The Unforgettable Rejection (Book One)

Chapter Twenty Seven

            I get started on the dishwashing as soon as dad leaves the house. Giving the boys orders on what they can do.

"Jarred, you'll dry the dishes. Jake, you'll put them away."

"Yes ma'am." He said, as he saluted me, his reaction was priceless. It makes me giggle, he just makes me feel something. And I don't know why I have this connection with him and only him.

"Talk about a lapdog."

"Really? Because I seem to recall you follow me around like a lost puppy." I put one hand on my hip and the other leaning on the counter when I said this.

"What? No" He denies unconvincingly.

"Uh yeah."

"Yeah, lost puppy."

"I wouldn't talk if I were you"

"Ha!"

"You know there's this thing called sarcasm."

"Yeah, but your sarcasm is just obnoxious."

"You both are obnoxious in your own little way, now shut up and help me."

            They both shut their mouths, as they lowered their heads down and followed instructions. After that, we're through with scrapping, washing, rinsing, drying, and packing up every last dish in the cabinets. Jake then asks me,

"What are you doing?"

"Getting a snack."

"Better not be using any of the freshly washed dishes."

"No sir." I said sarcastically back to him, grabbing the pocky crunchy strawberry sticks.

"Can I have one?"

"Sure but only one." I give him one before sitting down on the couch to watch a movie. The boys sit down with me, me in between the two.

"What are we watching?"

"Warm bodies."

"What's that?"

"An unusual zombie/human romance."

"Seriou-" I cut him off.

"Sshhhh!" I say this prior to the movie starting. Jake gets up and walks directly in front of the television during the show.

"Move!" Saying that Jarred, he then pushes him out of the way.

"What am I in your way?"

"Yes. now shut it so I can hear the rest of the movie!"

            His initial reaction before the movie started was dissatisfaction therefore when I looked at him, I was taken aback by the way he responded. I believe that I stared at him for a moment longer than I had anticipated, and he gave me a quick momentary glance.

"What?"

"Nothing, just thought you weren't too keen on watching this movie because it's a chick flick."

"This one isn't like all the others, it's got a bit of zombie eating brain action."

"Yeah but-" I pause, then continue, "Nevermind." I talk just enough to get my point over before keeping silent and watching the rest of the moving picture. After thirty minutes, the film had come to an end. I stood up taking my wrappings with me as I made my way to the kitchen, throwing them out. I then shout out, "Movies over!" To let Jake know.

"Good because I wasn't really into it that much anyway."

            Just before making my way to bed, I grab the remote to the DVD player and take the movie out of the tray. Once I've put it away, I switch off the TV and the player, leaving the two guys by themselves in the living room.

Jarred's POV

             She walks away, disappearing, leaving us to sit in our testosterone, neither one of us wanting to break this silence and start up a conversation with each other. Until one of us, obviously not me, speaks up because it is becoming too quiet.

"Sooo?"

"Um..." I say, as I stroke the back of my neck feeling uncomfortable.

"This is uh..."

"Awkward as shit."

"Yeah."

            That's all we had said to each other thus far. What precisely are we guys supposed to say to one another? We don't like each other. Knowing that Nicole has grown reliant on us, we have to compromise for her sake and she isn't going to let us go.

            Later on we eventually just stay in silence for a couple more hours before we decide that the silence may be put to bed. We just nod in agreement and go to our rooms, where we quickly fall asleep moments after.