After school the next day, Cee Cee and I had arranged to jog around the park, down near the school. It was my suggestion. I don't know, I guess I didn't like looking like an unfit fool in front of Brett last night, when I was having trouble walking up that hill and complaining.
We really looked the part of joggers; it must have looked like we knew what we were doing. It was all quite funny.
My hair was tied back in a ponytail, which some strands at the front, which had escaped and blew helplessly in the wind.
I wore black fitted ¾ tights and a black sports bra, which was covered with a blue singlet top, which showed a little of my stomach below my belly button.
We said goodbye to one another and I, who was exhausted, made it through the house and up the stairs.
The damp feeling of sweat was running down my face, and I could feel it trapped under the back of my top.
I walked up to my bedroom and closed the door behind me.
Jesse was in his usual place, sitting on the window seat and he was listing to music from my discman… and singing softly in Spanish
"... apenas béseme bebé y dígame que dos veces, ése usted sea el que esta' para mí. La manera usted me hace la sensación, usted realmente turnin yo bueno..."
I smiled and made my way over to him.
Even though I had left him with in rather rude manner this morning.
I was hoping he'd kind of be over it.
He looked so cute sitting there sideways with his right leg bent up against the window and his other was stretched out across the seat.
Anyway, we could never stay mad at each other for long, so I thought what the heck?
I jumped over his outstretched leg and landed heavily on my butt, in the space between his outstretched leg and the window, with my legs dangling over the leg I'd jumped over.
This startled him big time, as he gasped in shock and stopped singing.
I laughed and before he could take the headphones out of his ears, I'd already reached over and took one out.
"Watcha listening too?"
I said placing the headphone in my ear. My face was about an inch away from Jesse's, which was still kind of getting over the drastic entry.
He was listening to 'The Way You Make Me Feel' from my Michael Jackson album.
"Ooh, sounds better in Spanish I reckon"
I nodded once and lent back against the window.
"I didn't hear you walk in, Susannah…"
He said, embarrassed with the whole: I caught him singing to Michael Jackson thing.
"Yeah, interesting hey…"
I said, still breathing heavily from the jogging. It was kind of a weird moment, so I stared motionlessly across the room.
Out the corner of my eye, I noticed that he checked out my tight fitting, jogging gear, then looked at where my legs were on top of his.
I didn't know if he wanted me to get off or whatever, but I was so tired to move.
"Um, Susannah, about this morning…" He said quietly, looking down.
"Look, don't worry about it… Just, next time, will you please let me speak before jumping to conclusions?"
Not that I could ever tell him about the whole massaging thing that had happened in the car… And the kiss… That was best he didn't know.
"It hurt when you said you hated me, last night, Susannah…"
"Man, you were chucking a psycho! … Degrading me…" I blurted.
"I am truly sorry for my accusations, jumping to conclusions… I mean, if you had seen what I did, when you guys got out of the car… I was just so worried for your safety…"
He said looking longingly into my eyes.
"If I've upset you in any way, I..."
"It's ok, Jesse, it's over, forget it…" I stopped him. "…And, I am sorry… I don't hate you… I was just, shocked."
We sat there silent looking across the room for a minute or so.
Then he looked back down at my legs, which were still on top of his outstretched one.
"Um, how was your jogging session?"
He asked me, finally looking up at my face.
Ooh, he wants to start a conversation, now? Wow, is that what my jogging outfit can do to people?
"Oh"
I let out a long breath of air then grabbed my water bottle, which I had placed beside me, and started drinking furiously.
Jesse laughed "That bad huh?"
"Nah"
I took a breath and put the lid back on the empty bottle and threw it across the room.
"It's was actually really, nice… tiring, but nice".
Then all of a sudden, that stupid fat cat jumped up onto Jesse's lap.
"Oh, hey there gorgeous"
He said changing his tone and stroking its head while speaking in a babyish tone.
I looked at the cat in disgust. How rude! I thought. How come that ugly thing gets a 'Hey gorgeous' and all I get are shocked startled expressions and degrading accusations.
Jesse looked up at my screwed up expression and must have caught on to my thoughts.
"You've got to make you pets feel loved Querida, and then they'll return their affection when they trust you".
He said, then looked back at Spike who was purring as Jesse stroked him.
I rolled my eyes while he wasn't looking, then thought to myself, hey! He had just called me Querida! Without noticing probably. Omg, he must be over it…
Then I thought about what he said… does that mean that if I love you, will you return your affection? I smiled to myself at the thought of Jesse loving me.
"I've got an idea,"
He said, placing his hand in the air above Spike.
"Put your hand on top of mine".
I looked at his glowing masculine hand and thought, what on earth is he doing? His emotions sure change quickly…
He noticed that I'd hesitated so he gently took one of my hands and placed it on top of his. It was warm, for a ghost that is, and really smooth.
Then he lowered his hand until his was touching spike, then slowly took his away so that mine was on the cat. I kind of left it there for a moment thinking that this whole thing was um, stupid. Then I came to my senses and actually pat it along his back. Its fur was rough, but what could you expect… it was a rough kinda cat.
Then, without me actually realising, and I repeat, I didn't realise! That my hand had moved off the cat and onto Jesse's thigh.
I was still looking at the cat when I snorted. That's right, just as I was 'subconsciously' rubbing my hand on this absolutely gorgeous, Spanish guy's thigh, I go and snort!
It just kinda came out unexpectedly… this…snort.
That 'woke me up' from my daydream, but before I had time to take my hand away, he had looked at where I was rubbing him, then up at me weirdly.
I took my hand away pretty quickly then, and kinda managed an awkward laugh.
I didn't know whether he was giving me that weird look because of my snort or from where I was touching him… then I thought that it might have been the fact that I had snorted while rubbing his leg.
"Oh God, I'm a looser!"
I said, awkwardly looking away from his face.
Then full on unexpectedly, he laughed, like really hard while holding his stomach.
OMG this was real embarrassing, trust me!
"You…are…so…funny!"
He tried to say between laughing.
I raised my eyebrows, not knowing what to say, or do.
He calmed down suddenly, wiping his eye.
"Querida, I've never know a girl quite like you before"
He said lifting the cat off his lap.
I looked at my fingernails nervously, not knowing what to do.
"It's a good thing though," He said more seriously now.
"R…i…g…h...t"
I said slowly and sarcastically. Then I lifted myself over his leg to get up.
Was he like loosing it, or has he totally forgotten about last night?
He took my hand just as I had stood and was about to lift my hand from where I had pushed up from. I turned to look at him.
He was just about to say something when my mother called out from the top of the
staircase outside my door.
"Susie, honey, dinner is ready".
I snapped out of it and took my hand from Jesse's.
"I haven't had my shower yet"
I called back to her.
"Have it later dear, you're dinner will get cold".
She replied walking down the stairs.
I looked at Jesse, who had now picked up his book, and grumbled as I turned around and walked towards the door.
I heard him snicker behind my back. Then I had this feeling that he was looking at my butt as I walked… well, I was wearing tights that sat nicely on my hips, allowing just a little of my tanned waistline to be seen.
But then again this was old-fashioned, well-mannered, honourable intentions guy here! But then again…maybe he couldn't resist a peek. And he has the hide to blame Brett for touching me.
Oh dear, guys are weird, I smiled to myself as I left the room.