Chapter 3

"Jacob Alexander Puckerman!" I heard my mother scream from the kitchen. I've had been hiding out in my room all day, knowing she would be going crazy over the whole thing she had planned for the evening. It has been a week since Marley Rose moved the next to door. After that day, when we spoke we would share little moments with each other through the window. We would sit down, talk, and laugh.

Talking to her felt easy, like I don't have to keep the mask I had all the time. "Jacob. Alexander. Puckerman!" My mother burst through my door making me jump. Her eyes wide with anger and her clothes all stained with food and dust.

"I was… cleaning" I lied, avoiding her eyes.

"You get down there and help!" she screamed before she launched herself towards me, smacked my head with a wooden spoon and grabbed my ear and dragged me down.

"Ow! You're hurting me!" I whined trying to set myself free.

"You'll live" she grumbled, dragging me down the stairs. Once we reached the living room she let go of my ear and threw the broom and mop at me. "Now clean" she said before heading back to the kitchen.

"I don't understand why we need to have Saturday dinner here? Why can't we do it at the Rose's house like we always do" I complain and started sweeping. I knew better not to listen to my mother.

"Because they have a guest and I would like to show the girl…"

"Marley" I corrected.

"What?" My mother asked confuse.

"She has a name. Her name is Marley. Not girl" I grumbled.

There was silence from the kitchen and I begin to worry. I turned around to find my mother glaring at me with her arms crossed. "Jake Puckerman. Please don't tell me you're sleeping with the girl"

"What?" I asked startled. "Mom no!"

"You better because if I hear that you got the Rose's granddaughter pregnant I will cut it off" she said pointing at my lower side.

"Mom! I'm sleeping with her and I'm not getting her pregnant" I whined, rolling my eyes. My mother huffed and went back to the kitchen and I went back to sweeping. "Beside she would get pregnant because I always use a condom" I smirked.

There was silence and then a zooming noise before the wooden spoon hit the back of my head.

4 hours later, the house was spotless and the food was ready. I had already gotten dress while mom soaked in a nice bath. I slumped on the couch and turned the tv on. I was flipping through some channels when there was a knock on the door.

With a heavy sigh, I got up and opened the door. "Hello Jake" said with a small smile but my eyes were too focus on the blushing girl in front of me. She was wearing a light lilac sun dress that hugged every curve of her body perfectly.

"Aren't you going to let us in?" asked breaking the eye contact between us.

"Oh yeah! Of course" I blushed and stepped aside letting them in. "Mom is taking a bath but she'll be down in a moment" I said.

The Rose's nodded and walked in while Marley stayed behind. "Hi Jake" she said shyly with the blush I've been dying to see all day.

"Hi" I said closing the door behind me. We awkwardly stood there, not knowing what to say while her grandparents smiled knowingly.

"You're house is lovely" she said looking around.

"It is lovely" her grandmother interjected. "Maybe you should give Marley a tour" she smirked as her husband nodded with agreement.

"I would love that" Marley said with a smile.

"Uh, sure" I said, although I'm sure there wasn't going to be anything new to show her. Our house was exactly the same as the Rose's house. "Follow me" I said and Marley did. We both went up the stairs, one next to each other, with our shoulders barely touching. "Um… it's pretty much the same. Your house and my house use to be one. That's why it's so close" I tried to explain as we walked through the narrow hallway.

"I know. My grandpa told me" she said.

"Oh…" I said.

"But you're wrong" she said with a small giggle. "We don't have these in my house" she said pointing at the baby pictures my mother had set up on the walls.

"Oh god! Don't look at them" I said shaking my head.

"Why? You look so cute" she gushed and giggled even more. "You have a beautiful smile" she added, tracing her fingers along the picture before she turned. "Maybe you should smile more" she said tilting her head.

"I don't smile" I said.

"I've seen you smile" she said and I had nothing to say because with her, I do smile. We awkwardly stand there again. The voice inside my head telling me to take the chances. That if it was any other girl I would have kissed her by now but I know that she wasn't just any other girl and that I might even want more from her.

The thought scared me. Jake Puckerman never wants more. "So…?" she whispered.

"There is a party tonight. Do you want to go with me?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. "I mean-"

"I would love to" she beamed happily.

"Really?" I asked surprise.

"Yes. Really" she giggled and I smiled. Maybe wanting more wasn't so bad.

An hour later me and Marley were getting out of the car and walking towards one of my friend's house. The music was booming from the inside and everyone had a red cup in their hand. "So where are we?" she asked as she comes close.

"One of my buddies always throws the start of the summer thing" I explained as I carefully placed my hand on the small of her back and led her inside. I saw some of my friends and waved at them before turning to her.

"Have you ever been on a party before?" I asked and she shook her head with a small grin. "That's what I thought" I chuckled.

"But I've seen lot of movies" she giggled. "I think it's pretty obvious. First we dance, then you ask me if I want a drink. We dance some more" she smirked. "Doesn't seem too complicated"

I laughed. "That's pretty much it" I said.

"Then what are you waiting for? Ask me to dance" she said poking my chest.

I chuckled again and take her hand and spun her around. We start moving along the beat of the music. Our eyes locked as our movements became one. For a moment I even forget where I am. To me the place is empty. It's just us.

After what seemed like forever we finally stopped. "How about that drink now?" I asked and she nodded. "Wait here" I said and made my way to the drinks table.

As I started serving the drink I am surprise on how much fun I'm having. I've never enjoyed myself at a party like tonight and I know it's because of her. "Dude! Looks like Ryder is making his move" one of my buddies popped beside me, draping his arm across my shoulder.

"Finally" I chuckled and as I take the two cup in my hands, before shrugging off my drunk friend. I turned around and time slowed down. I see my Ryder and Marley. They were laughing as Ryder brushed away a strand of hair out of her face.

"Our little Ryder is finally growing" my friend laughed beside me. For a moment I have the burning desire to go there and put a stop to it. She came with me. She's with me… but she wasn't. In fact good girls like her didn't go for guys like me. They went for guys like Ryder.

I see Marley turn to talk to someone else and Ryder's eyes land on me. He gives me a thumbs up and grins. "She's the one" he mouths before Marley's attention is back on him. I looked down at my feet and I press down the sudden anger that is traveling through my chest. "Here" I said as I shove the drink's on my friend's hand and I push him away to leave.

"Hey! Where are you going?" he asked and I keep on walking.

"Home" I murmured under my breath as the image of Ryder and Marley burn in my head. It's the way it's supposed to be.