Flightless Bird

Chapter 11

"You guys look like you had fun," Lexi said, smiling at me.

"Are you kidding? They look awful!" Adam cried, but I knew he was kidding by the wink he gave me.

"Oh well," I said, "however I look, it was worth it."

"You look amazing anyway," Jacob said softly, rubbing his thumb on my hand. I grinned.

"Okay, what happened out there?" Clark asked, incredulous.

"Dude, shut up! They're having a 'moment'!" Jayson said, nudging Clark. I looked up, breaking the trance I had been in. Jacob's head snapped up too. "Aww! That was sweet of you Jay," Lexi cooed, shooting Jayson a gleaming smile.

"Please don't tell me we have to deal with those two as well!" Adam cried. Clark and Adam began to grumble to each other across the table, and Lexi and Jayson resumed a conversation they had been having before we sat down.

"So," Jacob began, "did you enjoy that?"

"Are you kidding! It was amazing, thank you so much." He smiled even wider.

"Well, I wanted you to see it. I was hoping it could be something we do together," he told me.

"Sounds great," I said, as I picked up the sandwich on my plate and took a bite. I turned to Lexi, and asked,

"Hey Lex, what did you do this lunch?"

"Not much, me and Jay were just going over some of the English stuff from earlier," she told me.

"Oh yeah, how cool is it we're doing Pride and Prejudice?" I asked her.

"Amazing! Finally time for Austen to shine. Are you gonna audition for the play Kerri?"

"I think so, it would be a shame not to, I mean, what do I have to lose? It's not really like I know anyone here apart from you guys anyways," I replied.

"Cool," she said, "I'm going to audition for Jane! You should totally go for Lizzie," she said. I smiled,

"I was thinking of going for that," I told her. She grinned, then turned to Jacob.

"Don't you think Kerri would make a good Lizzie?"

"Wonderful," he said, squeezing my hand. I blushed, then asked him,

"So, are you going to audition?"

"No, I prefer to be in the audience. Someone has to cheer, right?"

"What he means is he's too much of a chicken to audition," Adam said, leaning over the table a little more.

"Not everyone can be in the play, like you" Clark said.

"I was sick that day!" Adam shouted.

"Still," Clark said, "I think I'll audition for Mr Wickham."

"I'm gonna go for Mr Bingley," Jayson said.

"Oh, you'll be amazing!" Lexi exclaimed.

"What she means is she's happy she gets to play across from you," I said. Everyone laughed, except Lexi, who was blushing bright red and scowling at me. I mouthed sorry at her, but she relaxed a little when she realised Jayson was laughing too. I doubt he even got the joke, he was too busy thinking about Lexi's praise. I wished she would just go for it, they both obviously liked each other and I think she knew Jayson was too shy to ask her. But I think even Lexi got scared when it came to making herself vulnerable like that.

"I'm sure all of you will be great," Jacob said, but he was looking at me. Just then, Anna walked up and stood behind Jacob and I, looking unhappily down at our joined hands on the bench between us.

"What, are you two, like, a couple now?" she asked, her tone one of irritation. I was about to say something to lead her off when Jacob spoke,

"Yes. Do you have a problem, Anna?" I don't think she was expecting that.

"No, I just don't appreciate the PDA!"

"I don't think you'd be able to see if you hadn't come over here to be honest Anna. I think if you go and sit back down, you'll find it a lot less annoying," Jacob said calmly, thinly veiling his annoyance. Anna didn't say anything, just meekly walked away and sat back down with her friends; two of the other girls who had been glaring at me. I was thinking about Anna's motivations when I remembered what Jacob said.

"Jacob," I began softly so only he could here, "did you really mean what you said?" He looked down at me, then at our joined hands.

"Only if that's what you want," he replied, stroking my hand again, "I mean, you have only known me a day."

"Might as well have been forever," I whispered, "of course that's what I want!"

Grinning, Jacob asked,

"Are you sure?" I nodded enthusiastically.

"Well then, I think I'm going to have to plan a proper date then," he said. I laughed, drawing Lexi's eyes to me. She looked at me, then at Jacob's joyful expression.

'You and him?' she mouthed at me. I nodded, beaming. She smiled, then whispered something in Jayson's ear. He passed it on to Clark on his other side, and he leant across the table and repeated it to Adam. Adam leant round me and said to Jacob.

"Finally."