Journey

by Karina Sharp

  “What’s the difference?” I ask, completely lost to the acronyms.

  “The NCA is the National Cheerleading Association. Their competition rules are a little different. Louisville is in the NCA. You don’t have to do a cheer or have props in your routines.”

  Jenny adds, as if on cue, “The UCA is the Universal Cheerleading Association. They’ve been around longer, and they still require some of the more old-fashioned compulsories like an original cheer in the middle of the routine, signs, and poms. Both methods are just fine, really.”

  “Which one is Kleinert in?”

  “Kleinert competes in the UCA, and we are a small division, high school team, which means there are different rules we adhere to concerning tumbling, tossing, and stunt work.”

  “It’s very much out of my realm of expertise, but I trust that you all know what you’re doing.”

  Journey assures me, “Don’t worry, you’ll hear me talk about it so much, you’ll catch on quickly.”

  We drive along for a while, letting music fill the car instead of conversation until Jenny asks, “So, why JJ?”

  I look into the rearview mirror at Jenny’s perplexed eyes. “Pardon?”

  Sitting behind Journey, Jenny leans forward and toward the center console. “Why JJ? On the card with the flowers, you signed it ‘JJ.’ Didn’t you mean ‘JC’?”

  “Oh, that… It’s kind of an inside joke. One time, Journey asked me if my name is a shortened version of something longer, to which I replied that I’m ‘Just Jack.’”

  “I’ve said the same thing about my name! I’m just Jenny; that’s it. It’s good to know I’m not the only JJ out there. We can be J cubed!” Jenny, clearly amused with herself, takes a moment to giggle at her own humor. “How did you guys meet, anyway? It’s not as though there are nightclubs in the area. Plus, no offense, but you don’t exactly seem like the type to be all about the nightlife, Jack.”

  “You’d be surprised.” I eye Jenny in the mirror.

  “The story of how we met is one I think you’ll appreciate.” Journey turns her head to look directly at Jenny. “Once upon a time, there was a unique girl named Journey who traveled to Cabo San Lucas for Spring Break. While there, she met a handsome man named Jack…”

  Journey recounts the story of how we met, separated, and reacquainted ourselves. Jenny listens intently, taking in every detail as if she is hearing a fairytale for the first time.

  “I don’t know, I guess if I’m honest, I’ve always known there was something special about Jack. I know it took many years for us to finally find one another again, but I think we needed that time to grow as individuals and find ourselves. I don’t think we would have been as strong of a couple if we had tried back then. I don’t know, but I guess we will never really know.”

  “That’s so romantic,” Jenny says, starry-eyed. “I wish I had a cool story like that to tell.”

  “You will one day. You’re still very young, and judging by how smart and beautiful you are, you will have your happily ever after.”

  Jenny becomes unusually quiet, pulling at her hair and stringing it about with her fingers. If I had to guess, I would say it’s a nervous habit that is probably brought on by the upcoming competition.

  I take a mental note that she’s anxious and decide to change the subject. “Hey Jenny, is there anything in particular you want to listen to? I have XM, Pandora, or you can download any song you want onto my phone.”

  “I tend to like music that isn’t as popular on the radio.”

  “That’s fine with us. Look through my iPod, you might find something, although, you can play yours if you like.”

  Jenny happily plugs in her iPod and plays some music by Florence + the Machine and The Head and the Heart. She also plays a very beautiful cover of Sting’s “Fields of Gold.”

  I ask Jenny who’s singing, and she informs me that the performer’s name is Eva Cassidy, who died of melanoma in the nineties.

  “It’s crazy that she wasn’t even well-known or appreciated outside of Washington D.C. until after she passed away. She died without knowing just how much she touched other people. It’s a shame, really.”

  Journey, always positive and articulate, replies, “Even though the light of her physical life has been snuffed out, it sounds like her soul shines on forever, and brighter than before.”

  Despite the uplifting words from Journey, Jenny responds flatly, “I guess.”

  Listening to Jenny’s choices of music, they are all beautiful, but rather melancholy. It is at this point that I decide Journey and I should really take Jenny under our wings and support her in any way we can. I’ve seen first-hand how lonely life can be, especially when you’re surrounded by a completely self-involved family like the Fosters.

  Chapter 19

  October

  Journey

  “They will be great,” Jack reassures me as the girls get ready to take the stage for the Northeast Regional competition.

  Deep down, I know they are a talented group of girls who will lay everything they have on the line, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m very nervous for them. Backstage, my legs move anxiously and I feel a little sick to my stomach as I watch them perform their routine with accuracy and efficiency. Chelsea bobbles a little in her switch-up to heel stretch, but recovers very nicely. I let out one giant sigh of relief as they complete their final pyramid sequence and stick their final pose. Screaming, I jump up and down wildly when they finish. Jack claps along with me and whistles. At this point, it might be hard to discern who is more proud.

  I’m impressed by the show of support from some of the community members and high school students. Several of them traveled in a caravan down here this morning, just to support the team. At the awards ceremony, screams erupt from all around when it is announced that the girls, my girls, won our division and will now move on to the national competition in Florida in the spring. This is the first time a squad from Kleinert has ever achieved this much. Many times, they’ve come close to moving on from Regionals, but always just missed the mark.

  Hugs come from all around in celebration. My feet lift off of the floor as Jack picks me up in a large embrace. I can’t think of anyone else, aside from the girls, with whom I would want to share this moment. During team warm-ups and when we met in the lobby, there were lots of whispers and even some side-eyeing toward Jack, but in his casually confident, charismatic way, Jack extinguished all of it. He greeted everyone by introducing himself, reintroducing himself to some, as my boyfriend. He made many plans to “catch up” with others around town. I don’t know what Jack was so worried about or why he insisted on being so private; there’s not an unlikeable bone in his body. Sure, he has his idiosyncrasies- he’s a bit of a neat freak -he likes the toothpaste squeezed a certain way, clothes put on hangers a certain way, and the toilet paper placed on the roll with the loose end going over the roll, but in terms of general character and all around being, he is one of the most pure and dedicated human beings I’ve ever known. Really, our only issue was his not opening up, but we’re working on that. I’m more certain than ever that he is my future. My sweet, sexy Jack.

  Traveling back to Maine from the competition, we are all exhausted, but in great spirits. Jenny rambles on about Nationals and how exciting they will be. She also talks about holding some fund-raisers, mostly just for fun.

  “Do you think your parents will come to Florida?”

  Jenny responds similarly to the last time I brought up the subject of her parents, which is by becoming sullen.

  Jack, taking his cue from her silence, quickly smoothes things over and changes the attention elsewhere. “I think you said that the competition is in March, and I’m pretty sure there’s a big gala and silent auction for the yacht club then. Since her parents are on the Board, I’m sure it’s something they won’t be able to get out of. They set the dates very far in advance. But, that’s okay, we didn’t need the Fosters to buy up all of the first-class flights anywa
y. Lord knows they could if they all went.” Jenny giggles, still looking down. “What classes are you taking, Jenny?”

  Jenny dabs the sleeve of her sweatshirt at the base of her eyes. “The usuals- English, calculus, anatomy, chem two, Spanish...”

  “How are they coming along?”

  “Okay, I guess. Not as well as I would like. I used to have a personal tutor, but he graduated and went off to college.”

  How sad... I’ve been far removed from what it was like in high school- making friends and seeing them all go on to bigger and better things. Once you’re in college, you don’t feel that way, but tend to forget what it was like to be the ones still stuck in high school, losing friends one by one.

  “Lucky for you, you have two highly educated and intelligent, although one of us is a bit more than the other, people in this very car to help you if you need it,” I add.

  “Did you know Journey is fluent in Spanish?”

  Jenny shakes her head, grinning. “No, I did not.”

  “So is Jack,” I quickly add.

  “You two are just full of secrets, aren’t you?”

  “You have no idea,” I say passively.

  Jenny begins playing with her hair. “You’d be surprised”

  “It’s settled, then.” Jack gently squeezes my leg. “We’ll help you with whatever you need.”

  My hand moves on top of Jack’s, and I intertwine my fingers in his, thanking him and telling him how grateful I am without words. It’s a message he seems to understand completely.

  ***

  We take the week off from practice to rest and recuperate from the competition. Jenny begins coming over in the evenings for an hour or two of help with school work. Friday afternoon, she suggests that we go to a corn maze. I ask about studying, and she insists that we will find a way to incorporate studying and “corn mazing.” I’ve never been to a corn maze, so I readily agree.

  “I can’t believe you’ve never been to a corn maze. You grew up in New England, right?”

  I drop my chin and look at Jenny through the tops of my eyes. “What do you not understand about having never done much of anything outside of shopping, cheering, and vacationing? We never really took the time to do local things like corn mazes and apple picking.”

  I leave their company to get dressed. I don’t really know what to wear to a corn maze. When I walk back into the room, both Jack and Jenny look at me in my long tunic sweater that hangs off of one shoulder, leggings, and Burberry rain boots as if I sprouted an extra head and it flew off on its own.

  “What?” I ask.

  “Seriously? You’re wearing five hundred dollar rain boots with thin leggings and a cream-colored sweater that doesn’t even fully cover your shoulders. I applaud the choice of boots to get muddy, but you’re going to freeze your little patootie off," Jenny tells me.

  I look down my body at my clothes. Perhaps she’s right. Okay, I know she’s right, but living in sunny, southern places makes you forget how cold, cold truly is.

  Jack pads over to me and places his arm around my shoulders. “Babe, you look cute and all, but I think you’ve forgotten what it’s like to live in New England, especially in Maine. We’re going to be outside the entire time, and the sun is setting.”

  I begin laughing, almost hysterically, as my cheeks redden. “I didn’t even think about that. It has been a while since I’ve lived the life of a Yankee. How sad is this? At least you two were nice enough to not allow me to freeze. Although, this means that I need to stop by my house so I can grab some clothes that are a little warmer.”

  On our way to the corn maze, we make a pit stop so I can pop into my house and grab some clothes. This time, I choose fuzzy socks to go under my boots, thick pants, a warm sweatshirt, my puffy NorthFace jacket, some gloves, and a headband for my ears. I remember my ears always being one of the first things to get cold.

  When they get a glimpse of me this time, Jenny declares, “Much better!”

  We have a great time at the corn maze drinking warm cider, riding on a hayride, and sitting by a bonfire. Jenny and I team up against Jack, thinking two heads are better than one to try and find our way out first, but we were wrong. Jack rubs his victory in and gloats more than a few times.

  I’ve noticed Jack taking a keen interest in Jenny, ensuring that she is included in activities and conversations. He does seem to look at her almost from a fatherly, or at least a protective, older male, way. In no way is it strange or is there any hint of something inappropriate in his intentions, as he always has eyes for me and looks at me in an intimate, sometimes lustful, way. With Jenny, he’s caring and inclusive. If she's alone, he invites her over to hang with the two of us, or he will say something silly from across the room, causing her to smile, letting her know that she is welcome to join in our conversation, which she usually does.

  I get the sense that Jenny is extremely lonely, which you wouldn’t think based on her exterior. She’s popular with boys and girls alike. She has a bubbly and infectious personality that just makes people want to be around her. She’s smart and witty, but never cruel, nor does she speak without thought. She’s a gem of a person, and it bothers me to think that someone so loveable could be lonely.

  As we ride home, Jenny asks, “What’s the Spanish word for corn?”

  Almost in unison, Jack and I answer, “Maiz.”

  “That’s what I thought. So, a corn maze could be a maiz maze. I mean, if you pronounced ‘maiz’ like ‘maze.’”

  Her statement is very random, but I appreciate random. “I suppose so.”

  Jenny wrinkles her nose. “What is it when two words sound the same, but have different meanings and spellings?”

  “A homophone,” I answer before Jack or Jenny can produce the correct term.

  “That’s right. What is it if they’re spelled the same way, sound the same, but have different meanings?”

  “Homonym,” Jack fires off before I get the chance to answer.

  “This is how much of a closeted nerd I was- I used to play a game where I would come up with homophones or homonyms and give them a definition, as if they were a product or something.” Both Jenny and Jack remain silent. “I can see I’m going to have to give you an example. Ummm… Okay, I would think of a set of homophones like ‘mall’ and ‘maul,’ then put them together and give them a definition. For this, I called a 'mall maul' a beat down inside of a shopping center. A mall maul, get it?”

  Jack and Jenny laugh and Jack shakes his head. “I don’t know that your nerdiness is as closeted as you may think, but we love you anyway."

  “Go shove it up your nose with a rubber hose,” I tease as I stick out my tongue, but it’s dark so I don’t know if Jack sees it.

  “Smooth, dear… I will give it a try, though. A 'coaster coaster' is something you place a glass on to keep from damaging furniture, adorned with the picture of a rollercoaster.”

  “And that’s a homonym,” I add, then giggle along with Jenny. “This whole conversation is so weird, but I will go along with it. Actually, I see a 'coaster coaster' as a roller coaster that only moves slowly, or coasts, if you will.”

  “I think I like that better,” Jenny declares. Jack sticks out his bottom lip, pretending to pout. “Sorry…”

  “I see how it is,” Jack says playfully. “What else do you have?”

  “Let’s see… Oh! A 'wine whine'- when you realize that you’re out of wine, and you ask someone to get you more, because you’re too lazy or tipsy to do it yourself.” I nod, satisfied with my reply.

  Jack chortles and says, “Or a 'wine whine' could be when you cry or whine just because you’re out of wine.”

  “True.”

  We complete the trip to Jack’s house, thinking of and defining homophones and homonyms. As ridiculous as it seems, we have the best time with this activity, and it keeps us occupied all of the way home.

  ***

  Saturday is here, and all three of us spend the day together cleaning, power washing, r
aking, and trading ideas for mnemonic devices to help remember elements on the periodic table to help with Jenny’s upcoming chemistry mid-term.

  Sweeping some leaves from around the pool, Jenny remarks, “I never realized that hanging with fun, intelligent people could be so infectious.”

  I look to Jack pointedly. “Me either.”

  A wild and playful look flashes in Jack’s eyes, and I watch his every move as he grabs a handful of leaves from the giant pile I made, runs over to me, smiling, and throws them at me.

  “If you think I won’t get revenge, you’re way off,” I goad him. I pick up leaves from Jenny’s pile and throw them toward Jack, but not quite as gracefully.

  “Hey!” Jenny pauses sweeping. “Now you’ve invaded my territory and you’re undoing all of the sweeping I’ve done. I too shall have my revenge!” Jenny picks up more leaves and begins chasing after me as I basically run around in giant circles. “Come back here!” Jenny calls.

  Jack steps in my path and scoops me up with his solid arms. “I’ve got her!”

  “That’s not fair,” I whine.

  Jenny puts her hands, filled with leaves, just above my head and opens them. Orange, red, yellow, and brown particles sprinkle down onto me. Soon after, all three of us are throwing leaves around in the air, creating a mosaic of bright, fall colors that twist and float in the air on their way to the ground. After a while, we are no longer trying to shower one another with foliage, but instead creating our own show. The way the wind whips and swirls, taking the delicate leaves with it, is dreamlike, creating the perfect backdrop for wonderful memories.

  When we finish our game, the area looks just as messy as it did when we began the task. “It looks like we’re going to have to start all over again,” I lament, picking up a rake and gearing up to repeat the task.

  Jack takes the rake from me, placing it on the ground. “Nah, that’s why I hired someone to do it.”