I was up and completely ready by the time the clock hit seven, which now meant I was awaiting Jack's horn outside of my house. My parents were still getting used to Jack waiting outside still nervous of confrontation with them. It was clear where my dad stood with Jack, accepting but not comfortable, and my mom differed from my dad actually feeling very accepting of allowing Jack into our lives.
By the time I reach the kitchen my mom is dressed up as well ready for her day at work, she worked as a receptionist with other moms from the church - gossiping and making pg-13 comments about John Mayer.
She pours a cup of coffee in a silver thermos, "Good morning honey. First day of senior year, excited?"
I nod my head reaching in the fridge to grab the apple juice carton, "As exciting as waking up at six o'clock can be."
She packs a small container filled with grapes into her lunch pack, "Have fun and tell Jack to stop blaring his music when he drives in, the neighbors are starting to complain."
My mom presses a small kiss to my head before grabbing her things, and heading out the door. I watch till her car pulled away through the kitchen window before texting Jack that it was okay to pull down to my house.
Once again, his insecurities of confrontation with my parents, hopefully in the future they will subside.
I grab a cold water bottle from the fridge and my house keys before heading to the door as well. I lock the door the same time Jack pulls onto the curb of my house waiting in the car. It was preplanned that Jack would take me to school in the mornings and since he was let out of school twenty minutes earlier than me, he would also pick me up after school.
He insists even though I don't mind driving myself, but it was still time we were spending together. Over summer we went to secretly meeting up with each other once a week to being around each other everyday.
An improvement indeed.
I slid into the passengers side of the car turning down the already loud music, "Jack, I've warned you about the music before. My mom said the neighbors are complaining."
Jack rolls his eyes playfully, grabbing my book bag from my hands, and putting it into his backseat, "If I was playing Christian music it would be different."
"Yes, it would be very different than music about robbing and assaulting people."
He forces a smile over to me before completely shutting off his radio, "Whatever to please the Christians."
I slap his shoulder lightly turning to sit correctly in my seat and fastening my seatbelt as we pulled away.
A part of me was still nervous. I was almost certain that whatever happened over summer would somehow find its way into conversation at school. I could go without the entire school knowing I cheated on my long term boyfriend for a guy I knew for a month. Sammy opened up all possible talk about it during his sermon where he outed my entire friend group, and knowing how boring this town could get, this was probably the hottest topic till graduation.
This is the only time I'd ever want Kami Goodwin to actually one up me and do something completely bizarre that my drama felt like child's play.
"You look pretty," Jack notes as I applied a layer of lipgloss in the mirror of his car, "Should I be worried? You do have a reputation."
I shoot him a look, "I'm the one with the reputation?"
He laughs a bit reaching over the divider to grab my hand and pulling it to his side of the car, "I hate that other people get to see you this good looking throughout the day and I'm stuck with fucking burn outs and future dropouts."
"You could always reapply for West Reunion," I suggest now applying a coat of lipgloss.
"As if they want me back," Jack scoffs.
Jack releases my hand once turning into the school and placing both hands on the wheel. The last group of buses were pulling away as students walked from the student parking lot on one side of the school and teachers walked from the other side. Jack pulls along to the curb as most cars were shutting off the car as I gather my belongings.
"Remember, three o'clock," I say beginning to open my door, "And no loud music."
He shot me an innocent smile as I reach over the divider pressing a small kiss to his lips. I shoot him a replicating smile.
"Three o'clock, no loud music," He repeats followed by another kiss, "Do things I would."
"You know I would never."
I step from his car and slamming the door shut beginning to walk up the staircase leading towards the school. Jack honks his horn while pulling away scaring a few people around us and making them stare at his car pull away from the parking lot.
Jordan was at the top of the stairs as I approach them already anxiously waiting.
"I would've never been able to tell that was Jack." Jordan greets sarcastically, "You know if you don't want people to talk then you wouldn't have pulled up with him."
I roll my eyes, "You're being dramatic."
"Last year you came to school in Sammy's white Jeep all year round and suddenly you're in a black camero," Jordan points out, "Trust me, they're talking."
"Well it's old news and nobody who matters is saying anything anyways," I shrug.
Jordan sighs tightening the straps on her bookbag, "I hope you're right cause here comes Kami."
I notice her before Jordan says anything. She was dressed in a bright yellow sweater that stood out against everyone else's dull overused colors, including mine. Kami was definitely a person that could've jumped the boat over summer and I wouldn't have cared.
"Ladies," Kami smiles wickedly raising an eyebrow, "How was your summer?"
"Almost as exciting as yours," Jordan forces a fake smile.
Kami's candid in Sammy's story definitely didn't go unnoticed either. A threesome with James and Sammy? An image I could also go without seeing.
She forces an obvious fake laugh, "So I heard you're dating again? Jack Gilinsky, Spicy."
"It wasn't a secret, Kami," I simply say.
"Oh no, it was definitely a secret. Just ask Sammy," She teases. She just wants a reaction, it was like she used peoples mistakes and uneasiness to remain young.
"Anyways," She quickly recovers, "Let's say for the sake of senior year, a clean slate?"
"Ha," Jordan sneers, "Take your truce up your ass along with the many other things you prefer up there."
I don't say anything just to spare the childish drama. Jordan speaks for the both of us, even though I'd never say those exact words - it had to be said.
Kami runs her tongue across her top row of teeth while shooting us a death glare, "See you at bible study, Charlotte."
-
Kami is officially making her appearance in this book a lot more, along with some other new characters.
Anyways, opinions?
