looked over at Will. Will looked back at Jake. Scout smiled and glanced at Hamilton. And Hamilton...stared at Caroline.
Crew practice was mercifully coming to an end. Will's waterlogged sneakers would take hours to dry. The only plus he could see in this team activity was the opportunity to look at Jake as the coxswain of their team
The boys dragged the boats out of the water and docked them on the damp sand. "You know Will, I had no idea how much fun this rowing thing was going to be." Jake said with a smile.
"Spoken like someone who doesn't have to actually row." Will answered. He seated himself in the sand and then fell backward feigning exhaustion. His arms felt like jelly. "I really need a shower...badly."
"I know." She smiled. "I'll see you later.
The hot water beat down on him and caused him to relax. For just a moment...he forgot where he was. He imagined himself gliding across the top of water. He could feel the oars in his hands. He saw Jake sitting in front of him barking commands. His vision changed. Jake was seated in the front of small row boat. She was wearing a dress. She was smiling at him. He was lazily floating on the lake...with Jake. He smiled.
"Krudski!"
Startled, Will opened his eyes.
"Man...where were you?" Scout asked from the adjacent shower stall. He leaned over the partition with a head full of shampoo perfectly sculpted into two bunny ears.
"Nowhere..." Will was glad that the heat of the water had already reddened his face. Scout and Will had spent so much time together in the past few week and Scout was beginning to feel like the little brother Will always wished he'd had.
"Hey Will, you and I...well, I feel like I can trust you.... Can I ask you something? It's kinda personal." Scout asked in a hushed tone.
Will's mouth fell open nervously awaiting the Scout's next big confession. "I guess so. Yeah." Will said somewhat hesitantly.
"Do you know much about Hamilton?"
"Fleming?" Will asked.
"Yeah."
"Like what?"
"Like...do you know him. I mean...really know him?" Scout lowering his voice even more.
"Not really. I mean we grew up in the same town. But, he never went to my school...and I really only met him a few days ago. Why?"
Scout whispered to Will. "I think...I think maybe he likes me."
"I've seen you guys hanging out together lately. That's great. He seems like a cool guy."
Scout cleared his throat. "No..." Scout's voice was barely audible now..."I mean likes me..likes me." Scout raised and lowered his eyebrows.
Will's mouth fell open. "OK..." he drew out the word making a valiant effort not to look or sound shocked. "And...?"
"And...nothing really. I was just wondering if you thought so too."
"Are you....?"
Will turned the water off and began to towel off.
"No! Absolutely not!!" Scout said raising his voice for the first time.
"I'm missing something." Will said looking confused.
"I guess I mean...I don't think so. I don't really know. I haven't really played for either team...YET."
Will chuckled. "So what makes you think....ah...what you're thinking."
"We've been spending a lot of time together and we get along really well. We've been having fun."
"And that makes you gay?" Will said forgetting to lower his voice.
Scout turned the water off and also began to towel himself dry.
"Shhhh! Keep your voice down!" Scout yelled.
"Sorry. And that makes you gay?" Will repeated, whispering.
"No. But it makes me curious. Sometimes he looks at me with those electric blue eyes and well, I can't help wanting to..."
Will cut him off. "You know what...I've gotta change and get to work." Will wrapped the towel around his waist and headed for the locker room. Will passed Hamilton in the doorway. "Hey Ham." Will said.
"Hey Will...how's it going?"
"Yes...I AM going..." Will said as he sped up and left, letting the locker room door bang shut behind him.
"Hey Calhoun..." Hamilton said as he waved to Scout. "Are you leaving?"
Scout hesitated. "Ah...no. Just got here. " Scout removed his towel and turned the warm stream of water back on.
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They passed quietly through the darkened stairwell that led to the roof. The sunlight from the opened door blinding them temporarily. "Do you really think that you can alter the Cable TV?" Will asked as always, impressed by her knowledge of all things technical.
"It can't hurt to try."
Will held the door to the rooftop open allowing Jake to pass through first. "How chivalrous Mr. Krudski." Jake said as she smiled at him.
"Right...I gotta watch those things."
"Yeah...well your safe, this time. It looks like we're alone."
"In that case...shall I carry your backpack Miss Pratt?"
"I got it." She smiled back at him.
Will directed Jake to the small turret that contained most of the fuses and wiring for the main dormitory buildings. "Yikes..." She said as she looked into the opened door at the massive loops of cables. "This could take a while..."
"Aren't you hot?" Will asked noticing the tiny beads of perspiration around Jake's hairline.
"Yes."
"Why don't you take off your sweatshirt? It's like eighty degrees right now."
"Eighty-four...I looked."
"So?"
"So...I'd love to...but all I've got on under this is a pink tank top."
"Nobody ever comes up here..." Will said enticing her.
"And you know this...how?"
"Trust me...it's safe."
Jake looked around the deserted rooftop. "Well, maybe just this." She said as she reached underneath the navy hooded sweatshirt and unfastened the confining corset. Will heard the tear of the Velcro and looked on as she carefully maneuvered it out from under her clothes. "God, that's better." She tossed it into the top of her backpack.
Jake set back to work in the cramped space. Using some smaller tools that she had brought up with her, she attempted to splice a wire or two hear and there. She reconnected blue wires with green wires while Will stood by watching her in awe. Jake wiped her hand across her flushed face. "Man it's hot in here."
"Nobody ever comes up here." Will reminded her again.
She looked at him. "Are you sure?"
Will nodded his head affirmatively...hoping he was right. Jake looked around again. She was slightly apprehensive at the thought of being that vulnerable, but soon the heat took over her thoughts and won out. She pulled the sweatshirt off over her head giving Will a clear view of her 'not so masculine' body.
"Wow..." Will said, "And to think you have all the others fooled." Jake smiled at the comment.
"Come on, we can't stay up here all day." Jake said.
"I wouldn't mind." Will responded, blushing slightly at his own words.
"Really?"
"Really."
Jake was silent as she stared into Will's eyes. Will stared back and carefully reached out to let his hand caress the softness of her cheek. At first, Jake froze at his touch but seconds later, she felt herself begin to melt. Will took a step closer still staring into her eyes. Willing the moment to continue. They had forgotten the rest of the world existed...until...
The door to the rooftop opened suddenly and then banged loudly as it shut behind Scout and Hamilton. "The problem is that there is a total miscommunication between guys and girls. When a girl says...I really, really like you, what she means is; I'm ready for commitment...are you? When a guy says I really, really like you, what he means is...I want to have sex with you." Hamilton laughed and Scout chuckled as well.
"It sounds like you have a lot of experience in this area." Scout said amused.
Will pushed Jake just inside the confining space and pulled the door almost closed. He left it open just a crack and was able to see the two boys standing on the roof top.
"Sure...no one ever comes up here." Jake whispered into Will's ear. Her warm breath on the side of his face served only to excite him a little more. "Damn..." She said slowly. Will turned his head a little to look at her. "My back pack..." She motioned to the outside. Will saw the bag sitting just out of his grasp.
"Shhh" He mouthed putting his finger to his lips.
Jake stood on her tiptoes and placed her hands on Will's shoulders gaining the balance she needed to see past him and through the cracked door to the wall where Scout and Hamilton were heading.
Hamilton walked toward the wall that surrounded the rooftop. Scout was hot on his heels. "It'll be great if your Dad can help us get the connection we need...it'll be like twenty times faster." Scout nodded as he hung on each of Hamilton's words. Scout smiled at Hamilton's take on the differences between guys and girls.
Hamilton stood looking out over the stone wall. He unbuttoned his pants and Scout heard the sound of his descending zipper. "What are you doing?" Scout said as his eyes opened wider.
"I gotta pee." Hamilton replied. Scout turned his head away at first, but a moment later decided to steal a quick peek.
"Oh God..." Jake said as she lowered her eyes and rested her forehead against Will's shoulder. "I didn't need to see that."
"Shhh..." Will reminded her through his own grin. "It's a 'guy thing'." Will concentrated on the feel of her hands on him. He felt a shiver run through the entire length of his body.
"And like when a girl says, what are you doing this weekend? What she really means is I want you to hang out with me instead of your friends. When a guy says what are you doing this weekend? What he means is...I want to have sex with you."
Scout smiled broadly and nodded his head.
Hamilton zipped up and turned back to Scout, not missing a beat of the conversation.
"And also, you know like when a girl says...I want to know where this relationship is going? What she really means is...I'm hopelessly in love and I pray that you are too. But, when a guy says I want to know where this relationship is going...what he really means is...."
"I want to have sex with you." Scout said in unison with Hamilton. Scout was overwhelmed. He looked into Hamilton's sapphire blue eyes and was immediately taken over by thoughts he couldn't control. Hamilton had no choice but to return the intense stare. Scout moved a step closer and turned his head slightly sideways...lessening the distance between Hamilton's lips and his own.
Realization hit Hamilton just as contact was made and he took a giant step back. "What the..." He backed further away.
"Oooh...Oh God...I'm sorry..." Scout turned multiple shades of crimson as be backed slowly away, watching Hamilton as he wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand."I'm sorry." Scout repeated with now nervous laughter. Scout turned away and quickly headed for the door.
Hamilton swallowed hard as he processed the event. He was unsure of what just happened here...but he knew he was uncomfortable with it.
Scout quickly hustled down the steps and proceeded to conquer the length of the school corridor with his cheeks on fire. "Oh my God...I think I'm gay!" He said to himself.
Once he was gone...Hamilton also headed for the door. BANG!
Will and Jake waited in silence for a few minutes, just to be sure they were gone.
"What was that all about?" Jake whispered.
"It's a long story..." Will answered.
"Will? Scout and Ham...are they...?" She said making a twisting motion with her fingers.
"Oh yeah." He smiled.
Jake's hands were still on Will's shoulders. She moved them slightly and let them gently wander down the length of his back and rested them on his hips. The shiver Will felt earlier returned. Jake reached around his waist and squeezed, pulling him back into her. Will relaxed. He turned in the circle of her arms to face her.
"Where were we?" She said. "Before we were interrupted."
"Will grinned and extended his hand running his thumb down the line of her jaw and placed his hand behind her neck.
"Right here..." He pulled her lips in to meet his...for the first time.
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Jake dressed while simultaneously dialing her cell phone. She crooked the phone between her chin and shoulder and pulled her pants on.
"Hey...Consuela. It's Jake...eh Jacqueline. Yeah...is Mom there? Oh...she left again...Hollywood....oh. No, no...I'm glad the role came through. No...I'm sure she meant to call and tell me." Jake fastened the Velcro corset around her chest. " No, it happens...it happens." She pulled her T-shirt on over her head in one fluid movement never missing a beat of the conversation. "Right. Yeah, I will. I miss you too, Consuela. Bye." Jake clicked off her cell phone. She exhaled loudly in an attempt to compose herself and her thoughts. She paced for a moment...back and forth in the small room. She looked around at the dark oak dressers, the matching royal blue bedspreads, the pale blue painted walls. "God...where's the pink of it all?" She muttered smiling at her own thoughts and then settled herself in front of her computer.
Will knocked once and then opened the door to their shared dorm room. "Hi" He said from the doorway.
"Feel free to barge right in." Jake said sarcastically stopping Will in his tracks.
"Ah...sorry." Will hesitated keeping his hand on the door.
Jake was sitting at her desk with one knee bent up resting on the chair. She looked up at him and smiled. "Kidding...." She said. "You don't have to knock you know, it's your room too." Jake rested her chin on her knee and returned her gaze to the computer screen in front of her.
Will shut the door. "Well...just in case you were changing...or getting changed...or...never mind." Will approached her from behind. He bent down as she looked up at him. He kissed her gently on the lips. Jake broke the kiss and fixed her eyes on her computer screen again. "What's wrong?" He said recognizing her gloomy mood.
"Nothing." She answered.
"Yeah, right." Will said as he leaned on the edge of the desk. He was quiet for a moment waiting to see if she would open up to him without provocation. When she didn't...he pursued the issue. "Come on Jake...tell me?" He asked again.
"She's in Hollywood."
"Who?"
"My mother." Jake answered. "She's working in Hollywood."
"Well, she's an actress, right? So, that's good, isn't it?"
Jake looked up at him. "It means she never read my letter. She didn't come to Rawley to take me home. She hasn't called. My mother, who should probably have her cell phone surgically implanted, hasn't called me. She probably called her agent...and the director...and the script writer. Hell, she's probably called the make-up artist on the set. But she hasn't called ME!" She was upset...but past practice helped keep her tears in check.
Will was drawn to her. Drawn in to both her inner beauty and her outer strength. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to hold her. He looked down at her but couldn't find the words that would make things better in her life. Instead he opened his arms wide and invited her into them. Jake hesitated at first...then leaned forward and allowed herself to be enveloped in his embrace.
"I just feel like she doesn't care. She's all I have Will...and if she doesn't care about me...then no one does."
Will tightened his grip on her. "That's not true..." Will said as he kissed the top of her head. "I care." She looked up into his eyes and saw the sincerity in them.
"You do, don't you?" She said.
"Yeah, I do." Will pulled back just enough to draw her mouth to his.
The door opened without warning and Scout was stood in the doorway with a clear view of Jake and Will still wrapped in each others arms. His mouth fell open. Scout looked down quickly, backed out and then slammed the door shut.
"Damn." She said nervously. "That's not good."
"I mean, he can't think...what I think he's thinking. Could he?"
"What?" Jake said sarcastically. "That we're gay? No, he couldn't think that about you. The tower of testosterone, the monument of masculinity..."
"Funny. I better go talk to him." Will said heading for the door. "Are you gonna be OK?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna be just fine." She smiled.
"You go ahead, go into town like you planned. I'll try to do a little damage control with Scout."
Jake nodded and Will headed for the door.
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"Come on Scout...I know you're in there. Open up, it's Will." Will knocked again. Finally Scout relented and unlocked the door.
"Look man, .I'm sorry. I had no idea. Really. I should have knocked. I should have waited. I'm sorry."
"Hey...Scout...slow down." Will said attempting to get a word in edgewise. "It's OK. It's not what you think."
"Yeah right. Look...when I was pouring my soul out to you...why didn't you just 'come out' to me then. Just tell me that you're gay. It's OK. I'm fine with that. You totally dig boys."
"Wait! Wait...Back up like five hundred feet!" Will protested. Scout was finally silenced. "I don't like boys...in that way. I am so not gay." Will tried to explain but right now he couldn't think of what to say to Scout that wouldn't divulge Jake's secret. He figured...in this case...Jake would have to understand.
"Look...Scout, I've gotta tell you something, but you have to promise not to be pissed off at me...all right?" Scout looked at him questioningly. Will inhaled and mustered the courage to just blurt it out. "Jake's a girl."
"She's a WHAT?" Scouts eyes opened with confusion.
"A girl."
"Oh. OK." Scout responded without thinking. He processed the information carefully and then shook his head. "Wait...what are you talking about?"
"It's true Scout."
"Will stop it..."
"You don't believe me? Really, Jake is one-hundred percent female. She's obsessed with Sarah Mac Lachlan...she has a subscription to Seventeen, her favorite nail polish is 'Barely Pink'." Scout took a step backward away from Will shaking his head in disbelief. "And, she thinks she looks fat in bikinis." Will said widening his eyes as if to put the icing on the cake.
"Oh my God." Scout said at first opening his eyes wider. Then in typical male fashion he punched Will in the arm. Scout smiled. "That totally slipped by me."
"Yeah, well look...you can't tell anybody...OK? No one on campus knows except me and now you. You have to promise to keep it that way."
Scout smiled broadly. "Yeah sure man...OK. This is so Hardy Boys."
"Meets Nancy Drew." Will said.
***********************************************************************
Jake sat on a wooden bench outside the front door of Friendly's. She put the few small bags she had down and gave herself ample room to sit back, relax and savor the ice-cream cone she'd just purchased. The day was hot and the humidity threatened to devour her sweet treat before she did.
"Hi Jake." Bella said suddenly appearing before Jake's eyes. "How are you?"
"Hey Bella, What's up?" Jake consciously lowered her voice and sunk down in the seat spreading her knees apart in an attempt to offer a more manly pose.
"I had a really good time the other night."
"Ahh, yeah, me too." Jake felt slightly more uncomfortable as the strawberry ice-cream dripped down over her hand.
"I think we really connected."
"Ummm yeah, I guess so." Jake replied hesitantly.
"I think you're really cool Jake and I hope we can hang out again." Jake shifted nervously on the bench as Bella leaned in towards her.
"Let me help you with that." Bella offered. Before Jake could think, Bella leaned over and licked the dripping mess from Jake's fingers. Jake froze.
Unannounced, Charlie suddenly appeared startling them both.
"Hi, Daddy. This is Jake. I told you about him."
Jake felt increasingly uncomfortable as she felt her face turning several shades of crimson. She had been caught twice in one day and she knew better than to let her guard down so easily. She wished the sidewalk would open up and swallow her whole, but when that didn't happen she took in a deep breath and prepared herself. She looked down at first, hoping that Charlie wouldn't recognize her right away. Jake stood up, moving the ice-cream cone from her right hand to her left, wiped her sticky hand on her jeans and then extended that hand and spoke in a practiced low voice."How are you doing Mr. Banks? Jake Pratt, it's nice to meet you."
Charlie thought for a moment. He stared intently at Jake. The name alone made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up "Nice to meet you too...Jake Pratt." He said hesitantly.
For a moment Jake thought that her charade had ended. She looked up noticing Charlie's eyes pierce through her. Oh my God, he recognizes me, she thought.
"Pratt...Mmmm" Charlie nodded his head.
"Dad...Jake lives in New York and his Mom is a famous actress." Bella's mood turned a little from sad to a little more excited. For Bella, being this close to Jake was almost like being that close to a real celebrity.
Charlie turned away from Jake and towards Bella. "I think I've heard of her. Bella, I need your help at the station, honey."
"I'll see ya when I see ya." Bella smiled at Jake, lowered her eyes and then turned on her heels and headed back across the street toward the gas station.
Both Jake and Charlie watched Bella until she was out of sight. Charlie gave Jake another intense stare. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to hang around with Bella." Without further discussion Charlie followed Bella's lead and he headed for the gas station leaving a confused Jake sitting alone with a sticky, melting mess. Jake dumped the now empty sugar cone into the trash, picked up her bags and headed back toward the dorms.
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Knock-knock-knock
Scout got up from his desk where he was pretending to study and went to the door of his dorm room. He opened it partially to find Hamilton peering in from the other side. Hamilton grabbed at the edge of the door and pushed it further open. Scout ducked in reflex. "Look, I gotta make something very clear. The other day..." Hamilton lowered his voice as he entered further into the room, "when you kissed me, I could have decked you. But I didn't. But if you ever try that again, I will. Because that's not who I think I am, I mean I know I am...I mean I know I'm not...who you think I am. Get it?"
Scout's faced was masked in his usual look of confusion. "Excuse me?"
Hamilton continued, "Look if you're gay that's...whatever, that's fine. But it's not my bag. OK? So, I'm gonna go now...see ya." Hamilton backed out of the door keeping a watchful eye on Scout who stood motionless. He pulled the door closed as he exited leaving Scout standing alone in the center of his room.
A moment passed. "What isn't wrong with this picture?" Scout smiled.
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The class lay strewn about the grass covered hill listening to Finn lecture on the works of Browning. Jake lay lengthwise, legs stretched out comfortably keeping Will well within her sights. Hamilton was curled up next to Caroline...a new student he was hoping to impress. Will sat with his back against a tree enjoying the slight breeze as it whispered through the trees. Scout took a space on the lawn near him...with a clear view of Hamilton.
"Hamilton..." Finn said as he tried to revive Hamilton's attention to the topic at hand and off of his intended conquest.
"Yeah..." He looked up startled.
"So...you like these coed classes?" Hamilton nodded his approval.
"Ah huh..." Finn continued turning his attention to Scout who was laughing heartily at the interruption. "Scout...had a crush lately?"
Will grinned...watching the uncomfortable look on Scout's face.
"Ah...Maybe?" Scout answered.
"What poem...no, what song makes you...feel?" Finn asked.
Scout thought for a moment..."I Try...Macy Gray."
"Let's hear it..." Finn said totally putting him on the spot. "You don't have to sing it, just recite it."
"OK.." Scout looked down trying to remember the words. "I keep my cool, but I'm fiending, try to say good-bye and I choke, try to walk away and I stumble, though... I try to hide it, it's clear...."
Scout's words were cut off..."My world crumbles when you're not here." Will accidentally said out loud. He looked around at his other classmates. "What? It's a good song." He said now embarrassed. He looked at Jake...who was smiling back at him.
"Those words comfort us, because we personalize them. Now, let's personalize Browning. Mr. Fleming..?
"Umm maybe what Browning is saying is that...even the strongest armies and empires can be wiped out no one can stop people from falling in love."
"Spoken like a hopeless romantic." Finn said. Jake looked over at Will. Will looked back at Jake. Scout smiled and glanced at Hamilton. And Hamilton...stared at Caroline.
Crew practice was mercifully coming to an end. Will's waterlogged sneakers would take hours to dry. The only plus he could see in this team activity was the opportunity to look at Jake as the coxswain of their team
The boys dragged the boats out of the water and docked them on the damp sand. "You know Will, I had no idea how much fun this rowing thing was going to be." Jake said with a smile.
"Spoken like someone who doesn't have to actually row." Will answered. He seated himself in the sand and then fell backward feigning exhaustion. His arms felt like jelly. "I really need a shower...badly."
"I know." She smiled. "I'll see you later.
The hot water beat down on him and caused him to relax. For just a moment...he forgot where he was. He imagined himself gliding across the top of water. He could feel the oars in his hands. He saw Jake sitting in front of him barking commands. His vision changed. Jake was seated in the front of small row boat. She was wearing a dress. She was smiling at him. He was lazily floating on the lake...with Jake. He smiled.
"Krudski!"
Startled, Will opened his eyes.
"Man...where were you?" Scout asked from the adjacent shower stall. He leaned over the partition with a head full of shampoo perfectly sculpted into two bunny ears.
"Nowhere..." Will was glad that the heat of the water had already reddened his face. Scout and Will had spent so much time together in the past few week and Scout was beginning to feel like the little brother Will always wished he'd had.
"Hey Will, you and I...well, I feel like I can trust you.... Can I ask you something? It's kinda personal." Scout asked in a hushed tone.
Will's mouth fell open nervously awaiting the Scout's next big confession. "I guess so. Yeah." Will said somewhat hesitantly.
"Do you know much about Hamilton?"
"Fleming?" Will asked.
"Yeah."
"Like what?"
"Like...do you know him. I mean...really know him?" Scout lowering his voice even more.
"Not really. I mean we grew up in the same town. But, he never went to my school...and I really only met him a few days ago. Why?"
Scout whispered to Will. "I think...I think maybe he likes me."
"I've seen you guys hanging out together lately. That's great. He seems like a cool guy."
Scout cleared his throat. "No..." Scout's voice was barely audible now..."I mean likes me..likes me." Scout raised and lowered his eyebrows.
Will's mouth fell open. "OK..." he drew out the word making a valiant effort not to look or sound shocked. "And...?"
"And...nothing really. I was just wondering if you thought so too."
"Are you....?"
Will turned the water off and began to towel off.
"No! Absolutely not!!" Scout said raising his voice for the first time.
"I'm missing something." Will said looking confused.
"I guess I mean...I don't think so. I don't really know. I haven't really played for either team...YET."
Will chuckled. "So what makes you think....ah...what you're thinking."
"We've been spending a lot of time together and we get along really well. We've been having fun."
"And that makes you gay?" Will said forgetting to lower his voice.
Scout turned the water off and also began to towel himself dry.
"Shhhh! Keep your voice down!" Scout yelled.
"Sorry. And that makes you gay?" Will repeated, whispering.
"No. But it makes me curious. Sometimes he looks at me with those electric blue eyes and well, I can't help wanting to..."
Will cut him off. "You know what...I've gotta change and get to work." Will wrapped the towel around his waist and headed for the locker room. Will passed Hamilton in the doorway. "Hey Ham." Will said.
"Hey Will...how's it going?"
"Yes...I AM going..." Will said as he sped up and left, letting the locker room door bang shut behind him.
"Hey Calhoun..." Hamilton said as he waved to Scout. "Are you leaving?"
Scout hesitated. "Ah...no. Just got here. " Scout removed his towel and turned the warm stream of water back on.
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They passed quietly through the darkened stairwell that led to the roof. The sunlight from the opened door blinding them temporarily. "Do you really think that you can alter the Cable TV?" Will asked as always, impressed by her knowledge of all things technical.
"It can't hurt to try."
Will held the door to the rooftop open allowing Jake to pass through first. "How chivalrous Mr. Krudski." Jake said as she smiled at him.
"Right...I gotta watch those things."
"Yeah...well your safe, this time. It looks like we're alone."
"In that case...shall I carry your backpack Miss Pratt?"
"I got it." She smiled back at him.
Will directed Jake to the small turret that contained most of the fuses and wiring for the main dormitory buildings. "Yikes..." She said as she looked into the opened door at the massive loops of cables. "This could take a while..."
"Aren't you hot?" Will asked noticing the tiny beads of perspiration around Jake's hairline.
"Yes."
"Why don't you take off your sweatshirt? It's like eighty degrees right now."
"Eighty-four...I looked."
"So?"
"So...I'd love to...but all I've got on under this is a pink tank top."
"Nobody ever comes up here..." Will said enticing her.
"And you know this...how?"
"Trust me...it's safe."
Jake looked around the deserted rooftop. "Well, maybe just this." She said as she reached underneath the navy hooded sweatshirt and unfastened the confining corset. Will heard the tear of the Velcro and looked on as she carefully maneuvered it out from under her clothes. "God, that's better." She tossed it into the top of her backpack.
Jake set back to work in the cramped space. Using some smaller tools that she had brought up with her, she attempted to splice a wire or two hear and there. She reconnected blue wires with green wires while Will stood by watching her in awe. Jake wiped her hand across her flushed face. "Man it's hot in here."
"Nobody ever comes up here." Will reminded her again.
She looked at him. "Are you sure?"
Will nodded his head affirmatively...hoping he was right. Jake looked around again. She was slightly apprehensive at the thought of being that vulnerable, but soon the heat took over her thoughts and won out. She pulled the sweatshirt off over her head giving Will a clear view of her 'not so masculine' body.
"Wow..." Will said, "And to think you have all the others fooled." Jake smiled at the comment.
"Come on, we can't stay up here all day." Jake said.
"I wouldn't mind." Will responded, blushing slightly at his own words.
"Really?"
"Really."
Jake was silent as she stared into Will's eyes. Will stared back and carefully reached out to let his hand caress the softness of her cheek. At first, Jake froze at his touch but seconds later, she felt herself begin to melt. Will took a step closer still staring into her eyes. Willing the moment to continue. They had forgotten the rest of the world existed...until...
The door to the rooftop opened suddenly and then banged loudly as it shut behind Scout and Hamilton. "The problem is that there is a total miscommunication between guys and girls. When a girl says...I really, really like you, what she means is; I'm ready for commitment...are you? When a guy says I really, really like you, what he means is...I want to have sex with you." Hamilton laughed and Scout chuckled as well.
"It sounds like you have a lot of experience in this area." Scout said amused.
Will pushed Jake just inside the confining space and pulled the door almost closed. He left it open just a crack and was able to see the two boys standing on the roof top.
"Sure...no one ever comes up here." Jake whispered into Will's ear. Her warm breath on the side of his face served only to excite him a little more. "Damn..." She said slowly. Will turned his head a little to look at her. "My back pack..." She motioned to the outside. Will saw the bag sitting just out of his grasp.
"Shhh" He mouthed putting his finger to his lips.
Jake stood on her tiptoes and placed her hands on Will's shoulders gaining the balance she needed to see past him and through the cracked door to the wall where Scout and Hamilton were heading.
Hamilton walked toward the wall that surrounded the rooftop. Scout was hot on his heels. "It'll be great if your Dad can help us get the connection we need...it'll be like twenty times faster." Scout nodded as he hung on each of Hamilton's words. Scout smiled at Hamilton's take on the differences between guys and girls.
Hamilton stood looking out over the stone wall. He unbuttoned his pants and Scout heard the sound of his descending zipper. "What are you doing?" Scout said as his eyes opened wider.
"I gotta pee." Hamilton replied. Scout turned his head away at first, but a moment later decided to steal a quick peek.
"Oh God..." Jake said as she lowered her eyes and rested her forehead against Will's shoulder. "I didn't need to see that."
"Shhh..." Will reminded her through his own grin. "It's a 'guy thing'." Will concentrated on the feel of her hands on him. He felt a shiver run through the entire length of his body.
"And like when a girl says, what are you doing this weekend? What she really means is I want you to hang out with me instead of your friends. When a guy says what are you doing this weekend? What he means is...I want to have sex with you."
Scout smiled broadly and nodded his head.
Hamilton zipped up and turned back to Scout, not missing a beat of the conversation.
"And also, you know like when a girl says...I want to know where this relationship is going? What she really means is...I'm hopelessly in love and I pray that you are too. But, when a guy says I want to know where this relationship is going...what he really means is...."
"I want to have sex with you." Scout said in unison with Hamilton. Scout was overwhelmed. He looked into Hamilton's sapphire blue eyes and was immediately taken over by thoughts he couldn't control. Hamilton had no choice but to return the intense stare. Scout moved a step closer and turned his head slightly sideways...lessening the distance between Hamilton's lips and his own.
Realization hit Hamilton just as contact was made and he took a giant step back. "What the..." He backed further away.
"Oooh...Oh God...I'm sorry..." Scout turned multiple shades of crimson as be backed slowly away, watching Hamilton as he wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand."I'm sorry." Scout repeated with now nervous laughter. Scout turned away and quickly headed for the door.
Hamilton swallowed hard as he processed the event. He was unsure of what just happened here...but he knew he was uncomfortable with it.
Scout quickly hustled down the steps and proceeded to conquer the length of the school corridor with his cheeks on fire. "Oh my God...I think I'm gay!" He said to himself.
Once he was gone...Hamilton also headed for the door. BANG!
Will and Jake waited in silence for a few minutes, just to be sure they were gone.
"What was that all about?" Jake whispered.
"It's a long story..." Will answered.
"Will? Scout and Ham...are they...?" She said making a twisting motion with her fingers.
"Oh yeah." He smiled.
Jake's hands were still on Will's shoulders. She moved them slightly and let them gently wander down the length of his back and rested them on his hips. The shiver Will felt earlier returned. Jake reached around his waist and squeezed, pulling him back into her. Will relaxed. He turned in the circle of her arms to face her.
"Where were we?" She said. "Before we were interrupted."
"Will grinned and extended his hand running his thumb down the line of her jaw and placed his hand behind her neck.
"Right here..." He pulled her lips in to meet his...for the first time.
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Jake dressed while simultaneously dialing her cell phone. She crooked the phone between her chin and shoulder and pulled her pants on.
"Hey...Consuela. It's Jake...eh Jacqueline. Yeah...is Mom there? Oh...she left again...Hollywood....oh. No, no...I'm glad the role came through. No...I'm sure she meant to call and tell me." Jake fastened the Velcro corset around her chest. " No, it happens...it happens." She pulled her T-shirt on over her head in one fluid movement never missing a beat of the conversation. "Right. Yeah, I will. I miss you too, Consuela. Bye." Jake clicked off her cell phone. She exhaled loudly in an attempt to compose herself and her thoughts. She paced for a moment...back and forth in the small room. She looked around at the dark oak dressers, the matching royal blue bedspreads, the pale blue painted walls. "God...where's the pink of it all?" She muttered smiling at her own thoughts and then settled herself in front of her computer.
Will knocked once and then opened the door to their shared dorm room. "Hi" He said from the doorway.
"Feel free to barge right in." Jake said sarcastically stopping Will in his tracks.
"Ah...sorry." Will hesitated keeping his hand on the door.
Jake was sitting at her desk with one knee bent up resting on the chair. She looked up at him and smiled. "Kidding...." She said. "You don't have to knock you know, it's your room too." Jake rested her chin on her knee and returned her gaze to the computer screen in front of her.
Will shut the door. "Well...just in case you were changing...or getting changed...or...never mind." Will approached her from behind. He bent down as she looked up at him. He kissed her gently on the lips. Jake broke the kiss and fixed her eyes on her computer screen again. "What's wrong?" He said recognizing her gloomy mood.
"Nothing." She answered.
"Yeah, right." Will said as he leaned on the edge of the desk. He was quiet for a moment waiting to see if she would open up to him without provocation. When she didn't...he pursued the issue. "Come on Jake...tell me?" He asked again.
"She's in Hollywood."
"Who?"
"My mother." Jake answered. "She's working in Hollywood."
"Well, she's an actress, right? So, that's good, isn't it?"
Jake looked up at him. "It means she never read my letter. She didn't come to Rawley to take me home. She hasn't called. My mother, who should probably have her cell phone surgically implanted, hasn't called me. She probably called her agent...and the director...and the script writer. Hell, she's probably called the make-up artist on the set. But she hasn't called ME!" She was upset...but past practice helped keep her tears in check.
Will was drawn to her. Drawn in to both her inner beauty and her outer strength. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to hold her. He looked down at her but couldn't find the words that would make things better in her life. Instead he opened his arms wide and invited her into them. Jake hesitated at first...then leaned forward and allowed herself to be enveloped in his embrace.
"I just feel like she doesn't care. She's all I have Will...and if she doesn't care about me...then no one does."
Will tightened his grip on her. "That's not true..." Will said as he kissed the top of her head. "I care." She looked up into his eyes and saw the sincerity in them.
"You do, don't you?" She said.
"Yeah, I do." Will pulled back just enough to draw her mouth to his.
The door opened without warning and Scout was stood in the doorway with a clear view of Jake and Will still wrapped in each others arms. His mouth fell open. Scout looked down quickly, backed out and then slammed the door shut.
"Damn." She said nervously. "That's not good."
"I mean, he can't think...what I think he's thinking. Could he?"
"What?" Jake said sarcastically. "That we're gay? No, he couldn't think that about you. The tower of testosterone, the monument of masculinity..."
"Funny. I better go talk to him." Will said heading for the door. "Are you gonna be OK?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna be just fine." She smiled.
"You go ahead, go into town like you planned. I'll try to do a little damage control with Scout."
Jake nodded and Will headed for the door.
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"Come on Scout...I know you're in there. Open up, it's Will." Will knocked again. Finally Scout relented and unlocked the door.
"Look man, .I'm sorry. I had no idea. Really. I should have knocked. I should have waited. I'm sorry."
"Hey...Scout...slow down." Will said attempting to get a word in edgewise. "It's OK. It's not what you think."
"Yeah right. Look...when I was pouring my soul out to you...why didn't you just 'come out' to me then. Just tell me that you're gay. It's OK. I'm fine with that. You totally dig boys."
"Wait! Wait...Back up like five hundred feet!" Will protested. Scout was finally silenced. "I don't like boys...in that way. I am so not gay." Will tried to explain but right now he couldn't think of what to say to Scout that wouldn't divulge Jake's secret. He figured...in this case...Jake would have to understand.
"Look...Scout, I've gotta tell you something, but you have to promise not to be pissed off at me...all right?" Scout looked at him questioningly. Will inhaled and mustered the courage to just blurt it out. "Jake's a girl."
"She's a WHAT?" Scouts eyes opened with confusion.
"A girl."
"Oh. OK." Scout responded without thinking. He processed the information carefully and then shook his head. "Wait...what are you talking about?"
"It's true Scout."
"Will stop it..."
"You don't believe me? Really, Jake is one-hundred percent female. She's obsessed with Sarah Mac Lachlan...she has a subscription to Seventeen, her favorite nail polish is 'Barely Pink'." Scout took a step backward away from Will shaking his head in disbelief. "And, she thinks she looks fat in bikinis." Will said widening his eyes as if to put the icing on the cake.
"Oh my God." Scout said at first opening his eyes wider. Then in typical male fashion he punched Will in the arm. Scout smiled. "That totally slipped by me."
"Yeah, well look...you can't tell anybody...OK? No one on campus knows except me and now you. You have to promise to keep it that way."
Scout smiled broadly. "Yeah sure man...OK. This is so Hardy Boys."
"Meets Nancy Drew." Will said.
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Jake sat on a wooden bench outside the front door of Friendly's. She put the few small bags she had down and gave herself ample room to sit back, relax and savor the ice-cream cone she'd just purchased. The day was hot and the humidity threatened to devour her sweet treat before she did.
"Hi Jake." Bella said suddenly appearing before Jake's eyes. "How are you?"
"Hey Bella, What's up?" Jake consciously lowered her voice and sunk down in the seat spreading her knees apart in an attempt to offer a more manly pose.
"I had a really good time the other night."
"Ahh, yeah, me too." Jake felt slightly more uncomfortable as the strawberry ice-cream dripped down over her hand.
"I think we really connected."
"Ummm yeah, I guess so." Jake replied hesitantly.
"I think you're really cool Jake and I hope we can hang out again." Jake shifted nervously on the bench as Bella leaned in towards her.
"Let me help you with that." Bella offered. Before Jake could think, Bella leaned over and licked the dripping mess from Jake's fingers. Jake froze.
Unannounced, Charlie suddenly appeared startling them both.
"Hi, Daddy. This is Jake. I told you about him."
Jake felt increasingly uncomfortable as she felt her face turning several shades of crimson. She had been caught twice in one day and she knew better than to let her guard down so easily. She wished the sidewalk would open up and swallow her whole, but when that didn't happen she took in a deep breath and prepared herself. She looked down at first, hoping that Charlie wouldn't recognize her right away. Jake stood up, moving the ice-cream cone from her right hand to her left, wiped her sticky hand on her jeans and then extended that hand and spoke in a practiced low voice."How are you doing Mr. Banks? Jake Pratt, it's nice to meet you."
Charlie thought for a moment. He stared intently at Jake. The name alone made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up "Nice to meet you too...Jake Pratt." He said hesitantly.
For a moment Jake thought that her charade had ended. She looked up noticing Charlie's eyes pierce through her. Oh my God, he recognizes me, she thought.
"Pratt...Mmmm" Charlie nodded his head.
"Dad...Jake lives in New York and his Mom is a famous actress." Bella's mood turned a little from sad to a little more excited. For Bella, being this close to Jake was almost like being that close to a real celebrity.
Charlie turned away from Jake and towards Bella. "I think I've heard of her. Bella, I need your help at the station, honey."
"I'll see ya when I see ya." Bella smiled at Jake, lowered her eyes and then turned on her heels and headed back across the street toward the gas station.
Both Jake and Charlie watched Bella until she was out of sight. Charlie gave Jake another intense stare. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to hang around with Bella." Without further discussion Charlie followed Bella's lead and he headed for the gas station leaving a confused Jake sitting alone with a sticky, melting mess. Jake dumped the now empty sugar cone into the trash, picked up her bags and headed back toward the dorms.
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Knock-knock-knock
Scout got up from his desk where he was pretending to study and went to the door of his dorm room. He opened it partially to find Hamilton peering in from the other side. Hamilton grabbed at the edge of the door and pushed it further open. Scout ducked in reflex. "Look, I gotta make something very clear. The other day..." Hamilton lowered his voice as he entered further into the room, "when you kissed me, I could have decked you. But I didn't. But if you ever try that again, I will. Because that's not who I think I am, I mean I know I am...I mean I know I'm not...who you think I am. Get it?"
Scout's faced was masked in his usual look of confusion. "Excuse me?"
Hamilton continued, "Look if you're gay that's...whatever, that's fine. But it's not my bag. OK? So, I'm gonna go now...see ya." Hamilton backed out of the door keeping a watchful eye on Scout who stood motionless. He pulled the door closed as he exited leaving Scout standing alone in the center of his room.
A moment passed. "What isn't wrong with this picture?" Scout smiled.
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