Drop Dead Gorgeous 〰 Jake Fitzgerald

28

"Where the hell is Audrey?" I asked Emma as we waited on a bench by a busy park packed with kids.

"I don't know. Wasn't she the one who told us that this was some urgent matter?"

Starting school was tough for all of us, but Emma seemed the most unpredictable one. She was quiet and suspecting of everyone and everything. During third period, I asked to go to the restroom and found her just standing in the middle of the hallway.

It was weird; she was weird. But it was us now.

Hey, it's me. Leave a message and if I like you enough, you just might get one back.

"Audrey, I'm not playing these games anymore. Just answer and get back to us, okay?" I said into the phone, hanging up afterwards.

"And that was voicemail number...?"

"Four," I grumbled out, putting my phone back into my pocket. "Look Emma, I don't think she's coming."

"Then why sound so serious about it? Why would she text us about it and talk to us during school to make sure we'd show up?"

"Maybe it wasn't her."

She whipped her head towards me. "What do you mean?"

I sighed, hesitating on my answer. We both knew what I wanted to say, but I felt like saying it out loud would make it real.

"All I'm saying is," I began, trying to derive the conversation to another path, "is that maybe she's just...caught up with something. Maybe she forgot-"

"You and I both know that's not true," she protested, crossing her arms. After a couple seconds of silence, she scoffed and stood up, starting to walk away.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Home," she answered. "This was a waste of time."

I saw her walk away and did nothing because honestly, I agreed. It had been a waste of time.

But then why would Audrey have made it such an urgent matter for us to get here in the first place?

I flinched when someone covered my eyes, and my body instantly got defensive.

"Calm down princesa, it's just me."

"You're a pain sometimes, you know?"

Jake sat next to me, placing his arm around my shoulders. "You're just mad 'cause The Jake is stealthy."

"Stealthy? Wow, look at you using fancy words."

He chuckled and poked my ribs, causing a small giggle out of me.

"So, what brings you to this very loud and crowded park?"

"I was sent here." I looked over at his grinning face. "To inspect slides and such."

"Ah, the Slide Inspector. I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Really?" I raised my brows.

"Oh yeah, definitely. The slides need some new paint jobs."

"Uh-huh," I played on, nodding.

"And the swing sets are rusty."

"That's not my job. You want good swings you gotta call the Swing Inspector."

Jake smiled and stared at me for a few seconds before asking, "Why are you so weird?"

"Me? You're the one acting like you own this place."

"I do own this place."

"Sure, whatever you say, Jake."

He leaned in and kissed my cheek softly, turning back to look at the running kids as I tried not to blush. Or at least not to show it.