Another chapter. Happy?
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 11
Jess's POV
They tried calling back. So I just turned the damn phone off. I wasn't bothered for the rest of the night.
At least they were giving me some space. I knew the next day they would be at my house, begging me to come back.
But I wouldn't. They treated me like I was a stupid experiment, like all I was to them was a way to catch criminals. It wasn't me that they wanted, it was my stupid ability. My stupid ability to find stupid missing people.
Normally it would be pretty cool, but the way its made my life so far...I just wish I did not have it anymore. Then this whole burden thing would be over. I could go back to living my life and be the girl who beat up football players and who was in detention everyday after school.
Hey, I didn't say I had an awesome reputation. But that's what I am known for.
So the rest of the benefit I tried forgetting about what I had just done. Rob didn't bring it up; he knew it was a sore subject, just like I knew his dad was. I guess he was returning the favor.
I didn't even want to be there anymore. I just wanted to go home and curl up in my bed and fall asleep. But no, I couldn't do that.
Well, I could, but this was my dad's time to be in the spotlight. I couldn't ruin that by leaving.
Though, I don't know what me being here is any benefit. Oh well.
So I stood the rest of it out. I waited until all of the guests left, then I went in the back and told my parents what happened.
I told Rob to go wait in the other room, because it wouldn't be pretty, seeing me fight with my parents. After he assured me it was okay, I went off to find my parents.
To say they were shocked would be an enormous understatement. They weren't too pleased either.
"Jessica!" my mother said, once I explained everything to her. "That was the only way that they would keep out of our lives. They're going to be pestering us again."
"I know, Mom," I said and sighed. "But they always expect me to do whatever they want, whenever they want. It's really starting to piss me off."
My mother sighed heavily. "Jessie, you really have to work with that temper of yours. I know it must be stressful, but you have to learn to control it."
"Control it? Mom, they bother me every single day! It's too much for me!" My mom knew that my temper was getting out of hand again. She tried to shush me. "How would you like to have people that you don't even know poking and prodding you and testing you for God only knows what, and telling you to look at pictures of freaking missing people because they are supposedly 'wanted'!"
"Jessie," my Mom said. She was trying to calm me down. "I know, honey. But maybe you just have to work with them a little more."
That was it.
I didn't yell at them anymore. I knew that if I did, I would majorly regret it.
So I walked out of the room in a huff.
I told Rob to take me back to his place. I couldn't bear to talk to my mom anymore that night. She doesn't understand. She'll never understand. She never has understood.
Rob's POV
I didn't understand any of what she was talking about.
Psychic?
She was a psychic?
It was way too much to handle. I wanted to ask questions, but I knew she was distressed and disoriented, so I didn't ask. I didn't want to make her any more uncomfortable than she all ready was.
It was weird listening to her conversation with 'Jill'. Who Jill was, I do not know. But, I aim to find out.
All I knew was, she had quite the potty mouth. And quite the temper.
That didn't diminish my...good thoughts about her. If anything, it made her even more sexier to me.
Ahem.
I was really surprised when she asked me to take her back to my place too. I mean, I didn't mind or anything, but it just really surprised me. I have no clue why though, it just did.
But I did take her back to my house. After I briefly told my mom I was doing so. She understood and said to give her time. I listened to my mother. She was always right.
So I took her back. The bike ride was enjoyable for me, but she still seemed a bit pissed off about everything.
I parked my bike in the driveway and put both the helmets away and led her up to my house. I took my keys out and unlocked the door. "After you," I said, and she stepped inside. I flipped the light switch on when I stepped in after her.
"Thanks," she said, after we settled in on the couch. "This means a lot to me."
"Anything for you," I said, smiling down at her.
We were both on the living room couch. She had her head lying on my chest and my arms were wrapped around her.
She snuggled into me more and sighed. It was a happy sigh though - a content one. It made me smile more.
Seems like lately I've been smiling a lot. She just makes me that way, I really can't help it.
We watched a movie: some action movie that I can't remember the name of. But you don't know how that made me feel; that a chick that I liked would willingly watch an action movie with me over a chick flick.
This girl is everything I've always dreamed of. I mean everything.
Sure, I have gone out with other girls before, but none like her. She was different than all of the other girls at school. She was, well, smart. That's not to say that she gets the greatest grades, but she knows what she's talking about. She's street smart.
And that, my friends, will take more places in life, than the ability to multiply and divide fractions. But . . . no offense to any of you smart people out there. Just trying to make a point.
After the movie was over, I realized she was asleep.
Well, I thought, at least I won't have to worry about a snoring girlfriend when we move in together after high school.
I thought.Wait, if we move in together after high school
God, I'm getting ahead of myself again.
I moved slightly so as not to wake her. She looked so peaceful and I just did not want to disturb that. She has too much on her plate; she at least deserves a little uninterrupted rest, don't you think?
She let out a small sound. For a moment I thought she might have woken up. But after I stayed still for a few minutes, I realized that she was still soundly sleeping.
I moved to get up off the couch, setting her head against the couch pillow. "Don't," she said.
I froze. Was she talking in her sleep?
But she answered my question pretty quickly. "Just stay with me, please," she said, opening her eyes.
Oh, great. I woke her up.
She moved to sit up, but I caught her. "Just go back to sleep," I said. "You need some rest."
She rolled her eyes. "Rest for what? I didn't do much physical exertion today, so I'm not in need of any rest."
Physical exertion?
I guess she realized how that sounded, because she stammered, "Uh - I meant exercising. You know, like a lot of running or whatever."
I smirked. "I know what you meant. But I can see you were stressed back there at the restaurant. Just go back to sleep."
She shook her head at me. Her short hair slightly flicked her in the face. "Too late now. I'm already up."
She may be perfect, but she still is a piece of work. "All right. Fine."
I turned around and went into the kitchen. I grabbed two cans of coke (a diet one for her) from the refrigerator and some pretzels and dip from the pantry. I went back in the living room and put the stuff on the coffee table.
She looked grateful - if her grabbing her Diet Coke and practically downing it in one gulp and - and grabbing a fistful of pretzels and shoving them in her mouth - was any indication. I can't say I blame her though. She really didn't eat anything at the restaurant, having lost her appetite from talking to whoever 'Jill' was. Well, that's what I assume happened anyway.
And, okay, Jess wasn't all that ladylike, as she just proved with the Diet Coke and pretzels. But at least she's not afraid to be herself around me, you know?
Before we left from the restaurant, my mom said it would be okay if Jess slept here tonight. You know, since she didn't seem all that enthused about going home.
So that is what happened. She stayed at my place.
When I told her she could sleep in my bed and I would sleep on the couch, she looked up at me and said, in this really hurt voice, "You're not going to stay with me?"
Why is it, that with just one hurt look, she can make me go weak?
Must be love.
I shook my head, and I replied, trying to pull of nonchalance, "Mastriani, I'm not too sure my mom would like that."
She pouted. And, as sad as it is to say, I gave in.
Hey, it's not like I was giving in to something bad. Holding her in my arms as she sleeps is nice - better than nice. I just don't think it was all that...appropriate, you know?
Well, whatever. Appropriate is not just for us, I guess. Or me, for that matter.
So yeah, we both slept in my bed last night. But sleeping was all we did.
Okay, well, besides the kiss she gave me before she fell asleep. And the way her hand crept under my shirt, lightly going over my stomach, as we kissed. And the way my hand slid under her shirt and inched toward her bra...
I guess I just ruined that. But my point was that we did not have sex. And that was what I would tell my mom the next morning when she figured out I had a girl over - one that I liked very much.
That's the thing, my mom is cool about all of this. She doesn't mind when I have girls over, just as long as we, you know, use protection.
But the thing is, as much as I want to jump her bones, I don't think it's the right time. I mean, we've been going out - officially - for, what, a week? I want Jess to really trust me before we go and do something like that.
So maybe I've had a few one-night-stands in my past - and bad endings to relationships - but that was where I used to live, where the girls didn't really care about commitment; they just wanted to get laid, like I did.
But its different with Jess - and the place I live too. I want to spend time with her. Quality time, getting to know her even more. I want to see her every morning, laying next to me in the bed, when I wake up. I want, as much as I have defied it in the past, commitment.
Wow, I'm really getting in-depth with this, aren't I? I am only 18. Commitment doesn't really come until you start settling down, which is when you're, like, 20-something.
But I want to settle down with her. Eventually.
I respect her as a woman, unlike I've done in the past - but its not like the women really respected me either (I mean, as much as they respected Rob Jr).
(A/N: Author starts cracking up)
Okay, I think I'm done.
When I woke up the next morning, I found Jess still sound asleep, her head resting on my chest.
I glanced at the clock, to find that it was past ten o'clock. Guess we were both tired.
I slipped out of bed without waking her and went downstairs, to find my mom and Gary sitting at the table, laughing over something Gary just said.
My mom looked over at me and smirked. She had this glint in her deep blue eyes (A/N: I forget what color eyes she has. Anyone wanna enlighten me?) "Have a good sleep?"
I glared at her. "Yeah, I did, actually," I said, my voice still rusty with sleep.
"So, how is she doing?" she asked, genuinely interested in Jess's well-being.
I shrugged. "I think she's still a little shaken up about what happened to her at that party." Then I remembered last night. "And she's kind of stressed out about whatever happened last night. But she seemed happy when she went to sleep." I kind of regretted saying the last part. I knew my mom wouldn't take it like that, but she would pester me.
"She did, did she?" she asked, the smirk that she still had on her face turning wry.
I groaned. "Mom, just drop it. She's really stressed out about this thing with Kevin and now whatever happened last night..."
Her voice changed. She was serious now. "Rob, honey, speaking of her ex-boyfriend..." She took something out of her robe and handed it to me.
It was a letter.
A letter addressed to me.
I all ready knew what this was. I mean, besides the return address being the county courthouse.
Just as I suspected. It was the set court date. I knew my parol officer would have a field day with this.
What a wonderful thing to wake up to.
A/N: Please review! It makes me happy.