Here is chapter 14. Its slightly long. 7-ish pages on word. So, enjoy, and remember to review for me!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the 1-800 characters. If I did, I wouldn't be sitting here and writing fanfiction right now.
Waiting Patiently
Chapter 14
Jess's POV
Saturday arrived too quickly. Although I was almost positive we would win, I was still slightly nervous.
I woke up early that morning so I could get ready. I rummaged around my room, trying to come up with some clothes that were semi-decent. I did not want to wear that dress from the benefit; I thought it was too formal. So, I did what I had to do. I went to my mom for clothes. She was around the same size as me, so the clothes would fit.
I knocked on my parent's bedroom door. They were probably still sleeping or just getting up.
My mom said to come in. Her voice was rusty, so I figured she had just woken up.
I went in. I noticed that my dad was still sleeping. He sleeps like a rock, anyway, so I didn't really think that he would be up.
My mom blinked at me. She looked really tired. "What do you need, honey?"
We had made up the day after I blew up at her. I just needed some time with Rob to help clear my head. Rob was the one that actually told me to go home and apologize. He said, "I don't want you and you're mom to be in a fight because of me. Go home and apologize." Of course I argued against it, but he changed my mind.
The thing is, though, I neglected to tell her when the court date was. I just never thought I would need to tell her. But now she will be curious as to why I need dressy clothes.
"Uh, I kind of need to borrow some clothes, Mom," I said anxiously.
She looked at me, confused. "What do you need clothes for, Jess? Are you going on a date or something? And why are you up so early?"
So many questions. All of which I do not want to answer.
I hesitated. "Uh . . . the trial is today, Mom, and I need to look . . . presentable." I figured that would answer all of her questions.
Her eyes widened. "That's today? Jessie, why didn't you tell me?"
"I really was just planning on going by myself. I didn't think you needed to know . . ."
"Jess, I'm your mother. Of course I need to know something like that!" She sighed. "Okay, come on. Let's get you some nice clothes."
I followed her to her closet, where she had tons of clothes. Way more than I did. She rifled through her skirts and picked out a black, a-line one. She held it up to me and smiled. "That one'll look nice." Then she picked out a plum colored empire-waist blouse. She handed that to me. Then she picked out a pair of heels. Thankfully not ones that were too high. "You'll look really nice. And, not to mention, it will knock Rob off his feet." And she smiled at me.
My eyes widened. Was she saying what I think she was? "Wait, what?"
She still smiled. "Jessie, I was wrong about everything. You seem to really care about him, and I can tell he really cares about you too. So . . . I'm sorry."
"Wait, so you're okay with me going out with him?" I asked eagerly.
"Yes. I am," she said.
I was so happy that I jumped up and down and hugged her. She seemed shocked, to say the least, but she hugged me back.
Then I thanked her and left the room with the clothes she gave me. I noticed, before leaving, that my dad wasn't really asleep. He was just pretending.
I laid the clothes out on my bed and then hopped in the shower. While I was washing myself, my thoughts drifted to Rob. What was he doing right now? Was he taking a shower too?
Oh, God, the thought of him in the shower made me all flustered.
After I finished my shower, I got out and did my make-up. Then I curled my now shoulder-length hair. Then I got dressed.
When I glanced at the clock as I was putting the shoes on, it said 8:30 AM. Wow, that took a while, getting ready and all.
After putting the shoes on, I checked myself in the floor-length mirror on the back of my bedroom door. I fluffed my hair and turned around, checking my backside.
Okay, I looked good.
I was about to call Rob and tell him I was ready, but then I thought about it. Did I want to see him before the trial? Well, yes, but I didn't want him to see me.
So I did call him, but I told him that my mom was going to drop me off. He said it was okay and that he'd see me when I got there.
I grabbed the purse my mom lent me and hopped in the car with her.
"You look really nice, honey," my mom said when we got in the car.
"Thanks, Mom," I replied back. I mean, what else was there to say?
As she reversed the car and pulled onto Lumbley Lane, she said, "Do you want me to stay with you there? You might need some support . . ."
I shook my head. "Mom, I'll be fine. I'll be with Rob." Which was true. Rob would be there and he's really all the support I would need.
She sighed. "If you say so."
Soon enough, we were at the courthouse. I opened my door and got out, then told my mom I would call her when it was over. Then I got out and went into the building.
I noticed Rob wasn't there yet. There really wasn't a lot of people there yet anyway. I knew I was early.
Rob arrived five minutes later. I hardly recognized him. He was a in a plaid button down shirt and slacks. Slacks. Wow, never knew he could clean up that well. Not to mention, his hair was combed back. He looked good. Really good.
He spotted me in the front room where you came in. He came over and smiled. He was speechless at first. I guess my mom was right.
"Wow," he finally said. "You look . . . great."
I grinned. "You don't look too bad yourself. I mean, slacks and a button down? Never thought I'd see the day."
He laughed. "Yeah. And this is the first and last time you'll ever see me in something like this."
"Hmm," I said. "Too bad its not for a good occasion."
He just rolled his eyes. "Come on. We should get in there early."
I noticed Rob's mom behind us, talking to . . . to Ruth's dad! What was he doing here? What—
Oh, right. He's a lawyer. Rob's mom must have called a lawyer and it happened to be Ruth's dad.
I feel like an idiot now.
"You got the tape?" I asked him when we went into the courtroom.
He nodded. "Of course."
Soon after, Kevin and his mom and their lawyer. They took their seat at the table on the left and we took the one on the right.
Kevin looked really nervous. His mom just glared at me. And the lawyer...well, he seemed oblivious as to what was going on right then.
- § -
(A/N: I had originally written a few pages detailing the trial, but it was rather boring, if I do say so myself and I wasn't quite sure if everything was correct. Sorry.)
After the trial was over, I suggested we go to Mastriani's for a celebratory lunch. Since, you know, we kind of won the trial and everything.
Let me just to you what actually happened: The judge, after seeing the video tape, issued an intermission. After we came back in, the jury declared that Rob was provoked and that all charges on him were to be dropped. Kevin got a fine of $1000. He would have been put in jail, but I said 'no'.
Okay, I know what you're thinking. Why in the HELL did she say no?
Well, Kevin really wasn't all that bad of a guy. I mean, besides what he tried to do to me. He was just an angry, impulsive guy.
That's pretty much what I told the judge and he gave him a different punishment. Anger management. And, no, it wasn't like it was in the movie. It was different.
The judge also gave him a six month probationary period. When the judge said that, Rob leaned over to me and whispered, "He got let off easy."
"I know," I whispered back. Because I did know. He would have gone to jail.
Kevin's mom broke down and started crying. Why? I have no clue. It's not like her son was going to jail or something, like he would be doing if I hadn't said anything.
But anyway, after the trial we went to Mastriani's. I called my dad up beforehand and asked him if it was all right and he said it was. He was actually happy about us coming.
My dad greeted us at the door and seated us. It was Mrs. Wilkins and Gary sitting together in one booth and then Rob and I in a different one. I was kind of relieved. I mean, I like his mom and Gary and everything, but I really just wanted to be alone with him for a little while after everything that happened at the trial.
Well, okay, technically we weren't alone. But it was close enough. We had a booth to ourselves and it was in a pretty secluded area. And, funnily enough, it was the table that was deemed the make-out table. How convenient.
(A/N: That was what she called it in the books, right? That one table that her and Mark Leskowski sat at? I wasn't quite sure, since I haven't read the books in a while. That could also be why my characterization is a little off. But, oh well.)
As we sat down in our seat, him sitting across from me, one of the waitresses that my dad had recently hired came over. Unfortunately, it was a girl I knew from school.
"Jess?" she said unbelievingly.
I looked up at her and noticed that it was Shannon. She was in a few of my classes this year, but we weren't really friends, per se. I mean, sure, she invited me to a few of her birthday parties when we were in elementary school, but that was ages ago.
"Uh, yeah. Hi, Shannon," I said awkwardly. I looked at Rob and he just raised one of his eyebrows.
She beamed at me. "Hi! Wow, this is the last place I thought I would find you. I mean, I know your dad owns it and everything, but wouldn't that get annoying, being in the same restaurant that your dad owns all the time?" she babbled.
This was not unlike her. She was known throughout school for her babbling. That was one of the reasons that I really did not want to talk to her right now. The other was the person sitting across from me.
"And at the make-out table, no less!" she exclaimed. A few people turned their heads. Among them were Gary and Mrs. Wilkins.
"Shannon, uh, could you please keep it down?"
I saw some color come to her face. "Sorry. I didn't—sorry."
"Its all right." I glanced at Rob. He was watching, bemused. I smiled at him and said, "Rob this is Shannon Dillon; Shannon this is Rob Wilkins."
She blushed again. "I—I know. I've seen you around school. You're the new kid, right?"
He cracked a smile. "Yeah, I am. Not such a great thing to be known for, but yeah."
This was making me sick. All I knew was, Shannon had a crush on my man. No way was this happening. No way.
"Uh, Shannon," I said in a sickly sweet voice, "could you please just take our orders?"
She tore her eyes from Rob and her cheeks flushed yet again. "Yeah, sorry. God, hopefully your dad wasn't watching. You don't think he would fire me for doing this, do you, Jess? God, I hope not . . ."
"Shannon," I said, my voice slightly warning.
"Sorry," she said. She took out her pad. "Okay, what can I get ya?"
We told her our orders and then she scurried away.
There was a weird silence that blanketed us when she left.
Rob broke it a few moments later. "That was . . . interesting." He chuckled.
I laughed too. "Yeah, it was."
He looked at me curiously. "Why was she looking at me like that, though? It was kind of . . . freaky, actually."
I laughed again. "You don't know? God, you are really naive, Rob."
"Well, if you know, then care to enlighten me?"
I thought for a minute. Then I said simply, "No."
He scowled. "Why not?"
"Because," I said.
Okay, I know I was being childish. But, you have to admit, it was rather funny.
"Jess," he said in a warning voice.
I giggled. "Okay, I'll tell you. But you have to do something for me first."
He rolled his eyes. "Okay, what?"
"You have to kiss me."
He just looked at me. "Was that supposed to be hard on me or something? Because, honestly, I don't mind doing that at all."
I shrugged. Then he leaned across the table and kissed me lightly. It was short and sweet.
I guess it was kind of hard to lean across the table and kiss someone, though, so I gave him some credit.
"Now, what was it?" he asked eagerly.
"It's simple, Rob. She's got the hots for you."
I laughed at his expression. "Wha—no. No, that can't be right."
I grinned. "Believe it or not, buddy. I'm not the only girl at school who has noticed your stunningly good looks and charm."
He just shook his head. "Whatever."
My grin broadened. "But I have to say. I think I like you more."
He looked at me and a grin formed on his face. "That's always good to know."
Right then our food came. By the looks of it, Rob was famished. As was I. But I tried to eat a little more . . . civilized-like.
That soon went down the toilet when the aroma of the food filled my nostrils. I dug in.
A/N: Please, review! It shall make me update faster! If I get at least ten reviews by tomorrow, I will post the next chapter tomorrow.