You Are Something Else, Juniper Zwinggi

Chapter 10

I was so out of shape. It was sad that a woman in her mid-fifties could outrun an eighteen-year-old cross country pro. Running four miles through the woods didn't sound daunting the night before. Lynn was kicking my ass and I was struggling to keep up.

My breaths were out of whack and concentration was evading me. Thoughts of what happened in my room the night before with Jake kept racing through my mind. His kiss, his words. 

Whenever I'd get caught up in the memory, a small voice inside me said to be careful, to not get carried away. The rumors about Jake had to come from somewhere, whether they were completely true or not. While I knew in my heart he wouldn't intentionally hurt me, I couldn't help but feel that his past would. As much as I liked Jake, I wasn't sure if I was capable of shouldering the comments and negativity our relationship would stir up. He sensed my reservations and tried to reassure me but I couldn't shake my inner voice of reason.

"We will do this the right way. We will go slow. No one has to know until you want them to."  

After our run, Lynn and I had plans to get our nails done and go shopping for the dinner party that night. She somehow knew I was coming over for Thanksgiving so she pulled some strings and got me included on their invitation. 

"Almost home, Juni!" Lynn called from the clearing ahead. She'd beat me to the house by a quarter of a mile.

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"Are you ready yet?"

I jumped at Jake's voice and almost smeared lipstick across my face. I heard the bed squeak under his weight.

"You could knock," I sighed and when I heard him knock on the headboard I rolled my eyes. "You are a turd, Jake Fisher."

"I'm a h....nevermind."

When I stopped laughing, I finished my lipstick and checked my scar. It was lighter and less noticeable, especially with the makeup. Emily had taught me how to apply it properly and now I didn't get as many stares and glances. My hair was back in a braid with loose tendrils framing my face. The emerald dress that Lynn picked out made my brown eyes lighter and went well with my skin. It had a low back and the skirt went just above my knees. The matching heels made me two inches taller.

"Okay," I said coming into the bedroom. I felt pretty but I also had a feeling I was overdressed. "I'm ready. What do you think? Too much?" He stood from the bed with raised eyebrows. He'd styled his hair so it wasn't in his eyes and he was in black slacks, a black tie, and white button-up shirt. His jacket was still on the bed.

"When did you become so pretty?" he asked coming to me.

"Psh, what are you talking about? I've always been this pretty," I joked but I felt my face warm. He smirked and kissed my forehead.

"You're gorgeous. Let's go."

It was one of those weird fancy get-togethers where everyone under the age of twenty-one was made to go to a different reception room to boast about whose daddy's boat was biggest. It was meant to keep minors out of reach of alcohol that was served to the adults but due to past experience with these things, someone always snuck in a bottle of something to mix with the punch.

As soon as we walked through the door of the hotel a photographer was there to take our picture. Lynn and Dave stood on either side of us, like I was one of the family. They wouldn't let me step out of it so they could have one of just them. The guy at the entrance told me to take the elevator up to the top floor and Jake insisted on escorting me. We got on the elevator by ourselves, thankfully. As soon as the doors were closed he grabbed my waist and pulled me to him.