Memories of Jack & Eliza (BWWM)

Chapter 4

Jack

 

I was different.

I could see her. Now, and in my head. In my memories she is beautiful; she still is. I wanted so bad to say so many things to her.

“You here!” Every time she’d walk into the room.

“Your beautiful,” Every time she touched my skin.

“Hi” Every time she tried to get my attention. She didn’t say much; which was weird. The Eliza I knew never stopped talking. I remember so damn clear and blurry all at the same time.

I don’t think she came to the library. When I asked her about the books, she had no clue what I was talking about. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it. But I got a job at that new restaurant everyone likes.” I made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal even though it kind of was. I wanted her to get the message so I could make my next move. Just fuck it. “Well then never mind.” I walked past her and changed my smile to a frown. I felt like she was testing me, and I don’t like test. I ate my breakfast burrito and walked to my first class. I already had my headphones in and blanked out everything with Loyal by Chris Brown. “Oh so now I’m a hoe?” She sat next to me this time and I ignored her. “Now I don’t even care what the message said,” She looked away from me and focused on her work. “Okay then don’t,” I said. “I thought you were ignoring me,” She said, and I pause the music.

 I saw another girl with the same book I wrote the messages in. “Remember we have a test in French, Jack” I didn’t know that and I didn’t care. “Thanks for the reminder. “ She smiled when I replied. I really wanted her to go away. “How do you think your gonna do, monsieur?” I should ask her help. Of course she knew another language because she was smart and pretty. “I think I’m gonna fail.” I heard the girl with the book mumble something about the words being circled in the book. “Someone vandalized the book!” She was one of those people who said everything that came to their mind, no matter how stupid it was. “And? Why does it matter?” The irritating girl went on to talk about how vandalism was a crime and how we should treat books much better.

“What does it say, since you’re getting all worked up?” I took the book from her and she pointed to the drawing off a penis on one page and the circled words. “I was practicing my vocab and I could barely see it.”  I guess I didn’t do a very good job. “Do you know that word?” Eliza pointed to the words I circled. “And this is a public library book! Who would do this?” I wanted so badly to tell her to shut up. “Can you go sit down? You’re yelling in my ear.” The weird girl took the book from me and sat down. “It said you’re pretty” I told Eliza. “Well, I’m glad you’re not completely dumb.” She laughed. I asked her to tutor me in French. “I don’t know how much help I would be…but sure.”  I agreed and that was all I cared about.

                “We can go to the library.” I was so tired of going there. “I rather not,” I say. “Okay, well then your house it is.” I negotiated with her after school, about the time and whether or not I was gonna pick her up. “I can make it. This isn’t a date.” And it wasn’t. When I took my French test it had all kinds of simple words. And I was surprise I knew them. When we had to translate this paragraph in French, that’s when it got hard. “You’ve got 5 minutes,” The teacher said in French. “C’mon,” I had the back to complete. I finished it and gave her my test. Once class ended, I went home and got ready for her to come over. My parents weren’t there so it was perfect. I order some pizza and sat in front of the TV. “I didn’t know you watched that show too?” She laughed. “Oh yeah it’s my favorite,” I agree with her. “Jack, you don’t have the TV on.” I stuck a piece of pizza in my mouth and stayed silent.

 I was embarrassing myself and it made me mad. She told me to go into my room and wait 10 minutes. “You’re not gonna vandalize my kitchen are you?” I said but it was lame of me. Why was I acting like I’ve never talked to a girl before. I didn’t like her that much…She was crazy pretty…very beautiful. But it was just an attraction… “I’ll be back.” I eat more slices of pizza, because she barely ate any. “There’s two slices of pizza left!” I yell from my bed room. It was dark in here but I didn’t want the lights on. “I don’t like pizza.” She stood in the door frame and her silhouette was illuminated.  “You can come down now.” She said and I followed her. She marked every appliance and object in my living room and kitchen. “You have pronounce all these and identify them. Match the words to the correct object,” This was a challenge and I knew I was gonna lose.

“You cook in a…?” She asked me my first question and I knew this one. My accent was horrible; when I said the first word it sounded so ridiculous, she laughed so hard. “Cuisine,”-"Kitchen" I translated. “You know I can’t study and learn if you’re laughing at me the whole time, Eliza.” My accent might I’ve been horrible, but the way I said her name was hot. I could see the look in her eyes when I acknowledged her. “You’re right. Let’s keep going.” I named off everything from the refrigerator to the couch correctly. “I know all these things.” I told her when I named off everything. “We needed to start with the basics. I knew you were that dumb.” She smiled and I saw how pretty it was. “Damn,” She heard me mutter. “Did you say something?” I nod my head no, and we move on to my room.