After the thing with Jesse, Scarlett had gone home. She had gotten a ride from one of the partiers who was leaving early after she had asked Anna to give her her iPod and dock tomorrow at school. When she got home, she took a long hot shower to get all the salt water off of her. Then, even though it was only six in the afternoon, Scar got in to her pj's (a baggy long sleeve shirt that was long enough to cover everything but still really super short) and climbed in bed.
She had thought of Jesse almost all day now. She couldn't get him out of her head. And it sucked. It was like he was imprinted in her brain and there was nothing she could do about it.
Scarlett stayed in bed the rest of the day. She had not gotten a lot of sleep last night, the result of thinking too much, so she decided to go to sleep early. It was nine o clock when she woke up. But it wasnt because she wanted to. It was because her mom had woken her up.
"Hi, sweetie. I'm sorry to wake you up. But my work just called and they need me to go out-of-town for a while. Apparently, I need to go to get convince someone a few towns away to sign with us. And they said that since I'm the one of the better ones in the business that I was selected to go. It's to far away for me to come home at the end of the day, so I'll be gone for quite a while." Her mother looked just as sad about the news as Scar felt about it.
Scarlett rubbed at her eyes and when the words her mom said finally registered with her, all she could think to say was "Oh." Scarlett loved her mom and she didn't feel all that comfortable when she left. They talked about everything. Anything that most kids would feel uncomfortable to talk about with their parents, Scar didn't mind. Her mom and her had always been close. Not as close as her and her dad though. But she couldn't help that now. But even though she didn't want her to go, it was her job. She had to do this to put the food on the table every night. So, all she did was smile a sad smile so her mom knew that she wanted her to stay but that she knew she couldn't and said "Okay. When will you be back?"
"As long as it takes to get him to agree. I'll call every night and morning ok?" She kissed Scarlett's head and they said their goodbyes. It took a couple of minutes for her mom to leave. Neither of them wanted her to go. They counted on each other. When one was upset or wanted to talk, they were always there. Other than Anna, Scar's mom was the only one to really understand her.
Once her mother was gone, Scarlett waited a couple of minutes and finally realized she wasn't going back to bed any time soon, so she stretched and got up. Once she did, the home phone down stairs started ringing. Scar ran down the stairs so she could catch it before the last ring. When she answered it, she heard Anna on the other line.
"Dude! Did you hear?" she said before Scar got the phone all the way to her ear. Luckily she yelled loud enough to be heard anyway.
"What?" Scar asked sitting down on the couch, leaning her head against the back.
"There's not going to be any school tomorrow."
"What? Why?" Scarlett was one of the few who like school. Well. Not really like school, but liked learning. She didn't really like going to school. She was a morning person and all, but school took it a little to far.
"Well apparently the school got like a minor flood." Anna said way to happily.
"Oh my gosh. How did that happen?" Scar asked, more concerned than Anna seemed to be. Unlike Scar, Anna hated school. All of it.
Anna was just about to explain when Scarlett heard yelling voices in the background. She couldn't tell what they were screaming about but it didn't sound good at all.
"Are your parents fighting again?" Scar asked sadly.
"Yeah," Anna sighed. "They have done it so much lately and I think if I hear another scream coming from them then I just might scream myself. This is only a little one but it still counts. Hang on, let me go outside."
"Okay."
Scar felt bad for Anna. Sometimes her parents were nice and they seemed like they really loved each other. But other times, usually behind closed doors, all they did was fight. And Anna always had to be caught in the middle of it, if she was around.
"Alright. I'm outside."
"Okay." Then Scarlett thought of something that could help both of them out. "Hey! Why don't you spend the night at my place? My mom left town for work so I'm lonely and... Well, with your mom and dad fighting I figured you wouldn't want to be stuck in the middle again, right?"
"Yeah, true. Thanks Scar! I'll be over in a half an hour."
Anna hung up and Scarlett started to clean up. Her house wasn't messy but it helped to clean it a little. Even though Anna had seen it at its worse but still.
A little while later Scar heard Anna knock on the door. When she answered it, Anna was standing there with a bag slung over her shoulder. But she also had tears in her eyes. Apparently the fight with her parents hadn't been as minor as Anna had put off.
"Anna. Whats wrong?" Scarlett said. Even though she already knew it was because of Anna's parents. She closed the door behind her and led her to the couch where they sat down.
"They fight over the stupidest things. It's like they're picking fights with each other just so they each can say they won one. Then after a little while of fighting, they make up. But their not doing that this time. They just kept going at it and... Scarlett I don't know what to do." Anna sobbed. Scarlett hugged Anna and tried to calm her down and told her everything was going to be alright. The normal things to say when someone was breaking down. Scarlett wasnt good with comforting people. But she at least knew how to do that.
"Hey." Scar said lifting Anna's face. "Tonight we aren't going to think about all of this. Okay? We are going to make some ice cream, lay down on the floor, and watch whatever movie you want. Tonight is about fun time." Scarlett smiled and Anna laughed (it was faint but it still counted as a laugh and Scar would take it) and agreed to the "Fun time" Scar had refered to. Anna had brought over Scarlett's iPod, so she plugged it in and started blasting out music. Scarlett started to dance to it and Anna laughed at her. Soon, Scarlett made Anna get up off the couch and they were both dancing, and laughing, and trying to forget everything wrong with their lives at the moment.
Sometimes having someone around who just understood what was going on just made everything easier to deal with.
Scarlett was trying to keep Anna's mind off of anything bad and she was doing a good job of it. Anna had completely forgot about all of it. For now, at least. They had just started a mini pillow fight when Scarlett heard the door bell ring.
She turned down the music and said to Anna, "Why don't you go get your pajamas on while I get that and when we get back we'll watch a movie?"
"Cool." Anna said, picking up her bag and going upstairs to Scar's room to change.
Scarlett turned off the music and walked over to the door. When she opened it up she stared at who she was looking at, not really able to form any words at the moment.
"Hey." Jesse said with a small smile that didn't really reach his eyes.
She realized she was staring at him and shook herself. "Um, hi. What are you doing here?" Scarlett asked while she tried to pull her shirt down so it covered better. It didn't work to well.
"Can't I come in?"
"Uh-" Scarlett bit her lip and looked behind her. "I guess?" She said it as a question.
"Thanks." Jesse said and slipped in to her house before she could change her mind or give it much thought.
Scarlett wasn't to comfortable with him walking into her house, but she didn't really know what else to do. She could have said no. But it was really cold outside and she had already been really mean to him today. Even though she had every right to be mean to him, she still would feel bad about doing it again. Especially after he said sorry and seemed to be sincere.
Jesse walked over to the living room where Scar and Anna had played and he smiled back at Scar and asked a question with his eyes, having seen the mess.
"Me and Anna were playing." She said keeping her eyes on the floor while she felt a blush start to creep across her face. Maybe inviting him in wasnt the best idea after all.
Jesse laughed and said "Wow."
"What are you doing here anyways?" Scar asked sharply.
Jesse stopped laughing and looked at Scarlett who now had her arms crossed over her chest defensively. She did not feel like being teased by him right now. She had been nice and let him in but that was as far as it went. She didn't have to be nice to him now. It was her house.
"You forgot these-" He lifted out her wallet and cell from his pocket. "- at the beach."
Scarlett stared at her belongings and then sighed. Okay, well just because he was being nice now didn't mean she had to forgive him. But since she was in the wrong to get mad at him for trying to give her stuff back, she said "I'm sorry." She unfolded her arms. "Thank you for giving me back my things." He handed them to her and told her it was no big deal. Then they just stood like that. Scarlett looked around the house like she was trying to find something to say and Jesse looked at Scarlett like he was wiling her to say something. The only problem was that she didn't know what to say. She didn't have to be mean to him anymore because he counteracted the feeling when he had tried to be nice. But at the same time she couldn't be all cheery with him because she wasnt about to pretend that today hadn't even happened at all.
Then Anna saved them by walked in the living room and starting to say "So who was at the door?" but stopped when she saw Jesse. He smiled at her and she blushed and kept looking at him. A full minute went by and Anna stayed like that. Finally Scarlett went over and shook her. And not to lightly. "Hey!" Anna yelled. Jesse put his lips together and tried not to laugh.
"Sorry but you have got to stop that." Scar said.
Anna smiled sheepishly. Then said "So are you staying to watch the movie with us?"
"No!" Scar said to quickly. Then to get away from both people staring at her, she took Anna's arm and lead her to the kitchen and said "We'll be right back." to Jesse. In fact, it was more of a grumble so she wasnt quite sure if he had heard.
Once in the kitchen, Scar turned on Anna. "Why did you do that?" She hissed.
"I was being polite. Come on Scar. It's just a movie. We'll watch it, then he'll leave. No harm done. It's not like he would try anything while I'm here. Please, Scar. Please." She folded her hands and begged Scarlett. Scarlett silently cursed that stupid temptation Jesse talked about that was apparently making Anna like this.
"No. I don't want that freak show in my house. Especially at night!"
Anna laughed at Scarlett and said "The night has nothing to do with it. You just don't want him here because your afraid you might actually like it."
Scar glared at Anna and said "No, I'm really not. I don't want him here because he's a freak who threatened to hurt someone just because he wanted me to dance with him!"
"He was probably only kidding." Scar found it infuriating that Anna didn't even pause in her argument, even after Scarlett had told her what he had done today at the beach. "And you should take it as a compliment. He wanted to dance with you. That's a good thing."
"No it's not! Not when he threatens other people!"
"Again - He was probably only kidding. He doesn't seem like the type to really hurt someone. Just cause he has the body for it doesn't mean that he will actually do it."
Scarlett stared at Anna wide-eyed. "Your just as crazy as him!" was all she said, throwing her hands in the air.
All Anna did was laugh. "Scarlett, come on. Be real. He's not going to do anything and you know it. Even if you think he wasn't kidding on the beach, I think he was. And I'm always right." Scarlett would have disagreed with that statement except for the fact that it was kind of true. Anna, for some reason, was right almost all the time. "So, I see no harm in asking him to stay and watch the movie with us. Once it's over, he'll pack up and leave. Nothing will happen. And if you're so worried that something will-" Anna lowered her voice-"You have a pocket knife right? Even though I don't agree with it, you can bring it out if you think he's being to... unreasonable. And no, that does not mean that you can just bring it out if he does something minor. It has to be something big and if it isn't, don't even think about grabbing it. We'll keep it in here so you can get it when you need it. Okay?"
Scarlett did not like this plan. There were to many things she didn't agree with. The major one being that Jesse was staying. Scarlett looked down at the floor and crossed her arms. She didn't agree nor disagree with Anna's plan. She didn't really have a reason to say no. And Anna wouldn't take that for an answer anyway. Anna thought that everything was worked out and if she did, then she would keep on at it until Scarlett broke down and agreed. Might as well get it over with early. "Fine." She grumbled. She was hoping Anna wouldn't hear her but with the quiet that had been in the kitchen and the fact that Anna was looking for an answer, even if Scarlett said it as low as a mouse, Anna would have heard her.
"Yes!" Anna said. Then she ran out to tell Jesse. Scarlett tipped her head, groaned, and then reluctantly followed Anna.
Jesse was smiling the biggest smile Scarlett had ever seen on him. "Thanks for inviting me to stay." He told her. She mumbled something unrecognizable in reply.
"Scar, why don't you go get the ice cream while I pick out a movie." Anna said while never taking her eyes off of Jesse. Scar rolled her eyes and did what she was asked, even though it was her house and anna was telling her what to do. When she came back with three bowls full of cookies and cream ice cream she saw that Anna and Jesse were on the couch and Jesse was trying to move away from Anna, who kept trying to get closer to him. Scar chuckled when Jesse mouthed the word 'help' to her. She mouthed the word 'no' back. He smiled at her. She realized what she was doing, and she didn't smile back.
"Alright!" Scar said loud enough to get Anna's attention. "Jesse do you mind going in my room and getting my blanket?"
"Not at all." He said and got away from Anna way to quickly that even she noticed.
Scarlett wasn't to sure that letting him up there alone was a good idea but it was too late to change her mind. She laid down the three bowls of ice cream on the glass table in between the couch and television. Scarlett sat down in front of her bowl and gave Anna hers. When Jesse came back, Scarlett thanked him for the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders and then asked Anna what they were going to watch.
Anna smiled, a glint in her eye, and said "Nightmare On Elm Street."
Scarlett almost choked on her ice cream. "What?" She squeaked.
"Nightmare on Elm Street. You said it was my choice." Anna said smugly.
Scarlett gulped and it was obvious that she did not like Anna's choice. Then Jesse asked "What? What is so wrong with that movie?"
"Nothing."Anna said. "Just that Scar hates Scary movies. Last time she saw one she slept in her moms room for a week because she was scared to be alone. This was three months ago."
Jesse looked over at Scarlett and saw that her entire face was tomato red and she was spinning her ice cream around with her spoon.
"Well then can't we watch a different movie?" Jesse asked looking back at Anna.
"No. Scarlett has to get over her crazy fears." Anna said and playfully pushed Scar while she said it.
Scarlett said nothing and when she did it was "I need to go get a drink." Scarlett left the room. When she was in the kitchen she hopped up on the counter and leaned her head back against the cabinet's doors. She was taking deep breaths and telling herself that it was only a movie and she had nothing to worry about. The only problem was that.. she was way to scared. She couldnt watch innocent people get hurt and die on such horrible terms. She knew they were only movies but that didn't stop her from thinking about how it could happen in real life. How it could happen to her. How it could happen to someone she loved.
She was still thinking these horrible thoughts when she felt a hand drop on her knee. She jumped up and yelped. When she did, she hit her head on the cabinet and brought both hands up to where her head was now hurting.
"I am so sorry!" Jesse said. He was the one that had put his hand on her knee.
"Its fine." She said through gritted teeth after she realized what was going on. Then she took a couple of breaths and lowered her hands.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's really okay. I'm fine." Then before he could say sorry again she asked "How come you came in here?"
He looked at her and since she was still siting on the counter she didn't have to look up at him like she usually did. "I just came to say that I'm sorry Anna chose a movie you don't like. I tried to talk to her but she kept insisting that you needed to work over your fear. And even I couldn't get her to change her mind, which is saying something."
Scarlett sighed and said "I guess she's right. It's just... I don't know if I can watch it. I can't watch scary movies. Action movies? I love them. They are awesome to me. But scary movies? I just can't do it. Whenever I watch a scary movie I always have to have someone there to watch it with me. Like my mom. Last time I watched a scary movie with her I had to snuggle up with her and cover my eyes." Then, realizing what she had just done, she punched him in the arm and said "If I hear that you told anyone that I will hurt you so bad."
Jesse rubbed his arm and said "Did you have to do it so hard?"
"Yes."
Jesse dropped his hand and said "I won't tell anyone. I promise." Scarlett looked into his eyes and what she saw told her that he was sincere. "Now. If you do need someone next to you I will be happy to sit next to you on the floor so you won't get to scared."
"Yeah, like I'm going to let you do that." she snorted
"This is for your benefit. Not mine. I swear I won't try to make a move or anything."
Scarlett pursed her lips and thought. She didn't like the idea. But she was almost certain that she needed it. Having someone next to her and holding her, no matter who it was, always made her feel safe. And when watching a horror film, that was what she needed most. She still didn't like it but she agreed because she didn't like being alone even more than Jesse being the one to comfort her. And she knew Anna wouldn't do it. She would refuse and say "You need to get over your fears and me being there isn't going to help". Sometimes Anna really irked her.
"Fine." she finally said. Jesse smiled at her and they left the kitchen.
When they came back in the living room Anna was getting the movie ready and eating the last bit of her ice cream. Scarlett and Jesse's ice cream was already starting to melt so they started to eat it before it did. When the movie started Scarlett wrapped herself in the blanket and leaned against the couch with Jesse next to her on the floor and Anna laying on the couch above them.
The movie wasn't all that scary at first. But when it was, Scarlett freaked. She moved closer to Jesse and slipped under his arm so it was around her. She didn't even think about what she was doing. She was to horrified. She wrapped the blanket tighter around herself and covered her eyes, leaning closer to Jesse.
Scarlett watched the movie, even though she was so scared she was cuddled next to Jesse so much, she was practically sitting on his lap. When the movie was almost halfway over, Anna's cell phone started ringing. Scarlett jumped at the noise but calmed down when she realized what it was. When Anna picked up her phone, Scarlett paused the movie and decided this was a good time to start picking up the bowls from the ice cream. She was just about to when she realized that the kitchen was dark. She started having stupid fantasies about Freddy jumping up behind her and killing her the way he did to that girl in the movie.
Scarlett turned to Jesse and asked "Um... Do you mind coming with me to the kitchen?" Scarlett didn't add the reason for it because she guessed that he already knew it. She was scared. She sounded like a five-year old girl when she talked like this and she expected Jesse to laugh at her silliness. But instead all he did was nod and help her pick up the bowls.
When they walked into the kitchen Jesse went first so Scarlett wouldnt be to scared. But when Scarlett kept looking behind her to see if anyone was there Jesse grabbed her hand and held her close to him. "Look. There isn't anyone here. It's just us."
Scarlett nodded and tried to believe it. But she was still scared so she squeezed his hand.
They put the bowls in the sink and Scarlett finally found the light switch, flicking it on to illuminate the kitchen in a grateful glow.
Jesse turned to Scarlett. "I thought you said you didn't trust me?"
"I don't," She replied. She was trying to be calm but every time she saw a shadow in the corner of her eye she would turn to look at it and find it only a figment of her imagination. Everytime she would become calm that would happen.
Jesse raised their hands, Scarlett's still holding tightly onto his. "This begs to differ." Jesse smiled.
"I don't trust you. But I do feel safer with you than by myself. 'Cause lets face it- Your buff. And you seem like the type to scare the crap out of anyone who tries anything with you." She was actually being serious. He was extremely buff and he had that vibe about him that made other people scared to mess with him. He was also about 6'2". A full foot taller than she was. She still didn't trust him but she felt safer with him around. And even though it really made no sense at all, it was the truth.
Scarlett came back into the living room and saw Anna talking on the phone. She was saying something about how she didn't want to come home and get in the middle of all the drama. But Scar didn't like listening in on other people's business, so she and Jesse sat down in their spot on the floor and waited for Anna.
"You know, I could try to persuade Anna to turn the movie off now." Jesse whispered to Scar.
The only problem with that is that Scar had already gotten through half this movie. She wasnt taking it well but at least she was watching it. And she didn't want to back out now. She was going to watch the movie to the end, even if it did scare her into a heart attack. She was determined to watch it and if she set her mind on it, then she would.
When Anna came over to them she seemed angry but like she was trying to control her temper. "I'm sorry, Scar, but my mom and dad said they need to talk to me. So I need to go home. I'll talk to you tomorrow though, okay?"
"Yeah, sure. Okay. Be careful on your way home, though." Scarlett wanted to ask what was going on but she could see that Anna was really mad and she hated it when people asked her what was wrong when she was mad. It just made her even more angry.
"I will. Thanks ,Jesse, for watching the movie with us and I'm sorry I have to leave in the middle of it."
"It's fine. I had a fun time before that. " He smiled at her and her anger seemed to lessen for a second when she looked at him.
"I'll walk you to the door." Scarlett said trying to distract Anna from Jesse.
When Anna left, Scarlett came back and saw Jesse start to stand up and grab his jacket. She asked him what he was doing.
"Leaving. I figured now that Anna was gone then you didn't have a reason to put up with me anymore." He seemed kind of depressed because of it and didn't met her eyes as he said it.
"Oh." Scarlett actually didn't want him to leave. She didn't think she could handle watching the rest of the movie alone and then not having anyone there afterwards. Jesse seemed to see this so he asked "Unless... you want me to stay?" he asked hopefully
Scarlett looked at Jesse and asked "Do you mind?" sort of sheepishly.
Jesse smiled and said "Not at all." He seemed a lot happier now that he was staying.
Okay, so Scarlett didn't trust him. And she certainly didn't want to be alone with him. But for some reason she couldn't help but want him to stay. The movie had already scared her and it was all that was on her mind. Everything else had been wiped out. Even the part about Jesse. The only thing that registered with her about him was that he was a human being and he would be there to comfort her. That was all she needed right now.
Jesse sat down on the couch and Scarlett snuggled up to him, more happy than before. The movie hadn't started yet but she knew that when it did she would have to do that so she thought to just start out that way. "Are you sure you want to do this? We could just watch something else. " Jesse said to her.
Scar took a deep breath and said that she wanted to do it. When the movie started, Jesse gave Scarlett a tight squeeze around the shoulders. When he did, she felt a sense of safety around him. And she knew that she would always be safe around him. She didn't have to trust him, but she knew she was safe.
She didn't know how she knew. She just did... like instinct.