I Will Love Him Anyway

Chapter Nine

I walk in and right up to them. He can't avoid me in public.

Tommy glances around and then after he looks away he whips his head back around me. "Lace! What are you doing here?"

I smile down at him. "Just getting some food." My smile slowly starts fading when I look up to see Jake's expression.

He's got his head turned forward... Not even acknowledging my presence.

I cleared my throat, "Hi, Jake."

He turned his head to me. "Hey." He replied, but then he just turned right back around.

He's blowing me off. He doesn't have to actually say it for me to know. 

I stepped up towards him. "What's your deal? You've been ignoring me for the past couple of days."

"There's no deal with me." But he stays facing foward.

"Really? Because I sure can't tell." I say.

He's up next in line and Tommy jumps up back beside him.

Once they finish ordering, they turn towards the tables to wait on their food. It's almost unnoticeable unless someone is looking for it, but I see Jake following close behind Tommy with his fingers hovering by Tommy's arm. No one would even be able to tell he's blind unless they notice this little fact.

I hurry and place my order before walking back up to where Jake and Tommy are sitting.

I lean against the table with my arms folded across my chest. "Did I do something wrong?"

Jake sighs and bows his head down. "No. I should have realized you wouldn't want to actually be friends with me."

I'm so confused. "What are you talking about? Of course I want to be friends with you."

"Yeah, right. Why keep up the act when I already called you out on it?

"What act? Im so confused. Yesterday you apologized for ignoring me, but now you just go right back to it?" I'm about to pull all of my hair out.

"Crissy told me all about how you only talk to me because I'm blind!"

What?????

I glance over to Tommy to see him happily eating his food.

"Why would she say that?"

"I don't know. You tell me; she's your friend."

"Jake, listen. I never said anything like that. And I never will. That's so rude and I really don't believe I'm that type of person."

"Why would she tell me you said that though?" His facial expression shows me he doesn't believe me.

I sit on the edge of the booth and push him over. "I have no clue why she would lie about me. The only thing I can think of is if she got jealous of me talking to you. Every time she saw us talking and me walking you to your next class, she would get an attitude with me for the next few hours."

He bows his head down with a blush covering his face. "I doubt that."

"You doubt me or you doubt that she's jealous?" I'm anxious for his answer. I hope he believes me. "I'm not lying to you."

"No. I doubt that she is jealous, but," he huffs out a puff of breath,"I believe you"

"Yay!" I scream and throw my arms around his body and squeeze him tight. I don't think about my actions until too late and we both have blushes staining our cheeks.

We both turn away from each other, and my eyes find Tommy. He's grinning from ear to ear with food falling out of his mouth. "Jake and Lace sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Okay, cut it out." Jake tells him, but his face is covered in a red blush. I don't say anything because I don't mind. Tommy can sing whatever he wants, especially when it affects Jake this much.

"I don't mind spending every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain!
Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay awhile. And she willlllll be loved!!! And sheeeee wiilllllll be loved!!!"

"Tommy! Shut up." 

I burst into giggles. "He's fine, Jake. No one is even paying us any attention." I look around to see everyone staring at our booth, but I don't let Jake know this.

"I can't ever take you anywhere. Liz acts better than you."

"No, she doesn't! I'm the best kid Mom and Dad ever had!!" Tommy yells at Jake.

"You wish. That's why you're adopted."

I smack his arm. "Jake! You can't say stuff like that!"

He turns in my direction. "Well, he shouldn't be so annoying."

I'm appalled. I look to see if this affected Tommy.... And my heart broke.

Tommy has his head down, but I can see his little lip quivering.

I nudge Jake in the side and speak lowly to him. "He's crying. Apologize!"

"Okay, Mom!" He leans forward. "Ugh. Tommy, I'm sorry. You're not adopted."

Tommy pops up so quickly I jump. "Ha! I knew it. And I had you fooled!!"

Jake huffs out an annoyed breath. "See what you did?!" He's fine and you made me apologize!" He says to me.

"So what? He wanted to play a joke on you. He wouldn't have done that if you hadn't had told him he's adopted!" 

Ugh! Is he really blaming me for him getting tricked??

Tommy looks out the window and perks up. "Come on! Let's go play on the playground!!"

"We are way too old for that. Go play by yourself."

"We are not too old. Let's go, Tommy." We both grab onto Jake and jerk him out of his seat.

"I don't want to. We are way too big for this, Lacey! We aren't going to fit!" He tries to pull away from us, but we have a right grip.

"Let me go!" Jake yells.

We make it outside and let him go. "Take your shoes off and let's play." I demand.

"Ugh!" He groans but does what I said.

"Y'all are so unfair. Why make the blind guy do this? I'm probably going to trample on all the kids."

"Stop making excuses and come on. Tommy has already beat us to the top." 

I yank on Jake's clothes and pull him into the opening.

~~~~~

Sorry I'm late! I fell asleep typing it last night.