Do It Jakey! //Jake Kiszka

Chapter 8

Jake and Julia keep texting all day on Saturday, then again on Sunday and Monday. It is natural for both of them, and Tuesday seemed so far away. Jake is dying to see her. He would love to kiss her again, but he knows she won't let him do it right away. On the other hand, Julia is tormented. She keeps thinking about him, she wants to see him again so bad. She forces herself to calm down on Tuesday morning, before seeing him that afternoon. she tries to think about something else. Her brother is doing okay, he is home and can live on his own. She would like to talk to him about Jake, but she knows he won't approve it. she thinks back at her friends, Becca and Emily, who live far away from her. She would love to have someone to talk to about this. Peter, Mike, Austin or Susan from college? She doesn't think they are the right people. The guys would say to go for it, but don't really give her any advice. Susan would act just like her brother Dave, and she is not sure that is what she wants to hear.

Julia needs a new car as well. She has some money, her savings for college since she was in high school, and she is now saving the money she earns doing tutoring. Beside Jake, she tutors other two girls and one boy.

She is sitting nervously on the couch when Jake rings the bell. Her palms are sweaty, she dries them on her jeans. She takes a deep breath right before opening the door, but when she sees Jake smiling, all her worries go away.

She smiles as well. "hi", she says making him come inside. Jake wants to kiss her so bad, but he forces himself to press his lips on her cheek. Julia shivers at the contact of his lips on her skin. Tutoring goes on well, there is not tension between them, just like at the beginning. The main difference is that sometimes their hands touch, they smile more often, look at each other in the eyes. Nothing more. They go on like this until the next Friday.

Keeping texting all the time has been Jake feeling something. at first, he was happy only seeing her, talking to her. The little kiss on the cheek he gives her before and after tutoring was enough the first week, but Jake can't resist anymore. He feels the urge to kiss her more, to touch her, to feel her. Every time his lips touch the soft skin of her cheeks, he has to force himself to take a step back. How can he be so attracted to a person almost only by her cheeks?

As they keep texting about everything, he finds her to be so funny. She is ironic, sarcastic, but also clever and kind, nice and polite. She is probably everything he has ever wanted.

It is on a Friday afternoon that Jake can't resist her anymore. She is wearing a tight black shirt with long sleeves. Jake has to force himself not to stare too much. She looks amazing. The shirt fits her perfectly. Every inch of her body is covered, but to him, she looks sexy as hell. Maybe it is because, for the first time ever, she felt confident enough to wear something tight in front of him, or maybe because without a jumper or a large sweater on, Jake can really see her body. And he finds it beautiful. he looks at her breast, at her stomach, at her sides. He is fascinated by the way the shirt is tucked inside her jeans. He has to resist the urge to bring his hands to her hips and feel her body. "you look good", he says, and she smiles.

Halfway through their tutoring time, Jake moves his hand to Julia's thighs, squeezing a little. She looks at it, but she doesn't say anything. It is when she feels his hand moving up her leg, that she speaks. "Jake, what are you doing?".

He looks at her smirking. "the exercises". Julia rolls her eyes. "I'm talking about that", she says looking down at his hand.

Jake doesn't reply, bringing it even upper. Then he moves it to the side of her thigh, keeping going up. He meets the side of her butt, but doesn't go further. Instead, he brings his fingers to her shirt on her back, pulling it a little out of her jeans and revealing her skin, sliding his hand under the shirt, bringing it to her hip, squeezing. Julia follows every movement with her eyes, holding her breath, but then she suddenly breaths all out. "Jake...".

Jake smirks again, enjoying the effect he is having on her. "do you really want me to stop?". No, she doesn't. she knows it, and so does he. Julia gives up. There is no point in denying what she has been feeling for him. she takes one of her hands to the one he still has on the desk, and the other to cup his face. "you'll be the death of me, pretty boy". She leans in, touching Jake's nose with hers, and he kisses her.

It goes on like this for almost two weeks. They see each other on Tuesdays and Fridays for tutoring, then usually on Saturdays to eat together, they talk all the time on the phone. They kiss, hug, act intimate, but nothing more. It is okay for both of them to not rush things, and Julia is not even sure about going further, since Jake is still only seventeen. As it goes on, they keep getting closer and closer, more affectionate each day.

Julia gets into a big fight with Sarah and kicks her out of the apartment. She was there first, she feels she has the right to do so. Julia is not the kind of person who gets angry and yells at people, but Sarah really has the ability to bring out her worst side. And after that she has an emotional breakdown. Thinking about what happened with Andrew, how Sarah keeps showing up with him at their apartment, thinking about her destroyed family, her cheating father, her hateful mother, Julia opens the little cabinet in the kitchen where she keeps her things. And she begins. She eats some chips, chocolate, a cupcake, a piece of cake that was left from some days before, other chips. Then she stands up and throws all away, crying.

As she looks at herself in the mirror, Julia sees only fat. Fat on her arms, her breasts, her legs, her stomach. More stretchmarks on her hips. Will she ever be able to get out of all of this? To free herself from this hunger she always feels when she is nervous? she can't always cry after, it doesn't work like this. She should really go again to the doctor, it won't be good for her to keep going on like this.

It's Saturday, Sarah is finally coming to get her last things. Jake is coming for dinner and she needs to go grocery shopping before She Who Must Not Be Named, AKA Sarah, comes back to the apartment. At the supermarket, Julia forces herself to buy only what she needs, nothing more. When she is back home, Sarah is already there, taking out the things from her room.

"hi", Julia greets her. Sarah doesn't even reply. she only shoots that damn side smile Julia hates so much. She goes to the fridge to take out her shopping from the bags. Sarah goes to the cabinet to take out her coffee mug and puts it inside one box. "you know, Julia", Sarah begins, "I saw the trash bin the other day".

Julia looks at her, but she doesn't reply. it's useless to talk to her. Sarah goes on. "what will happen if you keep eating all that stuff?". Julia moves away from the fridge, going to the counter to take the other things out of the shopping bags. She turns around finding Sarah right in front of her. "can you please just go away?", she asks looking behind Sarah's shoulders.

"you didn't answer my question", she replies. "it will all go here, my dear Julia", she says sinking her point finger in Julia's stomach. "and no one will ever want you, except that toy boy of yours. I saw you two the other week. Is he really all you could find?".

Julia closes her eyes. She feels so angry. She doesn't even want to cry, just to slap her in the face.

The doorbell rings, it's probably Jake. Sarah takes a step back and Julia tells him to come in. he does not expect to find Sarah there. Julia looks angry, Sarah looks proud of herself, as always. "please, go", Julia repeats. Sarah walks to the door with her boxes and finally steps outside, for one last time.

"what happened?", Jake asks getting closer. "nothing". And Jake doesn't go on. if she wants, she will tell him. they don't eat dinner, just go to the couch and watch a movie together. Julia cuddles up against Jake, and he throws an arm around her. After the movie they keep staying there in complete silence, until Julia speaks.

"would you stay here with me tonight? I could really use some company".

Jake smiles. "of course".