I wait for Jordyn at lunch in the usual spot on Monday—we’re cooling it on the carpooling since I have a tendency to take off without warning these days. When she rounds the corner and her face isn’t caked in all her usual makeup, my stomach drops. She didn’t do that because of me, did she?
“Hey,” is all I’m able to manage. She’s still wearing heavy eye makeup and dark lipstick, but at least her natural skin is on display and not covered in that powdery white chalk stuff.
“You look disappointed. You didn’t think I’d listen to you, and now you’re annoyed that I did?” She tucks her shiny black hair behind one ear.
“No. It’s that I—I’m just surprised you did listen. I mean, who am I to tell you to change what you’re doing?” I set my pizza slice down on the bench. My appetite is gone.
“Don’t flatter yourself. I did this for me. You helped, maybe, a little. The other night— Well, not all people suck as much as Jenna McCoy, okay?” She sits across from me and lifts her slice to her mouth.
“You look good,” I say.
She rolls her eyes and takes a bite of her pizza.
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After school Friday, I take Captain for a long run through the greenbelts. I thought about heading for the Red Rocks path, but it gets dark so early now. The paths here are nearer civilization, so the chances of encountering a mountain lion are less likely.
It’s not until I hear someone calling my name that I realize I’m not far from Jordyn’s house.
I slow my pace and head up the path toward the street.
“You stalking me?” she asks.
“You wish.”
“Who’s this?”
Captain jumps up on her, tail wagging like crazy, and of course he’s smiling. I expect her to freak that he’s showing his teeth, but she gets down and allows him to lick her all over her face. It’s only then that I realize she’s not wearing any makeup. Like, at all. No eyeliner. No lipstick. And she’s never looked better. She’s wearing jeans and a hoodie under her coat. She’s beautiful. How can she cover all that up? What the hell am I thinking? This is Jordyn. She’s my friend. My only friend. I can’t screw that up.
“He’s smiling,” she says, snapping me out of my stupidity.
“That’s what I always say. Most people think he’s threatening, though. His teeth.”
“Nah, he’s a good boy. Aren’t you?” Captain licks her face again. “What’s his name?”
“Captain Jack Sparrow, but we call him Captain.”
“Jack Sparrow didn’t have an eye patch. Did he, Captain?” Her adorable puppy-talk voice is killing me, it’s so cute.
“Mom liked Johnny Depp, so that’s the pirate we went with.”
“It suits him,” she says, sitting on the ground so Captain can worm his way onto her lap. He sits facing me but he looks back and kisses at her every two seconds. She laughs each time. And when she laughs, she’s even more beautiful. What is wrong with me?
“Where are you off to?” If she says a date, it might kill me. In fact the idea of that asshat ex of hers getting to have sex with her last week is killing me.
She’s waiting for me to say something.
“Sorry, what? I was distracted.”
“I’m going to the animal clinic—the shelter where I volunteer. They just took in a hoarder’s loot. There were like fifty cats or something ridiculous like that. They’ve had to put a bunch down because of feline leukemia, but they need me to help out with the ones that are healthy. I get to de-flea and de-worm. What can I say? I lead a glamorous life.”
Shit. Why is she so freaking perfect?
This is not going to end well.
I have to stop this line of thinking.
I’m staring. She notices I’m staring. And we hold eye contact for an uncomfortable length of time. Shit. I just know she can tell I’m into her. Now she’ll be all awkward, and I’ve ruined my, like, one friendship. And I didn’t even get to have sex with her.
“I gotta run. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she says, pulling her keys from her pocket. She leans down and gives Captain a good scratch and a kiss on the head. “And just so your human doesn’t get jealous,” she says to Captain as she reaches up and kisses me on the cheek. And it’s the best cheek kiss in the history of cheek kisses. Closer to my lips than a normal cheek kiss and also a bit more lingering. Talk about mixed messages. I am so totally screwed.
I run for another hour, trying to stop picturing Jordyn beneath me, sweaty and naked. When that doesn’t work, I head for the shower. I’m pretty sure it’s just that I haven’t gotten laid in a while. It’s just that she’s a girl, a not unattractive girl, who’s showing interest. Nothing more. I just need to get laid. I’ll call Ali Heart-over-the-i after my shower. But I don’t want Ali, I want Jordyn.
I settle for myself.
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