Make it Right

Chapter 6

As planned, you two run some errands together, picking out a new phone for JK to replace the one that he had destroyed last night. Then he brings you to a little place uptown for lunch.

You realize that you are underdressed for this place and say to him, "JK, did you know we'd be coming here for lunch?"

"Yes, why?"

"I'm kind of underdressed for this place. Don't you think? Maybe we should go somewhere else where I won't stick out like a sore thumb."

As he pulls you behind him, he says, "Don't be ridiculous. You'd stick out anywhere you go."

You stop walking and he turns around to look at you. "What is it?"

"That is not very nice of you to say." He turns around to face you and walks right up to you.

"Why is that not a nice thing to say? Have you ever looked at yourself? Don't you ever notice men staring at you everywhere you go? The minute you walk into a room, people can't resist looking your way. You never noticed that? I told you last night. You are beautiful.

"When we were little, I used to not be able to look at you straight in your face for too long because it made me feel uncomfortable to stare at you directly. I didn't know why then, but I know now. It's because you were so breathtaking. And it doesn't seem possible, but you've become better, more, in every way.

"I still can't believe no one has snatched you up yet. So... when I say, you'd stick out anywhere you go, what I mean is that there isn't a place you can go that you'd be able to blend in because of all the things I just said. I think it is a very nice thing for me to say,"

you are taken aback by what he said and only thing you can do is just stand there and blink at him. "Are we ready to go in now? Have some lunch?"

"Yes...." You say feeling a tiny bit foolish and very much giddy.

Lunch goes without incident. You two talk about what JK was doing prior to coming on board at his current position. You find out that he almost married his college sweetheart, but "Things didn't work out," and asks if you were ever close to getting hitched. You tell him that your life was not at a place where you could consider or worry about things like marriage.

"I think I only recently got to a place where I didn't have to focus on just surviving, you know? When I left my aunt's house, I left without telling anyone where I was going or that I was leaving at all. I just left one day while the family was away on a long weekend. I walked out with a book bag and a small carry-on luggage and left to never turn back.

"The day that I left, I promised myself that I would never put myself in a position where I would have to depend on someone else for anything, emotional or materialistic, that I would make sure that I can always take care of myself, no matter what. And... for the past few years, I've been making sure that what I promised to myself was my reality. I would have rather been homeless and begging on the street than to ever go back there again."

You noticed JK's expression and say, "Oh my goodness. I'm sorry. Ha-ha, my stories usually are mood killers. I'm sorry about that. Why don't you tell me more about you?"

He looks quite contemplative before he speaks, "I meant what I said last night. I may not have been able to do anything to help or take care of you before, but I can now. I would like to take care of you if you let me. I know... I know you don't need me to, but I just want to. It feels like an innate urge, a drive even. And I don't mean just financially. I mean in every way," he puts his hand on top of yours.

"Okay then. It's settled. We shall be BFFs for life."

He rolls his eyes, smiles, and says, "I'll take that.... For now."