Chapter Thirty-Two
Jared
As we’re skating, I realize this isn’t how I want to win Juliet over. I don’t want to be seen as a putz. She also made it clear this was not a date. I don’t want her to look back on this day and retell it to others like, “Yeah, he fell on his ass a lot.”
I lessen my grip on her hand. I don’t say anything to her the rest of the time because I don’t know what to say. When we finish up I realize I’ve done something majorly wrong. Her eyes are full of sadness and I’m certain I caused it.
After Tyler drops the girls off and I slip into the passenger seat, he snaps. “What did you do?”
“I skated.”
“No, bro. I mean you royally effed up. Don’t you like her?”
“Of course, I do. Things are complicated.”
He slaps his hand over his face and drags it down while growling. “It’s not though. You’re making it complicated. What’s the matter with you? Where the hell is your game? Did you leave it at home with your balls?”
“Screw off. She’s fine,” I defend.
“Bro, you basically shunned her the entire car ride over here. I didn’t see you talking much during the whole her teaching you how to skate bit either. If this was a reality show your ass would have gotten booted off.”
“She told me this wasn’t a date. I was respecting her wishes.”
He starts up his Jeep. “My God you are so clueless. That was her hint that she wanted you to treat this like a date. She wanted to be wanted.”
I rub the knot forming in the back of my neck. “Why do girls have to be so difficult? I’m not a damn mind reader. She should have told me what she really wanted.”
Tyler laughs. “And make it boring? Where’s the fun in that?” He turns out of their neighborhood and I almost want him to turn around. We can’t because it’s getting late and I’ve got curfew. “Better find your A-game soon; rumor has it Lincoln Tilman is looking to ask Juliet out.”
I look over at Tyler. “Bullshit. He’s dating Carrie.”
“Nope. She hooked up with Raphe at my New Year’s Eve party.”
How did I miss all this? Why is Lincoln Tilman, the baseball jackass, after Juliet? He never showed interest in her before. He is always in the locker room bragging about all the shit him and Carrie have done. Well, not only Carrie, anyone he’s hooked up at a party or dated.“Juliet can’t date him.” I’ll break his legs then his neck as soon as that twit breathes a single word about any of the depraved things he has done to Juliet if she dates him. Yes, I’ll go completely insane.
Tyler smacks my arm. “Then step it up, or prepare to lose her. The girl has enough sense to turn down a jackass like Tilman, but the next guy might not be, and Juliet will say yes.”
He pulls up to my house and I sigh. “I’m not losing.”
“Good to hear. You should text her then. You still have her number, right?” He asks.
“Yeah.”
“Maybe apologize for being aloof.”
I pop open the door. “Anything else I should know Captain Suave?”
He grins. “I like that. I think that should be my name from now on.”
I roll my eyes. “Hey, Jared.” I look back at Tyler. “You got this.”
I give him a slight nod then shut the door. As he takes off I head into my house. The house is quiet. That’s not normal. “Mom? Dad?”
No one answers. Not even mumbles. “Justin?”
Again, no response. Is it possible I might have the house to myself? I check around all the rooms and notice a note in the kitchen. It’s in my Dad’s handwriting.
Jared,
Do some drills. No cheating. Cheaters never win. We’ll be back at 10:30.
I check the clock. It’s 9:20, and he wants me to do drills? No. I go straight up to my room. I’ll pretend that note never existed. Will I regret this decision? Possibly. Right now, nope.
I slap my door close and type a message to Juliet.
Me: I’m sry 4 being odd.
My phone pings back instantly.
Juliet: Y do u still have my #?
Me: Bc. I do.
Juliet: U should delete it.
Me: Y?
Juliet: U have a GF.
I call her. The phone rings a few times before she answers. “This isn’t a good idea, Jared.”
“Talking to you? Yes, it is. I don’t have a girlfriend. I’m not a player either.”
She snorts. “Are you sure about that?”
“About which part?”
“All of it,” she grinds out.
This girl. Ugh. She frustrates me and fascinates me all at the same time. “You’re damn right I’m sure. Kimber is the first person I went out on a date with in almost a year and a half. Before that, I went on maybe five blind dates. Happy? I am not equipped to run through a string of girls. I barely have enough time for one person.”
“Kimber’s statuses all state you are in a relationship together.”
“Wh … how would you know that? You don’t even have Facebook.”
I can hear her huffing. “Who says I need it? You can pull up her stupid page without an account. Why am I even defending myself here? You’re the one who has a girlfriend. I don’t know why you bothered calling me.”
This is not going as planned. Not in the slightest. “I called to apologize.”
“There is no need. I’m fine. I taught you how to skate end of story. Now, you can probably take Kimber and not be so embarrassed.”
“Yeah. Whatever. Have a good night, Juliet.”
“You too, Jared.”
She ends the call before I can say anything more. I shoot a text to Tyler.
Me: Screw it. She hates me.
Tyler: Tmrow stoppin @ L’s U in?
Do I really want to risk being rejected?
“Dude, will you calm down,” Tyler says for about the umpteenth time.
“What if she hits me when she sees me?”
“She might kick a soccer ball at your head, but I think you’re safe.”
I frown. “I’m serious. What should I do then because she won’t want to see me?”
“She’ll see you. Trust me on this.”
I realize I sound like an idiot, but I need him to take this a little more seriously than he is right now. “What if she doesn’t?”
Tyler grumbles. “She will.”
He parks in the driveway of their house then hops out. I’m hesitant. Tyler glances back from their stoop and waves me on. I don’t move. The front door opens, and Layla tries ushering Tyler inside. He points at his Cherokee.
Damn him. I reluctantly get out and raise my hand. “Get up here,” Tyler says.
“Go straight into her room, do you know which one it is?” Layla asks.
I shake my head.
“It’s the last door on the right,” she tells me.
They both part and let me pass. I don’t think barging into a girl’s room is ethical. I’m quite sure my mom might beat my ass if she ever finds out I did this. I make my way up the stairs and down the hall. I shouldn’t do this.
I turn away from her door ready to flee but it opens, and the most beautiful sight is before me. Juliet is rubbing sleep from her eyes while yawning. Her hair is a little disarrayed, but she still looks good. “Morning, Juliet.”
“What the … Jared!” she startles. I stifle a chuckle. This dang girl is so freaking cute.
“Not a morning person, I take it?”
“What are you doing here at …”
“Ten? I wanted to apologize to you again. Also, I wanted to see if you wanted to do something today.”
She blinks. “Do something? You have a girlfriend Jared.” She’s not going to let this go.
“Oookay. So, we can’t be friends?”
“You want to be friends?” Her mouth twists.
“Sure.” No. I don’t want to be just friends.
She veers around me. “Okay. I have to go to the bathroom. Wait in my room if you want but do not touch a thing. Trust me when I say I’ll know if you were snooping or not.”
“Okay.” As she makes her way to the bathroom I step into her room and take it all in. Her walls are an aqua blue and gray. There are several bookshelves filled with books. The girl literally has so many some shelves are double stacked. She has four CD clothed cases.
I want to sit on her bed, but I feel like that may be violating her privacy. She sleeps there. Possibly in revealing pjs. Knock it off Jared. Stop thinking about her in skimpy nightwear. I move toward the window seat and wait. Beside me is the stuffed dog I got her. It surprises me she still has him.
Juliet bounds into the room a few seconds later. She scans the room and makes a few passes by her bookshelves and one under her bed. “Hmph. You can follow orders.”
“I can indeed. Do I get a treat?” Jeez, I just made myself sound like a dog.
She raises a brow and giggles. “Yeah, no. Tell you what I will do. I’ll play you for your friendship.”
“What? I thought we already established I was your friend.”
“Did we? I remember me saying okay to you wanting to be friends then telling you I had to go to the bathroom. But I didn’t say, yes, Jared we can be friends. Wanna play for the honor or not?” She hands over a controller and I take it.
She’s in for it now. “All right. Let’s do this. But if I win not only are we friends, you have to take me mudding.”
“I can live with that. If I win you have to stop dropping by.”
Shit! I better not lose this game. “Deal.” She sticks out her hand and I stare at it. “You don’t trust me?”
“I trust you enough,” she says.
I frown as I take her delicate hand into mine. I shake it a few times then we break apart. “It’s settled then. What game are we playing?”
“How about we play Monopoly?”
Is she serious? “Uh isn’t that a board game?”
She laughs. It’s musical and I love it. At the same time, I hate it because it means she’s making fun of me. “Yeah, it is. I also have the video game version. Less cheating happens on the video game version.” She bends and grabs a case then waves it in my face.
“Learn something new every day.”
“That you do. Want to play or not?”
I roll up the sleeves of my shirt and I say, “Let’s do this.”