You Are Something Else, Juniper Zwinggi

Chapter 15

The security company came to repair our lock around lunch time. I wasn't sure how much they were charging to send someone on a Sunday but I made a mental note to add a couple hundred dollars to my rent check. Emily had calmed down considerably and was able to concentrate on studying for finals after the boys left. They almost convinced us to let them stay another night but they had their own studying to worry about. Jake had worked so many extra hours at the zoo that they were allowing him the whole week of winter break off. For his final they were making him do lab work and the physical diagnosis of a giraffe to determine if she was pregnant or not. I had to admit that was pretty cool.

"Juni, are you a virgin?" Emily asked.

I choked on my soda and coughed. The question was so unexpected it took me a while before I got my bearings. The innocence of it made me want to laugh but she wouldn't appreciate that. The subject of virginity used to make me sad but when I thought about it now, I was glad I'd waited. There were a few times I could have gone through with it but I never did, it didn't feel right.

"Yes," I said clearing my throat. "Are you?"

"Yeah. I was just wondering. Miles and I have come close to doing it a few times but he stops before it goes too far. I think the fact that I'm a virgin freaks him out," she said disappointed.

"Sweetie, he's not freaked out that you're a virgin. Maybe he wants to wait for the right time. There's nothing wrong with that."

After seeing how Miles watched her when she wasn't looking, how he talked about her and what he did for her, there was no doubt in my mind how he felt about her. He seemed so incredibly sure about his feelings for her.

"I hope you're right."

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Jake stayed at the zoo hospital in Sacramento all week and he wouldn't be done until Friday morning. We called and video chatted but we'd gone from being with each other almost everyday to not seeing one another for days and it was rough. By Thursday night I was finished with my rotation at the animal hospital, completing my first semester as a college student. The shift went quickly, especially since no one talked about getting Jake in the sack in front of me. Other than a few stares and whispers no one hassled me about being with him. The news had spread fast that I was dating the campus hottie and it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would when I heard them talking about how long I would last. A month? Two months?

I went to the animal daycare center to pick up Luka and Summit. Emily and I didn't feel comfortable leaving the dogs alone after the near break-in so we took them to daycare everyday while we were in class. Emily spent all day cleaning the house and packing for a week at her dad's, that I took Summit with me to give her a break.

As soon as we got back to the house the dogs went inside but a strange feeling came over me when I approached the door. It was a creepy feeling, like I was being watched. A part of me wanted to ask Emily to stay in my room again but Miles was coming over so I felt a bit better. They were going to Sacramento for their Christmases together and I was going to the Fishers' house in the morning. 

I had a fitful night's sleep. I'd tossed and turned so much that Luka hopped off the bed to sleep on the floor. By noon the next day I pulled up to the Fishers' and put my head on the steering wheel. I must have dozed because someone knocked on my window and I jumped. Jake was looking in at me with a quizzical look on his face.

"You look awful," he said and I glared at his frankness as I hopped out. "I mean, you look pretty sweetheart."

"Better," I said and opened the back door for Luka to get out.