Author's Note: Next chapter. AHAHAHA. Anyway, they're not going out... yet. You'll never know. )
Pete still looked at Jenny who still stood there, blinking at him. Oh god, she's never gonna talk to me. "Jenny...?"
"Uh, what..." she started. "Why...? ME?!"
"I'm-I'm sorry," he apologized. "You know you can forget this ever happened and I'll shut up now."
"No..." she said softly, "It's just... it was sort of sudden." He's crazy.
"I know but you were talking about how you think you're gonna be forgotten by your parents. I just wanted you to know that, I'll still be here. If you need any help with anything... like I need help right now. SAY SOMETHING!"
"So does this mean anything? Are we, you know? Together?"
He started to get nervous again and wanted to kick himself for kissing her in the first place. "If you want to... Whatever you want it to mean."
"I'll think about it," she mumbled.
"What's there to think about? You either want to be with me or you don't."
"Pete, you're mad nice and everything and you're really cute. But, you're also the kid who's known by teachers before he's even in their class because you get in trouble. And that might sound a little harsh to you but that's what I need to think about." Pete smile started to fade. "But I really appreciate that whole speech kind of lecture sort of thing. It was really nice."
"Thanks."
"So where you going, cause I have to get home."
"Um, I'm going to Bri's house," he said, wanting to avoid the situation for as long as possible. And he knew she felt the same way.
"Oh," she nodded, trying to sound sad. "Well, see ya."
"Bye," he said.
They stood looking at each other wondering how to leave. Jenny quickly stuck her hand out. Pete smiled and shook hands with her.
"Bye," he said once more before
"Don't tell me you seriously went to detention," Brian declared as Pete walked into his living room.
"I had to," Pete lied, "My mom is up on me again."
"So that new girl," Marty began, "She seems stuck up. I have American History with her and she won't let no one cheat off her. Girl's got to watch herself before she gets jumped."
"Anyone," Pete corrected.
"What is up with you lately," Joe asked. "It's like you care about school or something. What're trying to do?"
"What are you talking about?" Pete asked. "I'm still the same person."
"No you're not," Brian stated, "You won't smoke, drink, take coke. You used to be the toughest out of all of us until you're mom found out about us. You should tell her to jump off, man."
"If I say that to my mom, she'll shove soap in my mouth," Pete joked. He looked up at his friends but saw that they were serious. "Alright, alright, I'm back. Got any more beer?"
The boys smiled and handed him a bottle. "Finally."
While Pete started to chug down his drink, he totally forgot that he was becoming the old Pete. The Pete that Jenny was against and the guy he didn't want to be. He knew he was going to let the people he cared about down no matter which personality he decided to take on. Maybe mom and Jenny won't know.
Jenny walked into her house and let out a huge sigh. She set her bag down and looked at the flashing red light on her answering machine. She hit the 'PLAY' button.
Hi, this is Alexis Posner. I am calling on behalf of the gymnastics team. A Jennifer Cruz tried out today for a spot in the ALL STARS division and I just wanted to let her know that – Jennifer, you made the team! Congratulations, and I'll see you at practices on Mondays and Wednesdays from three to four. Hope to see you there!
Jenny squealed and ran upstairs to the nursery that her parents were making. "Mom, Dad! Did you hear that?!"
"Hear what," her dad asked.
"I got a spot in gymnastics," she beamed. "I'm gonna be practicing in an ALL STARS gym!" Ever since she was little, she heard about this gym and how well they do their training.
"That's good," her dad smiled.
That's all?! She thought to herself.
He turned to touch his wife's large stomach, "You going to be a gymnast, too?"
"We're almost finished doing your sister's room," her mom said. A couple of weeks ago, they did a sonogram and found out the gender of the baby.
"Really," Jenny asked, trying to sound excited. "So...I'm going to do sit outside"
"Ok. If you're not back by dinner, we'll call you in, diba?"
"Opo," she smiled. Sometimes during a conversation, her mom would go from speaking in English to Tagalong. She grabbed her bag and walked down the stairs and out the front door, sitting on her front steps. She looked over next door at Pete's house where she heard yelling. The voices came from Michelle and Pete. After a couple of moments later, she saw him coming out of the house and sitting on the steps.
He looked over at her. "What up?"
She grinned sheepishly, "What happened?"
"Nothing," he said, turning his head and looking straight in front of him instead of looking over at her house. He got up and started towards her house.
"So your mom yells at you for no reason," she joked. She took some books out of her bag and started on her homework. She looked back over at his face and realized he wasn't smiling. "Shutting up."
"It's cool," he said, sitting down next to her. "Doing your homework?"
"Yup. Don't you have homework?"
"Yes. But I do it in class."
"What an interesting method. I should try it sometime."
Pete nodded, "So how'd your try-outs go?"
"I made it."
"That's cool," he said, "Congratulations."
"You're the only one who actually praised me. My parents just gave me a 'good' and changed the subject. You're lucky your mom yells at you. At least she cares about what you're doing. It's not that my parents don't care, it's just that they're all over the baby."
"When is it going to be born? You're mom looked pretty big when I first saw her."
"In like a month? I think, I don't know."
"So," he started, trying to change the subject. "You thought about the..."
"Yes. I want to be friends first and then maybe we can be more."
"Oh, I see." They were interrupted when Michelle came outside looking for Pete. "See you later, girlfriend."
She smiled and felt relieved that he was cool about the whole thing. "Don't forget to come to my house before school, boyfriend."