Red Ink

2

  The winter air always brings me back to when we were younger. 

  I had just turned thirteen. My hair had been braided into two long strands that framed my face, and it was my first time wearing make up. I had applied small amounts of bubble gum pink lip gloss, and I steadily coated on a thin layer of mascara.

  I was wearing a fuzzy sweater, the kind that only grandmas could love, and brown tied up boots. I hadn't realized how ridiculous my outfit was, but I had adorned my fuzzy sweater and loose braids.

  I had never understood how embarrassing it must have been for Jack to bring around his "little sister". While I had just hit my big thirteen, Jack was fifteen. I guess wearing my beloved fuzzy sweater to Jack's party wasn't my brightest idea. 

  I had walked into his house, and there was high school kids everywhere. Even though Jack was just a grade above me in school, there were much older kids roaming his house. 

  I panicked. I couldn't see Jack, and the party was too much for me. Everything had seemed to go down hill until a girl with dark black hair came up to me. 

  "Hey, you look lost. You know where your going?" She was skinny and tall. Her skin tight turtle neck hugged her body perfectly, and her light washed jeans left a line of skin just beneath her shirt. It was almost comedic for another girl to tell me I look lost in Jack's house considering I was there every week. 

  I nodded my head, "I'm looking for Jack," I had said, playing with the hem of my sweater.

  She smiled, "Yeah, follow me." She lead me out the back door to where a bon fire had been started. Jack had looked amazingly perfect that night. 

  His nose was a deep shade of pink, and he had his football jacket on. His eyes seemed to have sparkled. It didn't take long for his smile to fade though. As soon as his eyes met mine, his face dropped. 

  "Hazel? What are you doing here?"

 I felt my face heat up under his gaze, "Your mom invited me last weekend. She said you were having a party."

  Jack sighed, rolling his eyes, "Guys, this is Hazel. She's a family friend."

  Another football boy laughed, "Dude, how old is this girl? She looks like she's ten."

  Jack laughed along, but when nobody was looking, he shot me a sorry glance. Nobody had seen when his hand met mine and pulled me close. We sat together, knee to knee.

  Since Jack was on the varsity football team, the entire team had showed up that night. I had never seen Jack act so mature before. As the night went on, we stayed sitting at that fire. I was the only one who didn't drink that night, but I still enjoyed watching Jack talk to his friends. 

  The black haired girl sat on the other side of Jack, and while no one else saw, she leaned into him like I had wished I could. 

  That was the first high school party I had ever been to, and I will never forget the way Jack's hand gripped mine under my way too fuzzy sweater. I'll never forget the way our knees touched in a way I knew our hearts never would. 

  It had been a bittersweet night knowing that when I had left, Jack's hands weren't touching mine. They were touching the girl with dark black hair, the girl who's turtle neck fit her all too well. I knew that more than their knees touched, and it crushed me to know that our simple knee touch meant nothing to him, but it meant everything to me. 

  But we were younger then. Back then, who could blame him? 

  As it turns out, this girl wasn't just "some" girl. She ended up going through high school with us. Her name is Clara, and she is in Jack's grade. That wasn't the last party I saw her at, I actually ended up seeing her at every party after. 

  She was beautiful, and what made me hate her even more, was that there was nothing to hate about her.

  I don't like to admit it, but she was good to my Jack. I couldn't always be there for him, but she could. Deep down I know, she could love him better then I ever could. Surprisingly, they never dated though. Maybe it's just a matter of time, though.