Episode Eight: Double Date

Fall was a very busy time for everyone in town, especially for Jack. It was the farmer's job to ship enough crops during that season so that he had enough money to last through the winter. As usual, Jack was not making very much progress. As he sat outside on the ground with his little dog, Ruff, he thought long and hard about what should be done to save the farm.

Just then, Eve poked her head from around the side of Jack's home. She was as pretty as he had ever seen, and easily took his mind off the matters at hand.

"Hi, Jack. I was just stopping by to see how you were doing."

"Good. Bye." Jack figured the conversation was over.

"Hahaha, and to talk, ofcourse." Eve laughed. "I was thinking, Autumn is a very tough time on everyone, and it must be especially difficult on someone so new to this way of life. Perhaps you would like to take a day off and spend the evening with me?"

Jack was excited by this, but disturbed by the fact that a 'day off' was nothing really out of the ordinary for him this season… or any season.

"Yes." Jack said slowly.

"Great! Meet me at the pub around 8, okay?" and with that, Eve was gone.

It then occurred to Jack that he had no way of telling the time, and he had to use what little money he had stored away to go buy a watch.

On his way to town, Jack stopped to consider who he would ask where he could buy one. It came to him almost immediately, Nina! Nina was knowledgeable in all things. It helped that her house was closest to his farm because Jack did not like to walk long distances.

He opened the door to her home and was greeted by her mother.

"Hello, Jack Dear. How are you?"

"I need to talk to Nina." He replied gravely.

Nina's mother went to Nina's room and summoned the beautiful girl.

"Heya, Jack! I didn't expect to see you here. You told my mother you needed to speak to me about something?"

"Yes, it's very important." Jack blinked harshly at her. She really was a sweet girl, and was an even match for Eve as far as looks go.

"Well then I'm all ears." She smiled.

Jack considered this statement for a moment. It was plain to see that she was lying, perhaps she inherited that from her mother, the con artist. Poor girl.

"So," she pushed on. "What is it?"

"I don't remember." Jack surprised himself with his own truth.

"Aw, did you come here to ask me out, Jack? You're so shy, it's sweet. Ofcourse I'll go on a date with you! Pick me up at a quarter to 8, okay?"

"I need to buy a watch!" Jack remembered finally, forgetting the awful situation he was setting himself up for.

"Hmm, I don't think the hawker is in town today, just take mine instead. That is, if you don't mind having a pink watch." She winked.

He did mind, but he accepted the tool anyways. As he walked back home, something was troubling him. What is a quarter?

Intermission

Jack met Eve at the pub right on time, being unsure what time he was to pick Nina up at. The two took a small romantic hike up to the top of the mountains, hand in hand, and all was going well as Eve continued to talk and Jack pretended to listen. They sat down and Eve set up a picnic for them.

"Isn't this romantic, Jack?" Eve batted her eyelashes at him as she prepared the food.

"Yep. I have to go now."

"What! Why!" Eve panicked. "You ARE coming back, aren't you?"

"…To finish the picnic… yes!" Jack made the correct decision. Jack was only just beginning to realize the trouble he had gotten himself into.

Quickly, Jack ran down the mountains and made his way to Nina's house. It was now 8:15.

"Jack, you're late." Nina answered the door.

"Could be."

"Oh, you must have thought I said a quarter 'after' 8, silly. Oh well, it's no big deal. You're here and that is all that matters." She came outside and locked the door behind her.

Jack was just about to lead her up the mountains to join in on his date with Eve, when Nina interrupted his plan with one of her own.

"Okay, first, I want to go to the park! And then we can go to town square for a romantic walk under the moonlight!" Nina bounced around in anticipation. Jack had no clue what to say to this, so he agreed with a wary nod.

The park was barely big enough for the two of them to sit, and it was a little awkward being in the middle of the town for everyone to see them.

"I can't believe you asked me out, Jack! For a while I thought you liked Eve instead of me, but I guess I was wrong. Isn't it crazy how things somehow work out in your favor like that? Gaaawwwdd, she's gonna be soooo jealous when I get to tell her we're out on a date! I can't wait!"

"That reminds me, I have to leave now." Jack stood up to go.

"What? But we've only just started our date, am I boring you already?" she pouted her lips like a puppy dog.

Jack almost said yes, but was afraid of what the consequences of beign wrong would be. "I'll come back?" he asked.

"Okay, good. Don't be too long!"

With that, Jack ran all the way back up the mountain pass to where he had left Eve and the picnic. When he returned, everything was set out perfectly and Eve sat smiling at him.

"That took a while, where did you go?" she inquired.

"To the park. I have a message for you from Nina." Jack smiled proudly, happy to know he remembered over the long hike back.

"Oh, you saw her?"

"Yes. She wants you to know that we are on a date." Jack continued his dumb stare.

"Oh, she knows about us, does she?" Eve laughed evilly. "Well ofcourse I know it's a date, I set it up. Oh my God, she must be so jealous!" she celebrated.

Jack was now totally confused. Was that what Nina had meant, he didn't think so. But Eve was smart too, perhaps she knew better than he.

"Yes, she said that word too. Jellez."

"And she admitted it to you? Haha, I feel bad for her." Eve pretended.

"Me too." Jack agreed. "I forgot to do something though, be back in a minute." Jack raced back to town before Eve had a chance to object.

Nina was sitting in the park, just where he had left her.

"What took you?" she asked.

"I was talking to Eve." Jack was afraid of how Nina would react to this.

"Isn't that funny that we were just talking about her? Does she know we're on a date?"

"Um…" Jack didn't know why people asked two questions at once, he never knew which to answer first. "Yes."

"Haha, poor Eve."

"Yes." Jack answered the second question.

"Where was it that you went? That is, if you don't mind my asking."

"Poor Eve." Jack agreed.

"Hmm?" Nina was confused.

"I went nowhere."

"But… where did you see Eve?"

"I didn't say anything." Jack was now sweating.

"Huh?"

"I told you, nowhere."

"Jack, you're confusing me." Nina complained, a little worried.

"Nevermind, I'll be right back." He ran away.

Jack made it back to the mountains as fast as he could, but when he arrived, Eve was looking pretty annoyed.

"Where did you go this time?"

"Food!" Jack grabbed the basket of food and stuffed his face, hoping the girl would relax and forget the matter completely.

"Jack is everything alright?" Eve now looked concerned.

"Not at all." Jack confessed.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"I can't tell you." Jack whispered in secret.

"Why not? I'm here for you, please just trust me, Jack." Eve was almost in tears, she really wanted to believe that the two shared something special.

"You might get mad." Jack warned.

"Tell me!"

Jack took a deep breath. "We're on a date."

"That scares you? You're afraid to be taking such a large step, I understand, I really do, Jack! We can do this together, though! Together we can get through it." She held his hand firmly, but warmly.

Jack was surprised, she seemed to be taking this well. He had just confessed to being on a date with Nina, for the second time that night, had he not?

"Wow, I didn't expect this!" Jack suddenly perked up. With that, he was gone again.

"Just what in the heck is going on inside that boy's head?" Eve found herself suddenly alone once again.

Jack was almost completely out of energy, and the jog back really got to him. Nina was still in the park, waiting irritably.

"Jack, where do you keep disappearing to?" she tapped her foot on the ground angrily.

"I'm on a date." He confessed, hoping to get the same reaction he had gotten from Eve.

"Duh. Are we going to town square, or not?"

"Yes." Jack just wished this night would be over. He really had absolutely no clue what was going on, and he suspected that neither did they.

"Finally! Okay, I'll meet you there. Nature calls." She excused herself.

Jack let out an inaudible gasp, "Nature talks to her." He whispered.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" Eve appeared almost out of nowhere.

"Standing uncomfortably." Jack scratched the back of his neck. He was a nervous wreck at this point.

"And who were you talking to, I heard voices in the darkness and I know one of them was you."

Jack looked around cautiously and then whispered to her, "It was nature!"

"That's stupid." Eve was outraged. She knew he was lying to her, and she was not impressed with his behavior tonight.

"Can we go back to where we were before we came to this place…? Nowhereland?" Jack pleaded.

"Why? What is with all these secrets? What are you hiding from me?"

There it started again, two questions at a time. Did she want two separate answers, or should he try to combine them into one?

"I…"

"Eve? What are you doing here? And Jack, you're supposed to be at town square!" Nina had returned.

Eve turned to look at Jack questioningly, he stared back at her.

"I believe she asked you first." Jack told her.

"Jack and I are on a date!" Eve almost yelled at Nina.

"What? Jack is on a date with…"

They both yelled, "JACK!"

"I'm right here! Why are you both yelling?" Jack clamped his ears.

Intermission

Nina stayed to yell at Jack for ten minutes after the truth had been revealed. If Jack had been smart, he would have defended himself by saying that he really did try to tell them that he was dating both of them that night… but he was having a hard enough time trying to keep up with her outraged words as it was, and did not speak.

Eve went straight home, wrote a letter expressing her hurt feelings, and dropped it off before he even got home himself. It said things like: Egotistical, self centered and backstabbing jerk, followed by irresponsible, greedy and stupid moron.

After reading the letter, it was pretty clear to Jack what he needed to do. He needed to buy a dictionary.

The dating world was even harder than he had originally thought, and he decided that next time he wouldn't have two dates going at the same time. Apparently, women get pissed that way.

Still confused over the whole thing, Jack crawled into bed with his journal and thought about what to write in it.

Yeer: 1 Munth: 3 Day: 25

Deer muther and fother, Im a litl bit broke and I needd sum munny. Gerlfrendz arr expensiv and I nao hav 2!

THE END