Jayson

Chapter 14

The funny thing about being ugly with a "banging" body, is that the unwanted attention is endless and you know that none of these people really care about you as a person, but basically want to see your body naked, want to touch it, want to conquer it. A few weeks had passed and I still felt sick thinking about what happened that night at Jesse's. Thankfully, I was home safe, I told myself, and I'd never have to see either one of those creeps again.

"Jayson?"

"Yeah, baby, what's up?"

"What else do you want me to put in the car for the party tonight?"

"Uh," Jayson was digging around in the closet still looking for something to wear like his general clique wasn't already privy to his style choices. I walked to the closet and stood at the door, leaning against the frame.

"You're going to look good no matter what you wear," I told him, smiling. It was moments like this, looking at him bent over digging around, his arms looking strong in a tight t-shirt, his hair dangling in his eyes, the dimpled look he'd make when you could tell he was thinking hard. I don't know how I got this lucky or why he chose me, but there was no way a girl like me should have ended up with someone like Jayson.

"Did you hear me?" He asked, standing in front of me holding two shirts. "Which one is better?"

"Jayson, you'll look hot no matter what you wear. What else do you want me to put in the car?"

"Did you already grab all of the soda that was on the counter?" He asked, planting a quick kiss on my forehead and walking past me to get to his dresser.

I nodded.

"Okay, what about the hamburger buns and chips?"

"Yep."

"Ah, you're so on top of things," he grinned, grabbing me and pulling me in for a hug. "I bet you didn't remember this!" He teased, dropping the shirts and kissing me wildly on my neck.

"Ahhh!" I screamed, playfully before pushing him away. "Seriously, Jayson! Come on, or we're going to be late!"

He stepped back, eyes still gleaming, and put a finger up to his lips. "Let me think a sec."

I squeezed his other hand in mine and kissed him on the lips, "I'll figure it out. Just, get yourself dressed, for crying out loud."

Walking back into the kitchen, I could hear Josh and Sean had arrived. Jess was telling them happy birthday and the joyful laughter and joking made it sound as if the party was already happening, but it wasn't. We were going to a fraternity house or some college kid's apartment or something like that. I supposed I should have been nervous about it, but I really hadn't thought about it. I was going to be with four of the most protective guys in the world and I knew that if I wanted to leave, Jayson would make sure that it happened, besides that, it wasn't the first party I'd been to with people quite a bit older than me.

I peeked my head around the corner and yelled happy birthday, before skipping to the fridge to see what more I could grab. Josh eventually sauntered in and offered to help, so we gathered a platter of cheese, salami, and crackers and threw together a pathetic veggie and dip tray, before placing it all in the cooler to go.

Jayson still wasn't ready after all of that, and Jesse and Sean were out back idolizing Jesse's new Yamaha GTS 1000, so Josh and I played a few rounds of uno.

"You and Jayson seem to be having better days of late," Josh started, before throwing down a draw four.

"Oh, you are awful!" I squealed, reluctantly grabbing four cards.

"Color is green," he continued, grabbing a carrot stick from the cooler and crunching on it. "I mean, you guys are good right? No drama or anything?"

"No drama. We're okay, I think. Skip you, my turn again."

"Okay, okay, that's fair. I had it coming."

"The whole moving to Florida, not moving to Florida thing super sucks. I wish he'd just make up his mind already. Like I get it, but it's not really fair to me how he keeps going back and forth."

"I feel ya on that," he said, nodding his head and placing a yellow reverse, "I guess if I had the choice of having Kimmie back and forth between here and somewhere, I'd rather have that over her being completely gone."

"Okay, that's true, but come on. I'm not talking about Jayson being dead or living in Florida. Like, if the Florida thing is really going to happen, then he needs to just say that and we need to just not be together. All this back and forth is too much."

"You gotta try to see if from his side, Haven. I know that he loves you, and yeah, staying here would be the best option, but his mom is fucking nuts and his stepdad is a nightmare. You can't blame him for wanting to be where life is easier and he's not getting beat up all the time. Uno!"

"You always win," I pouted. "I feel like he's going to find someone else or someone is going to steal him away or something. "

"Why do you think that?"

"I don't know. The other day, he said something about hanging out with some friends when he's down by his dad and he said Robin, but then, like, hurried up and changed it to "Robbie". I don't know. It just didn't seem right. I felt like he wasn't being honest."

"Well, if there is another girl, he hasn't said anything to any of us. You know we wouldn't have that. He doesn't seem to act any different around you when we're here. I don't know, chica. I'll keep an eye on things as much as I can, but Florida is far away and I can't use a telescope to spy on him."

"Spy on who?" Jayson asked, finally making his way into the kitchen.

"Your crazy stepdad," Josh replied smoothly.

"Shit, that'd be boring as hell, have fun with that." He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me planting a kiss on my cheek. "What do you say, shall we blow this popsicle stand or what?"

"Finally," Josh muttered jokingly. "Heading out, assholes," he yelled out back so the others could hear, "let's go!"

We piled into Sean's rusty old SUV and Josh turned on the music loudly as we sang along and danced to the songs that played.  Everyone was happy and laughing and the night seemed perfect.  

"You look really pretty in yellow," Jayson told me, leaning in close so I could hear him over the music and chatter.  I could smell his cologne"You look good in everything, but yellow really compliments your skin.  You're radiating sunshine and happiness and I love that. I love you."  He smiled and turned back in his seat.  I smiled too.