Simply, Mine

by Jane Carrington

  “Yes.” I looked down, waiting for him to call and end to the date.

  “Okay. I can handle being the rebound guy, Meg. I just don’t want to be used.”

  I tried to find the line of distinction between the two in my mind. It was blurred to me, but as long as he was okay with it…

  “I’ve been kind of lonely, too. My girlfriend actually dumped me the same week we lost everything.”

  “Geez, that’s harsh.”

  “Well, status is everything in that life. So, we’re both fresh out of relationships—granted yours was different,” he conceded, putting a hand in the air. “So I suggest we just relax and enjoy each other’s company. No expectations just take it slow and try to bring a little happiness into each other’s lives.”

  I smiled and relaxed. “Sounds good. What movie do you want to see?”

  ♥

  I wasn’t sure which I hated more at this point, home or school. The only small bright spot in my day was Sam and I hated it that I couldn’t tell if it was because I liked him or he was being effective at distracting me and keeping me from wandering around like a lonesome loser.

  Everything Sam and I had hashed out before our date Saturday night helped a lot. I was impressed with how blunt he was. Held nothing back. I could at least appreciate brutal honesty. Not only did it clear the air, but it cleared my ethical conscious that chastised me for using him. I hated to admit, however that I was beginning to relax and enjoy being around him. A fact that hit me right square between the eyes the following Wednesday, when Sam stayed home sick and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself.

  Jake and Suzie still sat in the same spot for lunch but I hadn’t had the courage, or the self-restraint, to join them. One gurgling sentiment from cupcake and I was liable to shove my pizza in her eye.

  Besides, Jake and I hadn’t talked since last week. I figured if he wanted to talk to me so bad, he damn well knew where I lived. We were in this cold stubborn stand off and I was not going to be the one to relent. Apparently, neither was he.

  He wasn’t on the bus that morning. We passed him jogging along the sidewalk. It was a good five miles to school and getting bitterly cold. Before my insecurity demons could rise up and tell me he was avoiding me at all costs, I realized that he must be getting into shape for the military. That was only eight months away. I sat back, wishing he was only avoiding me.

  The long lonely day was nearly over when I was at my locker swapping out books. I heard someone clear their throat behind me and turned to see Steve standing there, smiling. I gave him a harsh glance up and down and turned back to my locker.

  “Hey, Meg, can I talk to you for a minute?”

  I turned around slowly, suspiciously. Steve was a typical jock. Cute, but big and dumb. He was some superstar on the football field and although I didn’t know him, everybody knew of him.

  “I couldn’t help but notice…seems you broke up with your boyfriend.”

  “He wasn’t my boyfriend.”

  “Well, whatever. You guys don’t hang out anymore.”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “Relax, I just wanted to ask you a question.” Several of his friends had joined him with their plastic faced cheer-leading girlfriends, all of them staring at me. “I’m having a big party at my place this Friday. I wanted to ask you if you’d come.”

  “I work this weekend.”

  “Well, you should call off. You’d have a lot more fun and you’d make a lot more money.”

  “More money?”

  “Well, yeah. We need a stripper and you’re pretty hot.” The whole crowd burst into raucous laughter. Someone turned on their mp3 player and held a small speaker up, playing typical stripper music. Steve threw his hands up in the air and started dancing, closing in on me until he had me pinned against the locker, bumping me with his pelvis.

  The whole crowd cheered him on as I tried to push him away. He flew back, landing against the lockers across the hall. It was loud and everything was a blur. Jake looked like a raging Spartan warrior as he growled, slamming Steve against the locker again before he punched him. Blood flowed from his nose onto his varsity jacket. His fists flew, getting a few more in to Steve’s stomach and ribs before teachers came running down the hall blowing whistles. He let go of Steve, who slid down to the floor woozy and disoriented. The principal grabbed Jake’s arm and looked back at me.

  “You too, missy.” He jerked his head toward the office.

  Chapter 8

  “Technically, Jake, I could suspend you for fighting and Steve could press charges for assault.”

  “And Meagan could press charges for sexual assault. Technically.” Jake countered. I sat next to him across the desk from Mr. Vickers while Steve sat whimpering in the nurse’s office next door as they tried to stop his nose bleed. I sat quietly, still embarrassed and humiliated by what had just happened.

  “Well, I don’t think that’s at all necessary. I talked to Steve and he said it was just a joke taken the wrong way. I don’t believe he meant any harm.”

  “It didn’t look like a joke from where I was standing,” Jake said. “It looked like a lewd, unwelcome physical advance. Why don’t you pull up the surveillance video and see for yourself?”

  “I think I get the idea, Jake.”

  “Well, no, I don’t think you understand, but I might could—” He stood and started to walk around the large desk.

  “What are you doing, Jake?”

  “Well, since you won’t look at the surveillance video, I was going to reenact it for you. Rub my junk all over your leg. I mean, it’s just a joke. It’d be really funny. You could tell your kids all about it at dinner tonight and laugh your ass off.”

  “I get your point, Mr. Nichols. Please sit down.” The principal looked irritated. “Look. I don’t condone Steve’s behavior—”

  “You did a minute ago.” Jake interrupted.

  “No, I most certainly did not. I simply told you what Steve shared with me. Look. Steve is your…typical kid. Kids do stupid things sometimes—”

  “At six foot five weighing two fifty, he hardly looks like a kid to me. Certainly old enough to know right from wrong.”

  “Well, yes…as he should—and yes, Mr. Nichols you are right, I suppose Meagan could bring up charges of some kind, but”

  Jake interrupted again, looking at me, lowering his voice. “It would most likely be reduced to lewd conduct; sexual battery at best. It’s just a misdemeanor. He wouldn’t do any jail time. But it would go on his record at least.”

  “Studying to be an attorney, are we, Mr. Nichols?” Mr. Vickers said sarcastically.

  “Yes. Eventually.” He smiled.

  “Well, if you have a love of the law you should know that your involvement could be classified as aggravated battery, which can carry a felony penalty.”

  “With decent legal defense citing the Good Samaritan Law, and a review of the surveillance video, it would most likely be reduced to simple battery. No jail time.” He smiled again. Wide.

  The principal sat back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. I worried Jake might be pushing his limits, but I loved the way he worked. Finally, Mr. Vickers sat forward with a strained smile.

  “Look. Steve is our star quarterback. He has won more games for our school than any quarterback in history. Kingsly High is finally on the map because of this kid. And he has a full ride to Texas A&M with a decent shot at the NFL.”

  “So now we get to the meat of the matter.” Jake sat back and crossed his arms. He tilted his head toward me with a wry smile. “This changes things. In our favor.” He winked.

  It took everything I had not to smile. Jake focused his attention on Mr. Vickers again.

  “So what can you offer Meagan in the way of retribution that would be more satisfying than what the justice system could serve?”

  “Well, I’m sure I could arrange an apology, if that’s what you mean.”

  “That’s a start.”

  “What el
se are you thinking, Mr. Nichols?” he asked testily.

  “Written. She wants a written apology.”

  “Fine.”

  “And—” He held up his hand. “He should be made to sit out the next three games.”

  “What! But we’re going up against Duluth next week!”

  Jake leaned back and pulled his wallet out. He spoke quietly to me, but loud enough that Mr. Vickers could hear. “I have a card here,” he said as he flipped through his wallet. “Officer Martinez, I went on a ride along with him a few months ago to study the documentation and gathering of evidence. He’d be a good one to call—”

  “Alright, hold on.” Mr. Vickers took a deep breath. “Two games.”

  Jake looked over at me for approval. I nodded and couldn’t help but let a small smile escape.

  “Can we consider this matter settled then?”

  “Not quite. He should be made to write an article for the school newspaper.” Jake smiled. “Front page.”

  “I don’t know that I have control of that.”

  “You’re the principal. What do you have control of?”

  “An article on what Mr. Nichols.”

  “He should write a lengthy article on the social and legal ramifications of unwanted sexual advances—in all forms—citing details of the last three major cases taken to the Supreme Court and their outcomes.”

  Mr. Vickers stared at him for a long tense moment. Jake never faltered. He stared right back, waiting. The ball had clearly been served and was in Mr. Vickers court.

  “Fine,” he said finally. “Can we consider this matter settled, then?”

  Jake turned to me, reached out and touched my knee. “Is that acceptable?”

  I had to painfully pry myself from his eyes. I did finally nod and turn to Mr. Vickers. “That’s acceptable.”

  Jake stood and held the door open for me. He turned back to Mr. Vickers. “I’m looking forward to reading that article. And we’ll need a pass for the rest of the day. I think Meagan is too upset to return to class,” he said with a pleasant wave.

  We walked silently to my locker.

  “Thanks,” I said as I opened it. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there.”

  “No problem. Think I’ll make a good attorney?”

  I turned to him and slammed my locker shut. “I think you’ll make a great attorney.” I smiled. “You were amazing. I mean, you had complete control of that conversation.”

  “Well, I’m not going to let anyone mistreat you.” My heart fluttered and a rock landed in my stomach. “And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let him trample over your rights because we aren’t rich, star athletes.”

  “Well, you know Steve is going to pay someone to write the article for him,” I said.

  “Yeah, but his name will be all over it. That’s what counts. And who knows, the big dumb oaf might learn something from it. Can I walk you home?”

  “Walk? It’s like five miles.”

  “You really want to ride the bus after all that?”

  “Let’s walk.”

  We got out onto the main road and I breathed a sigh of relief to be out of that building.

  “I don’t know if I can make it until June,” I said casually.

  “We’ll make it.” He began to jog in place beside me as we strolled.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Jogging.”

  “Yeah, but why?”

  “I’ve been jogging to and from school these last couple weeks. Trying to get in shape.”

  There was a long silence until finally I said, “For the military?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So, when is that going to happen?”

  “August.”

  I nodded and bit my lip. Suddenly, the euphoria of my chivalrous hero with his gifted legal aptitude faded away, leaving me descending into the reality of our life and the current state of our relationship. Which was, without a doubt, crap.

  “You’ve decided, then?” There’s no changing your mind? My voice begged.

  “Yeah. I have.” His voice wasn’t cold, exactly, but determined. He stared straight ahead, slow jogging next to me.

  I sped up without realizing it. My mind began racing, the demons having a heyday all around me. I saw several scenarios play out in my mind, none of which I liked. I saw him going off to war and getting killed. I saw him taking Suzie with him, making her a spoiled military wife and taking her to exotic places all over the world. I saw him get injured; damaged and return home in defeat only to sink into oblivion, taking his father place in the old red recliner. And, worst of all, I saw him leaving without so much as a look back, forgetting all about me.

  “Meg. Angry walk.”

  I couldn’t help it. My emotions seemed to be directly tied to my legs. I ignored him.

  “Are you going to Sam’s Halloween party?” he asked.

  “No,” I snapped, even though I had already told Sam I would go.

  “Why not?”

  I ignored him.

  He stopped and waited for me to realize it. I stopped and turned around.

  “What?”

  “How long are we going to do this?”

  “Do what, Jake?”

  “Act like we don’t know each other. How many more shifts are we going to work together in silence? When are we gonna sit on the deck and talk again and when are you coming back to lunch?”

  “Well, it seems that we don’t know each other after all, there’s nothing to talk about at work, it’s too cold to sit outside and I’m not coming back to lunch. I like eating in the library. With Sam.”

  “What do you mean we don’t know each other after all?” he asked.

  “Well,” I pulled myself together, puffing up in defense. “You have your tart face to keep you company, your plans for the future, and I found Sam. We were best friends but it appears that fell apart at the first distraction.”

  “You’re not being fair, Meg.”

  I gave a hard breath through my nose like an angry bull. “Me? Not fair?”

  “Yeah, you! You started to remove yourself the minute you had a problem with what I was doing. And it started long before Suzie.”

  “Pop. Tart.” I corrected with a growl. He shook his head with irritation. “It started as soon as I got back from my grandparents and told you I was considering joining the Army. That’s when you started to take yourself away.”

  “No! I opened up even more! I showed you my drawings! I’ve never shared that with anyone!”

  I turned and started walking again. To hell with him. It only took him a minute to catch up with me.

  “Meg. Slow down.”

  “No.”

  “Dammit, Meg, you’re so stubborn!”

  I swung my head around and threw him a violent stare. “And so are you!”

  He grabbed my arm and stopped jogging. I came to a jerking clumsy halt.

  “Listen to me.” His voice was dark and serious. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on in your head right now. But I am well aware of every angle of this soap opera, trust me. So you can be pissed at me for joining the military, for trying to scratch out a plan for my life, for Suzie, and for having a shred of dignity that I cling to. But you need to know this. I wouldn’t have kicked Steve’s ass for anybody but you.” He tilted my chin up to look at him with his free hand. “Tell me why you don’t want me to date Suzie,” he finished with a pleading whisper.

  Pride and fear sealed my lips shut and I was helpless to do anything but stare into his beautiful, forlorn eyes.

  With a deep relenting sigh, he released my arm and walked past me.

  ♥

  Late that night I heard tapping and a harsh whisper at my window.

  “Meg, it’s me, Jake.”

  I crawled to my knees and peeked past the thin curtain through the frosted window. “What?” I mouthed through the window.

  “I need to talk to you. Can you come outside?”

  I sighe
d and rolled my eyes. I still felt horrible from our argument earlier and had no desire to continue it. A golden opportunity to reestablish our friendship had blown up in my face. I debated for a moment and finally pulled on my coat and tip-toed out the front door. He was still standing in the shadows and I walked to him.

  I folded my arms and shivered.

  He looked a mess with wrinkled night clothes and ruffled hair. His coat hung open and the tired features of his face were amplified by a soft covering of five o'clock shadow. He looked rugged and manly. My heart skipped a beat.

  “You look like shit,” I said.

  “Thanks. Look. Maybe you can keep doing this, but I can’t.”

  “Keep doing what?”

  “Not being best friends. I’ve been up all evening thinking about it. This is stupid. I don’t even know how this got so out of control. I know it’s messed up what happened and I’m sorry it took Steve being an animal to break the ice with us, but I realized today how much I miss you, Meg.” The sadness in his voice made me want to throw my arms around him.

  A gloriously warm sensation washed over me. “I miss you, too, Jake.”

  “So, will you come back to lunch? Will you hang out with me again?”

  Without warning, my defense shields went on high alert. “Did you break up with Suzie?”

  “No. I’m asking you to look past that.”

  I bit my lip and looked away. I didn’t know that I could.

  “Or tell me why you don’t want me to go out with her” Was the other option he presented.

  “And what if I can’t do either?”

  He shrugged. “Then we both continue to suffer.”

  “Why won’t you break up with her?”

  “Why won’t you break up with Sam?”

  “Because I don’t want to be alone.”

  He seemed momentarily taken aback by my honesty, and frankly, so was I. Then he nodded. “Neither do I,” he said.

  “Your birthday is coming up, then Halloween, and then Christmas. I really don’t want this to drag out over the holidays.”

  “And since when has this neighborhood been bursting with Christmas cheer, Jake?”