I wasn't really sure what to say after what Jake had said. I was dying to ask him what he meant but I knew once he'd closed that conversation there was no point trying to drag it back out. We went back out and joined dinner again and soon we where all tidying up the dinner mess. Momma and Jake's dad went outside while we cleaned up. I sat on the bench drying while Jake washed and Michael stood across from us making jokes about our teachers and class mates. I could hear Jake's parents outside talking and laughing, momma dancing while Jake's dad played along to the music.
"How do you get any homework done?" Michael asked Jake indicating to the music.
"Huh, I've never even really thought about it. The music is sort of like a heartbeat to the house. It doesn't ever bother me." He said head cocked to the side, then he laughed. "Not like I get any homework done anyway though." Michael laughed and shook his head.
"Anyway, I should probably head home. Do you need me to walk you Jess?" He looked at me hopefully and for the first time I actually wanted to go home.
"Oh, thanks, but I'm staying here tonight." I said reluctantly.
"On a school night?" He looked confused. How do I explain to him why my mother would want me to stay at a friends on a school night?
"I have a couple of assignments I need help with." Jake offered as an excuse.
"Oh okay." Michael said, looking between us as Jake flicked water from the sink at me.
"I'll walk you out." I told him. After he offered to walk me home I figured it was the least I could do.
"By Jake! Thanks for having me. Thank your parents for dinner for me." Michael said smiling at Jake.
When we got to the porch I wasn't really sure what to say. The light from inside was only lighting half his face which gave the other half an eerie darkness.
"I really enjoyed hanging out today." Michael said looking me in the eyes.
"Me to." I smiled at him. "You and Jake seemed to get on really well." He took a step closer to me.
"He's a nice guy, but I really liked spending time with you." I didn't know what to say to that. Was he flirting with me? My mind races back to the bathroom and what nearly happened. "I think you're absolutely beautiful Jess." Oh god. He is definitely flirting. I do not have enough training for this level of flirting. Do I lean in? Do I say something? Do I even WANT to kiss him? Just in time Jake saves my ass.
"JESSSIIIIEEEEE!" I hear him yell from the kitchen. "HE'S BACK! ACE IS BACK!" Ace is the pet rat that Jake got me for my last birthday. Mother is a firm believer that all rodents are pest's and wouldn't let me keep him at the house, and Momma hated the idea of anything living in a cage so he kind of just comes and goes as he pleases.
"I have to go." I nervously said to Michael, taking a step back and making the distance between us more comfortable. "I'll see you at school." He nodded in response and started walking off home.
Back inside Jake was in the kitchen on his hands and knee's breaking off bits of cheese for Ace. As soon as I stepped into the kitchen though he grabbed a piece and ran off under the refrigerator.
"Oh sorry!" I apologized for scaring him off.
"All good." Jake hoped up leaving bits of cheese on the floor for him. "He's looking nice and fat." For a while Ace had gotten skinnier and skinnier and we had held a house meeting, worried he wasn't getting fed enough, and decided to leave tid bits of food here and there for him. I was glad to hear it wasn't just feeding the cockroaches.
"Homework?" I asked.
"Homework." Jake grinned.
We grabbed a couple of nibbles and headed up stairs to get started.
