A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait…school work sucks! This is probably my longest chapter ever! I hope you like it! Important AN at the end. READ IT! Oh and guys I sort of wanted to update this quick. So, sorry for any grammar mistakes. –No one's perfect!XD
Disclaimer: I do not own Kickin' It the popular action sitcom on Disney XD.
"Fear is a sign—usually that I'm doing something right…"
"Excuse me, Ms. Tobin? What do you mean you did it? And exactly what did you do?" Principal Keys asked quite quizzically as he looked over her nervous figure.
Roxy and Jake both turned around in their chairs just as curious as their principal; sending each other quite confused glances before traveling their attention back toward the brunette who had just entered the office in an outburst.
Donna shut her eyes for a moment like she was calming herself or maybe contemplating whether she should run out or not. She opened her eyes showing confidence, she let her hands fall from the doorknob to her sides and held her head up high.
"I spread the rumor about Jake and Roxy.
Roxy rolled her eyes. No, duh.
"I also sent the links that revealed Roxy's past."I'm...I'm sorry." Her brown eyes held sincerity and sorrow, the first she actually felt sorry.
Roxy just gave Donna one mean look with her piercing eyes before turning back around in her chair falling in her I-don't-care position once again in the comfy chair, facing her Principal.
He sighed rubbing his fingers across his forehead in a repeated motion, as if he were drawing an invisible circle on his forehead; before letting his hand fall down on the desk. He looked Donna's way in distress. "For, this you have a week of detention, Tobin. Now, leave please."
Donna nodded her head before stepping out and closing the door gently.
Once, the door closed Principal Keys started talking, frustration present in his voice. "Look, Ms. Greene I'm going to have to report you to this child support service-"
"What? No! No way! You are not going to send me to some Foster Home! I can take care of myself!" Roxy exclaimed quite confidently trying not to curse in the process.
Principal Keys sighed, "I'm sorry Ms. Greene, but I can't let this go unnoticed."
Roxy smirked confidence suddenly shown upon her precious face. She hopped off the chair and walked over behind the desk much to the Principal's dismay and pulled the Victoria's SecretCalendar off the wall.
She turned towards Principal Keys with a wide evil-looking grin as the calendar dangled from her petite fingertips. He looked at her with embarrassment, a red blush quickly growing on his cheeks. His demeanor became nervous as he started to sweat, his green eyes moving around frantically-like, he was searching for some sort of escape.
"You know I would hate for the school board to know that you keep a calendar such as this in an office where kids, always are sent." Roxy said nonchantly, amusement shown in her eyes as she flipped through the calendar and started to pace back and forth in front of his desk.
"Give that back now, Ms. Greene!"
Roxy shook her head as she stopped by a bookshelf with encyclopedias. She pulled one out and flipped through it and suddenly pulled out two Playboy magazines that were stuffed inside.
Wow…I really wasn't expecting to find these.
She raised her eyebrows in victory and resumed pacing in front of the desk. "You, know Principal Keys I think you may have a problem?"
"Yeah, I know I guy that can help you out with your porn addiction." Jake piped in quite amused.
Principal Key's face burned bright red in embarrassment, but you could see the fear range from his eyes, he let his head fall before he looked back up at the blonde who was still pacing.
"What do you want Ms. Greene?" His voice sounded distressed and quite frightened.
Roxy's smirk turned into a wide smile as she slammed the Playboy's down on his desk. The Principal tried to tear them away from the feisty blonde with his fingertips, but the shiny paper of printed-pictures was suddenly pulled out of his sight by her fingers.
"Uh uh uh. I wouldn't try anything Principal Keys." Roxy teased a smirk playing on her lips once again as she dangled the two magazines-of half naked girls-in front of his face.
"We have a proposition for you."
Roxy was surprised hearing Jake's voice and feeling his sudden presence behind her. She quickly turned her head to see him. He smiled at her flashing his perfectly lined white teeth. She smiled back.
"Yes, we do. Roxy turned back facing the Principal,-in an business-likemanner straightening herself up with a flip of her long, luscious blonde locks, trying to ignore Jake's hot breathing on the back of her neck.
Principal Keys cocked an eyebrow and straightened himself up sitting back in his chair. Roxy narrowed her blue eyes at him, noticing the old man was trying to play it cool, more likely to intimidate her and Jake.
She smiled, knowing that she could never be intimidate by a man who went out to get his mail in his bathrobe and looked at Playboy models for his Sunday Afternoon recreational activities.
"Look, Principal Keys. We won't tell..." Roxy slammed down the two Playboy magazine's once again with a smirk tugging on her pink lips.
"...If you won't tell...If you catch my drift." The blonde winked her smirk slowly revealing her teeth.
Principal Keys contemplated on this for a moment before grumbling to himself some incoherent words letting a few swear words slip he said, "Fine. I won't call child support services, so you can go off and live however or...wherever you live and I can have my calendar and two magazines back?"
"...Actually..." Jake held up his finger in a waiting motion before taking the top magazine off the other and quickly flipping through it. He then rolled it up and held it underneath his armpit along with his crutch. "You get to keep your calendar and onemagazine."
Roxy gave him a look saying, 'really Jake' while, Principal Keys rolled his eyes at him.
Jake looked at them like they were all crazy.
"What? Don't judge me! I'm a hormonal teenage boy!"
Roxy rolled her eyes, mumbling, "Yeah. But more of the 'hor'part than the other." She then walked out of the office along with Jake scolding her about her mumbled-insult he had unfortunately heard.
"Ow! What the hell? Roxy I know you can't get enough of this..." Jake exclaimed flipping his hair and emphasizing his body. "(Well, as much as could with being on crutches and all.)...But don't pinch my butt! Especially, since I'm on, crutches that's just an advantage." Jake pouted quite childishly his bottom lip sticking out.
Roxy snapped her blue eyes widening as huge as saucers by the accusation, "I did not touch your butt!"
Jake gave her a crazed look with his sparkling green eyes before laughing. "Rox, it's okay. I know I'm hot its' okay I get hit on all the time. Just don't pinch my butt. It would be greatly appreciated, princess."
Roxy's jaw fell open her blue eyes narrowing deadly at the brunette. "I. Did. Not. Touch. Your. Freak'in. Butt. And. Do. Not. Call. Me. Princess. Got. It."
"Pfft...you don't scare me."Jake said smirking, flipping his bangs out of his eyes.
Roxy smirked, "Oh, really 'cause I'm ten seconds away from beating your butt."
"You wouldn't punch a crimped." Jake challenged his eyebrow cocked.
"You know I don't give a-"
Roxy was shortly cut off by a very familiar obnoxious girly voice.
"Hey, Jake!" Donna piped up a bright smile along her plush lips.
Jake rolled his eyes irritably before turning toward the squeamish girl."Oh...hey Donna... Where'd you come from?"
"Oh...I was actually the one who pinched your butt! I was following you guys since you left the office."
Roxy cocked an eyebrow a bit creped out by Donna's stalker-ness."Uh...why?"
Donna put her hand up as if shuing a fly away. "I didn't have anything to do and I really wanted to squeeze your boyfriends butt. And I also—"
"Wait...what!?" Roxy screamed cutting Donna off.
Donna looked back and forth at Jake and Roxy who were staring back at her in wonder. "You guys are going out? Right?"
Jake and Roxy simultaneously shook their heads. "No."
"Really...'cause that's, what everyone's saying." Donna said quietly taking a step back from Jake and Roxy's astonished figures.
"Well...we aren't." Roxy gritted her teeth snapping quietly towards the brunette.
Jake cocked an eyebrow due to the surprising hatred coming from the blonde's voice but Donna took no notice, flashing a flirtatious grin his way.
"So...Jake how 'bout you and me get, to know each other better at 'The Siz"tonight...say seven-ish?" Donna smiled flirtatiously as she stroked her long-manicured nails through his shaggy, brunette locks.
Jake took a step to the side almost tripping over his own feet but kept his cool composure quite confidently, almost never seeming to stagger back a-bit as he tried to keep his balance...almost.
He chuckled a bit nervously trying to contain himself from letting the four words, he knew Donna would give hell if she heard would flip out.
'Sorry, I'm not interested.'
He shook his head, rather too-quickly, "I'm good."
The girl was strong though. Even though, she wasn't use to being rejected. She was determined find out the reasoning behind the turn-down. It wasn't unlike the guy to give her direct answer of why, he wouldn't go out with her. Jake merely shrugged it off like he were at the mall and Falafel Phil was giving out free samples, offering one out to him. He merely looked at it and answered with an, "I'm good." hopping on his way out of the store since, all he did was walk with the Wasabi losers (except for Jack) over to the Dojo and walk away as If he was backing off their territory. Almost, as if he was, forbidden to step foot in the Dojo. He would eventually pass Phil's making his way out of the mall. He merely rejected her offer as if she were just one of Phil's free samples.
She hated the feeling of it.
Donna's confidence finally flooding back inside of, her after the pretty vague expression she was able to come out with, "Why not?"
Jake and Roxy both looked pretty a taken back by her question, (Jake most of all).
The brunette shrugged whipping his brown locks to the side of his forehead once again, revealing his sparkling green eyes."Sorry, Donna. I'm just not interested."
'I'm just not interested.'
Her right eye twitched irritably at those four words. Trying, to make it look like she met to do that, she let both her eyes close for a few seconds, hoping it would convince Roxy and Jake she was trying to calm herself down. She opened her eyes finding expectant looks coming her way.
"Why aren't you interested? I mean I may not be the nicest...or coolest person around, but..."
Jake and Roxy both raised their eyebrows sending surprise glances at each, both surprised by Donna's admittance in that, seeming she was always talking about her popularity a bit too much for Jake's liking...or well anyone's.
"I really like you and it's not just your looks it's everything. I know you've probably heard this desperate speech before, but really Jake I'm sorry about spreading that rumor." Donna's eyes traveled towards Roxy's.
"And Roxy I'm sorry for forwarding everyone those links and spreading your secret. But in all honesty, I wasn't even the one who found the dirt. I got it from some random number."
Roxy heaved in a breath of air as an image of Eddie, sadly another person stuck in the stupid war flashed through her head. She could feel Jake giving her one of his looks, but not needing it she kept her blue eyes trained on Donna's light pink lip-glossed lips, as her little speech-apology thingywent on.
"So, Jake I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry and I'm really not that bad of a person."
Roxy snorted interrupting Donna's sincere apology or speech...whatever it was met to be. The girly girl glared at her a snippet of anger in her green eyes, but the emotion quickly flashed away as her orbs focused back on Jake.
"I mean I'll give up popularity for you...I'll sit with the Wasabi los-I mean Wasabi Warriors." She corrected herself.
"I won't chase Anderson anymore and I'll even try to be friends with Crawford and...tomboy here."
Roxy cocked an eyebrow at Donna, feeling the air-of-disgust she pinpointed her with, when she looked her way. She rolled her eyes snapping, "You can start by learning my name!"
"Fine...Greene." Donna sneered, throwing the blonde a sarcastic grin.
Roxy rolled her eyes once again. "Close enough. I'm not picky."
Jake looked at Donna who was staring at him with hopeful eyes, he then looked Roxy's way giving her a what-should-I-do-look.She rolled her eyes before, backing away, putting her hands up in a defensive position an amused smirk playing on her lips. "Don't look at me Jake. It's your love life you figure it out."
She turned away, heading off down the hallway stopping as she heard a word she didn't expect to hear run off Jake's tongue quite well...happily.
"Yes."
"I will go out with you tonight."
"Well hello everyone! Welcome, to our service tonight! I am Pastor Rick and I will be preaching for you! Sadly, our usual Preacher, Pastor O'Donnell cannot make it tonight, because his daughter Lyndia was in a terrible car crash earlier and was rushed to the hospital. So, Pastor O'Donnell is at the hospital at this moment praying for his daughter's recovery to go well."
He folded his hands together and bowed his head in respect praying along with everyone else in silence as the Pastor spoke for them.
"Dear almighty God Creator of Heaven and Earth,
Please, help Pastor O'Donnell's daughter make it through the recovery and to be soon reunited with her loving and kind family.
Amen."
He looked up and sat back against the pew. His dark brown eyes scanned over the small church. It was a small church you would find in a small town setting. You could tell by the cracks in the wood and the white paint-chipped on the side of the wall and the few pieces of shattered glass lying behind the altar from the stain-glass window, how old the church really was. The stained-glass window even with its shattered parts, you could still make out the picture of Angels surrounding the Messiah or baby Jesus sound asleep in the manager.
It was weird to him realizing this was his favorite place to go especially when he was upset. Of course, he wasn't the most religious person ever but he had beliefs and that's all he needed. He always believed you never needed church to actually be called a believer, so he was never interested in actually attending the service, especially with the rowdy family of his they would probably end up getting kicked out.
For, some reason though this place just brought a peaceful aura around him, making him feel like he had no problems. Maybe, it was the reason he felt as if God had accepted him and welcomed him into his great family. He never did actually stay for the full service though, never being able to keep up with the message the Pastor was preaching. He just came to find peace whenever he felt hopeless, it was an open church so it wasn't like he was breaking or entering when he walked inside just to feel at peace for a moment.
"Excuse me, sir?"
He looked up finding a girl probably about eighteen looking down at him. She had big blue eyes, plush pink lips and had her curly black hair with blonde streaks slicked back in a pony-tail. She hesitated for a moment before pulling on her blue sundress her nice beach tone complementing the color.
"Yes." He finally spoke out his voice cracking a bit.
The girl gave him an expectant look with her big blue eyes, as she held out a gold plate, shaped in a basket-form. "Do you have an offering to give?"
He looked at the offering basket before stuffing his hand through both his jean pockets trying to find some extra change. He eventually pulled out a few bucks and through them inside the golden plate, full of dollar bills and loose change.
The girl smiled. "Thank you. God bless." she then headed away walking down the aisle setting aside the offering plate with the rest, of the ushers, before taking her seat upfront with the congregation.
He ran his hands through his dark hair realizing he must have looked stupid sitting all the way in the back by himself. But he didn't care they were God's people they accept and love everyone and never judge, so why should he care what they think of him. He was late to the service anyway, having coming back from the hospital the other day he decided it was time for some needed peace and as his parents left to go to their friends he ran. They probably thought he just came in late, because of the rain pouring down outside.
As the Pastor went on getting to the message the part where he usually ends up leaving, because he cannot keep up with his ADD always making hard for him to pay attention and sit still. A surprising voice he hadn't heard in a while whispered into his ear as they slid in next to him.
"Hey, Jerry."
He didn't even look to his right, knowing the familiar voice oh-so-well, belonging to a person he hasn't been very keen on seeing since his trip out of the hospital.
"What are you doing here, Greene?" He usually would have spoken in a hushed, low, whisper but since he was all the way in the back and the congregation was currently praising the Lord with some song he did not know the name of, he figured he wouldn't be disturbing them.
"Wow. You must really hate me. You aren't looking at me and I'm getting the last name treatment. Kim, must be pretty good at talking crap 'bout people."
Jerry rolled his eyes. As much as he wanted to tell her to get the hell away from him and this was his peaceful place, she was disturbing he just couldn't.
"Well, as far as I know one-hundred percent of that crap is true."
He could feel Roxy scoot closer next to him; he made no movement to scoot away though. "Yeah, from who? Kim? She doesn't even know the story."
"Yeah. I know. Jack does."
He waited for some witty response, forcing him to back off, but he smirked surprised by the silence that meant his ear instead. She hesitated for about five minutes before responding again. "Yeah, we'll he walked on in on my secret it's not like I had choice. That kid is stubborn."
For the first time during their entire conversation as the congregation sang Jerry shifted his head to the right looking down at the petite girl. She had a small black hoodie that hugged her petite frame, from being soaked in the pouring rain currently thumping on the wooden roof of the church. The hoodie was carelessly covering half her head, her bangs looking more brown from being soaked from the rain. Her wavy curls also poking out soaked and looking brown. Her blue eyes though currently weren't focused on Jerry but the congregation singing together in the front. His eyes then traveled down her face finding her pink lips moving. He realized then that she had started to quietly sing along with the congregation.
"He is the Almighty!
Our Savior from Heaven above.
He will be there when we have fallen.
And one day will send a miracle."
Jerry smiled. For the first time ever in weeks it, being an actual heartwarming smile that spread across his face. "You were the girl singing that I walked in on weren't you?" he said it more as a statement than question.
Roxy looked up at him a smile dancing on her pink lips. "Yep, another secret uncovered."
Jerry chuckled. "Who else knows?"
Roxy rolled her eyes. "Jack, Jake, and Eddie.
"Really?" Jerry cocked an eyebrow.
Roxy giggled. "Yeah, I can also play guitar and piano."
Jerry shook his head. "I never thought of you being the musical type. You're full of surprises aren't you?"
Roxy laughed, "You have no idea, Martinez." before, turning her attention back to the Pastor.
Jerry focused his eyes back to the front along with her, but a question he couldn't help but pop out of his big mouth.
"So, why are you here? Did you just hunt me down to talk to me? You don't seem like the church type?"
Roxy smirked, her blue eyes never leaving the Pastor. "No, offense but you don't either.
Jerry chuckled. "True."
The blonde continued, "I try to come every once in awhile. I use to always go with my family back when I was younger."
There was silence for a moment.
"I remember I use to love singing and going to the Sunday School. But you know; God had other plans for me."
Jerry's dark eyes softened, noticing a tear run down her cheek, "Yeah, I uh...heard about today-"
Roxy cut him off. "Let me guess you're sorry."
Jerry was a taken back, the five words came out of her mouth were icy cold, almost as if she purely hated him with her whole heart. He knew the whole thing was a touchy subject especially since she was known as the troubled girl at school now. He knew what it felt like to lose a loved one. He knew she didn't mean for her tone to be so cold and harsh, she just didn't know how to handle it all at the same time.
Growing up the Latino learned many things, most of them non-school related like picking a lock, but what he did learn was that no matter how many times someone tries to push you away to never give up on them. Many people have given up on him, but he always had friends like Eddie to lean on, but Roxy as far as he knew she didn't have anyone growing up.
No wonder she was so strong. If he were in her position, he would've ditched school as soon as he heard the news.
"You know its' okay to cry." Jerry's voice was a quiet whisper but came out as warm and soothing as silk.
"I know. But you hate me. You. Kim. Milton-" Her voice cracked not able to form words she started to whimper and soon turned into quiet sobs, her blue eyes still fixed on the Pastor who was singing another song with the rest of the congregation.
Jerry shook his head before pulling the blonde into his chest. At first it felt awkward holding Roxy in his arms but in a minute she buried herself in his chest quietly sobbing into it, wetting his shirt. He could hear her speak through the muffled sobs.
"Everyone hates me. All because of, some stupid secret. I never wanted this. I hate this."
Jerry looked at her back that heaved up and down violently as she sobbed into his shirt shrieking incoherent words. He slowly wrapped his arms around her petite frame, staring at her with gentle eyes.
He whispered, "No one hates you. I don't. Milton and Eddie don't.-"
Roxy cut him off. "What about Kim?" she quietly asked her voice cracking in a whimper, she was looking up at Jerry with her blue eyes glassy and full of tears bits of eyeliner running down her flushed cheeks.
Jerry sighed, thinking about the stubborn blonde. "Kim's stubborn she'll come around. And anyway, we're not really mad just confused on why Jack and Jake get to know everything and well...er we don't."
Roxy sighed, "Well...Jack walked in on my secret." Jerry raised his eyebrows. The blonde catching his look quickly stated, "No I'm not drinking, doing drugs, or cutting or any of that it's nothing bad.
Jerry sighed in relief.
"I really had no choice but to tell him everything. He's stubborn. He was going to find out someway whether I liked it or not. And Jake...erhe's a story for another day." Roxy answered honesty, fully present in, her voice.
Jerry cocked his eyebrow and smirked before pushing her off him and back to her seated position. Roxy cocked an eyebrow curiously at his strange look. "What?"
Jerry's smirk grew. "You like Jake," he teased wiggling his eyebrows.
"No. I don't." Roxy snapped her blue eyes returning to the Pastor who was speaking.
Jerry seeing she had gone from vulnerable Roxy back to hard core Roxy decided just to leave the topic alone, knowing there was more of a chance getting his butt whooped if he kept prying.
He followed the blonde turning his attention back towards the front of the church.
"Back in the days of Jesus he performed miracles, people saw right before their eyes, but now a- days we aren't able to talk to God as physically as we use to be. Of course, we can talk to him through prayer, but does he answer back?"
The congregation all looked at each other before answering, "No," in a simultaneously manner.
"Exactly, my point is he doesn't answer physically shouting from the heavens. At some point though he will answer your prayers, you just never notice when it happens."
For once, Jerry was able to understand the Pastor and felt as if he was speaking right to him. He tuned out the Pastor's booming voice through the microphone clipped on his robe and looked down at Roxy finding her cheeks still pink with dried tear tracks.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, "Do you believe in miracles?"
Roxy turned her head looking up at the Latino, her blue eyes scrunched up along with her eyebrows as she thought.
She shrugged, her blue eyes in deep thought, "When I was a little girl I did. I went to church every Sunday learning through pray, love and God, miracles are true."
"But you don't...anymore?" Jerry asked skeptical, raising his eyebrows.
Roxy shook her head. "No. I do. I mean after my parents..." she hesitated, taking in a deep breath. Jerry's face softened noticing the blonde was trying to stop herself from crying once again.
She continued her voice quivering for a moment, "I mean after my parents...well left and everything drastically changed I stopped believing in miracles and prayers...and well, just everything."
The blonde hesitated trying to find the right words, "Growing up to believe in something so strongly and finding in such a traumatic experience that you may have been following the wrong thing and believing the wrong thing, can really hit you hard. Especially, if you're an eight year old still trying to figure out how the heck this world works."
Jerry raised his eyebrows, the pew squeaked as he scooted closer toward the blonde, "What made you believe, again?"
A smile formed on Roxy's pink lips, she turned towards Jerry her blue eyes for once during the whole conversation gleaming with...happiness. "I moved to the small part of San Jose called Seaford and met the Wasabi Warriors."
She closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them again. "You guys are the miracle God sent me. I couldn't ask for anything better."
Couldn't help but to ruin the heartwarming moment Jerry started to laugh quietly. Roxy bemused by his reaction slapped him in the side of the head. "Why the heck are you laughing?"
Jerry choked out through laughs, "Because you were just sobbing and shrieking about how much we hate you and now you're calling us your miracle. I have finally realized that Roxy Greene makes no sense at all."
Roxy's face flushed a deep scarlet, feeling the heat of embarrassment rise to her cheeks. "Okay, so...I have some emotional issues. No, ones perfect."
Jerry shook his head, "May, I suggest a psychologist?" He then burst out in quiet laughter once again almost falling off the pew.
Roxy's face burned brighter, "You better shut up, Martinez before I kick your-"
"Ah ah ah, no cursing in the church, Ms. Greene." Jerry cut her off trying to mimic the voice of Principal Keys, but failed miserably.
The blonde rolled her eyes huffing as she laid back in the pew, "I was going to say butt."
Jerry rolled his eyes turning back towards the front. "Yeah, sure you were," his voice was sarcastic and unconvinced.
Roxy ignored his comment and started to sing along again with the congregation, standing up.
"He brought us to the land that flowed with milk and honey.
Thus! The Promise Land!
He blessed us with!
The Lord our God blessed us with!"Jerry smiled down at her before he knew what he was doing; he stood up next to her and started to sing along. He thought Roxy would start laughing at him and his horrible voice, but when he looked down at her, he found her smiling at him warmly her blue eyes gleaming with happiness and love. Jerry smiled back at her before, she turned away and focused back on the words of the Preacher.
For another thirty minutes they stood and sang songs and in between songs they would sit and listen to the Preacher. Before, the two teens noticed the service was over with; the small congregation was already picking up there things and heading towards the back of the church for some refreshments.
Roxy and Jerry realizing the service was done with stood up from the pew, before Roxy could even step out, Jerry looked over realizing the girl who had asked for his offering earlier stopped her.
She spoke a smile plastered on her face, "Would you two like some refreshments, they're free and everyone is welcomed."
Jerry spoke up happily, "Yeah, sure we would-"
"Actually, I've got somewhere I need to be so...my friend Jerry here will stay though." Roxy piped up politely before, she pushed past the girl.
She quickly sped through the small pack of people, who were standing around the small table filled with refreshments like coffee, apple juice, cookies, coffee cakes and many other sweet treats. As the blonde wheezed her way through the small crowd she smiled and said small 'hellos'to people she would bump by. Finally, making it toward the exit, she took the doorknob and swung the door open, hearing the hinges creak slightly as she stepped out underneath the porch of the small white church. She heard the door creak as it was opened again; she turned around to find Jerry poking his head out the door, his dark eyes focused on her.
"Where are you going?" His voice was curious along with his dark eyes that looked at the blonde, his eyebrows scrunching up momentarily.
Roxy smiled, shaking her head and looked out toward the pouring rain before, turning back to Jerry. "Long story short; I need to talk to Jack about something important he's probably at the mall right?" her voice pinched with curiosity, her blue eyes scanning the pouring rain once more before, turning back to the Latino.
Jerry eyes also stared out into the raindrops that fell from the dark clouds hovering in the sky. "Yeah, he actually should be heading to practice right, now." his dark eyes suddenly widened in realization. "I should probably be heading there too...oh well."He smiled shrugging before turning back inside the church and slamming the wooden door behind him.
Roxy's piercing blue eyes scanned the pouring rain. Out of pure adrenaline coursing through her petite body and indecision she, let her hoodie fall down to her neck and quickly tied her wavy locks up in a messy bun. She then pulled the black hoodie back over her head, and with a split decision she ran out into the pouring rain, her black Nike's splashing through the huge puddles, the water soaking through the fabrics of her black socks. The rain drops fell down hard; she could feel them soaking her from head to toe.
She didn't care though. The risk of catching a cold wasn't a worry in her mind. The only thing she was worried about was Jack making the same mistake she did years ago.
She had to get to him before he stepped into that Dojo.
"Jack!"
"Jack! "
"Jack!"
"Where, the hell is this kid?!"
She screamed his name as she ran from Seaford's Mall parking lot. The wind started to whip into her face, feeling the rain drops pound against her body as it poured from the cloudy sky, lightning crackling every once in a while. She was completely soaked head to toe, her jean shorts soaked sticking to her pale legs, goose bumps forming on her skin from the cold raindrops that rain down her body. The storm started to get crazy, thunder boomed throughout the sky, she could feel herself almost jump out of her skin at the sound. She abruptly stopped running trying to catch her breath, her blue eyes scanning over her current place at the mall; they fell upon Falafel Phil's. The small restaurant's windows were streaked with raindrops glistening down the panel; inside the restaurant her blue eyes fell upon a familiar brunette who turned around from the cash register saying his goodbyes to Phil who owned the small joint, a doggy bag hanging from his fingertips.
Knowing the brunette would soon be heading to practice she sprinted inside the Dojo, almost slipping in the process as she skidded inside on, the wet tile floor printed with people's wet shoe tracks. She stopped in front of Jack almost knocking the brunette over on the process but caught his arm before he could fall over.
"What the heck, Roxy?!" Jack exclaimed staring at her with wide eyes in shock.
Roxy gripped his arm tight, telling him indirectly to not walk out of the small restaurant. "Jack, we need to talk." her voice quivered, her blue eyes flashing with urgency as it rang through her voice.
Jack shook his head in confusion, his brown eyes scanning her soaked demeanor. "What! Roxy I need to get to practice! If I don't Rudy's gonna be disappointed and Kim's just gonna give me crap!" His voice rang with urgency, his brown eyes quickly glancing at the Bobby Wasabi Martial Arts Dojo, across from Falafel Phil's, where he could see a short man with blonde hair, a Gi wrapped around his body and a blonde girl his age walk inside with anger radiating from her aura that surrounded the atmosphere of her body.
Roxy pulled on his red hoodie sleeve gaining his attention."Jack, please! It will be worth it!"
Jack's brown eyes stared at Roxy. The blonde's face looked urgent along with her blue eyes, the rest of her small body shivering from the cold rain. His eyes softened realizing she must have ran; through the storm to catch him before practice.
Whatever she wanted to talk about it must have been urgent.
His eyes then traveled from the blonde's to inside the Dojo across from them where a short African American just got flipped by a blonde girl, she helped him up before walking over to the red bench on the side of the room and taking a swing of her water. He then focused back on the short, soaked girl standing in front of him. He made a decision, he hope wouldn't end up costing him.
"Fine. You got five minutes."
Roxy smiled. "Good. That's all I need." She walked past Jack and took a seat at the booth in the very back of the small restaurant. Jack took a seat across from her, watching her play with her fingers; as her blue eyes lingered out the window that was glistening with raindrops. She closed her eyes for a moment taking in a deep breath before, letting it out and flipping her eye lids open staring straight at the brunette in front of her.
"Don't ruin your friendship with Kim just because of my secret."
Jack was a taken back and shook his head in confusion for a moment before looking back at the blonde. "What? Roxy I-"
"No, Jack!" Roxy snapped, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously. "Let me talk!"
Jack realizing she was really serious nodded in response beckoning her to continue. Roxy let out an exhausted sigh before continuing, "Look, about three years ago when I was eleven, I found a note shoved in a fret of my guitar that I hid in the back of my closet when I still lived n the Black Warrior household. It was a note written by Jake..."
She trailed off finding the right words in her head before going on, "Basically, he was telling me in the note he was in love with me."
Jack's eyebrows raised in surprise. "In love? Seriously?" His voice echoing in, not only surprise but bewilderment.
"Yeah..." The blonde smiled looking out the window before turning back.
"Long story short...I never told him I found the note. I never told him how I felt back then. I never said a word and then I left him to fend for himself in the household."
Jack nodded his head, "Well, you were eleven how would you know you loved him?"
Roxy nodded, "Yeah, but the thing was I did. I did love him. I knew it to. I just..." Her voice trailed off for a second as her blue eyes watched a black umbrella fly off one of the tables outside and be carried off with the strong winds.
"...Was confused. I was leaving right when I find out all of this. Me, already having a plan of leaving, I went with that stuffing the note in the same spot I found and leaving the guitar to rot in the back of the closet, instead of going with my instinct."
"What was your instinct?" Jack inquired his eyebrows rising in curiosity.
Roxy let out a breath as she shook her head. "To...stay with Jake."
Jack didn't know what to say. He was usually great at comforting people during hard times or past regrets, but this he couldn't make out any words to say. He just let out the word someone always says when they just don't know what to say or just don't want to say anything.
"Oh."
Roxy sighed, "Yeah, but look what I'm trying to tell you is to patch things up with Kim and at least be the friends you two were."
"But what about you're secret?" Jack asked, concern flashed across his face."
Roxy's teeth gritted as she clenched her fist trying not to slam the table. "Don't you get it Jack! Kim doesn't care about the damn secret! She's jealous that you've been spending all your time with me! And not her!"
Silence fell between the two.
Roxy inhaled and exhaled, her blue eyes scanning over Jack who seemed to be rethinking over everything she just screamed at him. Her breath shook a bit, letting her teeth chatter, her soaked clothes making her shiver and goose bumps go throughout her entire body threatening pneumonia.
Jack scrunched his eyebrows, "But...Kim was always fixed on the secret. She wanted to know everything."
Roxy shook her head. "Then tell me. Why didn't she ever bug Jake about it? Why did she always yell at you and I? Tell me."
The brunette thought for a moment, noticing the blonde had brought up a very good question. Kim never seemed to ever scold Jake about the secret or even ask him about it. The other day was the first time he had ever seen the blonde reprimand the brunette about the secret.
Why was it always him and Roxy?
"You're right." he replied seeing a smirk grow on the corner of Roxy's lips before it vanished in an instant. Wanting to change the subject quickly before the witty blonde could go on he asked trying to sound a little interested, "Where is Jake anyway?"
She rolled her eyes, "On a date with Donna, right now."
"What!" Jack exclaimed breaking away from his deep thought.
Roxy nodded her face solemn, her eyes no longer focused on the brunette seated across from her but the storm still growing outside the window. "Yeah, she convinced him right in front of my own eyes to go on one date with her."
"I could've stopped it." The blonde shook her head, her eyes flashing with regret as she stared out the window still, not wanting to see Jack's sympathetic looks. "He even gave me this look. Like, he wanted me to jump in and say something, like he wanted me to tell Donna we were...something."
She sighed, "I didn't though. I didn't stop it. When I could have, because I should have. I just walked away letting him say yes to her."
Her blue eyes finally focused back on Jack, no emotion present on his face, but sympathy in his eyes just like she had expected. Ignoring, his sympathy she went on, "I regret never talking to him three years ago before, I left. And I regret letting him go on the date tonight, because when I walked away I officially just told him we would never be anything."
Ever.
Roxy shook her head. "Look, Jack I'm wasting your time and it's been five minutes. But please! Don't make the same mistakes I did! Go to practice and be friends with Kim again! Don't turn into me and Jake!" Please..." Her voice was urgent but her eyes were pleading.
Jack took one good look at the blonde and realized she really did care and seemed to have wanted to have this conversation with him for, days but never had the chance to actually sit down with him. On the other hand he couldn't believe Jake actually agreed to go on a date with Donna. Unless he was trying to make Roxy jealous, of course the blonde didn't seem jealous at all just really regretful.
Jealous.
This word caused his mind to travel to something else Roxy said while yelling at him like he wasn't sitting right there.
"Kim doesn't care about the damn secret! She's jealous that you've been spending all your time with me! And not her!"
He shook his head. Kim being jealous? Insane. It's not like she likes me.
Wait. She does. She admired it the other day. Idiot.
You know that day when you said, I had a crush on you." Jack nodded. Kim continued, "Well, I did…but, not anymore.""Jack? You gonna talk to Kim?" Roxy asked snapping the brunette out of his thoughts.
Jack contemplated her question before answering, "If you patch things up with Jake."
Roxy was already half out the booth before Jack even answered expecting his reply to be a "Yes."
She started, "Great! So you..." Her blue eyes widened as huge as dinner plates, realizing what Jack really said. "Wait...what!" Roxy's head whipped around staring at the brunette her face in shock as she instantly flew back into the spot of her booth. "No. No. I can't do that." She talked quickly her blue eyes shaking.
Jack shrugged a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, well, I guess I can't talk with Kim." He got up making his way out of the booth.
Roxy rolled her eyes realizing what she had to do. "Wait. Wait. Wait." The blone pleaded tugging on Jack's hoodie sleeve, beckoning the brunette to take a seat again; which he happily did.
"I'm picking Jake up later from his date since he has trouble walking home with his injured leg and all, so I'll talk to him, but you better talk to Kim. Got, it Anderson?" Roxy snapped narrowing her blue eyes sternly.
Jack put his hands up in defense, "Don't worry I will."
They both bumped knuckles smiling in agreement before they left Falafel Phil's walking out into the storm. Roxy not realizing how bumping knuckles would end up effecting her life.
She felt adrenaline rush through her veins as her heart raced. Her blonde ponytail whipping back and forth as she punched and kicked a worn out blue punching dummy that was bruised up from other aggressive techniques used on it.
There was only one thing on her mind...well a person. He was her best friend the only one in her circle of friends who seemed to care about her in way that was more than just friendly. Sadly, being hard for; her to, admit that she was defiantly falling for him.
Hard.
The conversation she had earlier with Roxy kept replaying in her head, reminding her of her so called, maybe-I-like-him feelings.
Roxy laughed. "Really, Kim? This isn't about the secret is it? You don't really care about my secret or who knows about it! You just care about the fact that me and Jack have been hanging out a lot together! You think something might be going on between me and him, that's why you wanna know so badly. You're jealous, Crawford."Kim's jaw fell open in shock as anger raged in her brown eyes, spitting out viciously, "I am not jealous!"Roxy rolled her blue eyes an amused smirk dancing on her lips. "Yeah, sure whatever." She said carelessly walking past Kim."You can have Jack! I couldn't careless!" Kim snapped at Roxy's retreating figure.
With each flashback, she hit the dummy harder and harder. As she set herself in position to aim another kick before, her leg even went half way in the air, she heard the bells of the Dojo's doors jingle as they clucked together. The blonde losing her concentration swung around dropping her leg to find Jack standing in the passageway his hands stuffed in his dark jeans. He seemed to be contemplating something on his mind as he stared at Kim. She just rolled her eyes turning around and kicking the dummy once again, before sneering, "You're late." Not even casting a glance the brunette's way.
"I know...I was busy."
She rolled her eyes throwing a punch, jealousy sneered in her voice, "With Roxy?"
There was silence for a moment as she threw ten other punches and a kick.
Jack's voice finally broke in the silence, "So, what if I was?"
Kim rolled her brown eyes before stalking off toward the red bench and taking a swing of her water, "Seems like you care about her more than your own friends."
"Oh, really? Milton, Eddie, and Jerry. Don't seem to be bothered."
She shook her head. "They hate you as much as I do."
"That's only because of all the crap you talk, over exaggerating on every bit."
That's when she snapped. She bolted right up from the bench and faced the brunette an angry aura radiating throughout her body."Excuse me! I do not over exaggerate!"
"It was one little white lie! If it were anyone else you would've gotten over it in a day! But no for some reason I'm the one who gets all this extra attention! Why is it me? Can you please tell me that Kim?" Jack snapped his voice gravitating with irritation.
"Hey!" The two teens turned around to find Rudy and the guys who seemed to have just gotten out of the locker room staring at them with wide eyes.
Rudy snapped again sternly, "Is there a problem?"
Kim turned around giving Jack a challenging look with her brown eyes, ignoring the remorse written across his face, she then spun around her blonde ponytail almost whipping the brunette in the neck.
She stated sternly, "No. There is no problem." with that the blonde stalked onto the mat clapping. "C'mon y'all! I want to practice."
Rudy, Eddie, Milton, and Jerry exchanged weird glances with Jack as they watched the blonde stretch like she was about to go to war. Making no comments they mentally shook their heads and headed onto the mat to do their stretch routine as Rudy led them.
Once, they finished their stretches, the five teenagers sat on the bench taking a drink of water, as Rudy stood in front of them waiting for them to finish. The Sensei looked over all of them deciding on something.
"Kim. Jack. Spar. Now." He said smiling a bit giddy pointing over towards the moldy mat.
Kim got up a sly smirk playing on her face and sprinted over towards the mat and did some last minute stretches, giving Jack some looks that made him very nervous all of a sudden. He sighed as he walked over out of the corner of his eye watching all the guys give him salutes. He made it to the mat and stood there watching the blonde stretch. She cocked her head his way, in confusion. "You aren't going to stretch?"
The brunette responded with a shrug.
The blonde rolled her eyes and got into the fighting stance. Jack followed also getting into stance.
Kim gave the brunette a challenging look before lunging, her fist at him. Jack caught it and tried to kick her legs from under her, but she swiftly dodged his kick by jumping in the air. It went on like this for five minutes-maybe even more? No one was keeping track. Jerry, Eddie, Milton, and Rudy were all sitting on the bench on the opposite side of the Dojo watching this whole sparring match take place, in deep concentration. The match was getting so fierce Jerry even locked his phone so he wouldn't get distracted by the Angry Birds app.
Soon enough, Jack had Kim up against the wall, holding onto both her fists, struggling to keep her body up against the chipped-painted wall. Kim struggled to push Jack off of, her she could feel the brunette's arms start to shake because of how much force he was pushing onto her hands. Her brown eyes snapped away from his arms to his eyes, intense emotion spinning around the chocolate-colored pupil.
"What are you trying to do?" Kim snapped, grunting a bit as she tried to push his body off of hers, but failed.
Jack replied, "I-I just wanna talk to you!"
"About what? You and Roxy's friends with benefits!" Kim snapped, pushing herself off the wall gaining strength in the muscles of her arms.
Jacks eyes widened at her sudden strength feeling himself being pushed back onto the mat by the force of Kim's arms.
Man, I need to start working out more.
He focused his eyes on his hands that were clasped on top of Kim's. His eyes, than traveled upward looking into, the blonde's determined brown eyes. In his head it clicked this was no longer a sparring match this was a hand war.
One he was determined to win.
Suddenly, he felt a force push him away, his hands leaving Kim's he stumbled back in shock finding Kim back in her fighting stance with the scariest death glare ever expressed on her flawless face.
She snapped eyeing the brunette, "This is no hand-war Jack. This is war!"
With that she ran at the brunette and if it wasn't for his quick reflexes she probably would've tackled him. She ran at him again as he turned around to the opposite side of the Dojo, but this time he caught her. He looked down finding the fierce blonde gazing up at him with anger radiating through her eyes-or maybe, it was disguised as a broken heart.
He couldn't tell, the only thing he saw were her beautiful brown eyes.
He found himself starting to lean and get closer towards her lips but she raised her hand up putting it against his lips. Jack's eyes snapped pen confused, by his lips kissing her palm. He slowly let go of her and backed away, his heart slowly shattering in the process.
"What's wrong, Kim?" He asked full of concern.
Kim shook her head, her golden pony-tail whipping back and forth as she backed away. "I just-I'll talk to you later."
With that she sped off out of the Dojo, the brunette watching her retreating form in the Karate Gi disappear.
It was merely eight o'clock at night and luckily the storm had died down from earlier. Her blue eyes scanned across the nighttime sky, the moonlighting up her pathway. She walked silently, listening to the slips of her shoes as they hit the wet cement of the sidewalk. She could hear people rustle by her, but made no intention to look up from the ground and see the faces of these people that pushed past her.
She looked up though finding herself standing on St. Andrews Street, ignoring the stares of her passer-byes. They looked at her strangely as if she looked like, she was some girl living on the streets.
But honestly, she wouldn't blame them if they judged her that way.
Her shorts were ragged still drying out from the rain, a black hoodie thrown over her wavy, blonde locks, and worn-out Nike's set her look.
She definite looked like she lived on the streets and she could definite street fight.
She shook her head, walking past there nosy stares making her way down the street hoping she was going the right way. As she made her way down the street, she suddenly stopped looking into the night sky where Tamar's once tinkled spot lights took place and she could hear obnoxious music not too far away. She picked up the pace walking faster down the street, she instantly stopped walking finding the noisy place was a club, a teen club called the, "Siz."
Her blue eyes widened at the huge building blinking with annoyingly colorful lights and noisy music. There were kids inside most likely dancing and making out with each other and the kids outside were doing the same thing.
A sudden whisper blew into her ear as the figure came up next to her. "Hey, babe how 'bout you take off the hoodie and show me what you hiding' under there?"
For a minute she stood frozen recollecting his words, with her great reflexes she could feel something gravitate toward her and with spin of her arm, she spun around catching his hand that was about to grope an area she preferred wasn't touched. "Don't you touch me!"
She looked up finding a kid about her age looking down at her with blue eyes and messy black hair. He sneered, "Oh, really? How would you stop me?"
That's when his hand reached out again but not for her butt this time-her breast. Her blue eyes instantly narrowed viciously, she caught his hand. He seemed shock and awaken back by her action. A smirk played upon her lips, "You don't wanna mess with me."
His shocked face quickly vanished, chuckling, "Please, your just some little girl!" With that he tried to force her into his chest so their lips could met. Before, he could even get her close enough she let go of his hand and jumped up doing a spin kick to his stomach sending him flying to the ground.
"Who's the little girl now! Asshole!"
"Are you done yet? I mean I'd love to watch you beat people up, but I sort of want to go home."
The blonde spun around hearing the familiar voice, to find Jake standing there in front of her, as he leaned against his crutches, giving her a sarcastic look. She rolled her blue eyes before walking toward him.
"So, how was the date?"
"Fine." Jake answered simply like he just bought milk from the store.
Roxy scrunched her up her eyebrows, confused by his answer, pried for more details. "Just fine?"
Jake looked at her, shaking his head. "Uh...yeah."
As they walked side by side falling into an awkward silence, Roxy felt like a big chicken. She promised Jack she would talk to Jake, but honestly just him walking (or limping) right next to her, made her heart twist in a knot. Especially, at the thought of talking to him about whatever they were. It's been three years and she wants to figure out what was going on. 'Cause, honestly during those years whenever she thought about how it would be if she and Jake crossed paths again. She always pictured it turning out awkward...but instead he came back into her life like something happened but he didn't want to remember it, he just wanted to forget it. And at this moment she wished, she could just do the same. The guilty feeling twisted in her stomach once again. She knew exactly why.
She made a promise.
She wasn't doing this for herself.
She wasn't fighting for Jake.
She was fighting for Jack and Kim.
And that's exactly what she was gonna do it.
Before, she knew it they made it to a small forest on the more deserted side of Seaford. Realizing, there would be some tree branches lying around and other strange plants she took a hold of Jake awkwardly wrapping her arm around his waist helping him hop over a branch with his crutches.
CRACK!
Suddenly, out of nowhere a branch cracked, causing Jake to lose his balance with his crutches, but Roxy caught him. For a moment they locked eyes.
Piercing blue to sparkling green.
Roxy shook her head letting out a tired sigh, feeling her hoodie fall to her neck letting her wavy locks fall into her face. She flipped her waves back before steadying Jake again and helping him through the tree embarked area once again.
They walked silently together almost in a secretive routine, as if they were trying to dance their way over and around fallen tree branches that had scattered the ground from the tropical storm earlier. They walked-well in Jake's situation limped in silence, listening to the crickets sing and the wind whistle as it blew through the trees.
They walked together cautiously and carefully, it started to drizzle a little. Neither, one of them paid any attention to the water that splattered on their clothes.
All Jake had on his mind was the fact that he wanted to go to sleep and somehow pass his History Finale tomorrow, but Roxy had other things on her mind.
The blonde was very confused by the way her friend was acting. He seemed much more cold and darker than ever. She could only wonder what Donna did to him. Her blue eyes fell as she let out a long yawn and helped Jake around another tree. She stopped walking once they came to a row of huge frilly bushes, knowing exactly what was hiding behind all the dirt and leaves. She shoved herself through the leaves of the bushes ignoring Jake's sarcastic calls and peeked through finding a wide stream of water filled with rocks.
"Roxy! Jake, shrieked. "What the heck are you doing?" His voice was exhausted and annoyed.
Roxy rolled her eyes and scampered her way out of the bush to find Jake sitting on a hug fallen branch, having leaned his crutches next to a tree, giving the blonde an irritated look.
The brunette opened his mouth to make a comment, but Roxy cut him off, before he could let out a breath.
"One word and I'm leaving you in this forest." She snapped rolling her eyes.
Am amused smirk tugged along the corner of Jake's lips, letting out a slight chuckle.
Roxy cocked an eyebrow. "What?"
Jake shook his head the smirk still present on his amused face. "You're too nice Roxy. You would never do that. Why, do you keep looking back their anyway?"
The blonde looked back toward the huge line of bushes that have grown together over the years to hide the quiet stream stirring with rocks. She whipped her head back looking into Jake's green eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "I remember when I first came here to Seaford a few weeks ago. When I moved into, the ratty shed in, the woods. I walked past that stream one day, for some reason I was compelled toward it, like I had an attraction toward it. One day, I was going through some old notes my Father had kept in his binder, one of the notes said, "Streams that compel you do not go near for it is evil."
Jake scrunched up his eyebrows looking at the blonde as if she were insane. "What the heck does that mean?"
"I don't know but for some reason, I feel like its death if I touch it."
It was silent, as Jake watched the blonde look away from him and back to the bushes that hid the forever flowing stream, which she is so intrigued by. She let out a loud yawn and looked back at the brunette her blue eyes stirred with exhaustion.
"C'mon, we better go home-I mean the filthy shed is that way." She stated pointing her finger to the right.
Jake nodded, as Roxy handed him his crutches and helped him balance on the ground, once again. They walked in silence together taking each step cautiously, knowing they both couldn't see a thing in the thick darkness that enveloped the night. They stopped walking and looked straight ahead finding a small shed standing before them. Even in, the darkness you could tell it must have been there for years hiding in the deep area of trees. It was built of metal; some parts of the solid seemed to be hanging torn from the sides, caused by the years of tropical storms. The doorknob was also rusted like most parts of the small shed.
Roxy walked toward the shed and slowly turned the doorknob, slowly pulling the door open. She cautiously helped Jake inside the small compartment.
Inside, there wasn't really much at all. There were two small beds, each bed contained one pillow and a blanket. The blanket was scrabbled on top of the mattress of each bed as if someone had just woken up their legs tangled in the blanket. In between the beds was a very small nightstand, very dirty from the dust that fell the top of it. On the sides of the shed there we're two small windows, in the morning where light filled the room, but at night Roxy lighter candles for there pathway.
Once, they made it inside and Roxy locked the door and ran over locking both windows. She turned around finding Jake shirtless, struggling to remove his jeans from his legs carefully without, disturbing his injured leg. Roxy blew her bangs out of her face and with a roll of her blue eyes she trudged tiredly over to The brunette who snapping muffled swears as he tried to remove his jeans that were currently hanging half way down revealing his red boxers.
"Here let me help." Roxy sighed, reaching out to take hold of his injured leg, before the brunette slapped her hand away. "What are you my mom? I put these jeans on myself I can take them off myself."
Roxy shook her head taking a sit next to Jake, not in the mood to fight with him; she was to worn out from the night to even verbally argue with his stubborn head. After, a few moments of hearing Jake curse under his breath and the blanket rustle as he moved his bottom trying to pull the jeans off he finally got it, a victorious look on his face. Soon, the amazed look vanished something drawing in his head, he turned to Roxy with a sheepish smile saying, "Uh...can you help me set my leg so I can go to sleep?"
Roxy looked up from where she had been staring down at the cemented floor stained with oils and dirt finding apologetic green eyes staring at her. She sighed, whipping her bangs out of her face a smile forming on her lips. "Sure."
She wrapped her arms around his waist, before pulling him up off the bed causing him to quickly grab her shoulder. His strength was too much for her small weight, causing her to lose her balance falling forward on top of Jake. For a moment they were both stunned at their sudden predicament. Roxy's arms were wrapped around; his waist and she was currently lying on top of his half-naked body. Their faces we're so close, she studied him. His expression, his lips, where his freckles were located. She knew everything about him, but his sparkling green eyes melted her, it was like they showed her a movie in his pupils of when they first met, to becoming friends, to her leaving him and just so much more she could hardly contain it all as it flashed right before her own eyes.
That's when she realized it.
The emptiness that had been lingering in her heart for years, the one spot in her soul that was vacant, she had it all along. She was too lost and traumatized from her parent's death and the changes to realize it at the time.
Jake did though.
As the memories and unforgettable moments raced through her mind like a quick movie she spoke without hesitation. "I read the note."
Jake seemed to have been somewhere else in his mind, seeing he shook his head and scrunched his eyes closed for a moment before opening them and asking, "What?"
"I read the note that I found shoved in the fifth fret of my guitar three years ago." Her face seemed blank her blue eyes vacant of any emotion as she stared straight at Jake, the memories still pouring in.
For a moment, Jake didn't understand what she meant and frankly-was pretty confused, having no idea about a note. He sat there thinking through well there whole friendship up until the point she left him.
That's when it dawned on him.
His green eyes grew, shock forming on his face. "What? When? 'Cause, when I checked that ca—."
"The night I left I found it and read it a few minutes before you knocked on my door." Roxy explained quickly cutting him, off and answering as if she was expecting this question.
Jake's face suddenly grew angry, his nostrils flaring up. "And now you tell me?!"
He pressed his arms against her chest sending her on the floor. Anger, coursed through; his body, looking down furiously at the blonde who was staring up at him her whole body frozen in shock never seeing him so angry before. "I can't believe this!"
"I'm sorry." Roxy chocked out, finding a guilty feeling rush over her as she. Just let the whole world down.
"Sorry, doesn't always cut it." Jake sneered. His voice sounded viscous but in his eyes Roxy could see the hurt hiding.
The eyes showed the emotions to your heart, to your soul.
The blonde suddenly felt anger burst through her like a Tsunami, "What did you want me to do! Tell you! And leave you!"
"You could have at least told me how you felt!" Jake snapped back.
Roxy's eyes widened, anger piercing through her pupil, as she roared, "How I felt? I was eleven! What did you want me to do? Drop everything for you? I never ever liked you in th-"
She stopped herself, her mouth hanging open as the realization hit her about what she was about to say. Jake stared at her wide-eyed his chest heaving up and down as he tried to calm himself down from all the yelling and anger building up inside of him. The room was silent, not awkward but still uncomfortable the teens no longer heard there own opposite yells circulating through their ears but the singing of crickets outside and the roars of an airplane's engine as it flew over them in the night sky.
Roxy closed her eyes for a moment as she hugged her legs to her chest, letting the cold cemented floor met her bare feet. She opened them and quietly proclaimed, "I love you."
Her voice was so quiet she could barely hear it herself, but with the silence filling the room she knew Jake heard it.
Out of the corner of her eye she could see the brunette shake his head his locks flipping in and out of his eyes, as a look of disbelief formed on his face. He suddenly looked up from the floor and stared at her blonde head finding her blue eyes locked onto the floor.
He sighed, "Roxy, look at me."
She did what she was told looking up and staring into his green eyes, suddenly memorized.
"Look, me in the eye and tell me why I should believe that. After, three years. After everything tell me." He snapped, his voice becoming harsh and demanding as each word slid off his tongue.
Roxy looked him straight in the eye. She was surprised his eyes didn't seem angry but more confused and just sad. She let out a sigh, before speaking quietly. "I'm not telling you to believe anything Jake, but remember that night when I left?"
His eyes traveled away for a moment staring across the room, before locking them back with Roxy's gaze he mumbled, "Who could forget." The blonde ignored the sadness playing in his voice, after all these years he still couldn't accept the fact that she left him and the guilt and regret was still eating her up inside. She didn't need him to make her feel worse.
"I meant it Jake, when I said I was doing this for you." She inquired leaving her trance in, his green orbs and making contact with the cold, hard cement floor.
Jake snapped throwing the blonde a sarcastic glance, "Yeah, sure. Please, Roxy. You're just doing it to have an excuse and leave the hell you lived in."
The blonde could feel the adrenaline rush through her, anger racing through every part of her body. She clenched up her fists so tight she was surprised none of them bled yet. Her blue eyes burned with anger as they fixed their vision deathly onthe brunette-who actually seemed scared of her at the moment.
"I can't believe you just said that." She whispered, her voice low and husky, knowing her anger would soon 'cause her to, explode and do something's she could regret.
She wanted to cry.
But at the same time she didn't.
She bit down on her lip really hard, surprised it didn't start to bleed. It was the only way she could control her tears-her anger. She closed her eyes for a moment darkness enveloping her sight. She could hear herself shake as she breathed in and out her skin still shivering from the tropical storm.
Her eyes snapped open, fixing themselves once again on the green-eyed brunette. She slowly removed her teeth from her bottom lip shutting her mouth in frown.
"I did it for you! You, idiot! Everything I did was for you! Not me! Not anyone else, but you!" She shouted insanely, exaggerating her words with her hands as they made motions the brunette wasn't sure meant.
Jake opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't get out a word, because the blonde decided to go on.
"Remember the days where you were so hungry, you stole food we weren't suppose to have from the pantry?! Remember when you got caught a million times, and you were "supposed"to get the whip? Well, I do. And you never got the whip! I always took it for you even though you sinned against 'Father'! See!"
She took off her hoodie, her small white tank top revealing her belly, she pulled up her shirt slowly walked in a small circle, showing off all the scars, including the Black Star,forever engraved on her back.
Jake felt a tear slip down his cheek, seeing how much pain she had not only caused herself but what he caused because of his stupid actions. He quickly wiped away the tear as Roxy turned back to him staring at him like he should say something.
But he didn't he was silent and just stared back at the girl.
He slowly spoke out his words, "Why, for me? You never did this for any of the other kids in the household. Why me?"
Roxy crossed her arms over her chest, her blue eyes fixed straight on the brunette, she blinked for a moment before answering, "I wasn't in love with all those kids."
It was silent.
Jake sat there on the bed, shock forming on his face. He didn't know what to do or say, he wanted to deny her words, he wanted to let her go and be free, but he couldn't. He hated it so much. For some reason, he couldn't help but believe every part of that sentence. Suddenly, he felt his body being moved by cold, but delicate fingers caressing his skin.
Roxy moved him to the position lying on the bed, she slowly walked over to the side of the shed and picked up a large white pillow. Jake raised his eyebrows surprised he never, noticed it hanging around the shed before. He watched as the blonde gently laid the pillow on the back-board of the bed and took the leg propping it up against it. She glanced at him for a moment her piercing eyes locking with his. She kept her eyes fixed on him as she slowly walked towards him, she looked down at him letting a few blonde locks fall from being tucked behind her ear. Her eyes seemed blank, no emotion expressed what-so-ever as if she were contemplating something in her head.
Before, Jake knew what happened he found himself staring up at Roxy, who was currently straddling his waist. He scrunched up his eyebrows confused by their current position; suddenly the blonde flipped her wavy locks back and gave the brunette one-good look, before exclaiming, "Oh, screw it!"
Roxy crashed her lips against Jake's. For a moment, Jake didn't move in pure shock of what was going on, but struggled to kiss back since he was lying on the bed flat on his back. Roxy realizing his predicament as she attacked his lips lifted him up as much as she could so he could at least have his back against the front bed board, without moving his injured leg from its comfortable position in any way.
Jake feeling a lot more comfortable in his new position kissed, back feeling Roxy's lips no longer attacking his but, caressing them gently with her tongue. He opened his mouth, letting his tongue compete for dominance against hers, but in the end she won. Suddenly, her tongue was no longer feeling around the inside of, his mouth. He opened his eyes finding Roxy pulling off her tank top. His eyes widened seeing the tank top halfway off her body; he reached out touching her arm. She suddenly, stopped trying to pull the fabric off her body her blue eyes connecting with his warm stare.
Jake spoke, "Roxy, you don't need to do that." His voice was low, he could feel himself start to sweat and his hormones go crazy inside of him. When he was thirteen he remembered how he would dream of him and Roxy someday being like this, but in a nice apartment of their own their fourteen in an old shed in the woods.
He never imagined in his life this would ever be happening.
But it's happening in front of his, own eyes.
Damn hormones.
Roxy ignored him, and with one more struggle flung the tank top off her body, leaving herself in jean shorts and a white bra. Jake looked over her as she gazed at him intensely. Her blonde waves were in a mess, her bangs hanging out in, front of her blue eyes, her chest heaved up and down as she tried to catch her breath.
This was definitely real.
She then slowly leaned in, her breathing gently tingling Jake's cheeks as a warm feeling flushed over him. He could feel his insides twist and turn like he was nervous but at the same time excited. Right, before Roxy was about to capture his lips with hers, he stopped her putting a hand over her mouth.
Roxy backed off, confusion expressed on her face as Jake let his hand fall back onto his lap. He sighed looking into the blonde's eyes seeing a quick flash of hurt and regret flash through them.
He spoke hesitantly his eyes never leaving hers. "Roxy...tell me is this lust or love? Are you doing this because you haven't been loved in years and you think making out will fill the empty hole in your heart that 'Father' scarred you with, your parents murder? Or is this real?"
The blonde pouted for a moment, looking up at the ceiling contemplating his words delicately. She looked down at him getting caught in his green eyes. The sparkles in, them totally, memorizing her.
She smiled a warm feeling coming over her. "Jake...I remember when I would cry myself to sleep at night, every single night, because since my parents were gone I felt unloved by everyone...even God. But since I met you I have never cried myself to sleep, I haven't felt unloved in years. Because even though we were a part all those years, I knew you were there with me, even if you couldn't be there physically. So yes with that this is most definitley real." With that she leaned in giving him a passionate kiss as he gently caressed her cheeks with his fingers, letting her petite fingers travel through his locks of hair as he kissed back with all his heart.
RING!
Eddie groaned rolling over on his side of the bed, trying to ignore the ringing going off at the other side of the room. His cell phone was currently vibrating and loudly ringing, it had been doing this for about thirty minutes now and Eddie was starting to get really annoyed with whoever kept calling. Finally, feeling like he had enough energy; he through his covers off his body and slowly made his way across the pitch-black bedroom toward his wooden desk. He picked up the Samsung Brightside that was giving off a bright light as it rung. He squinted, his eyes at the phone seeing "PRIVATE NUMBER" flash across the screen; he rolled his eyes pressing "ANSWER" on the screen.
He was about to scream a few words, his grandmother would be ashamed coming out of his mouth, but at the moment he didn't care. He closed his mouth though realizing the person who spoke on the other line wasn't Jerry just trying to bug him.
"Hello, my nephew." A man's voice spoke on the other line that sounded very scruffy.
Eddie spoke timidly, his eyes moving around the dark room. "Y-ye-es-s, 'Uncle'?"
"Tell me. Do you know the plan for tomorrow?" The voice snapped into the phone.
Eddie gulped. He felt as if a ton of breaks just fell on top of him.
He knew what was going on tomorrow, at every second of the day he knew what was going to happen.
Guilt suddenly overwhelmed him.
"Y-yes...Uncle...of-f course I-I do-o."He stuttered, hoping Uncle wouldn't hear the nerves radiating through his voice over the cell phone.
"Good." 'Uncle' replied back sternly, before asking, "And your friends-"
Eddie quickly cut him off already knowing the question. "They don't know a thing."
"Good." 'Uncle replied again his voice more calm.
Eddie cocked an eyebrow hearing some shuffling in the background noise of the cell phone.
Uncle's voice interrupted the shuffling, "Remember Eddie, if you tell our friends anything. And I mean anything!" He raised his voice. Eddie could her him slam something hard in the background.
"I know 'Uncle' you'll hurt..them." Eddie cut him off once again hearing this threat and blackmail way too many times for his liking.
"Right! And don't forget it!" His 'Uncle' snapped into the cell phone, before hanging up the dial-tone ringing through Eddie's ear.
The African American pressed the, "END" button, and placed his phone in the current spot it had been laying in. He stretched his arms. As he stretched he closed his eyes hoping this was just all some nightmare, he would wake up from. And praying every kid would some get measles and not show up to school tomorrow.
He snorted at himself, seeing how that would most likely be impossible to happen. He sighed, all the nerves suddenly coming back to him. He opened his eyes and wearily with a worried look went back underneath the soft and warm covers of his bed. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.
He tried.
And tried.
And tried.
-And tried again.
His eyes snapped open, realizing he would never get any rest until the thoughts about what was going to go down tomorrow vanished from his mind.
He sighed realizing, there was no way he was going to get a blink of shut eye tonight.
IMPORTANT A/N: DUH! DUH! DUH! I know the KICK sucked in this chapter but it will come soon! Promise! Looks like things are finally heating up between Jake and Roxy…well maybe a little too much, but hey young love rocks like that. Again, my fellow reviewies and followers I'm sorry for the long a wait. Lately, my school has been piling me with work and I've noticed many other Author's on this Archive have not updated in weeks, telling by my emails…so I assume they are having school work overload issues just like I am which is very understandable. Anyway, I hope you liked this really long chapter! I will get the next one up hopefully as soon as possible and hopefully I will soon have an idea for the next chapter of "Playing Hard" I haven't touched that in months(stupid writer's block ."). Oh, and once I'm done with Blackstar and Playing Hard and any other random fanfics I'm insane enough to publish with my busy schedule, I may be leaving the site for a while to focus on school and my music. I have a tumblr btw follow me: .com
Shine Always, JJ