Fly Me Away

“Is this your boyfriend Maggie?” One of the girls said. Which one was it...Fran? I didn’t know.

“No, he’s not my boyfriend,” I defended, continuing my angry walk.

“I thought Bronco was your boyfriend?” A different girl spoke this time – one of the older ones.

I ignored the questions and marched right up to Jackson. “Excuse me girls,” I muttered, pushing them all out of the way gently. They just giggled and stood back a few steps.

“What are you doing?!?” I hissed, quietly, so none of the spectators would hear.

“I’m here to see you, my dear. I was hoping you’d come out with me?” he asked casually, smiling like a God. It was extremely embarrassing, but even the tone in which he said it made my insides gooey – I suddenly didn’t care that he was lying and disrupting my plans. He grabbed my wrist softly and I lost my train of thought.

“What...?” I suddenly felt shy.

“Who’s this?” Bronco’s voice shot out from a couple meters back.

I jumped and was shoved back into reality. I’d forgotten about him. Jackson’s grip on my wrist tightened and he edged me closer to him. I turned to look at Bronco to explain, but he didn’t look like he would listen. He was frighteningly mad.

“Hey! What’s going....oh.”

Pip rushed around the corner, then skidded to a halt when she saw the scene in front of her. Her eyebrows hit the ceiling and she walked the rest of the way very awkwardly.

The heated staring contest between the boys continued. I risked a quick look up at Jackson – his face was blank, but there was a twinge of irritation in his eyes I could see. Quite a contrast to Bronco’s blatant rage.

I could not see any of this ending well.

“Maggie...you...aren’t you...?” Pip stumbled around trying to finish her sentence as she placed herself slightly in front of her ferocious looking brother.

I sighed. There was only one way to get out of this now.

“Umm, Pip, I promised Jackson that I’d....help him with something. I guess I forgot,” I laughed nervously. My face was either a deathly pale color or Scarlett red; I wasn’t sure. Pip was about to say something, but got interrupted.

“Hello? Is somebody at the door?” Mrs Gallingway rounded the corner. She looked taken back when she saw everyone loitering around, “Oh hello. Who do we have here?”

“He’s just a friend of mine,” the nervous laughing continued, “Well, I’ll just be off now...thank you for dinner Mrs Gallingway, it was amazing.”

I could see Pip trying to figure out something in her head “But Maggie...?”

Bronco stormed off.

Pip’s Mom looked very confused, “oh, you’re going now? Okay then. You’re welcome here anytime Maggie...”

I nodded and quickly turned around to start pushing Jackson out the door. He was smiling now, and he waved politely at everybody. Pip’s sisters all cooed their goodbyes, while Pip and her Mom just stood there a bit dumbstruck.

We walked down the driveway and around the corner to where I parked. Jacksons car was there behind mine, making my corolla look like scrap metal. As soon as I thought we were out of view, I curled my hands into fists and started whacking Jackson on the chest.

“How...could...you...do...that...to...me?!?” I screeched between hits, my face an unhealthy shade of pink.

I could see that I wasn’t hurting him, but he was taking the hits, maybe just so I would feel better. After a good couple of minutes, he gently tried to stop me.

“Maggie stop,” he spoke quietly, “.... that boy is watching you.”

I looked back up at the house and saw a curtain being dropped shut. I shook my head – I didn’t care if Bronco saw me hitting Jackson, he damn well deserved it!

Jackson smiled lightly at me and I stared at him in disbelief. Did he think I was joking? I couldn’t believe he was being so calm about this! I felt like I was going to implode!

“Jackson!! Explain yourself right now before I lose my mind!!” I hollered.

“He was being rude to you.”

That was his excuse?! I gritted my teeth together and hated the feeling, but couldn’t stop.

“You humiliated me!!”

He recoiled back and his face hardened, “I didn’t.”

“You did! You heard what Pip said about me telling her everything. What do you think she’s thinking now huh? Don’t worry about going checking – I know exactly what it is. She thinks that I’ve secretly been dating you this whole time and that I’ve just kept it a secret from her. Do you know what that means?”

He stood very still and took the words I was throwing at him calmly. He closed his eyes for a moment, “Where not dating...”

How dense could one angel be? I resisted the urge to scream, “She doesn’t know that!! Ugh, you have no idea how angry I am right now!! I’m going home!!”

“But wait, we’re going out tonight,” Jackson said, gabbing hold of my elbow as I spun around to leave. My jaw dropped open.

“Jackson!! I...I...!”

Then the inevitable happened – I cried. I was angry to the point where I broke down. I dropped down into a crouch and hid my face in my hands.

After a few moments, Jackson knelt down beside me and placed a hand on my back. Neither of us said anything. I think we both knew I just needed a few seconds to pull myself together.

“Jackson –”

“No, don’t say it. I’m an idiot. Let me drive you home.”

“...but my car,” I sobbed, lifting my tear covered face from my hands.

“I’ll take care of it.”

He hooked an arm around my waist and effortlessly hauled me to my feet, before leading me over to the passenger side of his car. It probably wasn’t a good idea to put me behind the wheel in my current state anyway.

Jackson picked my car keys out of my pocket and grabbed my school bag out. Once we were both in, he wasted no time in getting away from Pip’s place.

I tried to clear my mind – I wanted to stop crying. I still had the sniffles, and my nose was running like a tap which was annoying as hell. Jackson kept casting me worried glances which I chose to ignore.

“She’s going to hate me you know,” I growled, refusing to look at him.

“She won’t hate you.”

“She will.”

“She won’t. Friends don’t treat friends like that.”

“You don’t know anything about how to be a friend.”

I put my hand over my mouth and turned to him; I didn’t mean for that to come out. His eyebrows furrowed as he drove. That hit him hard.

“I’m sorry Jackson, I didn’t mean—”

“No you’re right. I’m a terrible friend. All I know how to do it protect you and I can’t even do that properly.”

He hit back equally as hard. I felt a sharp stab of guilt in my stomach. I was so mean to Jackson. Why was I being so rude to him all the time? All he wanted to do was protect me, he never asked for anything in return apart from my friendship. I needed to think....

I was mad at Jackson because he showed up at Pip’s place, after I kind of lied and made out that I wasn’t hiding anything from her.... So technically, it was my fault for lying. But it was an inevitable lie wasn’t it? I couldn’t have told her that Jackson was an angel....but...I could have told her that me and Jackson were friends again.... I just needed more time. I was just about to tell her!

...wasn’t I?

That’s when I realized exactly why I was mad. I was mad because I didn’t want Pip to see me with Jackson ever. I didn’t want anyone to see me with him. I didn’t want any more attention....or I didn’t want people to compare me with him...I was secretly plotting how I would keep Jackson hidden, but he just kept showing up.

I was such a mess.

“May I ask you something Maggie?” Jackson broke the long silence.

I sat silently with my face pressed against the window and shrugged.

“This boy...Bronco. What is he to you?”

“He’s nothing,” I muttered, all will to speak lost.

I was so annoyed with myself. Why was I so desperate to stay in the background?

It wasn’t long before we pulled up at my house. I felt a twinge of panic as I realized his car stopped in clear view of the living room window. I tried to distract myself.

“Jackson,” I deadpanned.

“Yes?”

I asked something that had been bothering me while I tried to clear my head, “Where does your car live?”

“At my house.”

My mouth dropped open. I felt a little bit of life flood back into me, “you have a house?”

“Yes, but I don’t use it that often.”

I couldn’t believe he just casually had a house! I checked the clock on his car dashboard – 8:06 PM.

Hmmm...

“Can I see it? You said you wanted to go out somewhere,” I asked curiously.

He hesitated, not showing any emotion on his face at all. “I don’t see why not. Go in and tell your Mother first though.”

“I can’t tell her that I’m going to your place,” I said, making it sound like he missed something obvious.

“Tell her what you want,” he shrugged, “I’ll be waiting here.”

Jackson was acting strange and I knew it was my fault. He was lifeless. His usually curious, smart-Alec self wasn’t there anymore. I’d beaten it out of him.

I’d have to bring it back somehow.

I picked up my bag, jumped out of the car and strolled up the walkway. There were new flowers lining the stone path – Mom had been gardening today.

I let myself in.

“How was Pip’s?” Mom was standing not far from the door with her hands on her hips. Uh oh.

“It was alright. Same as usual,” I replied nonchalantly.

She started tapping her foot, “I see that flash car is outside again...?”

She had a knowing look on her face. I just shrugged.

“It’s Jackson...we’re....ahh....going out tonight. I’ll be back pretty early, I’m not –”

“– Jackson? The boy you said you weren’t going to see again?”

“...yes.”

“Hmmm...and where are you two going?”

Oh dear....where would a boy and a girl who are just friends go at eight o’clock on a Friday night?

“The movies,” I said too quickly. Very weak effort Maggie.

Mom raised her eyebrows, then smiled menacingly, “Alright alright...but first I want to meet him. If he’s going to take out my daughter, I have to –”

Panic. “No! Mom it’s not like that at all, we’re just friends!”

She eyed me sceptically, “well, that’s fine with me, but I’d still like to meet him.”

“Mom please no, you’ll get the wrong idea, I know you will.”

“What? Me? What makes you say that? I believe you two are just friends. I trust you honey.” Mom smiled reassuringly.

Well that was reassuring. I felt a little glimmer of hope – she was the only person who would actually believe that me and Jackson were just friends. But saying that, she hadn’t seen him before...

What was the worst that could happen?

“Okay, but don’t do anything embarrassing!” I mumbled, spinning on my heels and walking back out the door.

Jackson was sitting in his car with his hands on the wheel when I pried the passenger door back open and got in.

“Umm...” I started.

“She wants to meet me.” He stated, beating me to it.

“How did you know?”

“I could hear you.”

I hated the way he was acting. I didn’t want Mom to see him when he was like that; I wanted her to see the fun, charming Jackson that the others had seen.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” I murmured.

“I do want to.”

He looked at me for the first time in a while and I was shocked by the lack of emotion in his beautiful peppermint eyes.

He moved to open the car door when I placed a hand on his arm.

“Jackson, I don’t like seeing you like this.”

He frowned and pulled his arm away from me. “Sorry, you’re right, I’m only here to please you. How would you prefer me to act?” he grumbled agitatedly.

I flopped onto the seat and rubbed my eyes. I didn’t want to get into an argument.

“Jackson...”

“No really, just let me know.”

I took a deep breath in. I was going to stay calm under all circumstances. “You’re a good friend Jackson—no—you a great friend. I was just mad when I said that.”

I waited for him to say something, or even smile, but nothing.

I sighed, “I just...I guess I don’t like attention. I’m always worried about what people think of me. I’m scared that people are going to see me with you and....compare us. I guess.”

He squinted his eyes and I saw a new emotion – confusion.

“Come on,” I said sadly, “Mom’s waiting.”

I climbed slowly out of the car and wobbled to my feet. Jackson appeared at my side. I could feel him watching me again, but I just felt like hanging my head and kicking stones.

This was the kind of thing that scared me. While I knew my Mom would give her motherly seal of approval, others would think I was a joke; someone as ordinary as me walking around with an angelic Greek God.

My hand hovered over the door handle hesitantly. I was shaking like a leaf.

“Are you okay?” Jackson leaned down and spoke in my ear.

I suddenly felt that soothing wave of relaxation cover my body; Jackson the super drug.

“Better,” I replied. My hand wasn’t shaking anymore. I managed to open the door.

Mom was still standing in the same place as I entered, tapping her foot with her hands on her hips. She gave me a dubious look, probably because it took so long to fetch the boy. I took a deep breath and stood aside to let Jackson past.

Mom’s eye brows almost lifted of her face. Jackson smiled and stepped towards her, his hand outstretched.

“Ms McQueen,” He said formally, but contradicted it with his casual smile.

Mom shamelessly stared, then eventually took his hand and shook it, “You...you’re Jackson?”

I felt something weird in my stomach....like Mom didn’t expect him to be quite so good looking. Like she thought that the first guy I ever brought home, friend or not, would be more average. I resisted the urge to run outside. I didn’t want to watch this anymore.

“Yes. I’ve heard a lot about you,” he responded, turning to give me a reassuring look.

He was lying...technically. He was always around me, so he probably had heard a lot about her, but never directly from me...

I was over thinking this. I needed to leave.

“Mom we’re going to be late to the movie, we should go,” I quickly scrambled to the door, not even waiting for a reply.

“Oh, yes yes,” Mom suddenly woke up from her daze, “Maggie.”

I spared her a look. She was beaming, “Have fun honey.”

I hastily started to tug Jackson out the door with me.

“Pleasure to meet you Ms McQueen,” Jackson laughed. Mom was also chuckling at my determination to leave, but I paid them no heed.

“Call me Donna!” she called out the door, “I hope Maggie brings you back again soon!"

I grimaced. Way to not embarrass me Mom.