ain't nobody takin' my baby- jack dylan grazer

chapter 4- text messages and penny boards

unknown:
hey ari, it's jack
yourself:
hey, jack! wyd?
jack:
nm, wondering when i'll see you next :)
shit, he's coming on strong.
yourself:
tomorrow. 3:15. deal?
jack:
deal. you skate?
yourself:
no, but i penny board. u?
jack:
i skate. bring ur penny board tomorrow when we hang. you'll need it.
yourself:
que?
jack:
just go with it. i like spontaneous adventures.
yourself:
okay, weirdo. see u tmr :)
jack:
goodnight, ari :)
yourself:
goodnight, grazer.
jack:
hoooold on there. you never told me your last name?
yourself:
it's rosas. now go to bed.
jack:
ooo like the flower?
yourself:
i mean, what else?
jack:
hey, don't blame me señorita, i just met you.
yourself:
goodnight, jack.
jack:
goodnight, ari rosas ;)
-
i couldn't help but smile when i read the last message. i have a feeling i may fall for this boy; if i do, i know i'm gonna fall goddamn hard.
-
i woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring and vibrating, and the chirp or birds on the rooftop of my home. oh yeah, my new home. i never fully described it. let's just say it's way nicer than the one in chicago. this house is two stories high, with a vintage attribute to it. obviously, we couldn't afford the best of the best so we obtained an older house, in a pretty damn old neighborhood. it wasn't exactly the muse for the rest of the houses in la, but it was nice. it was a white victorian style house, and it reminded me of every old 80's movie aimed at rebellious teenagers. jack lived a couple doors down from the people across from us, and i could tell by the front of his house that it was one of the more renovated and newer homes.
i walked into my bathroom to begin my morning regime, and then went downstairs. of course, while i ate the breakfast my mother served me, my parents were bickering. they never seize to disappoint me, to be completely honest. i wouldn't be surprised if they ended up seperating. that's just life, i presume.
-
after i scrolled around my phone for a couple of hours, i decided to get ready for me and jack's hangout. should i look extra? tumblr? i really don't know. i really needed some advice, and then i remembered that it's 1:00 in cali, which means it's 3:00 in illinois. i essentially ran to my laptop, turned it on, and facetimed one of my best friends, lia.
"LIA, HOLY SHIT I NEED YOUR HELP!"
"yeah, what's up?" she asked. her eyes looked red. she totally got faded in the bathroom after school. not surprising.
"lia, are you high?"
"what?"
"i asked you if you're high."
"uh... no comprendo... no hablas inglés..."
"very funny. drop the joint and listen to me why don't you, i may or may not have a date tonight."
"wait... you... a date... bitch what?"
"listen, long story, but it's mainly a hangout. although, the problem is i may like him."
"BITCH; YOU NEVER LIKE ANYONE!" she erupted, throwing her hands up in the air.
"i know, i know. calm the hell down. it's not a big deal. if anything, we're just cooling. i just met him yesterday."
"mhm and you'll be..." *the rest is inaudible*
"i'm sorry, what did you say?"
"nothing! i really said nothing."
"riiiiiight," i said, "now stop being a dickhead and help me choose an outfit."
needless to say, she abided.
-
my parents don't really care for my whereabouts, which is the cherry on top of my shitty relationship with them. i quickly told my mother i'd be hanging out with the neighbor and left, leaving a quick peck on her cheek. my dad was already at the bar- in the afternoon.
i ran out the back door and grabbed my black and white penny board. lia and i decided on my levi shorts and a black off the shoulder top. for accessories i had on my hoop earrings, and for shoes i had on my classic black vans. i approached jack's door. right when i was gonna knock, he opened the door.
"hey, rosas," he said, flashing me with a charismatic grin.
"hey, grazer. would you mind telling me where we're going?"
"no fucking way, dude."
hm. "dude." is that considered a red flag?
we began skating, me following steadily behind him. he'd always stop to attempt to show me some shitty jumps and tricks, but he mostly fell and got a couple scratches.
"would you mind meeting a couple of my friends?" he asked, eyeing at me.
"no, it'd be cool to know some people before school begins."
"okay cool, i'll text them and tell them to meet me by the pond."
"aight," i responded.
-
once we got to the pond, i saw a group of guys congregating in the corner, messing around in the grass.
"yo, jack!" everyone greeted, glancing at me and him.
"hey guys," he responded, "this is ari. ari rosas."
i waved at them and muttered a quick "hey," acting shy as hell. why was i so out of character?
they asked me the same questions jack did when we first met, and i warmed up to them. i managed to learn all their names as well. there was finn, noah, jaeden, and chosen. unfortunately, wyatt couldn't make it. guess i'll have to meet my chicago buddy at a different time.
"you know ari, for a new girl, you're not that bad," chosen said, playing with the grass.
"yeah, i totally agree," jaeden began, "and you got the best guys in school to guide you around."
"yo guys, maybe you should chill with the flirting?" jack questioned, forcing a laugh.
"dude..." they both began.
"hey it's fine, i know you aren't trying to flirt," i said, gazing at jack. he was now looking at the ground, his face red. why was he acting so protective of me?
-
after that conversation, me and jack decided to dip. jack was still embarrassed, but i was the happiest girl in the world. i had a shit ton of friends, and i haven't even stepped into the goddamn school for heaven's sake. who knows what monday will bring upon me. i just hope it's only good things.
-
~end of chapter~
word count: 1058 words.