"I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend when you meet me for studying," Faith texts quickly.
Huh?
"Someone is not taking the hint that I am not interested in him whatsoever….and I don't know look tall when you do show up?!"
Faith sighs as she tries to brush off the person who could not take a hint. Angela and Clara were little help with it, thinking she should just go out with the poor guy. He was cute after all, to them anyway.
"Why don't we go out and get coffee and study a bit tonight," The guy asks her trying to get her number and her attention once again.
"I can't," Faith says trying to be polite. "I already promised Jem I would help him study tonight," She tells him.
"Well it can be this weekend, or really any time," the guy retorts. "I'm always free."
"I really don't think-"Faith begins before she hears.
"Sweetie," Faith hears first as the familiar cologne and voice tell her that Jem has finally arrived. "I've been looking for you everywhere, I thought we were meeting at the library," Jem says kissing her cheek and wrapping his arms around her waist, standing behind her. She didn't say this!
Angela and Clare are a bit mistaken as Jem Blythe is kissing their friend….but also Jem Blythe is a medical student, tall and hot.
"Jem Blythe are you in class with Faithie?" Jem asked singling out the one guy who was still around them.
Faithie? Seriously they weren't five?
"David," the guy looks them over but still smiles rather smugly.
"I didn't realize there were any males in this year's class of fourth-year nursing, I mean most of them either drop out or finally get into medical school." Jem baits him lightly with a grin.
"Jem, not everyone can get into medical school on their first try like you," Faith reminds him.
"You're in medical school?" David says not believing him apparently.
"Second year," Jem grins. "Faith and I plan on opening our own practice one day, don't we? Registered Nurse and a Doctor team, it will be perfect."
"Still not entirely sure I want to work with you and live with you," Faith says slightly rolling her eyes.
"Well at some point you'll be at home with the kids anyway," Jem says grinning and Faith looks up and gives him look. It's another few minutes before the classmate finally leaves, even Angela and Clara also depart and Faith finally lets go of the breath she was holding.
"Thank god, thank you I am so sorry but he does not get the hint. I kept telling him I wasn't interested and he wouldn't take no for an answer." Faith tells him as they walk towards the courtyard between the two schools.
Jem nods his head. "No problem, what I'm here for?" he shrugs. "Do you want me to frighten him a bit more?"
"Don't jeopardize your class standing Jem, I think he'll leave me alone now seeing that you're actually real." Faith says shaking her head.
"Either way might as well make it look real," Jem says leaning in closer. "He still watching is from afar." He grabs her hand.
"Alright, shall we head to the library then," Faith says sighing. "I can't believe how much homework we already have." She groans.
"Try being in medical school, we had homework on the first day," Jem tells her grabbing her books from her.
"Why did we choose the medical profession as a career?" Faith groans.
"Because we like helping people," Jem says. "Or in my case, I wanted to make my father proud?"
"Your dad would be proud if you were an art teacher," Faith tells him, alluding to his secret talent for drawing and sketching.
"I know, but the pay will be better," Jem says grinning
Faith groans theatrically and steps in front of him. "Money isn't everything mister," she says hands on her hips.
"I know, but it helps greatly," Jem grins before leaning down and kissing her quickly. "He was watching," he says quickly, a red flush growing over his cheeks.
"Sure," Faith says under her breath but tried not to let any awkwardness seep through. "We still good for the movies this weekend?" She asks to begin to walk once more.
"Oh yeah already bought the candy for it," Jem says, nodding.
Faith nods her head, the week has been busy for both of them, their schedules were packed and they didn't have a lot of time these days to hang out if the first week was already impacting things.
"I still can't believe you're still trying to work on the weekends?" Faith asks him. It really feels like forever since she saw hide or hair from him.
"I want to, but honestly given the workload I don't think it's plausible with each passing week. I mean I saved a bunch over the summer and Mom and Dad signed the student line of credit for me and whatnot again."
Faith nods her head, she had her loans but was in the same boat. Studying and classes and clinical take up most of her time. It was a miracle that they managed to squeeze in a movie this weekend to just take a break from studying.
"I mean it's still all classroom and I don't have class on weekends but the sheer amount of studying and work I have is just insane, trying to work on top of that? It would be suicidal," Jem says sighing.
They settle in at the library across from each other at the table, it's quiet and they read, write and study well. How many weeks has it been since the day she was sick?
"You feeling okay, you keep flushing, not getting sick again are you?" Jem asks her after the third time his mind wanders.
"Yeah," Faith says nodding her head. "I'm gonna run to the washroom," she tells him.
She takes her purse with her and walks to the nearest ladies' room and sighs against the sink.
"Snap out of it Meredith," Faith tells herself.
"So why did Alice Parker see you and Jem out at the pier the night you were supposed to be in Nova Scotia in the summer?" Una asks her sister while on the phone. Faith was getting ready for Jem to take them to the movies and was making sure she had everything, or she was until her sister turned the tables and asked what she asked.
'What are you talking about?" Faith sputters in shock.
"I ran into Alice Parker at school today, and she told me that she saw you and Jem having dinner at the pier back in the summer, and she swore she saw go back to the hotel," Una says quietly. "Is it true?"
Faith doesn't know what to say.
"It wasn't what you think," Faith says sighing.
"I don't know what am I thinking?" Una says back to her through the phone coyly.
"Una Charity," Faith says through her teeth.
"Well, clearly you had some sort of midnight rendezvous?" Una says matter of factly. "So you are dating these days."
"We're not dating, we're just friends," Faith tells her. "I was helping him out with something."
"So that's what they are calling it now? Helping out?"
"It was a school assignment, nothing more, nothing less," Faith tells her.
"Sure, and I'm Cleopatra bathing in the Nile," Faith can hear Una roll her eyes.
"We're not in denial," Faith mutters. "So when we had sex, it was fun and meaningless and it was fine. Completely fine and we're fine."
"That was a lot of fines," Una says under her breath. "Which is why you are panicking? Because it was fine and now you are questioning everything like you always do this." Una reminds Faith.
"I'm not panicking," Faith rebuttals huffing as she hears the door open.
"You ready to go, the movie will start without us if we don't hurry slow poke!" Jem's voice bellows out. "Come on, I don't see those legs moving as much as I know your mouth is and can."
"Jesus Christ Jem!" Faith screams, "Hold your damn horses, it's a movie."
"Yep, still bathing in the Nile," Una says into her ear. "Have fun with that, and remember if he leaves his hand out…he wants to hold yours."
"I'm hanging up now," Faith tells her sister groaning. "Really do you have any decorum or I don't know…think before you speak," Faith snips at Jem, running her hand through her golden hair. "That was my sister, who apparently has a friend who saw us together that night."
Jem raises an eyebrow, approaching her cautiously. "Is that a problem? I mean we didn't do anything wrong did we?"
"Of course not," Faith says sighing. "I'm sorry I'm just apparently PMSing big time this month and I don't know just overthinking."
"Well then, good thing I bought a bunch of chocolate then," Jem says grinning. "For a second I thought you were wigging out over people thinking we were dating or something. I mean anyone who really knows us, knows we're just good friends right?"
Faith nods her head slowly. "I'm not wigging out, I promise." She tries to tell herself more than him.
"Good," Jem says stepping dangerously close to her. Still grinning like a maniac as he suddenly reaches for her and tosses her up over his shoulder. "Now come on we're going to be late." He says grabbing her purse and her keys from the table.
"James Matthew let me down!" Faith exclaims wiggling but he has a good enough grip around her that it does nothing.
Small Authors note, I will be heading out on tour with my work and will be gone two weeks and probably won't update for a while unless I have time to do so. But I should be back within three weeks or so.