Nephophile

SUP, BUDDY

Jane and Jake drove for a while. They left the city behind, and the green of the countryside blurred past as they drove. Jake turned up a road with tall trees standing. The scenery looked like something out of a movie. He pulled up to a wood cabin.

Jake jogged around the car and opened the door for her. She got out and followed him inside. A table packed with food stood in the middle. "This is my friend's summer cabin. I wanted to go to my hangouts, but there would be too much paparazzi for my liking, and I know you want to be out of the spotlight after the whole engagement fiasco at the Charity Ball." He said.

"Yeah." She said and followed him to the table. He pulled out her chair. Jane stared at him blankly. "I bet you don't get this treatment often." He said as he took a seat across from her. "I don't. " She said honestly. Jake masked his emotions, knowing that she could read them like a book. He felt sorry for her.

"The food is still warm. I take it the one who prepared it must've left a few minutes before we came." Jane said. She dug into her plate and sighed content with the food. Jake smiled.

"Hungry, are we?" Jane nodded and brought her fork up to her mouth. They ate and said a few things here and there.

"Fancy dessert?" Jake asked as he cleared the table. "Of course." Jane said to which he nodded. Jake disappeared off into the kitchen. He returned with two bowls that occupied both his hands. "Hope you like Pavlova?"

"What's that? Is it made with milk?" She asked with brows knitted together. Jake shook his head. "No, no milk." He set the dessert down and found his seat. Jake watched Jane as she took a spoonful. Her face lit up as her taste buds danced with joy. "This is good." She said and took another spoonful.

"So Jane, how did you and Alexa become friends?" Jake asked curiously, and somewhat jealous of her. "I mean someone as closed off as you sure must not have a lot of friends. I'm just curious." He said serious. Jane set her empty bowl aside and clasped her fingers together. "We met at Joshua's graduation. She had also graduated that day. Our fathers go way back, and that's how our paths crossed. She was a ball of nerves that day cause she had to deliver a speech." Jane reminisced and let a chuckle escape. "So my father spotted her father and went over just to greet them. Alexa had flashcards that she went through. She never even noticed us approaching them, even after we had greeted each other. Her eyes were trained on those flashcards. Our parents got lost in conversation, and I was lost in a book. Joshua was talking with some guy. Upon hearing Alexa choke on her own spit, I lift my head from my book. She saw my water bottle and pointed towards it. I shook my head no. The poor girl's face was red from her coughing fit. She grabbed my bottle, threw off the cap, and took a really big swig of my water. Only to realize that it wasn't water, but vodka. Her coughing worsened. I felt sorry for her, but what she did next stunned me even more. She threw her head back and took another swig." Jane said and shook her head as if she was reliving the memory. "Bamboozled, I stared at her. She looked over at me and smiled. With my bottle raised to the sky, she nodded at me with thanks and walked off with it. I never heard her speech, but her parents sure did praise her that day. That's how we met." She said to a smiling Jake.

"So Jake Hughes. The heartbreaker of UCT Jane said, and Jake erupted in laughter. "Don't believe everything you hear or search. I mean, most of it is true, but there are a few fakes in between."

"Almost every girl has a Jake Hughes story I hear." She said and watched him as he raked his fingers through his wavy hair. He looked at her with all emotion wiped off his face. "I'm not proud of who I was back in high school and varsity. Girls, parties, and alcohol are all in my past. That guy...."

"WhoooooooooHoooooooo!" Jake was interrupted. Startled, they both got up. Jake led Jane to the back door. Jane saw neighboring cabins. From the entrance, one can not see the other cabins, as the one they occupied were the biggest there. Cars and vans pulled up. Harold jumped out of a black Jeep with a six-pack beer in each hand. Jake stood in front of Jane and hid her small frame behind him. Harold handed the beer over to half naked guy and lifted his dark shades. His eyes fell on them. A devilish smile grew on his face. With confidence in his long strides, he approached them. "Sup, buddy." He held out his hand. Jake took his hand and did their brotherly handshake only known to them. Harold reeked of alcohol but wasn't drunk, yet.

He threw his arm around Jake's neck and smiled when he saw Jane behind them. "Hey there, cutie." He winked at her.

"Wanna join us?" He asked with a brow raised. Jake shook his head. "We were just leaving. Enjoy yourselves." Jake said and took Jane's hand in his. He tried to leave, but Harold stopped them. "You can even bring your little fiancé along." He said with emphasis on little fiancé. "Ya'll don't even have to stay long. Half an hour would do." He insisted. "I really won't take no for an answer. Either you come to the party or the party comes to you." He motioned towards the cabin they were currently occupying. "Either way, you'll still be at my party." Jane watched Harold with a blank face. She could tell he was up to something. "Half an hour sounds just fine, Harold." Jane said nonchalantly and eyed him quizzically.

"We don't have to." Jake protested, but Jane persuaded him otherwise. "Your friend over here just won't give up. Let's not break his heart. Let's go check out his party." Jane cooed, mockingly. Harold was too slow to catch what she had said and nodded. "Listen to your girl, Jake."

Jake sighed, defeated, knowing only trouble awaited at this party. Harold dragged them to the cabin near the lake. Music blasted, and women walked around in their bathing suits. Jane's boots weren't exactly made for sand. She had a little trouble walking on the ground. She snaked her arm up Jake's to walk more steadily. Jake didn't mind at all, but she could feel the tension in his limbs. Harold got under his skin.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Let's welcome our long-lost friend, Jake..." Harold yelled over the music. Heads turned to them. The men whistled, and the women basically undressed Jake right then and there. "And his acquaintance, Jane Hawkins." Both Jane and Jake gave him a puzzled look. Just a few seconds ago, he called her Jake's fiancé and now an acquaintance.

The men eyed Jane hungrily. Both Jake and Harold saw that. Jane had a poker face that scared most of them off, but there were some who didn't care. They voiced their thoughts when they cat-called her. "You still want to be here?" Jake asked, annoyed.

"You think these intoxicated Neanderthals scares me? Come on. I have seen scarier." She waved off his worries and followed Harold. Jake eyed her from behind with a soft smile. You truly are something else. He thought as he took long strides to catch up to them.

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