Just So I Could Call You Mine

Chapter 10

Mac

I park my car outside Jess' blue suburban house to drop her off. Bushes and roses adorn the front yard and a large tree leans lazily beside the house.

I watch as the rain batter its leaves and branches back and forth.

The car door creaks as she opened it but before she could fully close it I lean over the console and stop it.

"Hey, look I'm sorry I was out of line, I'll ask Landon for you," I try to even my voice out.

I don't want her to know how much it hurts that this is not the first time my friend got chosen over me.

I get it he's charismatic and relatively good looking but I wish people would look past that. I wish maybe Jess could look past that. I want her to get to know me, but she can't do that if I wont let her in.

She nods her head curtly, "Thanks, I like Landon but I'm too nervous to take the first leap, hopefully he likes me back. Well we did have a moment after he got punched," her voice trails off wistfully and my chest hurts a fraction more.

She scratches her arm nervously for a few short seconds before she swiftly closes the door. I watch her back as she leaves.

I shake away the foolish thought as she walks to her door. We need to establish a friendship before I catch stupid feelings.

She turns and gives me a small wave, I put up my hand in salute and wait until she's safely inside before I pull away.

***

My shift at the gas station was uneventful, my day consisted of stocking shelves. I met my coworker who I know, David Lee.

David is in my business class and he's a pretty chill guy. He's on the swim team and my dudes got muscle. He was in a matching khaki green polo and I was seriously debating asking him about his workout regime because even though I have muscle, David is jacked.

He was surprised when I showed up to my shift, his eyebrows raised, but he just gave me a highfive and we started talking.

Since talking to Jess, recently talking to new people aka David wasn't as hard as it used to be.

I mainly feel like I only have friends because I'm a good football player, and that I used to be outgoing. I was respectably extroverted until everything became fucked up and I closed down.

I appeared happy and then I gave up, but I still clung to my only close friends, they were my anchor but I still felt like I was drowning.

I have forgotten how to be a genuinely happy and a kind person, and I blame it on him. I'm bitter and still full of pent up anger.

I shake away the feelings before meeting Jess.

The retirement home floor glints as I step into the entryway. I sign in and head down the hallways where nurses are ducking in and out of rooms in an organised frenzy.

I hold three tupperware containers full of pasta carbonara and bacon, for my mom, Jess and I. I cooked it when I got home after school and it filled the kitchen full of the most flavorful aromas.

I used heavy amounts of cream and cheese and it tastes and smell delicious, I had to resist opening it up and wolfing it down on my drive here.

"Here you go Princess," I dramatically present Jess with her tupperware container and fork from behind my back. The excited gasp that escapes her lips is priceless and her blue eyes light up.

"Grandpa, this is Mac, he's my chemistry partner, and new friend," she introduces me and I walk over to the the old mans chair to shake his hand.

His hand is delicate in mine and I see a glimmer in his eye that makes me a bit uneasy.

"He promised he would bring me dinner!" she opens the lid while she tells Robert about our predicament. He chuckles and watches his granddaughters happiness intently, adoration clearly on his face.

Steam floats up and I watch her keenly as she twirls her fork around and eats a big mouthful. My knee bobs up and down awaiting her verdict. I think it tastes delicious but only Jess' opinion is the one that really matters.

Her eyes flutter closed, savoring the moment, "Mmmmmm, this is so goooood," she groans and piles more onto her fork.

I let out a quiet exhale, happy she likes it. This is the best punishment or whatever she thought this was ever.

I get up to go find my mom, leaving Jess to enjoy her dinner.

I finally spot my mom and give her her dinner. She squeezes me to her tightly, and when she pulls away my stomach tightens at the sight of her tired eyes.

She had to pick up this shift from a coworker who has mono, and it pains me to see her this fatigued from work.

"When's your shift over?" she rubs at her eyes defensively.

"Not until two. Do I really look that bad already?" she sighs.

"No, I can just tell when you need rest, anyway I better go back to Jess," I give her another hug because I feel she needs the reassurance.

I return to Jess and Robert whispering together.

"Oh no son, you shouldn't have done that," Robert snickers as I return back to them. I quirk up my eyebrow in confusion and Jess taps Robert's hand lightly, to reprimand him.

"I told you that in confidence," Jess hisses at him lightheartedly.

I'm not following this conversation at all but Robert quickly clears that up for me.

"You should never read Jess' things without her knowing," he states nobly. "She can get a little crazy over her writing!"

"Grandpa!" Jess exclaims and flashes another shocked face. I find it funny that Robert continues to spill all the gossip Jess just told him.

I shift in my armchair and the leather squeaks beneath me.

"You were gossiping to your grandpa about me! Wow Jess, just wow. And here I thought Robert and I were getting along nicely," I gasp sarcastically.

"Gossiping to my grandpa is one of my greatest attributes, so get used to it Snoopy!" she mimics my dramatic tone and her smile lights up her dimpled face.

She is cheeky and she knows it. I narrow my eyes and Robert simply nods which makes me let out a small chuckle again.

"So what else have you told Robert about me?" she scoffs and ignores my question by stuffing her face with more pasta.

"Oh my god, SnoopDog would be an excellent nickname for you," she proclaims way too proudly after swallowing.

"You are NOT calling me SnoopDog. Ever," I flash her a very serious look, which just earns me her careless laugh again.