A/N: Yay! My semester break has finally arrived, so let's just hope I find some time to actually write. Thanks for all the reviews/comments, love 'em all! Hope you guys enjoy this update?
Part 5: Who's the Helpless One?
"Hey Jess," Katie called out.
"Hmm?" she turned to look at the girl walking beside her.
"Do you mind if I just," she placed her hand onto the blonde's shoulder, or what she hoped was her shoulder anyway, "place my hand here, it just makes walking easier," she asked.
"Yea no problem." It certainly was something different, but not something she couldn't get used to.
"Thanks, it's really much more interesting having a walking talking guide instead of a foldable walking stick," the dirty blonde said good-humouredly.
As they were walking in silence, Jessie trying her best to manoeuvrer her way around the half crowded mall, making sure she doesn't lead Katie into some innocent bystander.
"So, do you have anything you plan on shopping for?"
"Well, nothing specifically, might want a few new shirts for work, though I don't think little kids really care about what I'm wearing underneath my white-coat," Jessie shrugged; Katie felt the gesture and chuckled.
"Well, maybe the kids might not care, but I'm not too sure the parents would be too pleased and reassured seeing their child's doctor wearing an unprofessional looking t-shirt and cut-off shorts," the dirty-blonde deadpanned.
The blonde let out a small laugh, "You make a good point; and for the record I don't own let alone wear a pair of cut-off shorts."
Katie's eyes widened, "No way! That just won't do. We must find you a pair immediately," she joked. "Perfect timing too since we're heading into winter, so shorts are probably on sale."
"If you say so…" Jessie shook her head.
--
Walking out of the store with a few bags each in their hands, Jessie couldn't help but laugh, "I don't think I've bought so much in one day before."
"Well get used to it, because it's a sin to go home empty handed, especially when you're with me!" Katie winked.
"Well that's easy for you to say, you only bought a bag of clothing, I'm the one draining my savings here," the blonde replied playfully.
Nodding, "point taken, but c'mon, one last thing to buy, and I'll treat you to pancakes that are TO DIE FOR."
Turning around to look at her new friend, "what exactly did we not buy? Haven't we got enough already?"
"Your shorts of course!"
"My shorts?" Jessie asked before it came back to her, "OH! Shorts! Wait, you're not serious are you?"
"Oh I'm serious, c'mon, you're probably gonna look awesome in them. Though I can't see them, but I have a feeling you have great legs and what better way to show them off than to wear shorts?"
"I don't normally wear shorts, let alone ones that reveal 90 of my legs…"
Katie looked at her with a little pout, "Please…"
She looked at the sweet expression, which rendered her helpless, the blonde shook her head, "Fine, but don't expect me to wear them."
The taller girl shoved her along a little, "you say that now," she laughed, "plus, I'm sure Tad's gonna love me for making you buy them."
--
Jessie walked out of the change room wearing the last of the three pairs of shorts she and Katie had chosen. She stood in front of where Katie was sitting with all their day's worth of shopping. "I don't know about this, I'm feeling too exposed for my liking," she told the other girl in uncertainty.
The girl just sat up in her seat and leaned forward a little, "come on over here."
Taking the few steps closer, Jessie just looked down at her friend, wondering what she was planning on doing.
Reaching upwards but not yet touching, "Where are your hips?"
Looking thoroughly confused now, "they're right here," she placed her own hands on her hips.
Katie laughed aloud, having a general idea of what the blonde must've just done, "no you silly, can you place my hands on your hips. I'd just reach out for it, but I can't be held responsible for touching anything that's not your hips," she joked.
"Oh! Right… here," she led the other girl's hands to where her hips were. Jessie couldn't help but blush a little upon contact, not that there's anything to be embarrassed about.
The dirty-blonde carefully felt the fabric against the other girl's hips, 'well it seems to be a perfect fit,' she thought as her fingers reached around the sides and felt it hugging the blonde's skin.
'Gosh,' Jessie had to hold her breath as Katie's feather-light touches reached around her, partially touching her skin and the fabric against it. She couldn't even begin to describe the feeling and affect the innocent touch had on her – she didn't even know what it was that she's currently feeling.
Once she finished running her hand across the side, Katie held her left index finger out and placed it against the side of Jessie's right thigh, her knuckle where the shorts began. Taking her other hand over, she placed it where her finger ended, obviously using it as a marker. Next, she proceeded to slide her finger downwards so that her left knuckle was now where her right finger was marked, and repeated the action until it reached the hem of the shorts.
Katie looked up at Jessie once she completed her observations. The blonde was finally able to breathe regularly again once Katie had finally removed her hands.
"Why not? The shorts fit you perfectly, hugging your hips nicely and it's not even that short… and the denim seems to be of the softer kind, not too rough."
Jessie turned her head around to look at the mirror behind her, 'well, I've got to admit, it does look really nice. And the Katie's right, the denim is quite soft.'
Leaning back against the couch again, the dirty-blonde just grinned, "And don't think that I don't know you're checking yourself out now."
The blonde turned her head back to look at Katie, her face certainly much warmer than before she came out of her change room.
"And I also know for a fact that you're starting to agree with what I said about the shorts."
Jessie just chuckled a little nervously, "You Miss Know-It-All…"
"Do you know what else I know?"
"What?"
"I know that you look great in those shorts; they're not too short for you to look slutty at your age and not too long so that you look completely out of place. So, what do you say?"
She turned around to look at her shorts one last time before relenting, knowing what Katie said was quite on the dot. "Well I guess it does look alright."
"Hmm… I'll just interpret your 'alright' as a 'yes, it does look ridiculously good'."
"Okay, you can stop trying to sell it to me now," Jessie relented.
"Score for the Singer," Katie pumped her fist in victory – it probably would've looked bizarre if anyone else had done it. "Now off you go and change and pay for those so we can go have some out-of-this-world pancakes… or waffles."
Jessie rolled her eyes and went back into her change room.
Upon walking out the shop, the dirty-blonde spoke, "You do know that what I said in there were all just guesses and my own assumptions right?"
Smiling back at the girl, "Yea well, you did well in your persuasion tactics."
"I know," Katie replied mischievously. "So, you ready for some amazing pancake or waffles?"
Jessie just nudged the other girl as they shared a laugh, "Definitely, I'm famished from shopping. So, where is this 'out-of-this-world' pancake place?"
"It's just down the road from here, we can just drop off all this stuff at your car first, and then we can walk from here."
"Okay." Jessie agreed, leading them back to the parking lot.
"Hey wait, can you hear that?" Katie questioned excitedly, her hand squeezed lightly on the blonde's shoulder, causing the other girl to stop.
"Hear what?"
"Billie Holiday."
"Billie who?"
"Billie Holiday! You know, 'Lady Day'?" she replied excitedly.
She could faintly hear a bit of jazz music playing somewhere in the background, but the mall was too noisy for her to hear much. "Sorry, I haven't heard of her before…"
"Well you're missing out; she has the most amazing voice..."
Jessie just looked at her and grinned at the slightly enthralled Katie talking about this singer.
Come back out of her dazed moment and started walking again, "Anyway, she's awesome, you should come by my place, and I'll let you listen to her sometime."
"Yea, okay…"
Remembering a little fact, "hey, I remember Tad said you sing."
"Oh… no not really, only for fun or when I'm bored," Jessie said humbly.
"I don't know, but Tad said you had an amazing voice."
The blonde blushed again, but continued walking, thankful that Katie couldn't really see her… and all the other times she's been blushing today.
--
By the time the two of them had taken a step into the little diner, they were being swamped with warm welcomes… well Katie was anyway. Jessie looked around the diner, in was a small but quaint place, and obviously quite a popular place to go to, since most of the tables and booths were full.
After what looked to be all the waiters and waitresses greeted Katie, they all went back to work; all but one girl anyway. The said waitress came right up to them, despite the fact that she was waiting on a table just before they came in.
"Hey Katie!" The waitress then turned to Jessie and gave her a brief but polite smile, before turning back to Katie.
Jessie took a look at the girl; she seemed to be in her late teens, probably just finishing high school. She was slightly shorter than herself, with milk-chocolate brown hair that was tied back neatly into a ponytail, a side fringe framing her left face which reached just around her nose, and stunning hazel eyes.
"Hey Gabby… shouldn't you be busy taking down orders?" Katie turned towards the direction of the voice.
"Everyone can wait," Gabby waved at the general direction of the customers.
Katie just chuckled, "Indeed, I'm sure your aunt would be pleased to hear that you left your customers hanging just to come and serve me. Where is she anyway?"
"She's said something about the kitchen before she disappeared." The waitress lightly took Katie's free arm, grabbed a menu off the counter by the door, and led her to a booth near the back of the restaurant. "Here you are," she stepped aside. Katie placed her hands onto the table walked a few more steps before she slid into the booth, so that she was now facing the door. Jessie then followed and slid into the booth opposite
her friend. The waitress placed a menu down on the table, "I'll be right back for your order."
With that, the waitress was off serving the table she abandoned from before.
Finally alone again, Jessie spoke, "Well, I see you come here often."
"Yeah, they have the best pancakes… so much better than the ones at the café," Katie quickly backtracked, "But… don't tell Jake I said that."
Jessie quickly chuckled, "Okay… Well, anything in particular you'd like to suggest?" She asked from behind the menu.
"Nope, anything on that menu is worth trying," Katie answered confidently. "Well, except for those burgers… don't go there."
Giggling a little, "Duly noted, not that I eat burgers or anything."
"Ah…" Katie nodded, "Vegetarian… I see."
"Yea. So what are you planning on getting?"
"The first thing that comes to mind when they're taking my order I guess."
"Spontaneous… That's different," Jessie nodded, turning her attention back to the large variety of food on the menu.
"My darling Katie!" A big voice called out from afar.
Jessie looked up and saw the big grin on Katie's face before the other girl stood up. She turned to see where it came from, and saw a woman of considerable size in her late thirties - possibly early forties strolling up to them with her arms wide open. Once the woman reached their table, she engulfed Katie in a big hug which caused the other girl to giggle.
Finally being released from the strong hold, but Katie remained standing, "Hey Tam, was wondering where you were just before."
"I was just sorting out some kitchen crisis," the woman replied, before turning with one arm still around Katie's back and regarding Jessie's presence, "Now who is this young lady here?"
"Tam meet Jessie, Jessie, this is Tamara the owner of this place."
"Jessie, nice to meet you," she held out her hand for a shake.
"Hi Tamara," Jessie took the hand in hers.
"I believe you're the first person I've ever seen Katie bring along to this place. Must be a special one, ay?" Tam winked at Jessie before letting out a hearty chuckle.
The comment and gesture caused the blonde's cheek to flare up again; she immediately dropped her head to hide her reddened cheeks.
The other girl just smirked, "Now don't go jumping to conclusions Tam, Jessie's just a friend. In fact, her boyfriend is my best friend."
"Oh Tad was it? What a pity…" She shook her head. "Well you can't blame me, what's a woman supposed to think when you bring along a friend for the first time and yet I haven't even met your best-friend. Anyway, enough of that, I best be off and make sure everything is running smoothly," Tam said, patting Katie on the back a few times, "You two be sure to order some decent food yes, 'cause you guys aren't leaving until you're properly fed," the owner joked. "It's on the house today."
"What? No, I'm paying," Katie refuted.
"Nonsense, my treat, it's the first time you've brought a friend along, it's a special occasion," Tamara waved it off.
"Okay, fine, but next time I bring more people to pig out here, I'll definitely be paying for it…" Katie replied.
Once having their orders taken by Gabby, the two continued on with their light banter.
The blonde sat back and toyed with the napkin in her hands, mindlessly folding and unfolding it. "So, I see you definitely fit in here… and everywhere else for that matter," Jessie stated, recalling all the people they bumped into just today that happened to know Katie.
Katie just smiled, "Not really..."
"Yeah you do, you were talking with a hundred different people today…"
"Yea, a hundred different people talked to me, mostly because they feel sorry for me," the older girl replied with a hint of sadness, "only a few of them are actually genuine..."
Just before Jessie could get another word out, Gabby returned with their food and that topic was left at that… for now.
A/N: Sorry if it ended kinda abruptly, couldn't decide when to stop… haha.