This wasn't that long of an update, was it? Two weeks isn't all that bad.

But anyway, I'll tell you why it took me two weeks to update.

One: My ipod. It's been driving me nuts. You would think that for almost $300 the thing wouldn't break too easily. I dropped my purse and the damn hard drvie broke. I went to the apple site to see what I could do and I did EVERYTHING it said and it made it worse! Then tonight my friend came over and we were in my room and I showed her my ipod and what it was doing. I just got so fed up that I chucked it against my floor. Instead of breaking even more, it fixed it. Reeeeeally weird, but I'm happy. I don't have to get a new one. For now.

Two: School. The place we all have to attend, and yet the place we all hate.

Now on with the chapter.

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: Meg Cabot owns everything, not me.

Waiting Patiently

Chapter 10

Rob's POV

Okay, so meeting her parents wasn't what I had expected.

This is what I had expected: her dad to automatically hate me and say that I could not date her, but her mother would try and convince her husband that it was okay.

Completely not what happened. It was the opposite actually. Well, okay, her mom didn't say that I couldn't date her. Her mom didn't say anything actually, but she sure didn't look happy about it. I offered my hand for her to shake but she just glared at me.

When I asked Jess about it on the way over to her father's restaurant, she said that she was stereotypical, but her father was the accepting one.

Oh, great, so now I have to impress her mom.

I said something like that to Jess. She smiled and just said, "Don't worry about it."

Well, I was going to worry about it. How could I date the girl that I like a lot when her mom hates me? It just didn't feel right.

Not to mention I'm still on probation and this whole lawsuit thing could make it a lot worse. God, if her mom gets wind of my probation, she'll probably ban me from seeing her daughter until she's forty.

I don't know what I'd do if that happened. Die, probably.

Okay, maybe something a little less dramatic, but still.

Well anyway, we left her house before her parents and arrived there a good ten minutes later. My mom was all ready there, preparing for the benefit. Jess's dad hired her about a few weeks ago.

My mom came right up to us when we went through the back to put our jackets away. She looked at me, then at Jess and said, "Oh, is this that wonderful girl you've been rambling on about?" and she went over and hugged her. How more embarrassing could you get?

Needless to say, I was blushing. I knew Jess saw it because she had this cute little smirk on her face.

"Yeah, Mom," I finally answered, "this is her." But it really wasn't necessary to answer, since she all ready hugged her and everything, but whatever.

Jess beamed. "It's great to finally meet you, Mrs. Wilkins."

My mom beamed right back at her. "Oh, sweetie, call me Mary. And its great to finally meet you too."

I rolled my eyes. "Not to interrupt or anything, but where's the food?"

Jess laughed and said, "Rob you have to wait until some of the people get here first." Then she corrected herself. "No, actually, you have to wait until after my dad makes his speech, then you can dig in."

"Great," I muttered.

My mom looked at me and shook her head. She mouthed something to me when Jess wasn't looking. 'She's a keeper' was what I think she mouthed. But I could be mistaken.

'I know' I mouthed back before Jess came over and steered me in the direction of the eating area.

"So," she said, "your mom seems nice."

"Yeah, to everyone else," I muttered.

Well, that's not true. My mom is really nice, but she bugs me a lot, especially when it comes to girls. I can tell all ready that she's going to be bugging me a lot about Jess.

"Oh, come on, I doubt she beats you. I mean, you're like, what, twice her size?"

I laughed. "Something like that."

We sat down in a booth at the far end of the restaurant. We sat across from each other.

She looked uncomfortable all of a sudden. "So . . . um, what happened to your father?"

Oh, that's why. I looked down at the table for a moment, then brought my eyes back to her. "He walked out when I was little."

Her face fell. "Oh, Rob. I'm—"

I put my hand up. "Don't say it, Mastriani. You had nothing to do with it, so you have nothing to be sorry for."

"I know," she said, "but I feel horrible. I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject."

"It's okay. You didn't know."

She smiled reassuringly at me reached across the table, squeezing my left hand. And let me tell you, that little gesture made me just want to lean across the table and kiss her like there was no tomorrow.

There were other things I would have liked to do to her then, but I think they're just a little bit too inappropriate to include here.

Jess's POV

My parents walked in then. My dad walked in first and smiled at us. Then my mom looked over at us and saw that my hand was on top of his and that we were sitting near each other and scowled.

Jeez. Just give me a chance, will ya?

Actually, I guess I all ready blew that chance with Kevin.

Peachy.

Ten minutes flew by. Soon enough, Mastriani's was packed to the max and my dad was at the podium beginning his speech.

"Ahem," he said. Everyone turned their attention to him. He was very well respected. "It's a pleasure having all of you here tonight, especial to celebrate something as special and meaningful as this—"

And that's basically when I tuned out.

I was a little bored just sitting there with Rob (I refused to sit with my mom after the way she behaved with Rob earlier, but she had Mike, Douglas, Tasha, and Claire to keep her company anyway as they listened to my dad's speech), trying to tune out all of the boring stuff my dad was saying. Sure, it was all for a good cause and everything, we all knew that, but couldn't we just get to the food?

I looked over at Rob and I could tell he was bored as hell too. He tried to look like he was actually interested in what my dad had to say, but he was failing miserably.

So I took my foot as gracefully as I could and tapped his leg with it. He flinched a little, but I guess he just figured it was an accident. So, naturally, I did it again.

He looked at me questioningly and raised his eyebrows.

"You wanna get outta here?" I whispered.

He smiled, like he was grateful for the request. I took that as a yes.

I grabbed his arm and we got up without attracting as much attention as we could and slunk out the back door.

"God!" I said as soon as we were out of hearing distance of the restaurant. "That was so boring. Look, I'm sorry for dragging you into this, R—"

He grabbed my arm and pulled me into him. "I want to be here," he stressed. "Anywhere with you is like heaven."

I took in his scent. He smelled like soap. Like he had just gotten out of the shower. It was a good smell, too. Its like he didn't try and impress me, but he did.

I don't really like men who wear cologne all that often anyway. Kevin did and it drove me nuts.

I smiled up at him, gazing into his fog-colored eyes. "Heaven," I whispered, repeating the word he used. My lips curved into a smile as I leaned up and kissed him tenderly on his sweet, luscious lips.

He seemed a little unsure for a moment (I couldn't blame him, though. We were in the back of my dad's restaurant), but then I pressed my front side to his more and he seemed to oblige.

Ah, the many choices a woman has.

Hehe.

We kissed normally for a little while, like, without tongue. I just wanted it to be simple and he respected that. And I liked that he respected that - respected me, unlike some people I knew. Not to mention any names or anything.

His hands slid to my waist, drawing me even closer to him. My hands, instinctively, wrapped around his neck, getting his lips as close to mine as possible.

We just could not get enough of each other.

Stupid teenage hormones.

We got a little more involved - tongue-action to be exact. Screw respect. It felt too good to really care, then.

But - uh, then I heard someone clear their throat behind us.

I immediately untangled myself from Rob and turned to the person who had interrupted us.

Oh, they'd pay later...

"Doug?" I asked, my mouth dry. Oh, shit. My eldest brother just saw me making out with ym boyfriend.

He looked at Rob, obviously disapproving of him, then back at me. "What are you doing out here?" he asked sharply.

I looked back at Rob and gave him an we-just-got-busted-by-my-older-brother look. He just looked blankly back at me.

"I'm sure you know why I'm out here, Douglas," I replied just as sharply.

He sniffed. "Jess, come back inside, you'll catch a cold."

"I'll be back in a moment. Go back inside." I turned back to Rob to apologize, but then remembered something. "And for God's sakes, don't tell Mom!"

He cracked a smile at that. Well, at least I got him to smile. And besides, Mike's the one that usually tells Mom, not Douglas. "Whatever. Just...be back soon or else I am going to tell Mom."

"Fine, fine," I said and turned back to Rob.

I heard the door shut behind us and started apologizing profusely.

Rob just laughed. "Mastriani, slow down. It's okay. Besides, I'm sure that was more embarrassing for you then it was for me."

I stopped immediately. "Hey!" I glared at him.

Quick change of emotions for me. Although...I did still want to jump his bones.

He laughed again. "Come on, let's go back inside."

I was still mad, but I still nodded and followed him inside. I didn't want my anger to get in the way of Doug not telling my mom. I knew what she would do if she found out her only daughter was in the back parking lot of the restaurant, making out with her boyfriend.

To put it simply: she'd freak.

We took our seats in the booth we were in before. My dad's speech was just ending. "...Once again, I'd like to thank everybody who is here tonight. Now, without further ado...let's eat!" He stepped off the stage, away from the podium, and walked over to the table my mom and brothers were at and sat down.

The waiters and waitresses came out and took the lids off of the buffet food.

Yes, it was a buffet. And yes, I was going to pig out, regardless of my boyfriend being with me. He'd just have to live with my piggish food habits.

We got up and got our food, then sat back down in the booth. I was about to dig in (TWO plates, thank you very much), when my cell phone rang. The one I had to keep on me at all times.

I looked at Rob. He was looking at me curiously.

I groaned when it kept ringing. I knew I had to answer it, or else they'd keep calling.

I excused myself and went out the back door again.

"WHAT!" I screamed into the phone. Needless to say, whichever FED was on the other line was pretty astonished.

"J-Jessica?" questioned Jill. Oh, it was only her. Well, if it wasn't Allen or Krantz...

"Oh, Jill, it's just you. Sorry, I thought you were Krantz or something..." I apologized again.

She laughed a little, but I could tell she was still a little shocked about my outburst. "Right. Well, there is something pretty important that I need to tell you, Jess..." she trailed off.

"Well, spit it out! I don't have all night, Jill."

She sighed. "We need you at Crane, Jessica. Immediately."

"What? Jill, I can't. I'm at a benefit at my dad's restaurant. I can't jut walk out. Besides, I didn't even get to eat yet, 'cause you interrupted me."

I heard the door open and shut behind me. I spun around. Rob was standing there.

"Hold on, Jill," I said and covered the receiver part.

"Rob, what the hell are you doing out here? Go back inside."

He looked at me incredulously. "Is everything all right?" he asked, ignoring my...insistence.

I just rolled my eyes. "Yes, everything is fine."

I took my hand away and ignored Rob behind me. "Jill, I can't go tonight. I have to stay for the benefit—"

"Jessica, I really am sorry, but Dr. Krantz insists that you come. You are the only person that can locate this person—"

"Wait. What person? Please tell me that you are not interrupting my nice dinner to ask me to find a GODDAMN CRIMINAL!"

"Jessica, it's more than that—"

"I don't CARE! This can't wait until tomorrow?" Ha, yeah, because then I'd be missing school and not dinner.

She sighed, exasperated. "No, Jessica, it can't."

I had to sit down. This was just not happening right now.

And I was aware that Rob was still standing behind me, very confused.

I sat down on the railing, making sure I didn't fall off. "Put Krantz on."

"Jessica, he's really busy right now. I can't just—"

"I don't fucking care. You interrupt my dinner to tell me to come down to Crane, but you can't get your supervisor on the phone? What, you think he'll think lesser of you because you couldn't convince a seventeen year old psychic to come to the supposed closed military building that is an hour out of said psychic's way?" I was seething, and, obviously, very sarcastic. I just couldn't fathom how these people could be so unreasonable. They couldn't just wait until tomorrow? I'd gladly go down there to get out of school.

She sighed. A few minutes later I heard Krantz's voice come on. "Jessica, you really have to come down here immediately. We'll send a car for you if its that difficult for you to get here."

"Dr. K, it's not the driving that I care about. It's just that you guys think you can call me up whenever you want and do stupid freaking tests on me and shit." I wasn't thinking then, so that's why I said what I said next. "You know what? I quit. I fucking quit, Krantz. I can't take this anymore."

And I hung up.

I turned back to Rob and he was looking at me in a really shocked way. He opened his mouth to say something, but I just grabbed the door knob and said, "Don't ask," and went inside and started to eat my dinner. But I wasn't even hungry anymore. So much for my appetite.

That was when I realized what I had just done.

I just quit my psychic job. Which means that the Feds will probably be after me again for a while.

Welcome to my shitty life.

A/N - Well, that's it for this chapter. Hope you liked it. So...review? As a Christmas prezzy?