Handle With Care

Four

Chapter Four

By the time Christmas comes Jake Wheeler and I are still occasionally hanging out together. His report for his English class has been finished and graded with an A. He was so excited and he was sure to thank me. I told him that I knew he could do it.

On Christmas Eve he invites me over to his house for a while because his parents are gone to a holiday party and he apparently has something for me. We sit together and talk for a long time, devouring the Christmas cookies I brought with me for us to share. Finally I go to his room. He makes me wait at the door while he fetches my gift.

He hands me a square box with a bow on it. The wrapping paper taped on is red with small flying reindeer on it. I carefully open the box and pull out a Polaroid camera. My eyes widen. “This is for me?” I ask, shocked.

“Yeah, don’t you like it?”

“Of course but I can’t accept this. It cost too much and you didn’t have to get me a present. All I brought you was Christmas cookies.”

“It’s fine. It didn’t cost me much. I wanted to get you a gift for helping me with my English class. I know you’re into artsy stuff and I heard you saying you wanted a new camera. Also, you once said you thought Polaroids were really cool. I want you to have this Quinnie,” he explains.

I am so surprised. I do not even know what to say. He must care enough about me to pay close attention to what I am saying and into in order to get me such a special gift. “Thanks so much Jake. It means a lot to me.”

He grins. “I know. You’re welcome.”

I look around briefly. He is blocking most of his room from view but I can’t help notice the mistletoe hanging above the doorway. “Is that mistletoe I see?” I laugh.

“Yeah, is this your way of flirting with me?” he jokes.

I blush bright red. “Umm…no…I wasn’t…”

“You’re so cute,” he leans in and kisses my lips quickly. I must have a weird expression on my face because he says “You’re supposed to kiss when you see mistletoe.”

He pulls me downstairs and we hang around casually until it is time for me to go home. I do not know what to make of the kiss and I am not sure that there is much to make of it anyway so I try to forget about it.

Everything is normal between us for a while. Even though the report for English class he had to do is done there is still plenty of other school work I can help him with so we still meet up in the library often. One time while I am leaving the library a little after one of our study sessions I notice Jake and his friends in the hall. I open my locker and pretend that I am reading a book. “Rumor is you’ve been hanging around with that weird kid,” one girl says to Jake.

“He’s not weird. He’s supposed to be helping me with school work. I have to be nice to him or whatever so you know…” Jake shrugs.

When they are gone he walks to me. “Hi,” I mumble, closing my locker and getting ready to leave.

“I’m really sorry about that. I just…they don’t understand.”

“I know,” I nod.

“You’re going to take pictures in the park today, right? At least let me walk you there.”

“Okay,” I agree. I take photos of the snow, icicles, swings, benches, Jake and myself. I am trying to walk too fast without paying attention and I fall, slipping on a patch of ice. I grab onto Jake to prevent myself from falling down but it doesn’t help me. I end up pulling Jake down with me so I land on my back with him on top of me. “Sorry.”

“Are you okay?” he asks me.

“Yeah, are you?”

“Yes,” he grins. “You’re so clumsy.”

“I know,” I reply.

He’s looking into my green eyes. “Clumsy but still cute,” he presses his lips to mine. I kiss him back, my arms wrapping around him.

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After our fall on the ice at the park we continued hanging around together whenever we could and the kisses also continued. Finally as we lay in his bed one day talking and admiring all of his sports trophies I asked him “Are you gay?”

“No,” he shook his head.

“I hate to break it to you Jake but straight guys don’t go around kissing other guys.”

“I know. I’m bi-sexual.”

“Oh…” I comment.

“It was pretty obvious you liked me. I mean, the way you look at me and the way you react to me…You’re cute and silly in a good way. You’re smart and unique and pretty awesome. But I swear if you tell anyone about me…”

“I won’t. I promise,” I tell him.

“Does anyone know you’re…” he asks me.

“No, I think my mom has an idea but I haven’t told anyone yet.”

“Cool.”

“Are we umm…am I like your boyfriend now or something?”

“I guess so but let’s keep it a secret for now, okay? If people knew I’m into guys…I play sports and the other guys would…”

“Okay.”

He smiles then pulls me closer to him for a kiss. We make out until I have to leave because his parents will be getting home.