It was a week after Thanksgiving that she was with Milton at the Phil's because he had finally come through with his algorithm. Julie was working on the extra credit for biology and Milton had a later music lessons, so they met outside the school to accommodate his and hers schedule.
"So the way it works, it should be compatible with the basic flat file spreadsheet. You can work with just the address columns. Its best to run it first on the zip code only. This way we can get the first cut faster. Afterwords, we can go through the selection more carefully and see if there are more inconsistencies." Milton was explaining and Kim was nodding along his explanation, already thinking that it would be easier to do so on the main computer at the charity. She was not sure if she had a system permission to install any additional programs, but she was sure she could manage. She was about to ask Milton about scanning the past recipients, when they were interrupted by Jerry.
"Kim, you naughty girl! You did not tell us you had a guy. Or that you are cheating on him." he said loudly and with a wicked smile.
Kim nearly swallowed her own tongue, "Wha... I... What?" she finally managed eloquently.
Jerry laughed outright, "I know! This rumor is the best! Just before the holiday it was you with Randy. Then it was supposed to be you and Brody. And now, now, you've got some main squeeze and you are cheating on him with..." He paused for dramatic effect, "your friend."
There was a moment of silence and then all three of them burst into uncontrollable laughter, tears leaking from their eyes and their faces red. Jerry was pointing at Kim and then Milton making smooching faces, while Milton did the same thing back at them. Kim snorted and it sent the guys into fresh peals of laughter and at some point Kim had to hold her stomach, because it literally hurt to laugh.
"I wish my life was as exciting as the rumor mill makes it out to be." She finally wheezed out practically plastered on the formica table she was sitting at. "Let me guess, Donna at it again?"
Jerry nodded vigorously and his long curly locks flounced around his face. "Yeah, Grace told me to warn you. In case you have a guy..." He trailed off looking at her in question and she rolled her eyes, but shook her head in denial. "Ok, and to warn you that it is Donna's way to undermine your friendships with Grace and Julie."
Kim's eyes widened and she mentally gave Donna some credit. It would have been a clever way to destroy her only female friendships in Seaford.
"Of course, Grace knows Donna and you, so she does not buy it. And Julie knows you and Milton, so she would not buy it either. So far, no one believes her, including the part about you having a guy at all. Maybe Donna does believe that you are with Brody, since they haven't made up yet."
The three friends thought that it was the last they heard of this weird rumor and went back to their work, although Kim's treacherous mind drifted to Jack and his confusing behavior. Did someone notice their increased interactions?
She now thought that he either was attracted to her or was playing some weird mind games with her. Their encounter in the library left her more confused about her own reactions to the boy. What started out as him helping with the book turned into one of a more charged, and intimate, exchanges of her young life. He stood so near her she could practically smell the aftershave on him - something fresh and spicy, like bergamot and teak wood. He was looming over her with his tall frame and broad shoulders and his hands on hers were strong and gentle. Something in his eyes made her suddenly aware of all those things and respond to him.
He was attractive. Dangerously so. She was attracted to him.
She recovered from her momentary thrall and they managed another of those enlightening conversations. He wanted to be her friend. Already thought of her as one. He was trying to protect her from his unscrupulous cousin and... he thought she was not average. When he said "there is nothing average about you," she somehow knew that he wasn't merely counteracting Kai's unkind words. No, Jack was telling her that he thought she was exceptional or, at least, note-worthy. And may be more... Some part of her, the young and hormonal teen part of her, hoped he meant that he found her attractive.
This set off the tone for the rest of the week. Jack openly acknowledged her in school hallways and the lunch room. If their paths crossed near lockers he would engage in one of those weirdly stilted and awkward short conversations that she decided were just him trying to control the way he spoke and what he said. It was strange that he would be so concerned about the kind of impression he made. As if he was performing to a standard set by someone much older.
But the best parts were the conversations they had without others present. He found her in the library at least one more time and she flushed every time remembering the first encounter. The second time around he just sat next to her at the study table and they had a lively conversation on the merits of organic chemistry in their possibly future careers (none that they could see), but agreed that good grasp on philosophy, history and literature would serve them immeasurably in life.
He drove her to the GreenBean once and she was reminded of the time during the detention. She even invited him back to the shop for a customary cappuccino and he was a little flustered, tips of his ears dark red. She tried, but could not stop the pleasant sort of satisfaction from knowing that she did that to him. She made him blush.
Jack was in a good mood after the library encounter with Kim. He pretty much given up trying to resist her and his own attraction to her, but he thought she had no interest in him. Now he was not so sure. He saw it, he felt it. She was as affected by their closeness as he was. Even if it was only the physical attraction, he relished the fact that Kim was not indifferent to him.
He knew he shouldn't, but he sought her out in school just to say hello. He tried to reason with himself that he was being a good friend, that she had a boyfriend, but he was falling deeper and deeper. They talked. He made her laugh. She made him laugh. She made him think. His dreams about her, always present, became more intimate again and he woke from one them (in the GreenBean where she gave him a cup and proceeded to kiss him senseless) so painfully turned on he had to take care of it.
His good mood lasted until he overheard another rumor involving her. Once again he was seated next to Lindsay, with Brody and Donna flanking the table, and the mood was that unpleasant passive aggressive not quite fight, which has been the case the whole week. Donna was talking to her cheer squad, but was loud enough that the entire group could hear.
"I am telling you, that girl is so trashy. She is supposed to be with this guy, a guy we know, who she should be happy to have. But that's not enough apparently." She paused for maximum effect, looking pointedly at Brody, who sat between Randy and Frank. "They say there is a close friend that she is also leading on. Of course, neither guy suspects a thing. It's a shame really. At least of the guys has a steady girl..." here she looked around with wide innocent eyes. "How low can some people go?"
Brody abruptly stood up and left, leaving everyone staring at his retreating form. Jack knew that there was nothing going on between Brody and Kim, because Brody actually was chasing another girl at this moment.
Jack saw Lindsay open her mouth and he knew she would add to the thrash mountain by saying something about peroxide blonde and he could not promise to hold on to the his temper. He stood up and left the table with "I gotta go," and went to... library.
He didn't really have to go there, but the library didn't sound half bad: it would be quiet and Lindsay-free and maybe Kim would be there.
However, when he entered the library, he got the next big shock of the day. Milton, the tall ginger genius boyfriend of Kim's, was sitting in the corner with a pale, freckled girl in glasses, staring at her like she hung the moon and holding her hand.
Jack literally stopped in his tracks, his brain not sure what was he seeing. What the hell was going on?
Did Donna get the rumor somewhat right for once? Was Milton cheating on Kim and leading this girl on?
How could he?
He spun on his heels and left uncertain that he would not attack the other guy if he stayed in the library too long. His mind was churning. Was Milton dating Kim and cheating on her with another? Was he dating this girl and leading Kim on? What should he do? He said he wanted to be Kim's friend. Shouldn't he try and protect her? Should he? Should he let her learn about Million's duplicity and then, maybe, Kim would break up with Milton, making her available to date others?
In the end he decided to have a talk with Milton instead. After his last conversation with Kim he did not trust himself not to try to kiss her.
He confronted the tall boy after the English class they had together. He waited by the door until everyone left and Milton, teacher's pet that he was, stayed behind to talk to the teacher. When the room was clear and Milton was by the door, Jack blocked him form leaving by stepping in front of him.
"Oh, Jack. Hi! Do you need something?" the other boy was jovial.
"Yes. You can begin by telling what the hell do you think you are doing?" Jack's tone was confrontational and he clenched his fists as if preparing to punch the other guy.
By the looks of him Milton didn't want to be punched, but also didn't know what was the issue. Jack was uncomfortably aware that he was acting like a bully, what with him being much stronger, and Milton not understanding what he'd done. As far as Milton was concerned they haven't spoken since the class project.
"What's wrong with you?" Milton replied, and Jack internally gave the other boy props for sheer audacity. Still, Jack could feel his own expression souring even further.
"If you're into that little mousy redhead, that's none of my business," he bit out. "But I thought you were above cheating."
Milton's eyes went wide and he mouthed what, as if in total disbelief.
"What," the ginger said intelligently. "What're…what?"
Jack slammed him hard against the wall, and Milton groaned when the metal of the doorframe hit him in his lower back.
"Don't play dumb," Jack said. "I saw you with her."
Jack could see the other boy searching his brain. Then he scrounged up his face and said, "I don't know what you think you saw, but Julie is not mousy and what I do and who I date is really none of your business. But for the record, I am not two-timing anyone. I am with Julie and Julie alone."
Jack was somewhat surprised and let his grip slackened.
"In fact, if anyone should be told to back off, it's you. I noticed you looking at Kim all the time, chatting her up. So did Julie. I don't know what your intentions are, but she doesn't need some bored rich kid making her life harder, because he wants to try something different..."
Jack saw red. His anger was so strong, he practically vibrated with it. He clenched his jaw against the overwhelming urge to strike the other boy. What helped was the resigned preparedness in Milton's eyes. Like he knew that the punch was coming and he was bracing himself for it.
At once mad and ashamed of himself, Jack shoved him inside the open door to the English room.
"You know nothing!" He said and slammed it shut behind himself.
He didn't quite remember the rest of the day, but he did recall destroying the dojo dummy during his training session.
He was calmer afterward, enough to analyze things, and he was acutely ashamed of the loss of temper and the fact that his interest was so obvious that even relative strangers saw it.
One thing was clear: Kim Crawford was really bad for his peace of mind. Three times now he lost his temper over her and had physical confrontations. The smart money was on avoiding her as much as possible, but it was patently obvious that it was too late. And, his traitor heart reminded him, she was not dating Milton.
"So your detention partner and purveyor of cappuccinos assaulted me," Milton said not even a little bit casually when he finally showed up at the Phil's.
Kim and Julie both put down their food and glance at each other before looking at Milton.
"Jack?" Julie whispered, "Jack assaulted you?"
"What happened?" Kim asked as Milton took his seat, leaning on the table, enjoying the full attention.
"Jack Brewer decided to throw me against a door, accuse me of cheating on you with Julie, and then tossed me into a classroom." Milton started in on his food, blatantly ignoring the way Kim was staring at him, her own food forgotten.
"He what?"
Jerry shrugged. "Didn't I tell you he's dangerous?"
Kim almost stood up right then and there in furious indignation. How dare he? For one thing, why did he think that she and Milton were together? For another, Milton would rather throw himself over a cliff than hurt Julie like that. And also, what kind of person did he think she was that she'd go along with that? Was this another one of his 'I'm trying to protect you' things? She told him to let her know... Unbelievable... That jerk...
"Yeah," Milton went on. "I guess he saw something that gave him the impression you and I were together and then he saw me with Julie and then he decided to punch me about it."
"He punched you," Kim asked flatly.
"Well, no," Milton started. "You know, I agree with Julie now. He likes you, in his own obsessive, staring menacingly and threatening your friends way." He looked pointedly at Kim. "By the way, I do not want to be punched or threatened to be punched. So you should probably clarify the situation for him: he seems to be laboring under a misapprehension."
"Oh, I'll straighten him out," Kim said under her breath. She started packing up her things, grabbing her tray and shoving her lunch into the trash bin haphazardly in her rush.
"Wait," Jerry said, "Maybe you should wait. He's probably still all crazy eyes. Remember? He broke his cousin's hand."
"No better time," Kim told him. "He can't just go around threatening my friends, especially with no good reason."
"Kim!" Jerry called as she was marching off.
"Let her go," she heard Milton say. "You know she's stubborn. But maybe we should come with her. He can't beat us all."
Kim, though, did not hear it - too wound up about confronting Jack and kicking his high and mighty butt from here to next week.
Somehow, Kim knew he would be in the Bobby Wasabi dojo next door but she didn't really expect him to be beating on the dummy like it was Kai. She heard him before she saw him, the dull thud and grunt carrying around the mats. He'd just thrown a kick when she caught sight of him, and the dummy shook ominously before regaining balance. Kim watched him attack the poor inanimate object for a few seconds, until he threw a punch with such a force that the dummy went down and she could tell even from where she was standing that it had to hurt his hand.
"Stop that," she snapped at him.
Jack spun, wild-eyed, and she could see his knuckles were raw, but not bleeding. He was breathing heavily, jaw clenched tight, and Kim braced herself. She was much shorter than him and half his size, but Kim was pretty sure she could take him. He seemed so angry right now, but Jack was an honorable fighter, by all accounts. So she bet he would hesitate to actually hit a girl, and Kim had some martial training and had been lugging around heavy trays of dirty dishes. She got this.
He started toward her, shoulders lowered and face completely devoid of any emotion, and Kim panicked for half a second. Maybe he would not hold back, and there went her element of surprise. But he stopped when he was in her personal space, and put his hands behind his back. He was wearing the white and wasabi green gi and his hair came out of the pony tail, it was usually in. It was very distracting.
"What are you doing here?" he said in his usual cold and controlled way, and Kim flashed back to the first time she spoke to him.
Something in her snapped, and her arms uncrossed so that she could shove him backward.
"You can't just go around threatening my friends!" she yelled. He stumbled back a step, his blank expression slipping replaced with surprise. "Where do you get off accusing people of things they didn't even do, anyway? Milton and Julie are my best friends. And Milton is a damn good guy, and he doesn't deserve your threats! And stop interfering in my life!"
Jack stared at her with something like surprise for a second before it transformed into contempt.
"Perhaps I was wrong to think so poorly of him, but why are you here defending him? Is he a coward that he sends a girl to fight his fights?"
"What? How dare you!" Kim raised her chin at him staring into his eyes.
"Shouldn't you be yelling at him too? For interfering with your life?" he parried back.
"What?"
"Oh, you know, he told me to stay away from you. I quite frankly don't know what to think about you anymore. You are rumored to be with Milton, then Randy, then Brody, then Kai is sniffing around you. You're all spit and fire, but then your friends go around warning people off you."
"Milton is a friend. As for all these rumors, they just that - rumors. You should not listen to Donna and Lindsay. You brought that crazy cousin of yours into my life. And now you go around threatening my friends? And why do you even care? You are rude at first and then run hot and cold all the time. You dismiss me and then pretend it was for protection? Kai can take you, but Milton?"
She raised her hand as if to slap him, but he caught it and tugged her forward by the wrist. When he spoke, he was practically hissing in her face.
"I thought he was cheating on you! I was being protective!"
"You are being officious. And high-handed. And you do things when it suits you. Just like you cousin."
"You don't know nothing about me." He said forcefully and he was looming over her staring intently and something in his eyes that looked a lot like yearning pinned her in spot. Kim could feel the sudden awareness of him, of his strong and tall body, of the heat wafting of him, of his hand surprisingly gentle on hers. They were suspended in time and space and she saw his eyes drop from hers to her mouth that was suddenly so dry. She licked her lips and he swallowed hard and took a step back, dropping her hand in the process. She felt light headed and disappointed: she wasn't sure if she wanted to slap or kiss him.
"I apologize for my interference. I had no idea that Milton was never you boyfriend. And I would never use you like Kai would." He was sincere and the look in his eyes on her was impossibly tender. Which only made Kim more irritated. He either liked her or not. And she was confused by all the push and pull between them.
"No," Kim said. "You're some idiot who gets territorial over things that aren't even his. You're some idiot who wouldn't know how to treat a person right if your life depended on it."
He glowered at her, and then said, "Try me."
She snorted in response, thinking it was another one of his mind game things.
Jack's eyes narrowed and he took a step forward, forcing her back. "You think I'm such scum, and you're so righteous here, give me a chance."
"What?"
"Give me a chance," he repeated, smiling, once again transforming his face. "Let me take you out and prove to you I know how to treat someone right."
"Are you asking me out on a date?" Kim was certain she misheard him.
"Yes, a date. Will you go out with me?" His tone went from challenging to hopeful and Kim was sure she would a have a whiplash from this conversation.
"How's Friday sound?" Kim said surprising herself.
His face was once again alight with a smile and he only nodded.
"Great," she said. "Friday it is. You can pick me up at six."
With that she stormed off, not quite knowing what she had just done.
