A/N: Ciao, amigas! I figured, what with you guys being so patient and all, that you deserved a little more than one lousy chappie. So here's another. It's short, but not particularly sweet.
Call it an Interlude, or just a random chappie. Whatever. Don't expect much. Mainly drabble with just a hint of bitterness...
Just a little insight into what Jesse thinks, maybe what's going on inside that hot, snoggable head of his...? You decide. Or you can just ignore this chappie if you want. It is, after all, meaningless and pointless.
Or is it...?
:) Enigmatic Emily is on the case... Doo doo doo doo
I walked out of school at the end of the day and, after sending CeeCee a sympathetic smile, I bumped straight into Dopey.
"Hey! Watch the goods."
I barely contained my eye roll. "I'm walking home. Make sure you don't 'forget' to take David home."
"Hey!" he objected, "I told you that was an honest mistake! He's so small I can't help it if I forget he exists!"
I gave him a scandalous look. "He's your brother!"
Brad shrugged and walked away.
For a moment I just stood there, staring agape at Brad's retreating back, wondering how on earth such a thing could ever be created. I think he appeared, fully formed, from a putrid egg.
I felt a light touch on my shoulder and twizzled round to find myself looking up at a softly smiling Jesse, his ethereal glow casting an angelic warmth around him.
My angel.
Aside from Jim, that is.
With a slight nod of his head, Jesse signalled that we should start walking. So walk we did. I put myself on the part of the sidewalk closest to the road, to save any inconveniences involving poison-ivy. Ew.
"Did you have a good day, querida?" Jesse inquired and he looked down at me with smiling eyes. What can I say? Jesse was a smiley person.
"I had a weird day," I replied, frowning at the memories of what had happened. I recounted the events – starting with Doc, going through CeeCee-and-Adam, and ending up with Jim – and Jesse fell into a silent contemplation. Either that or he had fallen asleep at my boring story.
You know when you ask someone something so innocuous as a "Good day?" when you aren't really paying attention? When you're only asking to be polite whereas really you couldn't give a fig? I detest it when the recipient of your question then proceeds to give a full-length blow-by-blow account of their whole day, in every miniscule detail. The harmless question turns into the most deadly weapon of merciless annihilation as the tale-teller gradually bores you to a slow and painful death.
So I felt a bit of a hypocrite when Jesse fell silent. But then he started speaking and I realised – not without a tidal wave of relief – that he had actually been listening to my report.
"Has CeeCee been in love with Adam for a very long time?" he asked.
I blew out a gusty sigh. "Oh man. You would not believe. He's been the light of her life since she was a tiny Albino pup. And he's been ignorant for just as long. Adam's not too great when it comes to the psyche of women," I added understatedly.
Jesse nodded thoughtfully. "Why does CeeCee not just – how do you say? Ask him out?" He frowned at me in that cute lost-puppy way and I couldn't resist a grin.
"Yeah; ask him out. And she hasn't done it because she's been afraid. You know; of rejection. Which, even though she's a sparkling-white beauty, is viable. Adam's gotten used to them being friends, I guess. Plus the fact he's a moron."
"Of course, Susannah," Jesse said wryly. He frowned again. "If CeeCee is so certain of rejection then why doesn't she move on? She is a very eligible young lady; surely there must be other interests in her, romantically?"
I shrugged because, outside of school, I had no idea how wide Cee's social circle went. For all I knew she could have the entire male population of Carmel's journalist group in love with her. All I knew for sure was that no one at the Academy had ever showed more than a friends-only interest in her. Which was a sad realisation cos Cee was the biggest catch out there. And she deserved guys fawning over her.
"I don't know, Jesse. But Cee's stubborn as a mule, and she's determined to get Adam. Unfortunately the reality of the situation's beginning to hit her. Sometimes love isn't love, and sometimes love isn't meant to be." I leant my head sadly on Jesse's shoulder, not really caring if the outside world saw me seemingly walking with what must be the biggest crick on my neck.
"And what of Adam?"
I snorted. "What about Adam? He doesn't know what love is, Jesse. The only thing he thinks about is getting some."
As he'd demonstrated many-a-time on me.
I felt Jesse incline his head toward me and his cheeky ruffled my hair.
"'Getting some?'"
Heat crawled across my face as I tried to think of a subtle way to describe that certain mating act. "Um…well, first you get a girlfriend – or a boyfriend – and then you kiss and cuddle and then…you sort of get the next step."
Please don't make me explain anymore, please don't make me explain anymore…
"The next step?"
"Yep. The next step."
"What is the next step, querida?"
I coughed. "Usually it involves a bed…and a pointed lack of clothing."
"Oh." This time Jesse coughed. "I see. So…intercourse is 'getting some?'"
Oh, God. If I got any redder I'd explode. "Yeah. Kids these days, huh? No romance whatsoever."
I tried to laugh but sounded more like a frog giving birth.
I'm pretty sure I heard Jesse grumble. "So CeeCee is interested in a romantic relationship, whereas Paul is interested in sex?"
"Yeah, basically."
Then I stopped walking. Because Jesse had said… "Paul?"
Jesse stopped walking. "Pardon?" He turned quizzical dark eyes on me.
"You said Paul," I answered slowly. "Instead of Adam, you said 'Paul is interested in sex.' Paul." I had a feeling my eyes were round and big, which probably explained why my head suddenly felt empty. I was pretty sure all my thoughts had escaped through my suddenly wide eyes.
I saw the defenses slam into place as shutters came down over Jesse's eyes and his backbone slid straight. "You're mistaken, querida. Why would I say Paul when I meant Adam?"
I tried in vain to search his eyes for any emotion – any clue at all – but it was hopeless. "I don't know, Jesse." Desperate to get that expressionless face and what felt like a 6 inch-thick wall between us away, I forced a smile and said in a falsely cheery voice, "You're probably right, Jesse. I must have heard wrong. It's been a weird day."
Jesse frowned, but his face cleared and soon his smile – as forced as mine – was back on his face. He scooped me back under his arm and carried on walking.
But I couldn't shake the dark and heavy feeling that was suddenly clouding my mind and falling onto my shoulders.
