I should clear some stuff up, I guess. Rob came to their town 3 months after Jess and Kevin started going out.

Summary: (Partially AU) Jessica Mastriani - the well-known Lightning Girl - is waiting. Waiting for her savior - her knight in shining armor you could say. She isn't known for her patience, but for this one thing, she'll have to wait. Wait patiently.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Bow down to Meg Cabot, not me.

Waiting Patiently

Chapter 3

It had been a month since Rob and I met in detention. We sat next to each other everyday (it's not like we had a choice anyway) and . . . (ahem) flirted.

It's not like I really meant to and all. Well, okay, I did.

But seriously, I never flirted like that with Kevin. Really, I only went out with him because I felt bad. I had turned him down right away. But then we got all into it and soon enough we had gotten to second base.

NOTHING more than second base, I swear. I will not be deemed a slut.

So like I was saying before, it had been a month since Rob and I met and we were, not surprisingly, in detention.

I had gotten in trouble again, of course. I mean, those stupid football players cannot just leave me alone, can they?

I was sitting there, doing whatever of my homework that I could complete, when Rob leaned over and whispered, "You know, I never really asked why you're always in detention."

I smirked. "You really wanna know? I mean, it's not all that interesting," I said. I had a feeling we'd be talking a while, so I closed by book. Yeah, we weren't supposed to talk, but we were in the back and as long as we whispered, it should be okay.

"Yes, I want to know," he said.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "The football players like to pick on me, so I - uh . . . give them a piece of my mind without using my mind?" Okay, I think I just completely confused myself. And I think I completely confused him too.

He looked at me and it was like there was a huge question mark hanging over his head. You know, like those cartoon characters when they get an idea and a lightbulb appears over their head. Only . . . this was sort of the opposite . . .

"I don't follow you . . ." he said and then chuckled softly.

"Yeah, that sounded a bit confusing, even to me," I replied. Then I shook my head. "To make it simple: the football players are mean to me so I punch them and usually some body part of theirs breaks and I get in trouble." I gave him a weird smile and hoped maybe he wouldn't think less of me after I told him.

He just chuckled again. "You're serious?"

"Um . . . yeah," was my brilliant reply.

Then Wendell spoke up and went, "Girl's got spunk. I like it." I turned to look at him and he was pretending he was jacking off right in front of me! Ugh, that is so nasty.

"You do that again in my presence," I warned him, "I will make sure you can't ever have children."

He looked a little taken aback and shut up.

I turned back to Rob and he looked a bit . . . weirded out.

Great, I freaked the guy out.

"Wow," he said. "Just . . . wow. I never knew you had it in you."

I knitted my brows. "What is that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"You don't seem like the girl that would do something like that," he replied.

"Like what?"

He glanced at Wendell then looked back at me. Then the kid on the other side of Rob spoke up. I think his name is Wylie. "Like punch football players and threaten people like us."

Now I was confused. "People like you? What do you mean?"

Rob's voice turned sarcastic. "I may have only lived here for a little over a month, but I do now how this town works. We," he said, indicating him, Wylie, and Wendell, "are considered Grits. Am I right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Not that again. God. Look, Rob, I'm not like all of the other Townies. I don't think about you guys like that, okay?"

"Oh yeah?"

"Do you honestly think I'd talk to you everyday if I did? And would I even be in detention?" I asked. Seriously, sometimes I don't know about these guys.

"She's got a point, Wilkins," Wylie said.

Rob then smiled at me. "Yeah, I guess."

Wow, he sure changes emotions quickly. Bi-polar, perhaps?

"Hey, Mastriani, why don't you join us tonight," he said. "We're going to Chick's to hang out."

"What? Who's Chick?" I asked, perplexed.

Right then the art teacher dismissed us. I was walking out of the classroom with Rob, as he explained. Chick's was the local bar that Grits usually went to hang out. Chick was an old friend of his father and therefore let Rob and his buddies in the bar even though they were underage.

"So, what do you say?" he said.

"Um . . ." I said, not sure what to say. I know what you're thinking. 'Jeez, Jess, you like the guy, why not hang out with him when he offers?' See, it's not that simple. If Kevin were to find out, he'd probably murder me. You know what? Screw Kevin. "Sure," I said. "Are you gonna pick me up?"

He grinned. "Of course I would. At your street corner?"

"What?" I asked, appalled.

"Oh, that didn't come out right," he said hastily. And I even noticed a hint of a blush creep up his face. "I meant—"

I shook my head. "I know what you mean now." Then I laughed. The thought of him calling me a whore . . . it just didn't seem like it would ever happen."So you'll pick me up at the corner?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

I looked to my right and saw Kevin standing there, looking a little angry. Yeah, he doesn't like me talking to other guys. He's a taaaad bit protective.

I turned back to Rob. "Um . . . I've gotta go. I'll see you . . . tomorrow." Then I winked at him, to let him know that I was still gonna go tonight.

Then I walked over to Kevin, who looked near livid. "Come on, Kev, let's go," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.

He turned to me and looked nothing but pissed off. "Go wait in the car, I'll be right there."

I had a feeling he was going to talk to Rob, so I tried to stop it. "Kev, leave him alone. He didn't do anything."

"What did I tell you? I don't want you talking to those Grits, Jess. They're fucking messed up people and I don't want you even going near them."

"Oh, really? How do you know? You have proof, Kevin? Because they seem pretty nice to me," I replied, pissed off now. God, he had some nerve. See, that's what the normal jock asshole thinks about the people who live on the poorer side of town. That they are general lying, cheating, and stealing jackasses.

But I don't believe that. I was raised to accept everyone.

"They're only nice to you because they wanna get in your pants, Jess. God, don't you realize any of this? You are hot, Jess. And I know those guys see it, as do I. Just . . . go wait in the car. I'll be right there."

I was too stunned to say anything.

Me . . . hot?

Well, I knew I wasn't butt ugly, but its not like I'm drop-dead gorgeous or anything. I definitely know that.

So I did what he said and waited in his car until he came back.

Rob's POV

I was so fucking happy that she agreed to go. Yeah, sure, I thought she was like the other Townie girls, because she was hot, just like many of those girls are. But man, she was a lot hotter than those girls. I'm serious.

I shouldn't have gotten angry at her. I just really thought she thought like all Townies did. That we were pieces of trash.

I had only been living here for a month and I already knew how it worked. And I'd regret moving here if it weren't for her.

Why did she have to have a boyfriend? Just . . .why?

She was everything I had dreamed of in a girl. And yet . . . I have only known her for a month and already I'm having thoughts about her that aren't very . . . pure.

I shouldn't be, but I can't help it.

She just . . . perfect.

But she has a horrible taste in men.

How can she go out with that jackass?

Well, I guess I'd be pretty cocky too if I was going out with her.

So anyway, she had agreed to go to Chick's with me and the guys.

And then she turned and saw her asshole of a boyfriend and went over to him. I saw him kind of yelling at her and she was yelling back.

Well, she's got spunk. That's good. I need a girl that won't stand for shit.

Except she'll probably never be mine.

She looked stunned for a minute and shook her head. And then she left the building.

I saw her boyfriend start walking towards me. Oh, great.

"So . . . what's up with you and my girlfriend?" he asked pointedly and not very nicely.

I cocked my head. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm fucking talking about," he growled and pushed me. Okay, so this was her boyfriend. But if he touched me again, I was gonna beat his ass. Did I mention I was taller than him? Yeah, by a good five inches. So he wasn't all that intimidating. "You're trying to get with her. I see the way you look at her."

"Look at her? Well, yeah, I'm gonna look at her if she's assigned right next to me," I replied sarcastically.

He looked near livid now. Jeez, talk about OVER-protective.

"I don't CARE," he yelled. "If I see you look her way ever again, you are going to regret ever moving here. Grit."

Okay, that pissed me off.

But . . . I shouldn't lose my cool. That would ruin whatever chance I had with Jess all ready. Which, might I remind you, probably isn't much.

"You really don't know her, do you? You're just with her because she's attractive. I bet you don't even know her brothers' names. Do you?" I asked pointedly.

I knew I had proved my point when he stuttered, "Uh . . . that - that is none of your business, hick."

"Oh, I'm a hick? You have no right calling me that, man. I suggest you stop acting like an asshole if you want to keep your girlfriend."

He narrowed his eyes. "You think I'd lose her to you? Yeah, right," he said and started laughing, like it was the funniest thing in the world.

As much as it killed me to admit, I knew he was probably right. Nevertheless, though, I answered him defiantly. "You never know."

He gritted his teeth. All of the humor that recently vacated his face had disappeared. "Stay away from my girlfriend or you'll regret it," he growled.

This time I laughed. "Like I said before, it's kind of hard to stay away from her if we're in detention together."

He gave me one last glare and walked away.

I reflected back on what he said. I . . . I guess I really don't have any chance with her, do I?

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