Perfect Imperfections

Two

Jake Kyle

~*-*~

I sighed as I walked into the supermarket then I grabbed a cart, grabbing the list of things my mom had made for me to buy. I noticed a backpack wasn't on here and knew I would get into trouble if I just straight up bought one.

"Looks like I'll have to make due." I whispered and began shopping. When I went to retrieve the cooking oil, I groaned as I saw it above my five foot three height. I stood on my tip toes, trying to reach it, but watched a tattooed hand reach above me and grab it.

"Here you go." I looked at Jake as he handed me the oil then I smiled.

"Thank you." I smiled and he nodded.

"Hey, um, are you new in town?" He asked before he walked off and I nodded.

"My family and I just moved here from El Paso, my dad is starting some new businesses in town and my mom is re-foresting the area." I said and he nodded.

"I thought I hadn't recognized you. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" He asked and I licked my lips.

"Seventeen, I'll be eighteen in the spring." I said and he nodded.

"How old are you, Jake?" I asked and he grinned.

"Twenty two." He said and I nodded.

"Well, thank you for helping me, but I should get going. Got a lot of shopping to do." I said and he nodded. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked down the aisle, though I don't know why he was staring at me. It's not like I'm pretty like my sister. I sighed as I finally finished shopping then I went to the registers, checking out and grabbing my mom's card.

"Hey, you got an ID for this?" I looked up and frowned when I saw the white-out needed an ID.

"I-"

"It's for me, Dolores." I looked up as Jake was suddenly next to me then he handed the woman his card, after setting his things on the belt.

"AJ, I told you to wait." He told me, flashing me a grin, but I forced a smile.

"Sorry, Jake." I said and noticed the woman checking him out.

"I hadn't realized, Jake." Dolores said and scanned his things, using his card to pay for everything. As we were leaving, I was trying to carry all of my bags, but he was silently watching.

"You got a car?" He asked, watching as I sighed and forced a smile.

"No, Jake, I don't have a car. I walked here-"

"Let me give you a lift then. Otherwise, your milk will go bad." He offered and I eyed him, wondering if I could trust this small town stranger.

"Are you a serial killer?" I asked, which made him bust out laughing.

"No!" He laughed as he held his stomach.

"I'm not a serial killer, AJ!" He laughed and waved me to follow him. As we got to his truck, he helped me put my bags on one side and threw his bags on the other side.

"Let's go." He grinned and we got into the cab. I watched him buckle and start the vehicle as I got in and buckled then he looked at me and smiled.

"AJ, I'm not a teen girl killer, I promise-"

"I just met you, I don't know. Also, why are you so nice to me?" I asked as he held the back of my seat, looking out the back window as he reversed.

"You do know you have a back-up camera, right?" I asked and he glanced at me as he shifted to 'drive' and left the supermarket lot.

"Those things aren't accurate." He said and looked at me.

"Where to?" He asked and I told him my address.

"As to your question, I'm helping because that's the human thing to do." He said and I nodded, looking out the window.

"Wait, if I was a serial killer, I'd never admit to it!" He laughed and I looked at him then shrugged.

"Well, no, but your friend Dolores just saw us together and if I turn up dead, she'll point the finger at you." I said and he nodded.

"Alright, fair enough. You're scarily smart about crime stuff apparently, AJ." He said and I smiled as I nodded.

"Not much else to do when you're talentless, so you read." I said and he frowned.

"I'm sure you've got some talent-"

"I really don't." I said and laid my head back on the seat, staring out the window until we got to my street.

"Stop." I said and he pulled off to the side, looking at me.

"What's wrong?" He asked as I unbuckled.

"I can't have my family seeing me getting out of a stranger's truck." I said and opened the door as he put the car into park, getting out to follow me.

"AJ, you can't walk-"

"It's a couple minutes, I'll be fine." I said and grabbed all of my grocery bags, wincing when they began to dig into my skin.

"Adalyn, wait a second!" I looked at Jake then he sighed, looking at the truck.

"Please, put those back and get into the truck-"

"See ya, Jake." I smiled and went around him, walking the last couple minutes home. When I got there, I couldn't feel my arms at all and sighed as I finally set the groceries down on the counters. I took a deep breath then began putting everything away, leaving out the stuff for dinner and beginning to cook. After dinner, I was up in my room listening to my family laughing as I did my homework and studied. I wished that I was able to effortlessly do schoolwork like my siblings, I wished that I could be apart of family game night, but I was forbidden from it until I pulled straight A's, which was damn near impossible with how stupid I am.