Dream Me Away From That City in Cali
Chapter III
It had been about a week since Jack had moved to this small town. Jack and Sarah had been on about four dates already and he still wasn't feeling anything for her yet. Not that he really thought he would beyond a general friendship. They were currently sitting inside Jack's car outside the local park where most teens spent their time at night. He'd been spending the past two days trying to come up with the best way to tell Sarah he just wasn't interested in her like that.
"I think we should stop dating," they both looked at each other because they'd said it at the same time.
Jack smiled at her, "I just don't think it'll work out between us."
"I know. We just don't mesh well together. Besides you so have a thing for my brother and there's only so long I can pretend it's not true, but really………thanks for indulging me," she shrugged a shoulder and took a sip from her soda resting on the dash.
"Yea-wait what?" he gave her a confused look.
"Oh come on Jack, if I can tell that's not saying much……no wait, that came out wrong," she smiled and slightly laughed at herself waving a hand dismislivly in the air.
"….I'm uh, sorry?"
"David likes you, but don't say I said that or he'd kill me. Not that he knows that I know, oh wait….Jack are you even into guys? I should have checked before actually saying anything," she looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"………"
"Too much too soon?" she asked handing him her drink.
"Maybe," he opened the lid to her drink and gulped it down.
"Well, if you ever decide to go after him I won't mind. Though, I'm not sure how he'll react, but he's your friend so really it shouldn't be too bad and like I said, he likes you too," she shrugged and pulled out a piece of gum and started chewing on it.
"I hate how you chew gum, you sound like a cow," said Jack rubbing his temples.
"Yeah, well I hate your hair because it looks better than mine, go shave it off," she started chewing even more loudly on purpose.
"I'm glad we can be honest," said Jack rolling his eyes but smiling nonetheless.
"This is like the strangest break up ever," she laughed more to herself.
"We ran out of soda," Jack looked down at the empty plastic cup and shook it.
"I take this as, we get to act more like friends together?" she started putting her feet up on the dash.
"Get those off my dash!" he swatted at her feet.
"I'll take that as a yes," she laughed at him, "ok, take me to the store we need more soda."
Jack started up the engine and looked over at Sarah, "….hey Sarah……thanks, I guess."
"No problem, oh but I just want you to do me a favor," she smiled at him.
"What?"
"I want you to let me borrow your house one of these weekends."
"I don't even want to know," said Jack.
Sarah just smiled at Jack and they took off to the nearest store before heading back to her house.
XXX
Thursday night had been a strange one. It took them longer to get back to Sarah's then Jack expected. They'd run into someone at the store and they had been invited to go hang out at someone's house. They ended up at one of the football players' house. Sarah pretty much ditched him for the rest of the night, then around eleven they made the trek back to her house. David had been sitting at the TV watching Moulin Rouge, which he vehemently denied, saying it was left on and he couldn't find the remote. Jack hung out with David till twelve and then went home.
Friday seemed to be dragging on much to Jack's displeasure. Not that he hated Fridays; he just really wanted school to be over with for the day so that he could hand out with David some more. So when the bell for lunch rang he quickly made his way over to the table David and his friends ate at.
Jack put down his tray and sat next to David on the table, "So, uh me and your sister ain't seeing each other anymore."
"I figured the moment I saw her latched onto that football player over there," said David pointing as he bit into his apple.
"Oh……well, you know it was a mutual thing," Jack shrugged and waved when Sarah waved at him.
"You know, if it would make you feel more comfortable we can study at your house," said David.
"Nah, like I said it was mutual so really no problems on either side. We agreed to be friends really," Jack opened his box of milk and chugged it.
"Dude you drink the milk?" asked Robert making a sick face.
"It's free, why not," said Jack tossing the empty carton into the trashcan just a little ways away.
"Good move dumping Sarah," said Bryant giving Jack a thumbs-up.
"Hey!" David smacked his arm.
"It's true!" said Evan.
"Yeah and why's that?" asked Jack.
"She's nice and all, but sometimes she's not really there," said Evan.
"And he'd know," said David rolling his eyes.
"I think she's funny," said Jack smiling and nudging David with his elbow.
"Funny as in annoying? Maybe," said David.
"I went out with her last year and she has this tendency to say things without thinking beforehand," said Evan.
"Even I told her to stop talking a sentence early!" said Robert.
"Now that's saying something because Robert tends to speak out his ass half the time," said Bryant smiling at the look Robert was giving him.
"So not getting any," mumbled Robert crossing his arms.
"What?" Jack looked at them.
They just gave him a look and went back to talking quietly to each other.
"Ignore them, really," said Evan.
"They get like that," said David
"Ok," said Jack.
XXX
Jack was pleasantly surprised when they got done studying real early. Well, as David said, without Sarah bothering them as much it was easier to get work done. Jack had laughed at the comment and Sarah said she'd be picking up Les from soccer practice that day. Before she left though she gave Jack a look, told David 'how cute, you made a funny', and ran off.
David's mom and dad came home, "Sweetheart we're going out tonight so you're going to need to make sure Les gets to bed on time. Also, Sarah's going out later tonight with some friends so don't worry about her."
"Ok momma," said David helping her fix up the kitchen for dinner.
"So, Jack, maybe you'd like to stay the night this weekend."
"He's only saying that because David gets scared of watching the house by himself," said David's mom.
"Mom, Dad!" yelped David going completely red.
"Aw it's ok, I'll make sure nothing happens," said Jack ruffling David's hair.
"Will you both stop laughing, you're going to make need therapy," muttered David pushing Jack's hand out of his hair.
"We're just joking David, you need to relax more," said his mom.
"I'm sure Jack can bring him to the less uptight side," laughed David's dad.
"Sure will!" laughed Jack.
"Great, everyone's conspiring against me," said David putting down plates.
"We're only plotting because we care," said Jack.
"Exactly sweetheart," said David's mom.
David rolled his eyes.
Once Sarah and Les got back dinner was practically ready to be served. They all sat down at the table and hands went flying left and right around the table. From what Jack could tell once you spent one day for dinner it was a free for all when it came to eating. First night was polite and manners, next time you showed up it was 'we're not letting you get all the good food this time!' Jack found it too funny that he couldn't stop himself from laughing. After dinner Sarah took off and David's parents said they'd be back pretty late so to be careful.
"So what do you guys want to watch?" asked David shifting through the stack of DVD's on the TV.
"Dawn of the Dead!" yelled Les.
"Nice choice," said Jack giving him a high-five.
"Can't we watch Chicago?" groaned David.
"You so like musicals!" yelled Jack throwing a pillow at him.
"So what, who cares? Can we please not watch it?" he looked absolutely torn.
"What, are you scared?" asked Jack moving the bowl of popcorn from the coffee table.
"He is!" yelled Les.
"Come on David, it's just a movie," said Jack.
"Yeah, it's just a movie!" said Les.
"This isn't Burger King, you can't have it your way!" yelped David as Jack and Les threw pillows at him.
"Two to one, we win!" said Jack putting the movie on.
"I hate you both," mumbled David grabbing a blanket and covering his head.
David, try as he might, just couldn't keep from covering his face through the entire movie. He resigned himself to watching the expressions on Jack's face a good portion of the night. Jack and Les continued to try and remind David 'it's only a movie', but it really didn't matter because it freaked him out anyways and he'd reply, 'be quiet!' as if it would help. It was at that point when Jack and Les laughed at him, but Jack had casually slipped his arm around David. David just stared at Jack, but didn't say anything.
After the movie ended Les asked Jack if he was spending the night. When Jack had said yeah Les had run off to grab blankets. He apparently figured they could all sleep on the living room floor and promptly made a bed up. A bed of blankets.
"I'm sleeping next to Jack!" yelled Les, jumping off the couch.
"Stop that you're gonna hurt yourself!" yelled David.
"You're no fun David!" said Les sitting down on the floor.
"Go upstairs and get ready for bed," said David picking him up and shoving him upstairs.
The phone rang.
David picked it up, "Hello?"
"Dave tell mom and dad I'm spending the night at my friends house, 'k? Bye!"
"………..she could have at least waited for me to answer," growled David.
"Sarah?" asked Jack sitting on the couch.
"Yeah,……um, you need a change of clothes?" asked David shifting in his position by the phone.
"I can sleep in this, its fine," said Jack shrugging.
"I might have something that'll fit you," said David also shrugging.
"….Ok," said Jack getting up and heading upstairs to David's room.
"………I need help," muttered David to himself following Jack.
David opened his bottom drawer and shifted some things around. He had a lot of dark blue PJ pants and gray T-shirts. David handed Jack a pair of dark gray PJ pants and shirt.
"The bathrooms down the hall," said David hoping Jack wasn't going to change in his room with him still in it.
"I can change here, its ok," said Jack taking off his shirt.
David grabbed some clothes from the bottom drawer and practically ran out the room, "I'm gonna check on Les and make sure he brushed his teeth!"
Jack just stared at the door and tried not to laugh.
They all settled in for bed downstairs after much yelling on David's part and much whining on Les's. Les fell asleep in less then five minutes which did make Jack laugh because Les had wanted to stay up all night and said the first one to fall asleep loses. Jack and David stayed up talking till David's parents came home. They told them goodnight.
"David……you scared?"
"Dear god yes, I mean,….yeah….."
"If you'd just said something we could have watched something else,"
"I did!" said David.
"You should have put up more of a fight!" said Jack poking David in the side.
"I tried!" said David.
They went quite for about a minute.
"If you want, I can stay up all night with you?"
"……" David smiled into his pillow. "Thanks, Jack."
XXX
When David woke up that morning he felt well rested for having actually watched Dawn of the Dead. He visibly shook. Stupid movie. He started stretching and noticed that there was a weight around his stomach area. He shifted around and pulled the blanket up and noticed it was Jack's arm. He smiled briefly before his face heated up and told himself Jack probably slept with his arm around his pillow. He heard his parents coming down from their bedroom upstairs
He gently moved Jack's arm from around him and got up, "Morning Mom, morning Dad."
"David, you're up early for a Saturday," said his dad.
"Yeah-"
The front door opened, "Mom, Dad, I'm home,"
"I'm going to go upstairs and shower, see you at breakfast!" said David heading upstairs.
When David came back downstairs he noticed Jack and Sarah were talking in whispered voices to each other. But before David can say anything Sarah noticed him and say hi and took off up to her room pulling out her cell phone. David walked over to Jack and handed him a spare toothbrush.
"Thanks, hey Davey?"
"Hm?"
"I was wondering, since you've been doing an awesome job tutoring me and all. Maybe I could like treat you to a movie or something," Jack picked open the toothbrush box.
David glanced upstairs where his sister had gone then looked back at Jack, "Sure."
XXX
A/N: ah! I ran into meanness! I wanted the Saturday part to be in the next chapter, but I was a few pages short so I added this bit to bring out the length of this one. So, what do we have to look forward to in the next chapter? David and Jack in a theater oh, oh! They run into two of David's friends! I love those two so much.
ps. Dawn of the Dead is Evil! (ok, I'm done.)