Part Two: Jenn's Turn
First off, let me just say that, after a great amount of thought, I've decided to turn this from a two-parter to an undefined series. I tried to keep it down to two parts, but there are just too many ideas in my head for that! So, there will be more than just this story added to the first. Also, I would like to add in, to prevent confusion, that this part of the story is in Jenn's point of view (hence the title of the story). So don't let that confuse you. (And, I changed the name of the story from what I said it would be in the first part. If you figured that out before reading this, then you get a cookie!)
Oh.. . my... gosh! I can't believe my luck! First off, I finally get to go to public school, and now, I get a new friend who's just amazing! He's smart, funny, helpful... and cute too. ;) It's like destiny had it planned for me to meet him. His name is Aaron Pierce, and he is the most wonderful person ever! I think I'm in love too! Oh wow... I can't believe I'm writing all this down. But it's true! I now have proof that there are other people that are nice and accepting like mom and dad, and just as soon as I finish writing, they're gonna find out. I'm sooooo excited about it! I just hope that mom and dad don't embarrass me in front of him. I want everything to be perfect when he comes home with me. Just listen to me! I'm talking like I'm dating him, and I don't even know if he feels the same way about me. Well that's a buzz-kill. Oh well, I'll finish this later.
I put my diary back in my bag and started walking back to the school. I remembered were the library was easily, so it didn't take long to get there. I hoped I didn't look too nervous, but the truth was that my knees were shaking. Just the thought that I might say something wrong and get him to not like me was enough to make me want to just run away from the library doors. But I couldn't do that, not with Aaron waiting for me.
The doors opened slowly as I turned the corner. I was so nervous that just that was enough to make me bolt around and hide. With the grace of a two-year-old I leaned out so I could just see who unknowingly scared me. It was Aaron. My face blushed as I watched him walk toward me. If it weren't for his eyes looking everywhere but anywhere I would have hidden, but I just stood and spied on what he was doing.
He walked right to a nearby water fountain and bent over to get a drink. His hair was just long enough to get in the way, so he pulled it back. I was surprised that I hadn't noticed things like that before, like his hair and clothes and stuff like that. He wore simple baggy jeans, worn Converse shoes, and a black t-shirt that said "SARCASM: Just one of the services I offer..." It wasn't really the style dress that I'd imagine seeing on any of the big cliques that I had noticed, like those rude snobby girls. They had the nerve to call me names during class! What made it worse was that the teacher didn't even say a word to stop them! But, I kept my cool and didn't say anything back.
Aaron finished his drink, and went back to the spaced-off look that he seemed to have ever since Choir. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about, and if, by chance, it was me. I blushed deeper thinking about it. "It's not even been twenty-four hours and already you've got a crush on a guy!" I thought to myself. It was true, even though hard to admit. Within the span of about seven hours I had gained a new friend, and an even greater crush on that friend. "And most likely, he doesn't even like you that way!"
There was no time for thinking about that. I looked up at the hallway clock and saw that it was just about time for me to pick him up. I started going through the rules of the road out loud as I opened the library door. Quietly, of course.
"Hey Jenn, what're you doing?"
Aaron was standing right in front of me with a confident smile on, unlike the uncertainty I saw in his eyes previously. With surprise I accidentally yelped. Seeing the librarian look over at me with a scowl I grabbed Aaron's arm and drug him out of the library. "I'm so sorry about that. You just scared me. I wasn't expecting to see you pop up in front of me like that."
"I didn't pop up in front of you. I'd been waving at you since you walked in." he said calmly, still with the same smile that made the butterflies in my stomach turn backflips.
I couldn't believe myself. I embarrassed myself horribly in front of Aaron like I was a little kid who couldn't control herself around someone else. There was no doubt in my mind that he thought I was the dumbest thing he'd ever seen. Really, had I been trying that hard to not think about what was about to happen that I didn't even notice him standing in front of me? I guess so...
"Sorry... I've just been thinking about things." It was all that I could think to say at such short notice. I know it probably sounded completely stupid, but at least it wasn't stuttering incoherently.
"Oh?" he said, losing his smile for a curious look, "And what things might you have been thinking of in my stead?"
He sounded like he did when he first introduced myself; cool, confident and just glad in general. Just what caused the change from what he had been like beforehand? What was going through his mind as he appeared to have caught me with my guard down, acting like a dumb animal? "I was just thinking through my driving lessons, making sure that I remembered everything."
He brought a cheerful smile back to his face at that, almost as if he was amused at my attempt to not sound stupid. "Ah, alright. You don't have to worry too much about that, I don't doubt your driving, just as long as we don't have to listen to any rap on the way."
Why did he take such a risk and assume that I didn't like rap, and how did he know that I really didn't like music like that? Just how was he doing this; making me so nervous and jittery like a squirrel on sugar pills? Or was he doing anything at all? Was it me that was letting every little thing get to me? I must have looked like a idiot just standing there thinking so many questions, not even paying attention to the reassuring statement he had given me.
"Jenn, are you okay?" he asked plainly.
I turned my head up to face him. I hadn't even noticed that my head was down and my ears pressed flat against my head. His face showed concern and hopeful reassurance. I didn't want him to worry about my own doubts, so I put on the best happy face I could fake. "Yep, I'm fine. Just thinking about all the fun that I've had today."
"You don't look too happy to be thinking about fun things. Jenn, what's wrong? You can tell me. I don't bite, only nibble." His smile looked sincere, and his voice wasn't shaky with doubt like I know mine was. Even his laugh made me feel bad about how strange I must have been acting.
I figured that I didn't have what it took to tell him right out that I felt like a puppy whenever I was around him, so I did the next best thing; giving a half truth. "It's just that... I'm just so happy... to have a new friend... and I don't want to do anything to lose that friend." I chose my words wisely so that I didn't give off too much of my real feelings.
He didn't miss a beat. It was as though he knew I was going to say exactly that. "Trust me, you're too nice of a person to ever do something to offend me. I like having you as a friend just as well, I assume, as you do me. Maybe even more."
"Did he just hit on me? Or am I just imagining things?" I thought to myself, "What in the world is going on with me? Why am I acting like this?!" "I gotta go to the bathroom real quick!"
And then I ran. Straight past the restroom, past every single classroom, and right out the front doors of the school. With tears streaming down my face I finally stopped at what I came to find out was the old playground from when the high school was an elementary school. The rustic attitude that it had gave me a chilling feeling like there was an ominous gloom that overshadowed everything there. I sat down on an old swing, after checking to see if it was strong enough to hold my weight, and I cried. I didn't know why and I didn't care. I just wanted to be alone. I wanted to get my head straight.
An hour must have gone by, because the sun was starting to crest over some of the taller buildings that were glaring down on me with disappointment. It was the first time in my life that I had ever run away from anything, and it just had to be my first real friend. The fur under my eyes had already dried and left hard clumps from the salt in my tears, but I couldn't help but start crying again. I was making myself into an emotional wreck, all because I got overwhelmed by someone who was nice to me, unlike what I was brought up to think.
"Jenn, are you gonna be okay?"
I didn't even pay attention to the footsteps as Aaron came walking up to me. I didn't want to see the expression of shame on his face, so I kept my head pointed down and tried frantically to wipe the crust from under my eyes. "I-I'll be fine..."
It came as a surprise to feel his warm hand under my chin, but I let him slowly lift my head up to look at him, though I still kept my eyes diverted. I twitched a little as I felt his other hand come up to my face. "You don't have to feel embarrassed or ashamed of how you acted. I promise that I'm not mad or anything like that."
He started to wipe the new set of tears streaming down my face away, and that only made me start to bawl. But he didn't hit me, he didn't leave, he didn't say a word. What he did though, made me feel unlike I'd ever felt before; he stood me up, and hugged me. I can't imagine how long I just stood there crying into his shoulder. But he waiting for me, slowly starting to sway me back and forth. It was calming to know that he was there.
When I did settle down to low rasps and whimpers, Aaron let me stand on my own. I hadn't even been standing, but letting him hold me up. As much as I didn't want to, I looked into his eyes. There was no shame, there was no disgrace, there was nothing negative. "Let's get you home. I wouldn't doubt your parents are worried sick right now." And then he smiled.
I let him drive so that I could try to clean myself up some. I didn't even have to help him find the house. He must have known how to get around much better than I did, because he used shortcuts and routs that I had never seen before. All the while he still held his smile. It made me feel much better to see him smile. "I-I think that... my parents might have eaten already..." I said, still with a quiver in my voice.
Without taking his eyes off the road, he answered back. "That's okay. I'm more worried about you than if I stuffed my face or not. Are you sure that you're feeling better?"
"Yeah... I'm feeling lots better. Thanks." I managed to utter out just as we pulled up the driveway to my house. The house wasn't extravagant, but it was better than one of the apartments my dad had been looking at renting out.
I stepped out of the car as Aaron turned off the ignition. He helped me up the walkway. Even though I did feel better, it made me happy to have him walking with me. I tentatively opened the door and walked into the main hallway. "Mom? Dad? I'm home."
My parents came running into the hallway and started hugging me and acting completely worried just like Aaron said they probably would. "Jennifer Strippe! Where on God's green earth have you been?! We've been worried sick!" my mom scolded.
"Don't worry mom, I'm fine. I was just hanging out with a new friend." I pried myself away from their parental grasps and turned to the door. "Which reminds me... Mom. Dad. I'd like you to meet Aaron, my new friend." Where I had expected Aaron to be standing and waiting I saw nothing but the open doorway. I frantically looked out, but still saw no sign of him at all. "He... He was just here a second ago... He drove me home..."
My parents didn't bother to waste time waiting for an apparently invisible person, and abruptly brought me back inside and into the living room where I was firmly interrogated. I answered all their questions, mainly about where I had been and only a few being about my first day of school. After almost an hour of mixed informing, defending, and being scolded, they decided that it was time for me to go to bed. "But... it's only eight!"
And so ended my first day of the rest of my life. Left with more questions than answers, I fell down on my bed and thought. I guess that after crying for so long earlier, I didn't have anything left to cry out, so I actually thought. My mind drifted from topic to topic, but it always came back to the same place: Aaron.
By the end of the night I had come up with approximately two-hundred forty-seven questions about him, eighty-nine things I wanted to ask him if I ever saw him again (question #176, by the way), and, as ashamed as I am to admit to thinking it, twelve different fantasies I would like to have lived out with him. He had taken over the whole of my mind, and yet I had only known him for a day. I only hoped that, when school started tomorrow, that he would be there waiting... If only just to see him again...
This concludes Part Two. I know that it was much shorter than the first, but I hope that hasn't diminished your liking of the story any. Many thanks for the positive ratings and words of praise as I continue into this series, both for now and for future respects.