Misunderstandings


Jacklin sat there humming, staring off into space for about two minutes until she heard someone walking towards her. She peeped her head up to see three guys staring at her. Oh shit! Jacklin's mind screamed,making her look down immediately.

Is their something on my dress? She looked down.

Nothing.

Did someone draw on my face? She tilted the umbrella down in their direction so they wouldn't see her wipe her face madly.

Nothing.

What the hell are they starin' at!?

She put the parasol back in it's place, by her shoulder and looked at the three guys.

They all got dressed up was the only thing her mind came up with as she tilted her head to the side.

Trent's head mirror was gone, he had a white button down shirt with a tan vest; with green slacks

they suit him jacklin hummed looking over to the confused, sorta red carrot top.

Ricks usually red- blonde hair was tied back in a loose pony tail, but he still had that forehead ribbon on. His button down was short sleeved and a cerulean green, with black dress pants.

The guy who stomped over, she furrowed her brow at.

Who the hell is he?!

He had short red hair, his bangs covered his eyes, leading him to brush them from his face in annoyance. His eyes were icy blue like her fathers. He had a collard shirt, lilac like her dress. With tan khaki pants.

He looks like an upset 13 year old! She giggled causing all three men to look at her. Trent tipped his head, Rick blushed even redder and the other red head scowled.

My guess that's gray her brain processed dryly letting onto her expression. As she readied herself for talking a lump in her throat, her strong voice got nervous and became soft and raspy; like how it used to be.

"um... C-c-can" she stopped to look around the square for anyone to make them stop. Karen was glaring at her, pissed. Elli looked confused, but excited to see another girl in town, then Mary gave her a quick glance and returned to her book; sitting at her mothers stand.

Where's Ann and Popuri?! Somebody, anybody? At that moment cliffs head popped up from Dukes stand putting different wines on the counter.

"Cliff!" she called waving her arm, he didn't respond and the guys all raised an eyebrow. Crap! What am I gonna do, think jacklin think!

At that moment a little light bulb flashed above her head, she knew he'd yell at her for doing it and say 'that's not the proper term for it', but the staring; it needed to stop!

Jacklin balled up her fist, stood up and spread her legs in a defensive stance; then held her fist to her chest in an attempt to guard herself from the stares.

"Cliff nii - Chan help!" she yelped pouting, blushing and embarrassed all at once. The three guys looked taken aback from her loud outburst, then their eyes widened at the word 'nii – Chan'. She could've sworn she was a child again, repeating those exact words.

At that second an embarrassed Cliff walked up with a scolding look on his face and crossed his arm at her.

"Jacklin you know I don't like it when you call me that! Plus it doesn't make any sense. Your olde-", but he was stopped by jacklin who hid behind him whispering "help me" pointing at the confused trio from under his powder blue dress shirt.

He looked down at the girl then at the three guys. It took a second for cliff to get what was wrong in the picture.

" Um.. guys?" the three looked up, and jacklin tried to hide behind him even though their the same height. It just made her stand out more.

"She's really s-shy, so could you stop staring?" his voice was nervous, as if they'd say no. At that moment Karen came over and dragged Rick away, Gray's father called him back for sett up; which left Trent apologizing profusely.

"I'm sorry miss, I just thought I'd seen you before, that's all" he apologized again holding his hand up defensively. He looked over to cliff now.

"I'm sorry if I caused your little sister any discomfort" cliff looked horrified, embarrassed and annoyed all at once. Jacklin stepped from behind him and announced.

" I'm his friend, and you have seen me before" she beamed shyly trying to calm Cliff down so he wouldn't scold her so badly afterwords. "You helped Dr. Hardy do my stitches when I used to live here."

Trent tapped his chin a few times until he got it.

"Oh! You're Ms. Wilson" Trent looked at her realizing she was no where near little, she might be taller than him. Cliff walked away and they began chatting for awhile. After 10 minutes jacklin noticed Popuri and Ann at their families stand side by side. she excused herself, which left a very depressed Trent, now he had no one to discuss medical issues with; Elli would tell him that he was a workaholic and go to the super market when he did.

"Popuri~! Ann~!" she called running over to them, they looked at her like she was crazy. " it's me jacklin." they both raised an eyebrow, then widened their eyes.

"Jackie is that really you?!" Popuri screeched glomping her. Jacklin nodded slowly "you look so cute!"

Ann also complemented her and they began talking. Nothing stood out to her until Ann said something about jacklin having a 'stalker' which lead to them giggling uncontrollably.

"Uh.. h-hi." said a crackling voice behind jacklin. She turned around and greeted him in her still nervous voice.

"Hi Rick" as she let the words fall out of her mouth she could tell Karen was staring daggers at her and she tensed up ;he became a light shade of red.

"is there anything wrong?" her voice low. while scratching her head in a sheepish manner. He didn't respond, he only became redder. Popuri and Ann decided to pick at the awkward tension.

"Rick what are you doing?" Popuri pestered while Ann readied her camera behind her dress. "um, well..... you see! nothing"his face was cherry red now and he shuffled his feet trying not to look up. Ann decided to do something that rick would yell at her for,but hey you only live once.

"Hey Rick~" Ann cooed with a Cheshire grin on her face grasping Jacklin's shoulders slightly. Rick looked up to a girl taller than him, her brown hair fluttering against her flushed freckled face, with a slight purplish shine to it. As Ann put her hands on her shoulders her hands shot up instinctively,placing her right hand under her chin and her brown eyes to double in size.

"do you think she's pretty?" after the words processed in his head, hell had already broken loose.

Jacklin fainted, dropping her umbrella, falling on rick, which caused the stands to topple over; luckily nothing and no one were in them. The stands falling scared Anna who was dancing with basil,causing her to jerk violently away from their position knocking into some of the other couples. Jeff and Sasha, another one of the couples, fell and hit a table that Elli was guarding from May and Stu.

All her cookies and snacks were saved due to her quick thinking when she grabbed the table cloth by the ends; but that didn't stop her lemonade from launching off the table hitting a certain red headed boy.

"What the mph-!" cliff quickly covered his mouth after retrieving Jacklin's parasol that blew by. Gray wasn't wet, but the pitcher hit him right upside the head causing a bump to form and Ann had gotten the whole event on camera. After everyone recovered they walked over to the original start of the mayhem.

Ricks glasses were fogged up and his face was the darkest shade of scarlet I'd ever seen; he was muttering something incoherent. His back pressed against the right side of Doug's stand, with jacklin coming to on top of him. She rubbed her head and got up, then dusted herself off.

"what happened?" her mind clicked. "Ann that wasn't funny! You could have given me an ulcer!" jacklin whined extending a hand to rick. He took it gingerly and his blush faded. Jacklin pulled him up forgetting her strength and she almost took the two to the ground again.

She noticed everyone's eyes on her and felt claustrophobic, quickly backing up hitting someone. "you're such a klutz" he mumbled in a loving fashion, placing the parasol over their heads.

" nuh uh" she retorted pouting taking the umbrella, turning around so he wouldn't see her blush.

"oh really?" he noogied her and began running for his life.

Two can play at that game! Dress or no dress jacklin began running and tackled cliff to the ground like a linebacker. They hadn't played this game since they were 14 and jacklin was gonna make sure she got the most fun out of it.

"Gotcha!" she gloated smirking. She stole his scrunchie and began noogieing him back tangling his hair. Everyone just watched in shock as the two played their game. Shy and timid Cliff rough housing was enough to turn heads, but with a girl and one that most of them don't know, yeah that could start up the rumor mill and Anna already had ideas.

After she finished 'playing' she got up and stuck her tongue out at him giggling; then extended a hand. Before he took it he spotted her anklet, it had just fallen off, he remembered when she got it and that one time she lost it; he scooped it up.

"you dropped this" cliff averted her eyes and looked to his left shyly brushing it off. The red heart charms shined like the day she got it, the overwhelmingly happy feeling she got couldn't be controlled. Meekly she kissed his cheek then bent down to fasten the anklet back on her left leg.

"i bet their high school sweethearts" manna exclaimed cupping her right cheek, looking up at the sky.

"They'll be married by next fall" Anna over exaggerated. Grabbing her face blushing.

"young love" Sasha cooed.

*jacklin kissed cliffs cheek*

" make that next spring" manna corrected, the women giggled and thought of some ideas to see if they could get the two to spill. Gray, Ann, Rick and Popuri overheard their gossiping.

"Aww!" Popuri squealed jumping up and down. Ann brushed it off as friendly affection as gray's face fell. Rick looked heart broken for a minute, then smiled to himself.

--- ---

Gray's p.o.v.

Carter started the music and everyone started forming couples. Dad and Ann were grouped and she looked really pissed when cliff got paired up with Mary.

Great I groaned, now I'm all alone the gears in his head turned and clicked.

What about cliffs friend, I'm sure she doesn't have a partner. I spotted her sitting down on that bench again, she looked like she was waiting for something to happen.

I could feel something bubbling up in the pit of my stomach

he's nervous

I extend my hand and ask her to dance, my palm sweating and my face heating up. She looks embarrassed and looks away from my eyes. My hearts slamming against my ribcage as she looks up and smiles. She offers her hand to me.

"Hey!" a familiar voice calls causing my hair on my neck to raise

"what do you want gramps?" I growled in an annoyed tone. He looked at me and then at the girl. He had that cheeky grin from earlier, it made my eye twitch. The girl smiled at him meekly.

" I'm sorry gray" she paused and shifted her eyes to her feet . Grandpa finished it.

"she's my date"

grays jaw dropped and he felt his head pounding.

"you mean this is the old hag you were talking about!?" Jacklin's eyebrows shot up

"who are you callin' a old hag!" she threatened, jumping up and glaring at him like she'd murder him any second; fist clenched.

They had a heated stare down not one of them budging an inch, several thoughts crossed grays mind,like:

what is she, amazon women? Or, Why wont you back down!? leading to the calmed who are you?

"that's enough" Saibara sighed, separating the two, Then holding Jacklin's hand he smiled, another song played.

"may I have this dance" he winked and jacklin giggled,

"I'd be delighted"

– – – –

Saibara twirled the girl from left to right spinning her around and jacklin had turned into a little girl again.

The days her mom and dad would take a break from farm work when she got home from school and they'd play. Her dad would smirk as she laughed, her pigtails bobbing from side to side, her mothers laughter always rung in her ears like that sweet melody they used to play.

Her hair tied low to suit her age better, as she played the guitar -

a bell chimed, they stopped dancing.

"It's time for the younger adults to dance now" carter piped smiling. The girls got in one line and the guys got in the other, Harris and Gotz were thrown in to make it even.

The beat started slow and elegant, then sped up, jacklin was paired up with Gotz, she laughed as he threw and caught her. Then the townspeople chanted 'switch' and the couples were broken. She wound up with Trent and while dancing they discussed different treatments to various viruses and jacklin could relate with her medical history and enjoyed the conversation.

They switched again and had rick this time. She had to lead because of the height distance and rick wouldn't look up. It caused jacklin to giggle uncontrollably. She was enjoying herself so much she hadn't realized that they had switched again and whom she was dancing with.

If your reading this I'm sorry but school has started and I don't have free time until the weekends, I cant write anymore until then T^T even though I want to