Chapter 69: Whitey Durham Memorial Field House
Tuesday, January 3rd, Morning
He just stood there as his fellow Sophomore's left the gym. Shaking his head, Jackin Rothenburg couldn't believe what had just happened. He had never been talked to that way before. Sawyer Scott gave it to him. Shaking his head, again, he brushed his brunette bangs out of his eyes and turned to see his two closest friends walking over towards him.
Jackin smiled at his friends, Wade Cline, and Keir Hammel, as they finished walking over. He had known these two guys since they were young and had always played various sports together. Now sophomores in high school, they now have all earned spots on the basketball team.
"What's up, Jack?" Wade asked as he finished crossing over to Jackin.
"Nothing," Jackin said.
"Bullshit, he's in the gym before school," Keir said.
Jackin shook his head, "I was thinking about working out some," he said.
"Right! I just saw Sawyer Scott and her squad leaving this place," Wade said.
"So?" Jackin asked.
"Dude, why don't you just ask the girl out already?" Keir asked.
"What? No," Jackin said.
Wade shook his head, "She's one of the hottest girls in the school," he said.
"And one of the most popular," Keir added.
Wade laughed, "Maybe that's why he's so scared to ask her out," he said.
"It's possible that our boy Jack is scared of her," Keir said.
"I'm not scared of asking her out," Jackin said.
"So, why don't you ask her then?" Wade asked.
Jackin was about to say something when he saw someone enter the gym. The average height black-haired girl looked them over with her brown eyes and swished about as she walked to them. They all knew this cheerleader well enough. She stopped in front of Jackin, resting her hand upon her heart and gave Jackin sympatric doe eyes.
"Oh my, what a beautiful sight of young men sharing their feelings," Joce Allen-Travis said, and then the eyes and her expression changed, it took a harder look, "And how pathetic it is," she added, with a sharper harder tone.
"Joce, that's kind of unfair," Keir said.
Joce turned and looked at Keir, "Who asked you, Keir? You're just enabling his nature," she said.
"What nature is that, Joce?" Jackin asked.
Joce turned back to Jackin, "The fact you're scared of a skinny blonde girl," Joce said, "You can't be out on this court scare."
"That's a bit off the mark, Joce," Wade said.
Joce now turned to Wade, "Oh, I'm sorry," she said in a sweet-sounding voice, then paused, put her hand on her chest and took an evil grin, "Oops, almost had me there," she finished, with her evil tone.
"Joce, enough," someone said, coming into the gym, was a tall brunette young woman.
"Shan?" Joce asked.
With a heavy sigh, the tall brunette went on, "Jack doesn't play scared, Joce," Shannon "Shan" Rothenburg said, also Jackin's older sister.
"Thanks, Shan," Jackin said.
Shannon shook her head, "Oh Jack, there's no thanks here," she said.
"What does that mean, Shan?" Jackin said.
Shannon sighed, "Jack, you're my brother, but man, why don't you ask her out," she said.
"It's not that easy," Jackin said.
"Bullshit," Shannon said and walked over to Wade, "Wade, do you want to go out tomorrow?" she asked.
"What?" Wade asked.
"Oh, never mind, Wade," Shannon said and turned back to Jackin, "See it's that easy, so like Nike says, just do it," she finished.
"Yeah, it's easy for you," Jackin said.
"You could do it," Shannon said.
"C'mon Jack, you can do it," Joce said.
"No, not yet," Jackin said.
Keir nodded, "Maybe, it's the friends," he said.
"The friends? Really Jack, what are you a wuss? They're just losers," Joce said.
Shannon held out her hand in front of Joce, "Heel Joce," she said.
"Shan?" Joce asked.
"One, Jack is my brother, and two, you handle things as subtle as a bulldozer," Shannon said.
"Gee thanks, Shan," Jackin said.
"There's nothing to be thankful for," Shannon said.
"Why do you say that?" Jackin asked.
"Jack, it's me," Shannon said.
Jackin nodded. Shannon looked over to the two guys and finally Joce. With a swipe of her hand, she sent Keir, Wade, and Joce away. Shannon walked over and lead Jackin over to the bleachers and they sat down. Shannon sighed and looked at her baby brother.
"Look, I kind of get it, her friends can be intimidating, remember I see her at cheerleading all the time," Shannon said.
"She can be intimidating herself," Jackin said.
Shannon nodded, "Yeah, that's mild, she has a big personality, I guess it's a family thing," she said.
"How do you get around that?" Jackin asked.
Shannon laughed, "You don't," she said.
Jackin shook his head, "That doesn't help at all, Shan," he said.
"Well, that's some epic truth for you, Jack. There is no workaround, cheat code, or anything when it comes to people. You mesh with them, eventually work together, or didn't ever," Shannon said, "Life that way is pretty simple."
Jackin nodded, "Maybe I should text her," he said.
Shannon shook her head and slapped the back of Jackin's head, "Wake up Jack! You want to go out with her, you're going to have to stand out. To stand out you should do this face-to-face," she said.
"So, facetime?" Jackin said.
Shannon rolled her eyes, "No, no, no, Jack, do it in person," she said.
"In person?" Jackin asked.
"Yes, in person," Shannon said.
Jackin shook his head.
"Jack, think of it as a character-building exercise," Shannon said.
"Well there is also the fact she hangs out with two guys," Jackin said.
Shannon shrugged, "I wouldn't worry too much about Dex or Gareth," she said, "If they are truly her friends, they'd be protective but if you make her happy then they will be supportive."
Jackin nodded, "How do you know all this?" he asked.
"Simple Jack, I'm your older sister," Shannon said.
"Well thanks," Jackin said.
Shannon shook her head, "Don't thank me, just do it," she said.
Jackin nodded, hopped up and left the gym. Shannon shook her head and stood up. She straightened out her cheerleader uniform. Shannon started to leave the gym, that's when she ran into Coach Scott.
"Coach Scott," Shannon said, "I was just off to class."
Lucas nodded, "I heard what you told your brother. I was wondering which girl you were talking about," he said.
Shannon shrugged, "I'm not really sure, he's not been too clear about it," she said.
"It's good advice, Ms. Rothenburg," Lucas said.
Shannon shrugged, "It's what he needed to hear, I don't know how much of the Hallmark Sentiment is true," she said, and left.
Lucas shrugged and shook his head and returned to his office.