Mutt Jones and the Mysterious girl 4
Okay this is the 4th chapter. I hope you like it. Please review.
I do not own the characters. I hope I did but I don't. It's all depressing, but it's just the way it is.
Mutt was in a peaceful dream the one that a person would not want to wake up from. He was dreaming he was riding his motorcycle down a deserted road. It was nice just being with his bike. The fresh air was hitting his face like cool water. He was about to turn down another path when he was shaken awake by his father.
"It's time for school, Mutt. Your mother's making eggs and bacon so you better hurry so you can get dressed." Indy walked out of the room before he could hear Mutt complain. He stayed in bed for a few minutes. "I hate Monday's. Ugh, I have dad's class today. Monday's are the worst." He rolled out of bed to try to face the day that was coming.
When he got downstairs, it was the usual scene, with Marion making breakfast and Indy reading the paper and drinking coffee. Mutt rolled his eyes and sat down.
He ate quickly then grabbed his jacket and started walking out of kitchen.
"Where are you off to in such a rush? School doesn't start for another 30 minutes." Indy had never seen his son like this. Usually, Mutt was almost late to class because he would dawdle in his office until he was ordered to get to class.
"Well you said that I could take my bike to school so I want to get to school early." It was half-true. Mutt did want to get to school early; he wasn't skipping or anything like that. But he wanted to see that if Claire arrived early and if she did, he would ask her if she wanted to join him for lunch later.
Indy looked at his son knowing he was not telling the whole truth. "Does this have anything to do with that girl you talked about?"
Mutt smiled at his father. "See ya later, pops." He walked out the door to the garage to start his motorcycle. When he backed it up onto the street, the neighbors were staring at him as if he were from another planet. He had lived here already 6 months and still they stare as if they have never seen him before. He rode past his nosey neighbors who shook their heads in a disapproving way. Mutt just smiled as he went by not really caring what people thought.
He just a few blocks away from the school, when he spotted one of the reasons he came early. There about a block away was Claire Thomas walking with a couple books in her hand. Mutt rode up to her and stopped so he could offer her a ride.
"Hey you want a ride?" Mutt smiled the famous Jones smile he had inherited from his father.
"Oh… sure. I was trying to get to school early to ask my History teacher what I had missed last week." Mutt stopped the motorcycle and got off so he could help her on. He took her books and put them in the back with hers. He got on first then gave her his hand to help her up. Claire looked at Mutt's hand hesitantly then finally took it. Mutt pulled her up and made sure she was secure before starting the bike. He was about to start it when he noticed something was wrong.
"You have to put your arms around me." He turned around to look at her.
"Oh okay." She put her hands around his waist and held on tightly. She had never been on a motorcycle before. "This is kind of scary." She closed her eyes and put her head on his shoulder. Mutt tried not to go too fast thinking it might scare her. When he arrived at the school he noticed that her head was still on his shoulder and her arms were still around his waist.
"You can let go now. We're here." Claire looked up and let out a deep breath. She then got off the bike and staggered backwards. Mutt got off and quickly caught her arm before she could fall.
"Thanks. I've never been on a motorcycle before. How long have you been riding?"
"A few years. I saved up some money and bought one, then fixed it up. My parents were upset, but they got over it." Mutt always got excited when talking about his motorcycle. He remembered when he brought this one home. His father was so angry and his mother was just trying to talk him out of it. His parents had hoped he would have not bought another one after losing the last one, but obviously, Mutt had. He had rules he had to follow, like no riding at night, no going off without telling his father or his mother, and he had to obey traffic laws at all time.
"My parents would have never approved of a motorcycle. Well…thanks for the ride. I guess I'll see you later." Claire turned to walk away.
"Wait." Mutt yelled after her. She stopped and turned around. "Do you want to get lunch today?"
"Yeah, that sounds fine. I'll see you later at lunch. Bye, Mutt." Claire walked up the steps into the building and disappeared.
Later in the day, Mutt slowly walked into the one class that he dreaded all day. To him it was the worst, but to other students especially the girls it was the best. At around 10:00 he had Archeology with his father. He walked into the classroom where his father was busy writing stuff on a chalkboard. He sat in the second row. Mutt took out his textbook and his assignment that he had finished at least a week ago. More students started coming in and when the bell rang and everyone was in, Indiana turned around.
"Okay today we will be going over the ancient dig of the 1920s." Indiana looked over all his students and saw that all were interested, except for one. His own son seemed to be daydreaming while Indy was talking.
"Mr. Jones, did you hear me?" Mutt was zapped back into reality. He looked at his father as if he had just said something in a different language. "Mr. Jones, were you even paying attention?" All around him classmates were snickering, and looking at him for his answer.
"I heard you say something about a dig or whatever you archeologist's do." Mutt smiled to himself at the thought of how mad his father was. Mutt looked up at his father again and saw that his father did not share his amusement.
"Mr. Jones, may I speak to you outside the classroom?" Indy stepped toward the door and turned around to usher Mutt to the hallway. "Now Mr. Jones."
Mutt got out of his desk and walked past his father. When he got to the hallway he turned around to face his father.
"What the hell is wrong with you? When you are in my class, I expect you to listen, as you should in every class. Just because I am your father does not mean I will go easy on you." Indiana was mad. He had had students act up before, but this was his son.
"Jeez dad, it was just a little joke. I was paying attention." Indy sighed at Mutt's answer.
"You don't understand. I expect you to back me up."
"I'm just a student. I'm just like everyone of those people in there. I'm here because my parents made me, not because I want to. I'm not a saint."
Mutt had a point Indy thought. Mutt was just a normal kid.
"You're right you are just like everyone else, expect for one thing." Mutt looked at him curiously.
"What?"
Indy smiled at Mutt. "You're my son and I have the right to ground you." His father had a point and he was already in trouble enough as it was. Therefore, Mutt gave in and walked back into the classroom. He sat down at his desk and silently opened his textbook. Indy went back to the board and started where he left off.
"Okay as I was saying…."
Mutt sat in front of the south wing where he was waiting for Claire to arrive for lunch. He was only waiting for a few minutes when Claire snuck up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey are you ready?" Mutt asked when he saw her.
"Yeah. Where are we going?" They started walking around even though they didn't know where they were headed.
"Well we could try Anne's diner again if you're parents don't need you."
"Well…" Claire started, "Okay here is the truth I actually hate Anne's diner. I lied last week about my parents needing me home."
"Really?" Mutt wasn't mad at all. "You could of just told me and we could of gone somewhere else."
"I know, but I hardly knew you. I hardly know you now." It was true, Mutt thought, they barely knew each other, but he guessed every friendship started out this way.
"Yeah, but that's why we can have lunch. Okay since you hate Anne's lets go to The Sweetheart Palace."
"I've never been there. Is it far?" They only had a two hours to eat and since they had wasted 15 minutes just talking she wanted to make sure they were not late for their other classes.
"Nah, just a few blocks past Maple St. We could get there in 5 minutes. You'll love it there, they have the usual burgers and fries, but their shakes are to die for."
They started walking toward the diner in silence not really knowing what to say to each other. "So…" Mutt began, "You said you were new here. Where are you from?"
"New York. I was born and raised there. My parents owned a shoe shop that they use to run together."
"And now you and your parents live here." They were almost to the diner by this point. Claire looked out at their surroundings. There were children playing in a nearby grade school and cars passing by in the road. She looked over at Mutt who was looking straight ahead. When they reached the diner, they found a seat in the back of the restaurant and quickly decided on what to order.
"What will it be, kids?" The waitress had asked when she arrived at their table.
"I'll have just a burger with everything and a chocolate shake with whip cream on top." Mutt placed the menu in the waitress's hand. She wrote down the order and then looked at Claire for her order.
"I will take a burger with everything except pickles and a strawberry shake with whip cream and a cherry please." Claire handed the menu back to the waitress.
"Okay I'll get these orders in right away." The waitress walked away.
While they were waiting, a song came on.
"Not another Elvis song, I get so sick of hearing girls go crazy over him." Mutt truly hated Elvis. Every time he turned on the radio there was an Elvis song.
"Who?" Claire had never heard of this Elvis guy. She might of heard his songs, but the name Elvis did not ring a bell.
Mutt looked at Claire as if she were crazy. How could she have not have heard of Elvis Presley, he was just the greatest singer ever.
"Elvis Presley. You know he's a singer. He's really popular with people our age."
"Doesn't ring a bell."
"How could not know who Elvis Presley is?" Mutt was shocked. Everybody he knew knows who Elvis Presley is.
"I guess you could say that for the past few years I've lived a sheltered life."
Just then, the food arrived. When the plates were set down and the waitress left, Claire took her knife and cut her burger in half.
"Why do you do that?" Mutt asked, stuffing his mouth with burger and shake. He had never seen anyone cut their burger in half, usually they just picked it up and ate it. This was a strange, yet interesting girl.
"Oh…it's a habit of mine. My aunt use to make me cut my food up when I was younger so it just stuck. I guess I'm not really use to eating a burger." She took one of the halves and bit into it.
"When did you live with your aunt?"
"Huh? I'm sorry I meant my mom. I don't have an aunt. I have lived with my parents for all my life."
She took a sip of her strawberry shake and ate the cherry. Mutt was almost finished eating.
"What kind of a name is Mutt?" Claire had been wondering since she met him. She had met some people with some weird names, but never had she met anyone with the name Mutt. Hopefully it was a nickname.
"It's the name I picked." Mutt was annoyed. He was constantly asked if Mutt was his real name or not. It was annoying and ever since he moved here it was the usual question that came his way.
"I'm sorry. I was just wondering. I've never heard that name before. I'm sure your parents had a good reason for naming you Mutt." She was on the last few bites of her burger and shake.
Mutt started laughing. He thought it was funny that she actually believe his given name was Mutt.
"What's so funny?"
"Mutt is a nickname. My real name is Henry Walton Jones the third. I hate it. Ever since I was little, I've just been known as Mutt. My parents never call me Henry, except when I'm in trouble."
"Ah, I see. I don't have a nickname. It's just Claire."
As another song came on Mutt noticed it was almost time for another class. Luckily, it was only two classes and then he would be home free. "We should probably get going if we want to make it back in time." Claire started to pull out a 5 dollar bill, but was stopped by Mutt.
"I've got it." Mutt paid with the 10 that his father gave him. They walked out the diner and onto the street. It took them just a few minutes to reach the college.
"Well this was nice. Thanks. I have a class soon so I have to go."
"Maybe we could hang out tonight. There's this bowling alley a few blocks away from my house. You want to go?"
"Yeah that sounds good. But not tonight. I have to do something. I'll be free tomorrow though."
"Okay it's a date." Claire's eyes went big and she turned red. When Mutt saw her reaction he quickly added, "I mean just as friends. It's set for tomorrow and since tomorrow's a date then its a date for friends. Because that's what we are… friends."
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." Claire walked off into the building. When she was out of sight, Mutt slapped his forehead. "Brilliant Mutt. Man I am so stupid."
Okay that's it for now. Sorry I took so long I have had a busy week. Okay this story is about friendship and who Claire is. It is not a romance, even if Mutt has a crush on her. Next chapter should be coming
soon. I have to go back to college soon but I will continue this story. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Please keep up the reviews they give me confidence.