10 years later
Jesse hit the snooze button on his alarm clock and groaned. The sun was streaming in threw his dark blue drapes. He lifted his head and looked at the clock, which said 8:10. He sighed and dropped his head back onto the pillow. He had to be at school for 9 so he could spare a couple more minutes. Unfortunately he only got 2 more minutes of sleep before there was a knock on his door.
"Jess? It's time to wake up honey." His mother said peeking her head in his room. Her dark hair was still as dark as before, not a touch of grey and she wore it in a French bun. There was sign of her age around her eyes and a touch of it around her stomach but other than that she was pretty much the same woman 10 years ago.
"It's Friday! Cant I have a three day weekend?" He whined into his pillow.
"No." She said opening his drapes so the sun poured into his room.
"Come on Mom!" He said giving her a smile that he had mastered. It was a smile that gave him almost anything that he wanted, whether it was staying out past curfew or going on a date with Kelly Prescott.
"Don't smile at me like that! Did you think that I forgot about your exams starting next week?" She said picking up the dirty laundry on his floor.
"Figures." He grumbled and kicked off the sheets. "Do I have any clean clothes?"
"You know you should really be doing your own laundry by now? You're 18 for God's sake. What are you going to do in 3 months when your half way across the country living by yourself?" She asked giving him a stern look.
"I'll just send my dirty laundry to you…FEDEX!" Her face looked shocked and he smiled at her. "Just kidding mom."
"Yes well…"She sighed. "There are clean clothes on the dryer." She grumbled.
"Thanks mom." He kissed her cheek and raced down the stairs in only his boxer shorts. He stopped to look at himself in one of the mirrors on the wall. He had always been scrawny and awkward as a child and it wasn't until he hit high school that he started to work out. He watched his muscles flex, showing off the time and dedication he had put in at the gym. His biceps were nicely toned and his stomach had a faint outline of a 6-pack. Plus there had been a lot of sun lately so he had a really nice tan that made him-
"Narcissistic much?" Maria said coming up the stairs. Jesse shrugged and then smiled at her.
"Morning Cuzz! Going home today?" He shot back and watched his 16 year old cousin, Maria, flinch. Her curly brown hair was in a pony tail and she was wearing her blue and white cheerleading uniform.
"Jesse, do not tease her!" His father's stern voice came from the living room. "She can leave when she's ready." Jesse rolled his eyes and she stuck her tongue out at him. He went downstairs and threw on a pair of blue jeans and a white Hollister polo. He threw on a checkered blue and white shirt with buttons over top and left the buttons undone and rolled the sleeves up to his elbows. He grabbed a pair of white socks and raced back to his room to finish getting ready.
"Bye Mom." Jesse called as he unlocked his black 2011 Corvette C7 that his parents had bought for him on his 18th birthday. Maria skipped past and threw her bag inot the backseat before she got in.
"Be careful driving. Its supposed to rain." His mother said from the front door. He made a point of looking up into the cloud-less blue sky before he said, "Okay" and got into the car.
He started the car and caught a glimpse of a black blurr climb into the old green '98 Hyundai Accent that sat in the driveway next door.
"Looks like the hermit's come out for the day." Maria said as they backed out of the driveway. Jesse sighed, waved to his mother and took off down the road at top speed.
"JD! How's it going?" Adam McTavish said, slapping Jesse on the back. Jesse smiled at his best friend and high-fived him. Adam and Jesse had met when they had both signed up for Football in 9th grade. They became good friends when they, the only 9th graders, both made it on to the varsity team. Now Jesse was the quarterback and Adam the captain.
"Big party tonight! You gonna grace us with your presence?" Adam said leaning on the locker's beside Jesse, while watching the girls walk by.
"I don't know. Probably." He answered, grabbing his math book. He closed his locker and started off towards Homeroom.
"Probably? Man, come on! Hot chicks, beer, loud music! Why wouldn't you go?" Adam said enthusiastically and Jesse shrugged. Lately he was getting tired of the same old routine; party on Friday, hangover on Saturday and then homework on Sunday. "Kelly will be there and I heard on the chick grapevine that she's going to give her V-card to you." Adam said nudging him.
"She said that?" Jesse said feeling hopeful all of a sudden.
"That's what I heard. Come to the party tonight man. It's gonna be hot!" Adam smiled and Jesse sighed.
"Alright I'll be there."
"Yes! Great! It's gonna be fucking amazing. I heard that Bryce Martinson got a new bo-"
"Don't forget to pay for Grad people! Only 14 days away." A loud voice cut off Adam as they entered the main hallway. Adam looked towards the speaker and smirked. He nudged Jesse with a mischievous grin.
"Come on." He said moving towards the table set up against a wall halfway down the hallway. "Hey Ceecee." Adam said, leaning against the wall beside her.
"Adam." She said with a nod, but didn't look at him. She looked briefly at her companion and then stared straight ahead. Jesse could see that her breathing had increased and she held her hands tightly together in her lap. He smirked as he pulled his bag onto his shoulder and stood closer to the table.
"You know I bet you would get more people to pay if you took off that hideous blue top that you're wearing." He said giving Jesse a wink to which Jesse shook his head. Ceecee blushed the colour of her dyed red hair. It was obvious that she was struggling for something to say, but couldn't think of anything.
"You'd like that wouldn't you? If Ceecee was a skank like the rest of them?" Adam shrugged and smiled at Jesse. "Why don't you just ask her out already? I'm getting tired of your sad attempts to get her attention." Came the sharp voice from Ceecee companion. Adam looked nervous for a second and then smirked.
"Well, well. The hermit speaks. How's it going Susie Sunshine? Haven't seen you around here in a while." Adam taunted. Susannah hid her face under her long dark black hair. She didn't look up from the book she was reading, but Jesse could tell that she was paying full attention to what Adam was saying.
"She goes to school everyday." Ceecee said trying to defend her friends honor. Adam gave a snort.
"Oh well then. I guess I just didn't notice you." He snapped and Jesse watched Susannah flinch. Before he could step in she spat back…
"Piss off Adam." He smirked and raises his hands.
"Here's a tip Cee." He leaned close to her and her breath caught. Her bright blue contacts twinkled at him. "Ditch the vamp. She's depressing." He laughed as he walked away. Jesse hesitated before he followed, his eyes lingering on Susannah for a moment longer than necessary. He sighed and started off down the hallway. He nodded to a couple of friend on the football team.
"Jesse!" came a high pitch voice from behind him. He turned around and saw Kelly Prescott strutting towards him. His eyes flicked to Suze's and she immediately looked away. "Hey babe." Kelly said reaching up and giving him a deep kiss.
"Hey." He said when she stepped back. He wrapped an arm around her and they started off down the hall.
"You going to the party tonight?" She asked waving to a group of girls as they walked by.
"Yea, Adam's talked me into it."
"Good because I have this really hot dress. I think you're going to like it." She said, whispering into his ear. She pressed her soft lips against his neck and sighed. He coughed uncomfortably and she smiled up at him.
"See you later." She said wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply.
"Alright break it up." Mr. Allen, the math teacher, said appearing in front of them. He was a small man, just reached Jesse's shoulder, with light blonde hair and tired blue eyes that came with late night feedings and diaper changes of a 3 month old baby.
"Uh, Sorry." Jesse mumbled.
"Sorry Mr. Allen." Kelly said with a flirtatious smile. He looked at her then shook his head and headed into the classroom.
"I'll see you at lunch." She said blowing him a kiss and heading off to her English class.
"Man, I'm totally going to bomb my math exam." Jesse said to Adam, as he headed home. "Mr. Allen gave us review tips and half of the stuff on there I don't even remember." Jesse sighed and Adam snorted in the back seat.
"That's because you have a tiny brain and can't retain important information. Such as that street that you just passed was our street." Maria teased from the seat beside him. Adam let out a loud laugh and Jesse swore.
"Shit!" He said hitting the brakes and causing them all to fly forward.
"Seriously man. I thought you've lived there your whole life?" Adam asked.
"I have. I just got…distracted." Jesse said with a shrug as he turned onto his street.
"By what?" Adam smirked.
"I dunno."
"See I told you." Maria gloated. "He suffers from small-brain syndrome. Oh and Narcissism." I caught him staring at himself in the mirror this morning." She crossed her arms in satisfaction as Adam busted out laughing.
"I was checking something." Jesse defended.
"Oh yea? Like how muscular you are?" she mocked.
"Wanna know something about Maria?" Jesse asked and Maria bit her bottom lip with worry. He pulled into the driveway and put the car in park. "She's got 6 toes." He smiled with satisfaction as she gave a sharp gasp.
"Really?" Adam asked, leaning forward so he could see her face. Her face crumbled and she flew open the door and raced into the house sobbing. Adam looked shocked. "What's wrong with her? 6 toes is hot!" he said.
"You're a freak." Jesse chuckled as he turned off the car and pulled back the seat for Adam to get out.
"Hey I've got a think for quirkiness." Adam said as he grabbed his bag.
"Which is why out of all the girls at school you chose the albino to fall in love with?" Jesse teased.
"I don't love her." Adam defended. "I just like to annoy her." Jesse laughed.
"I bet that's not all you like to do!"
"Shut up man. People might here!" Adam looked around nervously.
"So?"
"So…I cant ruin my rep." He whispered and Jesse shook his head.
"And Ceecee would ruin your rep?" Jesse asked.
"Buddy, she's a freak! Almost as bad as Count Dracula next door." Adam smirked as he pointed to the green house next door and Jesse laughed.
"Count Dracula was a boy. She's a girl." They both looked towards Suze's house.
"You never know…she could be a boy!" Adam said.
"Trust me," Jesse answered. "She's a girl."
"You would know." Adam said with a smirk and went into the house. Jesse smiled and looked at the house again. He sighed and then went in and shut the door.
They arrived at Debbie Mancuso's mansion around 9:30. The music was loud and people were everywhere. Maria disappeared into the crowd without a word. She was still mad at him for the toe comment.
"Beer's probably in the kitchen." Adam said and headed for the most crowded spot. They spotted a couple of their football buddies and went to hang out with them. They were hanging around the garbage can full of beer bottles and ice.
"Hey guys! What's up?" Tad Beaumont asked as they high-fived each other.
"Did you see your girl, Jess?" Bryce asked with an amused expression. "Smokin' in that dress!" Jesse smirked.
"I haven't seen her yet. But she told me about it."
"Man, she's not going to remain a virgin for long in that dress." Bryce said and Jesse knew he should've gotten upset that his friend was talking about his "girlfriend" like that but he didn't really care. Kelly was nice and pretty but she was dumb and studied her nails when he spoke. Basically not the kind of girl that he was going to bring home to mom and dad.
"Well, well. Adam. Check who just walked in." Tad said. All the guys turned and saw a flash of bright red followed by black. He watched them walk in and look around. Ceecee was clearly looking for someone and looked eager to have a good time, where as Suze looked very uncomfortable and annoyed.
"The freaks are in town." Bryce joked.
"Who invited them?" Kelly asked appearing at Jesse's side and causing him to jump.
"Ceecee's on the student council with Debbie." Adam explained as he watched her move through the crowd and Jesse smirked at him.
"Well…" She said with a looked of disgust on her face. Then she looked away and smiled. "So what do you think?" She said posing for Jesse. He looked at his friends and smiled.
"Think of what?" He asked and some of the guys sniggered in the background. She looked embarrassed for a second and then smiled.
"My dress silly!" She laughed and touched his arm lightly. Bryce whistled and Tad "Whooped"
"Oh…" Jesse said pretending to study it. She gave a little twirl and smiled at him.
"It's hot Kel, smokin' hot!" Bryce said. It was a tight black dress that ended just below her small butt and pushed her chest up to make them look more appealing than they already did. She wore thin strapped high heels which made her 3 inches taller and made her legs look amazing. Jesse thought about Bryce's comment; she defiantly wouldn't be a virgin after tonight.
"It's amazing." Jesse said to her. Her eyes filled with happiness and then lust. "Wanna go upstairs?" He whispered into her ear. She gasped playfully and gave a nervous giggle.
"Now?"
"Why not?"
"Well I wanted to show it off first. Once I take it off I wont want to put it back on." She said running her hands over her dress in a seductive way.
"Fine by me." He said with that smile. She looked at it and her breath hitched, then she looked away.
"Jesse." She laughed. "Later…I promise." He groaned as she reached up and kissed him lightly. "I'm gonna go find Debb. See you." She said tossing her curled blonde hair over her shoulder and smiling at him.
"Man, you are one lucky SOB." Bryce said watching her walk away.
"It's gonna be a great night!" Jesse said and Bryce laughed.
"Excuse me." Someone pushed their hand into Jesse's back and gave a quick shove, moving him out of the way and crashing into Bryce. Jesse turned around, annoyed and ready to rip the person to shreds, but stopped. Suze stuck her hand in the ice water and grabbed a beer bottle. She popped off the top and took a big gulp. When she was done she sighed and opened her eyes.
"Jeez Buffy! Don't be so rough." Bryce said.
"Buffy was a Vampire Slayer, not a vampire moron!" She snapped and Jesse chuckled.
"At least she was hot!" Bryce spit back.
"Oh that's right!" She said with a sarcastic laugh. "I forgot my life's mission was to dress like a skank and pretend that you're smart just so you'll think I'm hot!" She snapped and then shook her head with disgust as she stormed away.
"Man she must have like permanent PMS." Bryce said and Jesse laughed and shook his head as he watched her push her way through the crowd.
The clock in the living room struck 12 and the party was hotter than every. By this point people, well most people, were piss drunk and making out with the first person they saw. To Jesse's satisfaction there was a lot of girl on girl action.
He walked up the stairs in search of Kelly because she had promised him a "later" and he thought 3 hours was long enough. He stepped over some drunk freshman girl who had passed out in the middle of the hallway and avoided an eager couple pressed up against the wall. He stumbled over a kid, barely out of elementary school, who was clearly on something. When he straightened up a door opened and next thing he knew he collided with somebody.
"Oof." He said as he was elbowed in the stomach.
"Hey! Watch where you're going Mor-oh sorry." Suze looked up at him worried for a second. Then she became aware that his hands were still on her and looked down at them. He quickly dropped his hands and she looked up at him. "Sorry." She mumbled and started to walk away.
"Hey wait!" He called after her. She paused and then slowly turned around. She looked at him with a semi curious/worried expression. He had so many things that he wanted to say, but he didn't know where to start. When she raised her eyebrows he realized that he was just standing there staring at her. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh…have you seen Kelly anywhere?" He managed to say. He watched her expression change from curiosity to confusion to annoyance.
"No, sorry." She snapped and turned, disappearing down the stairs. He kicked himself for being an idiot and turned back to the closed doors. He debated knocking on every door and then decided that he didn't really care and knocked on every door, interrupting couple after couple. When he thought he'd checked every room he noticed that the cupboard door was open. He hesitated, bracing himself and opened the door. He felt his face heat up as he took in the sight before him.
Kelly had her dress up around her waist and her breasts were fully exposed. Her legs were wrapped tightly around Bryce, whose pants were down around his ankles. She bit her bottom lip and opened her eyes briefly. She gasped when she caught sight of Jesse.
"Yea, you like that?" Bryce said, his face buried in her neck.
"No! STOP!" She panted, pushing him slightly. Bryce looked at her curiously and then looked over his shoulder and saw Jesse standing there. Jesse frowned, shook his head and walked away.
"Jesse wait!" He heard Kelly calling, but he kept walking. "Jesse! It's not…it's not what you think." She screeched. He laughed sarcastically and started down the stairs.
"Jesse please!" She shouted and everyone stopped talking and looked up at them. He sighed and looked up at her. She swayed slightly from too much alcohol, her hair was tousled and stuck to her forehead and her dress was uneven and wrinkled. "Jesse…I'm sorry." She said with a pleading expression. "I didn't mean it. I'm really drunk." She said with a chuckle, and when she saw his expression her smile dropped. "Please." She whispered stepping closer to him. He looked at her and shook his head.
He shook his head and turned away from her. Without another word to anyone he headed out to his car. He heard people calling her names as he walked by, and some offered words of consolation to him. One girl actually threw herself at him.
He managed to get out to his car in 10 minutes and left Debbie's without looking back. As he drove he realized that he wasn't really mad that she had cheated on him. He didn't really like Kelly to begin with, but he was more upset about Bryce. "Sleeping" with your best friend's girl was completely against the rules. His speed increased as he thought about it. He would never even think of doing that to one of his friends, even if he was intoxicated. He shook his head and blared the music to push the image out of his head. Before he knew it he had passed his street for the second time that day.
"FUCK!" He hit the brakes and the tires squealed as he did a quick U-turn.
As he pulled into his driveway he looked at the completely dark house. Not a single light was on, which meant his parents were both asleep. He sighed and shut off the car. As the world went dark and quiet around him he noticed that there was a soft light coming from the back of the house. His heart race quickened as every bad scenario ran through his mind. He quietly got out of the car and headed to the backyard.
As he opened the gate, he noticed that they light was coming from the tree house. It wasn't too bright, just a couple of flashlights and a lantern. An old lantern that had been hidden in a secret compartment in the toy box. He smiled and headed up to the tree house.
