Ages: 18 & 15
The inside of the Chevy truck was silent with the exception of an occasional crack of thunder that shook the vehicle. James kept running over the words he had said to Jenny, wishing he could somehow take them back. “Jenny, I-“
“Just stop apologizing, Jameson. I’m over it.” Jenny responded before crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head to face out the window so he couldn’t see her saddened expression.
James sighed and faced the front once again while trying to see the road through the rain falling down. How could he apologize when she wouldn’t even let him get a word out? “I didn’t mean it as an insult.” He spoke quickly, getting what he needed to say out into the open before she could stop him. He knew it wasn't a good idea for him to teach Jenny how to drive a stick shift. He tried to get out of it when his parents asked. "Hell, teaching a dog would probably be easier and less of a headache," were his exact words.
“It sure sounded like it.” Jenny responded coldly. Silence ensued once again, but Jenny finally broke it, her voice louder than before as she turned to face him. “I care too much? You know what, Jameson?” She paused a moment, mentally trying to decide if she was going to regret the next words out of her mouth. “Screw you!”
His eyes widened when he heard Jenny cuss and he tried his best not to laugh. Hearing obscenities from Jenny Loran was like hearing a threat from a tattooed man who had the voice of an eight-year-old. It just wasn't something you could take seriously.
“If you’re so sick of me caring so much then maybe we should just stay away from each other! I know our mothers are like sisters and occasional dinners are unavoidable but just because our parents are friends, doesn’t mean we have to be.”
James stared over at her as long as he could before having to turn back to the road and shook his head as if her words were just one big joke. “Come on, Jenny, stop being so melodramatic.”
“No, I’m serious. You don’t want me to care? Fine. I’m done caring, Jameson. I’m done.” Jenny faced out the window once again, her words were much more serious and final than James ever imagined. The rest of the ride home was silent and Jenny had a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach.
~
"How did driving lessons go?” Denise asked with a smile after James entered the house. She ignored his silence as her expression turned to confusion. “Where’s Jenny?”
“She walked next door to her house,” James stated calmly as he made his way to the living room.
“Her parents are out of town on business for the weekend, you know I don’t like her staying there by herself when they’re gone.” Denise lectured.
James rolled his eyes while flipping through the television stations. “Jeez, mom, she’s not a kid anymore. I think she can handle one night on her own.” He could feel his throat tightening after he realized the tone he had just taken with his mother and he waited patiently for her scolding. Instead, the room was filled with silence. James glanced over at his mother just in time to catch the small smirk growing on her face before she lifted the magazine up to cover it. He turned back to the television, slowly realizing it was the first time he had ever stuck up for Jenny. Every other time any of their parents would lecture Jenny about being too young to do something, he would agree. But for some reason, that night, he just couldn’t agree. The past couple of months he had been seeing something in Jenny that he never saw before. He was starting to realize just how much she wasn’t a child and just how much he no longer saw her as one.
~
A loud crack of thunder roared through the night sky as a flash of lightning knocked out the power inside the Jenson’s home. “Guess even God didn’t think I should be studying on a Saturday night,” James mumbled to himself before standing up from his bed and making his way downstairs, thankful for an excuse to leave his college textbooks behind.
“James!”
“I’m right here, mom,” James spoke softly in response to his mother’s loud shout before placing a hand on her shoulder. She jumped slightly before turning to face James and placed a flashlight in his hand with a soft sigh.
“Go check on Jenny, please and apologize for whatever you did or said so she will stay here tonight instead of her empty house.”
James’ mouth gaped slightly in shock. “How did you-“
“Mother’s intuition,” Denise finished with a smirk before motioning towards the front door. “Now go.”
James rolled his eyes before grabbing his raincoat from the hook on the door and reluctantly stepped out into the dark, wet night. He picked up speed as the rain began to fall faster and he realized his flashlight was flickering due to a faulty battery. He smashed the side of the flashlight into his hand a few times as he stepped onto the Loren’s front porch. “Jenny!” James shouted at the empty door as he knocked on the wooden door with a tightly clenched fist.
“Jameson!”
The boy’s eyes widened at the sound of a strained voice shouting his name from the back of the house. He quickly lifted the hood of his raincoat back over his head and raced around to the back of the Loran’s home, jumping a few obstacles on his way. “Jenny?” He shouted one last time, but he immediately noticed Jenny curled up against the fence with her knees to her chest. His stomach lurched into his throat at the sound of Jenny groaning in pain and he quickly raced over to her, kneeling down beside her and placing a hand on her shoulder. “What’s wrong? What happened?” His questions were quick and frightened, but the lightening was making everything more frightening as thunder cracked all around them.
"I was coming over to your house but," Jenny exhaled deeply as she struggled to answer his questions. “My stomach,” she groaned, “hurts so bad.” James wasn’t positive but if he had to guess, he would assume those water droplets streaming down her face weren’t just from the rain. He quickly placed his arms beneath each end of her body and lifted her as gently as possible in order to carry her to the car. “I’ll be right back,” he informed Jenny after setting her down in the front seat of his truck. He moved back an inch to race back into the house to tell his mother but Jenny quickly gripped his shirt in agonizing pain. “Don’t leave me. Please."
~
Don't worry, no one is dying! This is NOT a tragedy story! It is funny and heartwarming and sweet! Because I'm tired of depressing :p
Oh! Can I just say, how awesome is the casting?! I seriously picture everyone exactly as the people casted! I'm not even that big a fan of Ansel Elgort (I did love The Fault In Our Stars) but the way he looks is EXACTLY how I would have pictured James. And I absolutely LOVE Maia Mitchel so, of course I cast her. She is beautiful. Michael Seater as Rex? Can you say PERFECTION?! Just think, 'Life with Derek' ;)
I wasn't going to post just yet because I've been kind of stumped the last few days (and yes, I've been doubting myself) but I started writing again and I am SUPER excited for this chapter I'm writing. I've already gotten about 4 or 5 chapters ahead so let me know when you want another by commenting below! ;D Thank so much to those who support my writing and especially this story! Can't wait to post more! <3
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Looking After You
Teen FictionJenny Loren was a firecracker, she was spirited and extremely passionate about life and everything it entailed. James Jenson couldn't help but look ahead to the pure agony Mr. Loren had waiting for him down the road and he worried that time was comi...
