summer in st. louis

Chapter 24 - Eavesdropping

Chapter 24
Eavesdropping

"I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it," Jenny whispered over and over again. I glanced at Tucker who met my eyes, continuing to rub her back.

"I'll go get some Ben & Jerry's from the kitchen. Be right back." I sighed and stood up from my bed, leaving my friend and "brother" in the bedroom.

"Hey Claire! Can you come in here for a sec?" I heard Aunt Delilah yell from her study.

"Coming!" I walked through the small hallway and found where she was, surrounded by a pile of books.

Aunt Delilah sat crisscross and grunted with frustration, yanking her brown hair out of its messy top bun.

"I need some advice for what to say at Forest Park," she looked at me when I came in the room.

"Uh...I don't really know, I wasn't that close to Grandma--"

"Really Missy? Says the girl who spent her days shopping and eating out at restaurants with the damn woman. Now I already brainstormed some stuff, and I was wondering if you wanted to come up and say a little something after."

"Sure. Whatever. Listen, I gotta go get ice cream for Jenny." I used that excuse and ran it of the room at the speed of lightning.

After shutting the fridge and getting cookie dough vanilla ice cream, I grabbed three spoons and made my way to my room. But I stopped halfway through the door when I realized Tucker and Jenny were whispering. So I eavesdropped.

"He's not worth it."

"I know, but we've been together for so long...I don't know what I'd do without him."

"What? Jenny, you have me and Claire and Heather and Jacob. You're not alone."

"I know...I just feel like I'm not good enough for him. Even though he still loves me...who's to say he won't be looking at other girls in Mizzou? I'm not special, I'm not anything, and--"

"You are so special." As Tucker whispered, I couldn't help peek through the door.

"How?! It seems like every guy I date leaves me for someone or something else."

Tucker turned red with embarrassment and Jenny suddenly put a hand on his arm.

"Oh my god. I didn't mean that, I--"

Then he kissed her.