Love, Your Secret Admirer

Chapter 5

“And then what happened?” Larissa asks as I tell all of my best friends about the run in I had with Zach the day before.

            “Then he just said ‘See you later’ and jogged off," I excitedly tell them.

            Ever since we got each other web cams for Christmas, my friends and I have been inseperatable when it comes to video chat.

            “So he was sweaty?” Tiffany asks.

            “Yeah!”

            “Gross and hot at the same time," she says.  We start giggling at our obsession with teenage boys exercising.

            “You guys are so weird”, Stephanie and Larissa said at the same time.

“Oh, whatever you guys.  You just don’t understand.  Well now I have to go do homework," Tiffany says logging off.

            “There is a special on the Science Channel on what the world would be like if the Earth got hit by a meteor," Larissa says as she turns off her computer.

            “And I have a letter to write.  Bye Steph," I say.

            “Bye J," she says as she logs off.

           

Dark hair?  Well that narrows it down to, oh I don’t know, everyone.  Anyways, you sure do know a lot about women.  Are you sure you aren’t one?  I sure hope not, because if you are then I’m not interested.  Not that there is anything wrong with that it’s just that it’s not my thing.

-Janeen

            I put my pen down, fold the note, and put it in the pocket of my black skinny jeans.  I want to look good incase I run into Zach again, literally.  I put on a white v-neck with a red and black checked scarf.  I walk down stairs and get my black leather jacket out of the closet and put on my black boots.  I walk outside and start toward the park.

            I start dancing on the side of the curb.  Jumping and landing with out the slightest struggle.  Like the gymnasts on the balance beam.  It makes me feel graceful since I’m so clumsy.  I see the stop sign at the corner and start running toward it.  When I get to it I grab onto it and swing around with my feet flying in the air.  When my feet meet the ground again I look up to see an old couple walking and holding hands.  They didn’t see me for they were too busy looking at the sunset over the houses across the street.  I start to walk by them when the lady turns around and says, “Excuse me, young lady.”  I turn around to look at her.  She is extending a camera toward me, “Can you take a picture of us?”

            “Sure," I say taking the camera.  She puts her arm around the waist of her husband who puts his around her shoulders.  I start to count so they know when I take it, “One, two, and three.”  And on three the husband snuck a kiss on her cheek.  I look at the screen where the picture shows up and you can see the surprise and love in her eyes.

            “Thank you," she says as they take the camera and look at the picture.

            I turn on my heel and continue my way to the park.  The whole way there, and home, all I thought about was the love between that old couple.

The day my sister came with her new fiancé it was pure chaos.  My mother went on a cleaning spree.  It seemed like I went to school leaving one house and came home to another.  The house smelled of cinnamon rolls with raisins, Sarah’s favorite, and my mother was wearing her fancy apron.  It was white with ruffles around the edges.  My mother always felt like she had to impress people when they came over; pretending that she always cooks in ruffled aprons and bakes raisin cinnamon rolls.  She looks over at me and frantically says, “Oh, Janeen, go upstairs and get out of those grungy clothes."  I look down at my purple v-neck with my black and white striped shorts.  My clothes are not grungy.  “Don’t you have at least one dress?” my mother continues.

            “Yes," I say with a wine in my voice.

            “Well, go get changed before your sister gets here.”

            “Fine," I say, starting up stairs.  When I get to my room I throw my book bag into the corner of my room and head to my closet.  The only dress I own is in the back.  I reach around my other clothes and grab my strapless red dress.  When I put it on I look in the mirror.  It doesn’t look bad, if I do say so myself.  I keep my high tops on as I take my curly blonde hair and put it up in a messy bun. 

            “Hey squirt!” yells my sister from my door way.

            “Hey," I say hugging her.  Even though my mother favored my sister, and the only way we were alike was by the color of our hair, we’re super close.  We tell each other everything.  Like when she borrowed mom’s car, to take her friends to a concert, she crashed into the trash can and broke the brake light.  So she told mom that she was playing soccer and hit it with the ball.  And like when she told me that in her junior year, she ditched her fourth period to go make out with her boyfriend for almost an entire semester.  She is the only one who knew how I felt about mom.

            I remember that night like it was yesterday.  We were having one of our "sisters only" nights.  It was my favorite time.  Sarah would French braid my hair and let me use her green facial mask.  Even though we are three years apart, I totally forgot about it on those nights.  There was this specific night when I was going to tell Sarah that I didn't think our mom liked me.  I was a freshman and she was a senior.

            “She totally loves you more," I told her. 

            “She loves us both the same," she said putting the final coat of red nail polish on my pinky nail and blowing on it.

            “Then why does she only come to your after school activities.  I thought she would he proud of me for making the swim team, but she never comes to any of my meets.  And she didn’t make you buy your own car.”

            “You don’t even have your license.  You’re only fourteen.”

            “Yeah, but I asked her and she said that I had to buy my own," I said trying to make my point.

            “Well, maybe she’s just being tougher on you so you can go on your own in life.  Janeen, I'm scared to go off to college.  Since mom let me skate my way through life, I'm not going to be able to do anything by myself.  Your nails are dry now, so let’s take the mask off," she said dropping the subject.

            Now she’s letting go of me and walking toward the man standing in the doorway of my bedroom.  He has light brown hair that I can barely tell is curly, since his hair is cut short.  And I notice his eyes are brown.  She grabs his hand and walks back to me.  “Janeen this is Jefferson, my fiancé, Jefferson this is Janeen, my sister.”

            “Nice to meet you," he says extending his hand toward me.

                “You too," I say taking it.