Waiting outside the lines

Chapter 4

After a while I tell him where to go to get to my school. On our way to there, Jake and I talk about my school and my friends. "You probably have all these guys going after you."
I laugh and say, "Nah. Guys don't know I exist. I really don't care though."
"You're crazy! There has to be someone who likes that beautiful face of yours. I know someone." He looks at me and smiles. I give him a fake smile. I can't take these fake compliments any more its really getting old. I look at my hands and start talking,
"So did you know my room is above where you work on your projects? I can hear pretty much everything that is said and done down there."
"Okay. What does that.." I guess he realizes what I'm saying because he becomes silent. "Oh I see. You heard what I said last night. Look I'm not being nice and doing all this stuff to make my brother mad. I actually do think you're really cool. Making my brother mad is just a bonus." He says with a straight face.
"What happened between you guys anyway?" It's silent for a while then I realize, "Sorry that's really none of my business. You don't have to tell me anything."
"No no it's fine. It's just that... When my dad left.. Wayne would always blame me for it. He'd say that I did something wrong. And I kind of... we just don't really like each other." He shrugs and looks straight blankly. I can't help but feel sorry for him but I'm still not one hundred percent convinced he's telling me the truth. I decide I'll talk to Rose about it later. I nod and it becomes silent again. We finally get to my school and as he drives in, the car catches everyone's attention. People start pointing and a few popular kids walk up in front of the car. I thank Jake and say goodbye. He grabs my wrist and whispers in my ear,
"Wanna give them a show?" I look at him confused then he moves in and kisses me. First softly then more intense. I sit there surprised but don't move away from him. I forget where I am for a second and go on my knees on the chair, still kissing him. I mess with his hair and I feel his hands on me. First on my back then slowly moving down. I smile, still kissing him and then I hear someone say,
"Janet!?" I stop kissing and smile at Jake, his hands still on me, and I turn around. My jaw drops at who I see standing in front of my car door. I push Jake's hands off me and get out of the car.
"Wayne? I... I thought you were gonna stay home today. What.. What are you..?"
"I was gonna surprise you by coming today but I guess I'm the one who got surprised."
"That... that's so sweet. Um..." I look at him not knowing what to say. "Ok well I guess I'll just find someone else to show me around. See you later Janet." He walks away and I say his name trying to go after him but Jake grabs my arm and says,
"Just let him go. He'll be fine." As he says it he gives me an evil smile, not even trying to hide it. I glare at him and try to get my arm out of his grasp but he grabs me harder.
"Let go of me!" I yell at him. He lets go of me and I run after Wayne.
"Wayne! Wayne come on! Please stop!" I push through crowds of kids I don't even know and finally catch up to him. "Wayne stop!" He keeps walking and I stop. I look back at Jake thinking maybe I should just leave Wayne alone for a while. I see Jake flirting with some of the"popular girls" and they're all over him and he's all over them. I roll my eyes and turn back around, going after Wayne. When I catch up again I go in front of him. Not letting him pass me. "Wayne, let me explain." He tries to go around me but I don't let him, "Will you listen!" He stops trying to go around me and says,
"Okay I'm listening! What's your explanation? No wait I'm sorry your excuses." He stands there expectantly and I stand there looking at him with a concerned expression on my face. "I... I'm gonna tell you..." Then I realize I really don't have an explanation. There's no excuse for what I just did.
"You don't have any excuse do you?" Wayne says harshly.
"No I don't but.." I don't even get to finish my sentence before Wayne says,
"My brother has always messed things up for me. Ever since I was little. You know for my third birthday I had my first birthday party and my brother hated all the attention I got so he broke his own arm by jumping off the balcony. That's how much he hates me! He would hurt himself so that I wouldn't get any attention. I don't even know why he would do that! He just does! He ruins so much for me." He's silent and I ask,
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I really don't know. But the point is Jake has ruins so many good opportunities. So many good friendships with the fake things he does and says. I just thought you were different. That you'd see how fake he was. My mom doesn't see it! Jake's friends don't see it! But I really thought you would." I get kind of upset when he says 'I thought you were different.'
"Oh 'cause you know me so well, right?What? Did you go into my room and read my journal this morning too?" I say sarcastically.
"No. You don't seem like the type of girl to keep a journal."
"Really? What if I do?"
"Does this really matter? And how can you be mad at me! When you were just making out with my older brother, who's 22 by the way.  AND letting him feel you up! You know he'd.."
"I was NOT letting him feel me up!!" I interrupt.
"I saw his hands moving! And you would have let him if I didn't say anything. You know he'd do that to any girl that would let him!" He becomes silent and looks me straight in the eyes, "He doesn't care about you, Janet. He just wants to make me mad."
"You know not everything's about you! Maybe he actually does like me!"
"He's twenty-two and you're fifteen!"
I stand there not knowing what to say. I know Jake really doesn't like me, I just didn't want to admit it to Wayne.
"Look I'm sorry if I mad you feel bad but.."
"Oh like you made your brother feel bad by blaming him for your dad leaving?!" I knew as soon as I said it, I was gonna regret it. His face goes from sympathetic to sad but angry.
"That's what he told you!? You don't know what you're saying Janet. You know nothing! Nothing about me, nothing about my brother, and nothing about my dad!" He doesn't say anything for a second but then says, almost to himself, "I knew I shouldn't have come today. I'm gonna go home. Goodbye Janet." He walks towards the parking lot and I stand there like an idiot, knowing I made a big mistake. I know nothing about his family. How could I say that to him?
One of my friends walks up to me and says, "Who's that hot piece of man?"
"Oh just a guy that just started going here." I say still watching him walk away.
"No I meant the one you were making out with. You looked comfortable with him." She winks and nudges my arm.
"No he's... You know what, I have to get to class. I'll see you later." I go to class and barely get through school without breaking down and crying. After a long day of thinking about what happened in the morning, I go to the parking lot. I'm about to walk to my little brothers school, when I see the blue convertible.
I pretend not to see the blue convertible and start walking away but then I hear my little brother. He yells to me.
"Janet! Janet! Jakey's here! Janet!" What? How does he have my brother? How could he do that after what happened this morning! I walk to the car full of rage and hug my brother hello as he gets out of the car. I tell him to go behind the car for a second so I could talk to Jake and he happily does. Admiring the car as he walks. I glare at Jake and say harshly,
"What are you doing here?"
"I just thought I'd pick up my girlfriend from school." He says winking at me.
"I am NOT you're girlfriend! And never will be."
"Well that's not what your little friends think. I told them you're my girlfriend."
"Whatever I'll just tell them I broke up with you. Forget it we gotta go. Let's go little bro!" I yell to the back of the car.
"No you're not going! At least not with your brother." He says turning on the car. I see him put the car in reverse and yell to my little brother.
"MOVE!!" I run to the back of the car but he's already on the other side of the car. Jake starts cracking up and I walk up to his side of the car. "Oh you think that's funny?" I tell my little brother to turn around and he does. I look back at Jake and he says,
"What? Are you gonna kiss me? I knew you wouldn't be able to resist."
I smile innocently at him and say, "No, better." I streak his face with my left hand and tell him to close his eyes. He does and I take my right back an punch him right in the nose. Hard. He grabs his nose and curses. I smile at him again and say, "Hope you enjoyed that. I know I did." I smirk at him and walk away with my brother.
"What happened Janet? Where's Jakey?"
"He.. has a little something on his face. He won't be able to drive us. I grab his hand and walk him home.

As soon as I get home I take my little brother into the house and go straight to Wayne's house. I figure Jake is probably back but hope he doesn't open the door when I knock. I wait for a few seconds and hear the door open. Phew! It's Rose. "Rose! Is Wayne here??" I say with such concern in my voice I think I scare Rose a little. "Um no he went to school today. He wanted to surprise you. Didn't you see him today?"
"What? No he came in the morning but then..." I don't know if I should tell her or not. I decide I'll tell her later. "...Then something happened and he left in the morning. He said he was gonna come home. Where could he be?" I get scared and start breathing hard.
"No it'll be fine. Sometimes Wayne likes finding little places where he can think. Can you think of any places around here like that?" I think for a second.
"Actually I can. I know where he is."
"Ok let's go then!" Rose says grabbing my arm."I'll go get the keys." Before she goes too much into the house I say,
"No it's fine I can walk there. We need to talk anyway. Can you please watch my brother for me?" She nods and I start walking. I know exactly where he is.

It takes a while but I finally get there and I see Wayne. I knew he was gonna be there! The place is somewhere high up on a hill overlooking our neighborhood and so much more. It's beautiful and has many trees and even a river. It's really great and there's a perfect spot to sit. There's a rock by the edge of the hill. Not many people know about it.

I'm about to walk up to him but then I hear his nose sniffling. Then I realize Wayne is crying.