Ken & Barbie

Spaghetti

"Still the same, huh, Cor?" Lissy looked up to see the mayor's son smiling down at her. 

Coree couldn't bring herself to speak to him. She'd known Jacob since she was a child. They hadn't gotten along before. Jacob was closer to Virginia than he was to me, but he loved how Caroline was. She obsessed over him, mainly about his looks and how he would compliment her outfit. 

" I guess nothing has changed." I shrug, picking up the grass once again. 

"Are you excited for the gala?" He asked and I immediately shook my head no. 
"I love the parties, but they aren't exactly my thing. How come you asked not only my family, but me? Why me, Jacob?"
"I've known you my whole life, Coree. You were always so brave and content, no matter what you were doing. You were carefree and loved the nature outside your farm. You never took no for an answer. I've liked you since we were little kids, Cor."
I giggled, unsure of what to say. "Would you want to join us for dinner? Mom is cooking her famous spaghetti with garlic bread and meatballs."
"That would be great, Cor. Thank you, love." He smiled at me.
I returned the smile, as we both stood up and I led him to the house.

It was an uneventful evening. Caroline swooned over Jacob, and I wanted nothing more than to scream at her. He was here for dinner, for me. Wait a second, why did I even care?
"Caroline, give Jake a chance to breathe, honey. I'm sure he just wants to eat."
"Thank you, Scarlette. But no, I'm happy to converse with the girls, but this spaghetti looks amazing!" He chuckled, twirling his fork as he shoveled spaghetti in his mouth.
Caroline smiled as all of us began to eat our spaghetti.

"How are things going with your dad, Jake?" My father asked, taking a bite out of his garlic bread.
"It's going pretty well. He's been stressed out about some of the crime that's been going on. One man was caught trying to rob one of the wealthy businessmen who live down the street from us. It was a huge ordeal. Dad was not happy at all. He wants me to settle down and follow in his footsteps, which is why I invited you all to the gala tomorrow evening. He's making this fairly hard for me. But he's giving me options."
"Options?" My father questioned.
"Yeah, he's giving me options. He wants me to go into the family business of being the mayor or governor or whatever. But he's letting me have a life with it, too. A wife, a house of my own, whatever I want. But I need to share it with a wife, someone I can confide in. And as weird as this may be, I was hoping that would be you, Coree. I've known you my whole life, and I know we'll grow to love each other." He admitted.
I had no words to explain what I was feeling. Caroline kicked my leg to get me to speak, but it backfired.
"OW!" I whined, and Caroline rolled her eyes.
"Caroline, why did you kick your sister?" Mom asked.
"She wasn't talking! Isn't that rude?"
"I was in shock. Jake, we've known each other forever, but what if this won't work?"
"I'm not forcing anything, I want to be with you because you're my girl best friend, and I can't think of anyone better, Coree. We don't have to have children, you don't have to act like the mayor's wife, but I do want you as my best friend forever."
I smiled, but still wasn't sure how to react.
"You don't have to choose now. There's still tomorrow. But I must be going. I'll see you all tomorrow at the Penn Garden." He smiled as he stood up.
"Thank you for dinner, Scarlette. It was amazing. I must hold dinner for you, someday." He smiled and made his way out.

- - -

"I never understood why Jake likes you and not me!" Caroline cried.
"I don't even know, myself, Caroline. But can you please drop it?" I sighed, laying down in bed. I turned my light off and pulled the covers over my head, trying my best to drift off to sleep, visions and thoughts of Jake clouding my mind before I fell asleep.