Jessie with an i | Billy Andrews

Chapter fifteen

Once I arrived home, I walk in to see boxes upon boxes scattered around the house. I slip off my shoes and jacket, hanging up my jacket. I look around the house for my mother. Going from room to room to look for her. I see her in the living room.
"I'm home" I smile.
"Hello sweetie" she turns to me. "How was it? Did Jane like the cookies?"
I'm guessing she assumed that I would bring the cookies for Jane. I went with it. "Yeah she loved them. Her family did too"
"That's good." She smiled. "Ready to decorate?"
"Definitely" I smile and walk to the bare tree. "Did father find this?" I ask.
"Yes. Him and Samual went this morning after you left to find the perfect one" she smiled.
"It is perfect." I nod. I walk over to a box and open it. The box was full of ornaments. As I started to decorate the tree with my mom, my mind started to drift off. I started to think about Billy. Just like what I would do for eighty percent of my days. I thought about when we played hockey. His face that was so close to mine, and him tackling me into the snow. Me tackling him into the snow. And this morning. His face lighting up when I walked into his room behind his mother. When I said I had cookies he got so excited. What I didn't understand was why did he act so differently around me alone versus when he is in school. It was odd to me. Maybe he just needed someone to show him kindness. Nah that's too cliché. Maybe he just needed to become comfortable with someone so he could just be himself. No other boys to impress. No one else to prove that he is brave and an alpha male. Just someone who he can be himself around without being judged. And I think....that person was me. Maybe I could talk to him about it. Then again I don't want him to get mad at me for it.
"You are more concentrated in decorating a tree than I've ever seen before" My mother's voice breaks through my thoughts and I look over at her.
"Oh um...just getting lost in thought" I say and hang up a red ball ornament.
"What about?" She asked.
"About how people act differently around different people. Like someone can be so shy in a crowd but completely open around their best friend" I say. I wasn't lying. Maybe I could get my mother's opinion on the subject.
"I see. Is it someone specific? Like Jane?" She asked.
"No, someone I know just acts so cocky and is such a bully in school but when they are around me....that all changes"
"Who is it?"
"I would rather not say" I knew if I said his name I would blush and my mother would be onto me. I wasn't ready to tell her yet.
"Alright." She said not pushing.
"What do you think about it?" I ask, stopping decorating and just turning to her.
"Well if a person is that different from person to person that doesn't mean they are a bad person. Like you said it's all about comfort."
"Should I talk to them?"
"If you want to. If you feel like it's an important subject then sure"
"I don't know if I will" I say.
"Then you don't have to. Maybe you should just leave it alone until that person comes to you."
"Thanks mom" I smile. I go back to decorating the tree.
"You're welcome" she smiled back and decorated with me.

After a few more hours and eating lunch, we had almost the whole house decorated. The inside at least. I had to wait for Samual to help with the outside. But the inside was almost done. The only think left was the kitchen. And we didn't decorate that room too much to start with. Father gets home and Samual soon after. They both are very happy with the decorations.
"Hey mom?" I walk up to her.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Can I decorate my room now?" I ask.
She nodded. "Of course, your box of decorations should be marked by you so if you can find them" she chuckled.
I rushed to the stairs but was stopped by my dad.
"Wait I almost forgot! Wait here" My father rushed outside and I waited for him. When he comes inside, he had something large behind his back. He shows me a three foot tall pine tree.
"Ta da!" He said.
My eyes light up and I gasp excitedly. Samual smiled at my excitement.
"When I was at the bank today a man came in and when we where working on some things he mentioned that he had a small pine tree in his yard he needed to get rid of. So after work I went to his place and got the tree. Tomorrow he is gonna have some people take out the trunk and the roots." He explains
"Is it mine?!" I ask.
"It's your Christmas tree you can put in your room" he smiled.
"Thank you, thank you,thank you!"I carefully take the tree and rush to my room. My mother follows with a tree stand for it. I set up the tree with my mothers help.
"What can I use to decorate it?" I ask.
"Well you can use some ribbon" she said thinking. "We can buy a star for it, and maybe some candles? Simple tree?"
"That sounds wonderful" I smile. "I could sew a tree skirt. I think I'll do a purple and silver theme" I think imagining it on my new tree.
My mother nodded. "That will be beautiful and match your room perfectly"
I suddenly get very excited. "Mama can I go shopping in town for stuff?" I ask
"But I'm going to make dinner soon" she said.
"I'll be quick! I promise! Samual can come with me to make sure I'm fast" I say.
"Alright go ahead." I rush to Samual's room. I just walk inside. "You, me, town, now" I say.
"Anything to get out of algebra" he gets up from his desk and rushed to me. We both head downstairs to the front door and put on our shoes. We put on our jackets. I put on a scarf and Sam puts on his winter hat. Mother gave me a small sack of coins to pay for what I needed.
"Don't spend too much ok?" She said.
"No promises" I giggled.
"What do you need?" He asked once we were ready and walking to town.
"Some things for my Christmas tree" I smile happily.
Once we get into town my first stop was the dress shop.
"Do I have to go in?" Sam whines.
"Fine if you want to go somewhere else go on. I'll be quick in here. Let's meet up after"
He nodded and rushed off. I walk into the dress shop and was greeted by familiar faces.
"Jessie! So mice to see you!" Rose rushed to me. "Honey isn't your head freezing?" She asked.
"No I'm fine Rose" I chuckled.
"So what brings you here?" Annie asked.
"I want some purple ribbon and some silver ribbon" I say. "Father got me my own Christmas tree!"
"Of course. You know where to go" Annie smiled.
I nodded and rushed to the ribbon corner. I find the perfect purple and silver. I measure quite a bit of each since I didn't know how much I would need. I could use the extra for something else anyway. Once I had both colors I needed, I walk to the register where Rose was. I put the ribbon on the table and take out my sack of coins. She says the total and I give her the perfect change.
"Thank you Rose" I smile as she handed me a small paper bag with the ribbon inside of it to me.
"You're welcome. See you soon!" She said.
I nod and walk out of the store. Looking around, I don't see Samual anywhere. But I spot the general store nearby. I assumed he was there since I don't think any other store would catch a 17 year old boy's attention. I walk to the store and hear my name being called.
"Jessie! Jess!"
I turn on my heel and see Billy running to me with a smile. He wore his normal black jacket with his green scarf. I see his mother in the distance behind him. They must have been out together.
"Hey Billy" I smile.
He stops once he gets to me, breathing a bit heavy. "How are you?" He asked.
"I'm pretty good. How are you?"
"Better"
"I see that. Your head looks normal."
"Yeah." He runs a hand though his hair. "There must have been something in the cookies" he smirked gently.
"You're onto me" I chuckled.
"What did you put in those to make me feel so much better?" He asked.
"That's for me to know and you to not find out" I smile.
"Alright fine. I'll find out your secrets soon Jessie Gray" he said crossing his arms.
"Yeah. Good luck with that" I smile. "You shopping with your mother?" I ask.
"Kinda. She wanted to come with me as I looked for presents" he explained.
"I see." I say.
"You shopping alone?"
"No Samual is around here somewhere. He didn't want to go in the dress shop with me so we separated" I explain.
He scoffed. "At least I stepped foot in it" he said in a cocky way.
"Yeah yeah Mr.So-brave-to-come-into-a-dress-shop" I giggle.
"Yup" he said
"Don't let it go to your head, your head is big enough as it is, remember?" I laugh softly.
"Shush!"
Someone walks up and stands next to me. It was Samual.
"Hello Billy" he said in a skeptical way with his arms folded.
"Hey Bud" Billy said.
"We should get going so we can get home" he said.
Billy nodded. "See you soon Jess" he smiled.
"Bye Andrews"
He walks away from us and I look at Samual. "What was that about?" I ask.
"I had to assert dominance"
"What?" I ask.
"Well if you two do start to go court then I wanted him to know I'm tough and will hurt him if he dares to treat you wrong"
"Well save your breath cause it's not gonna happen." I say.
"What do you mean?" He asked, his face now turning worried as I turned a bit sad.
"Josie has an eye on him....knowing her she'll get what she wants..." I sigh.
"Don't be so quick to assume" Samual said.
"I know."
"Oh" he hands me a bag. "I got the rest of the stuff you needed"
I open the bag and peak in. Inside was candles and some silver decorations for the tree. Along with a star.
"Perfect." I nod. "Thanks" I smile.
The two of us walk back home and talk. Like always I tell him what me and Billy talked about. He, like Jane, knew everything about me and Billy. Even though our relationship is only a friendship. We are just friends.