by Paige Powers
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I laughed and patted his shoulder.
“It’s okay, I won’t tell the football team,” I went out past him grabbing my shoes from the door. “You little...” He trailed off as I started running and laughing. I ran out the door grabbing my heavy coat.
“Lidia!” he yelled. I ran behind the yard and across Mr. Roger’s yard and then found my way to the park. Jack caught up and pushed me as I stopped at the gate.
“Ow!” I yelled laughing. He laughed. He pulled his jacket on the rest of the way feeling the chilly air. I opened the gate and walked in. The grass was getting brown and crunchy under my feet and leaves fell onto the slide and the swing. I ran over to the swing and jumped on. Jack laughed and zipped up his jacket.
“You’re real funny, you know that?”
I grinned. He ran over and put his hands on either side of the swing his face inches from mine. My breath caught in my throat a moment.
“Oh, really?” I asked. He nodded, smiling lightly. The smile was something I had never seen before on his face. Only in his eyes but it never spread this far on his lips. It made me melt inside.
“Yeah,” he nodded. “And here we go!” I squealed as he pushed me up then went under me as the swing came back down. I laughed. I kicked my feet so I went higher and then felt the thing start to move. I slowed a little, laughing hard.
“Whoa, there girl!” Jack said grabbing my swing and stopping me.
“This thing isn’t meant for us,” I said
He laughed and nodded.
“Yeah I think it’s been here for a while.”
I nodded and looked around.
“It’s been here for as long as I can remember.”
Jack sat in the swing beside me and kicked a little to swing slowly.
“We lived in a small town before. I always loved it. Summer evenings in the fields. My friend and I had a tree we would always climb. It was great,” he said quietly, gazing out across the park. “But when my mom broke up with her boyfriend there, she said she couldn’t stand to stay. So, we moved.” I watched his eyes. They were dark blue now. He looked over at me and smiled sadly. The smile obviously didn’t reach his eyes. I didn’t know what to say. I bit at my lip then turned in my seat to look at him. I put my legs up on his lap and smiled. He rolled his eyes and grabbed my legs. I jumped slightly surprised. He turned his swing and put my legs through his swing on either side of him.
“Does your mom have a boyfriend now?” I asked. He stiffened and I watched.
“Yeah, she does,” the words were forced from his mouth. I could tell.
“Is some---?”
“What movie are we going to watch tonight?” he said, his words sharp and trying to tell me to shut up. I frowned.
“Um, I’m not sure.”
“Something good.” I nodded. His hand was on my leg and my heart was pounding in my chest. Good god, Lidia! His hand is just touching your ankle! Stop freaking out!
“Princess?” And there went the romance. I looked up and he was raising an eyebrow.
“What?” I asked my breath a little ragged.
“You’re really out of it, aren’t you?”
I smiled. I pulled my legs back from his swing and stood up. “Come on,” I said. He stood up.
“What are we doing?” he asked. I smiled.
“Going on the slide.”
Chapter 17
We played around in the park for about two hours. It was nice. Laughing and joking around with Jack. The wind picked up and played with my hair as I stood behind the ladder of the slide. “Boo!” Jack said through the ladder. I jumped slightly and hit his hand that came through the bars in front of my face. “Ow!” he cried and jumped back.
“Oh! I’m sorry!” I said almost laughing. He frowned at me and sucked on his index finger.
“That hurt,” he said and came back to the ladder. He was on the outside and I was still on the inside.
“I said I was sorry,” I said. He sniffed and looked down. I rolled my eyes. “What else do you want?” I said throwing my hands in the air. He looked up, his eyes a deep blue, making me stop and stare at him through the ladder.
“A kiss.” My eyes got a little wide and I stared at him.
“Wh—”
“I think a kiss would help me forgive you.”
I rolled my eyes. He leaned further in, his face inches from mine. The wind blew at the back of his head sending me a whiff of his hair.
“Fine,” I said and stepped forward. I stood up a little. He stood very still as I reached in between the steps to his lips. I lightly kissed his lips. I opened my eyes a little watching him. His eyes were closed. I kissed him again, a shiver going up my spine. I wanted to do more than this! I closed my eyes and moved his lips with mine and finally he started to help. My body was on fire again. I wanted to press myself against him. To feel him….but the ladder was in the way. I trailed my tongue across his top lip and he seemed to groan. I smiled. I put my hand between the stairs and onto his jaw. He pulled back and looked at me. I frowned.
“OK…I forgive you.” He was breathless. He had never done that to me before. I almost felt hurt. ‘Come on! He doesn’t want you,’ I told myself.
“Um…yeah. I think we should head back and get ready for Candice and Tommy.” He nodded and swallowed. He looked at me sucking on his bottom lip, his chest rising and falling.
“Yeah,” he said in a low voice. I cleared my throat and went out from behind the slide steps and toward the gate. I turned around and Jack was still standing there, staring at where I had been. “Jack?” I asked. He looked up. His face blank. Then came toward me shoving his hands in his pockets. I walked out and Jack walked next to me as we went back to the house.
When we got back, Mom and Dad were in separate ends of the house. I walked into the kitchen and smiled at Mom. She just gave me a grim smile.
“Um, Candice and Tommy, some friends from school are coming over to watch movies. Is that alright?”
She smiled tiredly and nodded.
“Yes, of course baby. Do you want me to make you guys something?” she asked, looking at Jack behind me.
“No, that’s alright. We’ll take care of that. Why don’t you go to bed?”
She sighed and then her eyes got big. “You can sleep in my room,” I quickly said, understanding what she was thinking of. She smiled, relief showing in her face. She gave me a tight hug.
“Thank you, honey. I love you.”
I kissed her cheek. “I love you too.”
She pulled back and sighed once again.
“Well, I’m going to get a drink and go to bed,” she said, matter-of-factly.
I laughed.
“Don’t let the drink be too strong, okay?” She looked at me as if I’d just insulted her.
“Of course not!” she waved a hand at me then winked. “Maybe just two or three of your father’s expensive Scotch.”
I laughed and Jack laughed too.
“Go ahead,” I said and patted her back as she grabbed a big glass cup and headed to the wine bar in dad’s office. I laughed at her as she disappeared. I turned to Jack and he shook his head smiling. “Like I said, I like your mom.” I rolled my eyes and slapped his shoulder.
“No chance in hell,” I said. He snorted and laughed.
“We’ll just have to see...but as for now…” He looked down at me with an amused look. “I have to be your boyfriend...but you know I don’t think it’s that bad.” The words ‘your boyfriend’ rang in my head and made my stomach feel alive again.
“Wow, was that a compliment from Jack Walker?” I asked, putting my hand to my ear. He laughed and rolled his eyes. He pushed my hand down and I laughed.
“Yeah actually it was,” he said smiling like the stars. He pulled me toward him and my breath caught again. “Lidia...” He trailed off and looked down. There was a slight pink hue coming to his
cheeks. My heart was beating quickly now. Before he could say anymore, I inserted, “I think we should make the snacks now, before it gets too late.” I pulled back and went over to the fridge. I closed my eyes just for a moment and then grabbed the milk and eggs. I turned around and saw Jack biting the inside of his jaw and looking at me. He then made a funny face.
“What are we going to make, boss?” he asked playfully.
I smirked. “Cookies. Want to help?”
He snorted. “I don’t—.”
“Here!” I gave him the milk jug and the eggs and he grabbed them before they fell. He looked at me under his eye lashes and I grinned. “You’re so sweet. Now, let’s go.”
We made chocolate chip cookies. It was fun having Jack beside me mixing the batter, putting them on the sheets and putting them in the oven. I put the last tray of cookies in and shut the oven door. I sighed. Jack washed his hands while I grabbed a bit of left over cookie dough and ate it.
“Eww!” Jack cried looking at me in disgust.
“What?” I asked laughing. He scrunched his face up shaking his head. “Haven’t you ever tried it before?”
“That’s sick Lidia. There’s raw eggs in there!” he said, pointing to the empty egg carton. I laughed.
“Try it!” I grabbed a spoon and put a little on it.
“No!” he said, laughing a little.
“Come on! It’s good. Just try it!” I backed him up against the counter laughing. “Ugh! Just try!”
“No!” he yelled. I pushed his shoulder so he hit the counter and he saw he was pinned.
“Just try,” I warned, smiling.
“I don’t want to try it,” he mumbled as I pushed the spoon to his lips.
“Yes, you do,” I said laughing. “Jack! Just open your mouth!” I yelled. He huffed and opened his mouth. I put the spoon in his mouth and he chewed it up with his eyes closed.
“See? Now, how was that?” He opened his eyes and tasted it. He looked surprised.
“It’s actually not bad.” I rolled my eyes and threw the spoon in the dish pan.
“See! What’d I tell you?”
He laughed, put his hands on my waist and pulled my hips to him.
“I would do it again because I liked being backed up to the counter like this.” He whispered low and seductively. A shiver coursed my body but I pulled back and gave a nervous laugh.
“You’re so stubborn and perverted,” I said rolling my eyes. He smiled at me. The doorbell rang and I jumped slightly.
“Come on,” I told Jack as we made our way to the door.
Chapter 18
I opened up the door and Candice and Tommy stood there, smiling, but shivering from the cold. “Hey, guys. Come in,” I said and let them in. I shut the door quickly, shivering myself. The air was getting cold.
“Ugh! I hate the winter!” Candice complained as she took off her layers of clothes. Tommy laughed and just took off his jacket.
“I have snacks and stuff but we still didn’t pick out a movie.” I said. Candice laughed.
“It’s okay. We brought all three Back to the Futures and chips!” she pulled out a bag of chips. I smiled.
“Awesome. I love those movies.”
Jack looked at me surprised.
“You like those movies?” he asked. I nodded.
“Yeah, my dad and I would have weekend movie nights and we would watch them.” Jack was looking at me as if I was raised from the dead.
“Well,” Candice said and took her seat on the sofa. “I’m ready to watch movies and drink something warm. What about you guys?”
Dad came out during the second Back to the Future movie and got into a discussion with Tommy and Jack about it. Candice and I laughed.
“It’s cold in here. Let me start up the fire for you guys,” he said and went over to the fireplace in the corner and brought the flames to life. Jack and I sat on the floor on a blanket with pillows propped behind our heads. We held hands and sat an inch apart but Candice was completely curled up to Tommy beside me. She sighed and we all thanked my dad for making the fire.
“Night, Olli,” Dad said kissing my head as he passed.
“Mm,” was all I said. Jack gripped my hand tighter as he went past and I looked at him frowning. His jaw was stiff but then as my dad left the room he loosened up. “What’s wrong with you?” I whispered. He looked at me and the fire danced in his blue eyes.
“Nothing,” he said, with a shrug. I frowned. He was wearing a dark green long sleeved T-shirt which had ridden up a little on his side exposing a little black and blue mark. I looked at it and then up at him. He looked down as well and then covered it up quickly. He wouldn’t look me in the eyes.
“Jack?” I whispered. He didn’t respond. What was going on? Why did he have bruises everywhere? I didn’t want to argue with him now. I sat back and laid my head on his shoulder. He flinched slightly but sighed and slouched more on the floor. I could smell his cologne and it smelled good. And I could smell the peppermint. I looked down at our hands and frowned. Why did I like the way our hands fit together? Why did I like the way he kept his hand over mine in a protective way? ‘Remember Lidia, it’s just for show. Don’t forget that.’ As if I hadn’t already.
Candice and Tommy went home late that night saying that we should do it again sometime. Jack and I agreed. Jack left not long after. He seemed distracted and left quickly. I went to bed and sighed as I saw my mom in my bed. I pulled the half empty bottle of Scotch from her hands and covered her up with my comforter. I slipped on a pair of my shorts and a tank top, grabbed my pillow and a big blanket and went back downstairs to the sofa. I lay down and pulled the blanket over me while staring at the fire. It was peaceful. It felt like Christmas Eve when I would sneak downstairs after my parents had gone to bed and wait for Santa. The year I turned ten, I stayed up all night, waiting. That year I found out that Santa wasn’t real.
Chapter 19
On Saturday morning, I stood up and pulled down the curtains in the living room at 8:30 a.m., knowing that I wasn’t going to get up for about 5 hours and crawled back on the sofa. I stuffed my face into my pillows and sighed. My eyes drifted shut and I started to dream.
I was in a big open field. Birds sang and bees buzzed around me. I smiled. I was wearing a white summer dress with no shoes. But shoes weren’t really necessary as I was standing on lush grass. It was soft; like sheep’s fur. I smiled and closed my eyes. The air smelled like freshly cut grass.
“Lidia,” a voice called. I opened my eyes and looked across the field and there was a big tree. It sprouted from the ground with big roots and the thick branches escaping from the top. I frowned slightly. Did I dream that? Then I saw someone on the tree. He jumped down and smiled at me. I recognized those blue eyes. I walked toward the tree and suddenly I was under its shade. Jack stood leaning on it with one of those heart melting smiles. “Lidia,” he said, the word clear and full of passion. My heart was pounding in my chest.
“Jack, what are you doing here?” I asked. He walked forward with his lips looking amused.
“Me? You put me in here. You’re dreaming of me,” he said. My mouth fell open a little.
“Wh-what?” He smiled and I said, “I never dreamt about anyone but Grant in here, on this field! I don’t dream about you!”
He smirked.
“I’m not Grant am I?” he asked, putting his hands up a little. I looked at him. He was wearing brown leather pants and a loose white shirt showing some of his chest. I tried not to seem distracted.
“Come with me, Lidia,” he whispered, taking my hand.
“What?” I asked again. He took both of my hands and pulled me toward the tree. “What is this tree?” I asked gazing up trying not to look at our hands together.
“It’s my tree. The one I had back home.” I frowned at him and he smiled. “It’s fun. I’ll help you.” I nodded looking into those baby blues. He climbed up on a branch and then helped me up. He held
my waist as he looked at me.
“Jack,” I said quietly. “Jack, I think I’m---“
****
I jolted upright on the sofa, my face sweating and my shirt sticking to my skin. I let out a breath and noticed that the sunlight was streaming into the big den. I groaned. I looked at my clock. 9:30 a.m. I only got one additional hour of sleep? Ugh! I stood up and my feet felt a little wobbly. I pushed back my hair and sighed. That was a very...that dream was amazing! It felt so real! But no! You were about to say something to him you would have regretted! Even if it was in a dream. You can’t admit anything to yourself. I’d never had dreams about Jack before. That was the first time. I can’t believe I dreamt that! I was so dizzy. I shuffled out of the den and walked to the kitchen where I heard the crunch of cereal as two people were eating and reading the newspaper. I walked over, my eyes a little foggy. My dad sat at one end with a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal with his face stuck in a paper. Then, as I looked to the other, I looked down, then up. Old sneakers, faded jeans, tight white long sleeved shirt. I gulped. The newspaper covered his face. “What are you doing here?” I almost yelled. Both persons jumped and looked at me. Dad smiled.
“Morning Ollie,” he said cheerily. Jack looked at me and grinned.
“Just waiting for you to get up.” His eyes trailed their way from my bare legs to my shorts then my stomach, then up to my chest where I didn’t have a bra on, then up to my eyes. “But I see you’re a little...um....” He was a little pink in the cheeks and that’s when I realized.
“Oh!” I said and crossed my arms over my chest, embarrassed. Dad just shrugged and started to read again. “I’m going to go get dressed.” I said and ran to the stairs. I heard Jack laughing shyly. I smiled to myself as I went into my room hearing the snore of my mom still sleeping. I grabbed a pair of jeans, a blue shirt and undergarments and left, shutting the door. After a quick shower, I put on a little makeup and got dressed. I walked out and almost ran into my mom. She smiled at me in her messy hair.