Thin Air ✿ Jeff Atkins [COMPLETED]

THREE

"I'm still waiting for my answer, Josie Blair." Josie heard from behind her as she was taking her book out of her locker. She closed her locker and turned around with a smirk as she looked up at Jeff.

"Because I'm still thinking about it." She shrugged.

"Come on, just one dinner. Let's get to know each other and be friends." Jeff groaned.

Friends. Did he just friend-zone her?

"Alright. One dinner for the sake of getting to know each other. Pick me up at 6 pm sharp." Josie informed before leaving him standing, a grin on his face as he fist bumped the air.

//

Josie wore a beige neck crop top, black knee ripped jeans, her black leather jacket and nude sneakers. She applied her everyday makeup and checked herself out in the mirror before looking at her digital clock on her bedside table. 5:56 PM. She put money in her back pocket and took her phone in her hand before dashing downstairs.

"Someone looks good. Where to?" Josie's mother, Kelsey, asked from the couch as she sat beside her husband who smiled at Josie.

"I'm betting she has a date." Josie's grandma said with a giggle.

"It's a friendly date actually. Well not a date-date." Josie explained and was saved by the bell. "That must be him. Bye! Love you!"

"Be home at 10! Call us if you need anything!" She heard her dad's voice say to which she nodded to.

She opened the door and was met with the one and only Jeff Atkins who wore a zipped up black bomber jacket, black jeans and white sneakers. "Someone is punctual." She joked.

"First impressions matter, don't they?" He smiled at her. "You look pretty. Not that you don't look pretty on daily basis but uh,"

Josie giggled, getting out of the house and closed the door, "Thank you. You look good yourself, too."

After they both got into Jeff's car and Jeff drove off, he turned the radio on to fill the silence softly. "So are you coming to the game next week?" Jeff asked Josie.

She looked at him, studying his features. "Yeah, you're playing, right?"

"Always am," Jeff grinned, "Also, I could use some cheering."

"Too bad there aren't cheerleaders in baseball, huh?" Josie smirked playfully.

"Who cares about cheerleaders? I'm depending on you." He smiled.

Josie, for the hundredth time around Jeff, felt her cheeks heat up. "Well in that case, I won't let you down. I do have a shirt with number 12."

[ flashback ]

"Woo! You got this, 12!" Josie screamed, everyone following her with supportive applause and hollers.

Jeff, with all the concentration and adrenaline in his body swung his bat and hit the ball, running faster than a lightning ball. Cheers could be heard when he made it before the other team caught then ball as Jeff fist bumped the air before he was jumped on by his teammates. He grinned as he looked at the bleachers, his eyes catching Josie's whom he knew was the reason for all the cheering and excitement in the game that day.

He grinned to himself when he saw her blue baseball shirt with a 12 in the front.

[ end of flashback ]

"Well I've a memory on that. Last year's big game. You were my cheerleader." Jeff smirked.

Josie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion before gasping, "Oh my God! This is so embarrassing!" She covered her eyes with her hands.

Jeff laughed, looking at her for a second before looking at the road again, "Nooo, it isn't. I'm going to need that in the next game."

Josie groaned, sinking in her seat, cringing at her freshman self. "Oh my God, stooop!"

Jeff laughed at her reaching his hand out to pry her hands away from her face which she did. They reached Rosie's, Jeff parking close before they both got out of the car. He let her walk in front of him, putting his hand on the small of her back as she entered, Josie's stomach in frenzy.
They both walked behind a waiter who led them to a table for two beside the glass window. They both sat down and two menus were placed in front of them.

"Recommend something." Jeff said as he flickered through the pages that he already knew everything written on by heart.

"Well, Atkins, their fettuccini alfredo is to die for." Josie said, not even opening her menu, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Jeff who mirrored her actions.

"Fettuccini Alfredo it is." Jeff shrugged. "So, you're friends with Hannah Baker?"

I nodded, "Yeah, why?"

"Jensen has an eye." Jeff chuckled.

I laughed, "No way! He didn't tell me! I could put a word in for him."

"He's unbelievable. The guy has the awkwardness of an entire 14 years old population." Jeff laughed.

"But he has a heart of gold. I love him." Josie smiled.

"Yeah, he does." Jeff smiled before looking at the waiter who came to take their orders and ordering and adding water to it.

"So, Atkins, why the spark of interest all of a sudden?" Josie folded her arms on the table.

Jeff raised an eyebrow with a smirk, "You think it's sudden?" Josie shrugged in response. "Would it freak you out if I told you that I was meaning to ask you out since last year?"

Josie raised her eyebrows in surprise, not really believing that she had his attention all along since last year, "And why didn't you?"

"Because you, Josie Blair, make Jeff Atkins nervous."

//

I FREAKING LOVE HIM