Thankful for You

She Had The Most Amazing . . . . Smile

“Ivory!” Jack whined as he hoped up on the front counter. This had become such a regular routine, it didn’t even bother Ivory anymore. She’d come in, usually before Jack, and set everything up. Then she’d settle down on the small couch kept in the front area for customers and start to read. Jack would enter ten minutes later, hop on the counter, and then proceed to annoy her.

“Hi Jack,” she responded without looking up from the page. She’d never admit it to anyone, but she never actually read when Jack was in the room. He was too distracting.

“I’m bored!” He complained and threw his head back. Jack wasn’t the most coordinated though so he lost his balance, making him fall backwards over the counter.

Ivory stifled her giggles the best she can. “It looks like you’re entertaining yourself just fine.” She smiled as his head poked up.

“Very funny,” Jack sounded a little bitter as he rubbed the back of his head.

“I’m sorry, Jack. Are you okay?” Ivory asked sweetly with real concern in her voice. It was what Jack loved most about the strangely sweet girl. She cared about everyone, really and sincerely cared.

“Maybe if you kiss it better,” he suggested as he jutted out his bottom lip. Ivory felt the heat rise from her neck as she let her eyes fall back to the book in her lap. Jack was always giving little hints like that, and they always made Ivory feel uncomfortable.

“Maybe some other time,” she mumbled into her head and focused all of her attention on the book. Jack sighed as he returned to his spot. It had only been a week and a half, but there was no denying the attraction he had to her. Just seeing her smile would brighten his whole day.

“So, what are you reading today?” Jack hated long stretches of silences. He liked to keep the conversation rolling between the two, half of the reason was because it made the time go by faster, and the half because he loved listening to her voice.

“Wuthering Heights,” Ivory replied monotonously. It wasn’t his question that bored her, but the fact that this was the twentieth or so time she’d read this book.

“Boring?” She raised her eyes curiously to him. “You just didn’t sound very enthusiastic about it.” He shrugged at the unspoken question and stared down at his shoes.

“It’s not that it’s boring,” she shook her head and frowned. “Every time I read it, I just wish it would end differently, you know?”

“Yeah, I know what that’s like.” They both pretended not to know what the statement really meant. “So, if you don’t like the ending, how come you still read it?”

“I guess because in the end, we’re all a little sadistic.” And there it was. The daily dose of a protagonist’s outlook on life. Jack was bewildered at some of the things she said. He just couldn’t wrap his head around how such a pretty and talented girl could hate the world so much.

“We’re all sadistic?” He repeated and she nodded.

“We enjoy the pain more than we let people know.” She continued and turned the page without reading a single word on it.

“Well, I hate to break your theory and all, but I don’t enjoy pain.” Jack leaned back on his hands and watched as the girl eyed him. She didn’t say anything, just looked at him for a few seconds and then dropped her eyes back to the book.

“I told you, people don’t like to admit it.” She mumbled into her hand and tried hard to get back into the book.

“You are something else, you know,” Jack shook his head and stared at her. He wasn’t able to tear his eyes from the gorgeous girl.

She didn’t respond, but she was thankful for the ding at the front door, signaling a customer had entered and Jack would be preoccupied to restart a conversation.

“Jack, man, you are never going to believe what just happened!” Ivory’s hope deflated as it seemed the new customers were actually Jack’s friends. “All Time Low has a fucking gig!” The boy yelled without a response from Jack.

“Bout damn time!” Jack laughed and high fived him, tearing his attention away from her.

“Yeah, well, we would have scored a gig at Andy’s party but someone had to sleep with his girlfriend and ruin that opportunity for us.” All three boys stared at the messy, brown haired boy.

“For the last time, she came onto me.” Alex defended but he couldn’t help the smirk.

“Right,” Zack rolled his eyes and leaned against the counter beside Jack. There was casual conversation going on as Zack and Rian filled Jack in on all the details for the show. No one noticed that Alex was eyeing the quiet girl until he started to take small steps toward her.

“Back off, Alex,” Jack grunted, hiding the anger in his voice the best he could. Jack knew Alex better than anyone and he knew the exact thoughts that were running through his mind just by the look in his eyes.

“What’s your name, beautiful?” Alex ignored him as he sat down on the couch cushion beside Ivory, stretching out his arms on either side of him.

Ivory was surprised by the attention. At school people tended to ignore her. Jack was her only connection to kids her age. She tended to gravitate to people either a lot older or a lot younger than her.

“Guys, this is Ivy,” Jack introduced her because he didn’t want Alex to talk to her alone. In the short time he’d known her, he’d learned a lot more about her then just what she told him. One of those things was how naïve and sweet she was. She would give anyone a chance.

Ivory’s eyes widened as she raised her head to look at Jack. Everyone called her Ivy, but not Jack. He always called her Ivory, said it was too much of a pretty name to shorten.

“That’s Alex and this is Zack and Rian,” Jack grinned when she stared at him. He never got tired of looking into her deep green eyes.

“You’re in my Spanish class.” Rian smiled and nodded, recognizing Ivory as the small, quiet girl that sat in the back.

Ivory bit her bottom lip and nodded in response.

“You don’t talk much, eh?” Alex chucked lightly as he let his arm slide down the couch a little.

She shook her head, biting her bottom lip harder with her nerves. Ivory glanced at Jack. He was glaring at his best friend but his expression quickly softened at the heartbreaking expression she was giving him.

“You guys better get out of here before Joey comes out and kicks you out.” Jack warned as he hopped off the counter and strode over toward the two on the couch. He grabbed Alex’s hand, dragging him away from the pretty girl.

“Dude, Joey loves us.” Alex tried to pull away from his friend and looked back at the girl over his shoulder. Jack flung him towards the door and then went back to push the other two behind him.

“He’s in a bad mood today, already yelled at us once this afternoon, don’t need anymore.” Jack pointed toward the door. Alex groaned but opened the door.

“Alright fine,” the boys shuffled out of the store slowly. “Don’t forget its game night at my place! Invite the pretty girl!” Alex yelled before Jack shooed them away and closed the door behind him.

“Sorry about them,” Jack scratched the back of his neck from nerves. He tried glancing at anything other than Ivory. “Alex is a bit intrusive.” He winced at his own words.

“That kind of sounds like an understatement,” Ivory didn’t like the boys. Intrusive and arrogant seemed to fit perfectly when describing the dark brown haired boy.

“Yeah,” Jack sighed and finally dropped his hands to his sides, training his eyes to her. “I guess you don’t want to come to game night then, eh?” He was disappointed. He would have loved to have spent time with her outside of the store.

“I’ve got some school work to catch up on.” Ivory lied. It wasn’t anything personal against Jack. She just wasn’t comfortable enough with any of the boys, including Jack. Ivory didn’t do well with boys, even if Jack was a little different.

“Maybe next time,” Jack sighed again as he got the answer he was already expecting. He turned to go back behind the front counter, trying to find something to distract him.

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is this crazy updating, or what? I think I deserve cupcakes!
xooxDee