Best Laid Plans

Chapter 1: December, 1981

~Amanda POV~

My feet could not be still. They bounced and kicked, shimmied and banged against the counter and stool of Blaine's Diner. My heart felt like it was going a million times a minute in a threat to jump out of my chest as I tried like hell to keep a calm exterior. Cindy watched me as she moved around, filling cups and ushering plates in and out of the kitchen. Her bright smile seemed to curve all the more every time she drew close to me, coffee pot in hand in a silent ask if I needed more. The answer, of course, was always a nod. My fingers would instantly wrap around the warmth of the putty colored mug as the stream of molten liquid refreshed the pottery.

"Jake must be getting home, yeah?" Cindy asked as she worked to make fresh coffee. "Did you have a good semester?"

"It was fantastic," I answered, my body practically vibrating over the notion that his name had been uttered around me. "Jake got in last night, actually, so..."

A soft laugh warmed my skin as she reached over and patted my arm. "It'll be good to see you together again. I've got a good feeling about you two."

Cindy had had a front row seat to the burgeoning romance that was between me and Jake. We had spent countless hours within Blaine's, downing coffee and spinning plans the likes only new love could create. She flitted off to help another table, leaving me alone in my excitement. Jake had been my high school crush. I was new to town my freshman year and my eyes landed on him the very first day of school. He was a senior, forced to show new students around. Although he was nice through the whole tour, I could see how he was annoyed by the end. I had stayed towards the back of the group of eight kids, just listening to him explain the layout, giving little hints about how the bell schedule seemed to give us an extra minute between the fourth and fifth periods, which teachers were cool and which were not, and when to avoid the school lunch. He held the door open for us when it was time to get back to the office. When I passed him, he smiled. It wasn't one of those mean 'hurry up so I can get away from you all' smiles either. He was not the cutie pie high school boy. He wasn't tall, dark and handsome, either. He was only a bit taller than me, with his shaggy hair all unkempt and dark eyes positively glittering as he had smiled the kind of smile that tugged at one corner of his mouth more than the other. He and his twin brother, Josh, were not the most popular, but they seemed to be everywhere and attached to everything - together.

I carried that smile with me all through that year. It was stupid and girlish, but despite all the typical teen drama that happened, seeing Jake smile brought me a comfort that I did not understand at the time. I would run into him during drama and band classes, as well as all the different productions that we put on that year. I was a little distraught when he graduated. He had plans of going to Loyola on a music scholarship, while his twin was headed to New York for film school.

My youthful angst over not seeing Jacob Kiszka was fierce as the summer expired and the new school year started. My friends were loud and obnoxious and full of being sixteen, or close to it. I was the first to get my license and thus drove everyone everywhere - including parties, practices and games. I had my first kiss that year by Robbie Parker. Am I embarrassed that I pictured that it was actually Jake giving me that kiss - just a little. Robbie was sweet, but my heart belonged elsewhere.

My crush only increased over the remaining years of school. The Kiszka family was incredibly tight knit. Jake would be there for nearly every play (maybe not opening night, but at least be there for one performance), and every big event for his siblings. Senior year was my year to wonder. The last of his siblings had graduated. I was still carrying the torch, though. I could not really explain why. I did see him in passing during the holidays while I was gift shopping with Jenni and Mel. But it was at Martin's during Spring Break that had left me breathless as I smacked right into him as I was leaving and he was walking in. I was so embarrassed that I didn't even look back after he tried to make sure I was okay. All I could think was how good he smelled. Ugh.