The Perfect Girl

“Adams…Adams…Kylie…Kylie, wake up,” Jake softly said and shook me gently.

I groaned as I awoke, my head throbbing to every sound or move. I curled into a ball, clutching my head in pain. Glancing up, I saw Jake silently chuckling, holding a water bottle and a pill. I unwrapped myself, and nodded as I took the pill and washed it down with the water. My head still throbbed. I winced as I sat up.

“So this is what a hangover is,” I sighed and massaged my temples. Shutting my eyes, I shifted as Jake sat down onto my bed. “Wait. Why are you even here, Rivers?”

I opened my eyes and looked at Jake whose face remained unreadable. Waiting for an answer, I tried to remember the events of the night before; I came up with nothing. I couldn’t remember a thing from the party after Jake and I had gotten separated.

“You don’t remember?” He questioned and I shook my head. “It’s pretty obvious, but you got drunk.”

I rolled my eyes. “I can feel it.”

He chuckled and I winced although the pain had gotten slightly better. “Just so you know, you’re never going to a party again. And if you do, you’ll be hand cuffed to either Jase or me. That was the stupidest idea you ever came up with.”

I scoffed, “I can take care of myself!”

I expected him to say some smart come back instead he looked away and remained silent with a grim look on his face. I brushed it off and nudged him.

“You should get back home. Jay’s going to be worried,” I half smiled and Jake looked at me for a split second before looking away again.

“I was just about to, but I’m guessing your parents didn’t tell you,” He asked but more like stated. I raised an eyebrow.

“Tell me what?”

“I’m staying here starting next week.”

I shot up, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You’re kidding right?!”

Jake looked at me and sighed. He bent over and rested his elbows onto his knees and ran his fingers through his hair a couple of times. I looked at him in worry, he wasn’t acting like himself. He was acting nice. For once, worry filled me. Worry that belonged to Jake Rivers.

I placed a hand on his arm and softly whispered, “Jake…Are you alright?”

He looked at me again and sighed. “Jay’s going into the military.”

I froze; my heart seemed to stop beating as I stared at Jake. Jay was all Jake had left of his family. His parents always left on trips, left him in the dust like a stranger. It’s true his parents were nice when I’d met them, but they seemed awkward around Jake. His mother had been affectionate but she was always a little…distant. And I didn’t blame her, she hardly knew him. They had left him when he was one. But all other relatives either didn’t communicate with him or was dead. Jay was his only other person, and there he was, leaving Jake just like all the others had. Everyone left him. I imagined myself in his place, I would’ve screamed. All that pressure. He didn’t have any family in his life anymore. I rubbed circles onto Jake’s back and leaned my head against his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Jake,” I whispered and felt at a loss for words. “If you ever need anything, I’m sure my parents would help you out.”

He sighed and stood up, ripping away from my half embrace. He didn’t look at me; instead he touched his face and croaked, “Bye, Kylie.” And the split second he looked at me, I saw tears in his eyes.

Jake Rivers was crying.

My eyes widened as he left the room. Jake never showed weakness. Not to anyone and never towards me. But there he was, eyes soaked with tears. I sighed and sat hopelessly on my bed. I couldn’t do anything.

“Why do you even care?” I scowled to myself, biting my lip.

I didn’t know why, I just did. Sure, he and I always argued but arguing was kind of like our way of being friends. If anything was bothering us, we could count on each other to make us think of something else. We were a distraction to each other from t he real world. Like when my first dog had died. I remember crying in my room for days with Yeller’s collar, and around the third day, Jake had come in, sighed with a frown flat on his face and then began poking fun of me for crying and being a baby. I had stopped crying and did all I could to prove him wrong. To this day, I still think that if Jake hadn’t come in and made fun of me, I’d be weak. I’d cry to everything.

In a way, we were each other’s support system. We just worked backwards. But this wasn’t something I could just insult him about. There wasn’t anything I could other than be there for him. Hate him or not, I was going to be there for him.

I groaned as my phone began to ring. Scrambling to find it, my head throbbed. Diving off my bed, I crawled towards the shorts I had worn last night. Taking the phone from the pocket, I quickly tapped ‘Answer’.

“Hello?” I spoke quickly and I heard a chuckle on the other side.

“Happy Saturday!” Jase’s voice rung from the other side and I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. What do you want?” I grumbled, standing up and sitting back down on my bed.

“It’s bra shopping time! Duke and I will be over in ten, so get your ass out of bed. Toodles!” Jase instructed and hung up. I sighed, standing back up and walking towards my closet. Taking my own shirt off, I pulled out a random shirt, putting it on. Kicking my sweats off, I took the shorts from the night before and putting them on. Slipping my Vans on, I left the room, raced down the stairs and slid into the kitchen.

“Good Morning, Marcella,” My mom greeted me without a smile.

I ignored her, mumbling a sloppy reply. I grabbed a granola bar and bit into it as my mom continued chopping up the apples into perfect little slices. They were probably for Farrah.

“You came home late yesterday,” She stated and I shrugged, taking another bite and chewing.

“Yeah, so?” I mumbled and she stopped cutting up the apples, placing the knife from her hands down onto the cabinet and straightened up to look at me with cold eyes. I froze; the only movement from me was my breathing and blinking as I watched her. Something was wrong and I could almost feel her yelling at me before she even spoke.

“I wouldn’t have minded if that Rivers boy hadn’t been with you,” She said, looking at me with a bossy look already spreading on her face. I said nothing so she continued, “Marcella, your father and I are very fond of the Rivers, but you know we don’t like that boy. We thought you didn’t either so would you explain why Jake Rivers had driven you home and carried you to your room?”
I nibbled on my lip, still holding silence as she stared me down.

“Much more, he stayed here all night. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

I sighed, thinking of a cover up story and finally spoke, “Mom, I went to a party yesterday with Natalie, the new girl in school and her brother drove her home so Jake had to drive me. I probably fell asleep in the car and since it was so late, he probably just crashed here. I don’t know why you’re so mad. You and father are his parents’ best friends. You shouldn’t even mind letting him stay one night. Especially with Jay leaving into the army.”

She glared at me, but resumed cutting the apples, signifying I could go. I stuffed the rest of the granola bar into my mouth, threw away the wrapper and left the house. I sat on my driveway, waiting for Jase and listened to my iPod.

As Duke’s car cruised the street, I walked towards it and as it slowed, I jumped into the back seat.

“Hey, boys,” I smiled and Jase turned from his place in shot gun as Duke chuckled.

“Kylie! So, I slept over at Duke’s and his sister and I totally made him wear a dress!” Jase exclaimed, crawling to the back as I scooted over to give him space, laughing. Those boys always made me laugh. The gay boy and the tough boy.

“Did you, now? I bet he looked sexy,” I joked with a playful wink and Duke glared at me through the rearview mirror.

“Not even! He ripped the dress!” Jase yelled, throwing his arms around. “Literally! It just tore straight up!”

I burst out laughing as I paused my iPod, so I could talk to my two favorite boys. Duke turned bright red as he turned into the mall’s parking lot.
“Come on, Jase! I’m too wide for that! I’ve got broad shoulders!” Duke defended as Jase and I laughed in the back.

“You’re just fat!” Jase pointed and Duke glared at him quick before returning to the road. I laughed as Jase ranted about the ripped dress.

I tried to imagine Duke in a dress with no results. Duke was a British guy who was large. He stood at 6’5” and had broad shoulders. He was buff, ripped even and had that kind of look that older men had. He always had a light five o’clock shadow and kept his hair short. He always wore his leather jacket and his broken into Converse. He was blonde with brown eyes. Jase called him the British Channing Tatum. But then again, Jase called me his munchkin, so I couldn’t say he was too accurate on his evaluations.

Duke stopped the car as Jase continued to ramble about his night at Duke’s house. I just laughed and smiled at the appropriate times, every now and then, I even added a comment.

“Yeah, and then Dani made us watch Barbie and The Diamond Castle!”

I smiled at this, nodding as Duke sighed, draping his arm around my shoulders and Jase rushed by my side. He grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door, Duke trailing beside me, chuckling. Jase let go of my hand as he ran towards the first store he set his eyes on.

“He’s seriously screwed in the head.”

I elbowed Duke and giggled, “That’s my best friend you’re talking about!”

He fake gasped, pulling his arm from my shoulders. He placed his hand on his chest, feigning hurt. “I thought I was your best friend!”

I giggled, shoved him, and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the same store Jase went into. Duke laughed as he swung his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. I sighed, a smile still on my face as Jase ran up to us with a stack of clothes.

“We’re postponing your bra shopping for awhile. I need to try these on!” He grinned and I nodded, pulled away from Duke and pushed him towards the dressing rooms. He skipped inside, shut the door, yelling, “No peeking, bitches!”

I laughed, “You know you like it when I peek! It makes you horny!”

Duke chuckled, making thump noises on the side of the dressing room. “Oh, damn Kylie!”

I giggled as Jase started yelling, “You’re fucking retarded, fatty! Kylie’s a virgin!”

I rolled my eyes at the two idiots and sighed. “Hey, I’m hungry. I’m going to get something from the food court. I’ll be back in a bit!”

Duke waved and Jase yelled a quick bye as I left the store and walked past crowds of people. After I got to the food court, I eyed each available food source and settled with the small Cinnabon stop. Standing in line, I looked at the menu. I checked my pockets for money and quickly realized I hadn’t brought a cent.

“Shit...”I muttered, rechecking my pockets.

Suddenly, an arm draped my shoulders and a ten dollar bill rested in the hand. I jumped, looking at the person and sighing as my eyes found the sight of Will Foreman.

“Hey, Will,” I smiled and he nodded.

“Getting anything?” He gestured to Cinnabon and I glanced at the cleared line. I shrugged.

“No money,” I sighed and stepped back so he could go.

Will chuckled, “Who goes to the mall without money?”

I laughed and rolled my eyes, nudging him forward. “Me. I prefer to force newbies into paying for me.”

He laughed, resting his arm around my shoulders again. Quickly, I snatched the money from his hand, ordered, and paid before he could get it back.

“Thief,” he accused and I flashed him a smile.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I giggled and he rolled his eyes.

“Oh, sure you don’t,” he chuckled and I laughed.

Will really wasn’t so bad. He could make me laugh and he was easy to talk to. He was so much better than Jake. Will didn’t insult me and he didn’t get offended when I teased him. He had good looks, was nice, funny and friendly. Why didn’t I like him instead of Jake? Jake was a joke, a joke I really couldn’t understand.

Will smirked as he reached over and pinched my side causing me to squeal. He continued tickling me as we sat in the food court. I squirmed away, laughing as he chuckled at my stupidity. Everything was fine, and then he showed up.

“Get your hands off her, Foreman.”

Will’s hands released me as he was pulled up to a standing position, and my laughter faded. I glanced to see Jake holding onto Will's forearm. A smile was still left on my face from the laughter and it remained its position on my face even when I saw Jake. I had to be nice, especially with his situation.

Will glared at him, pulling his arm back, “What do you want Rivers?”

Jake shot daggers in return as his eyes glanced towards me and back towards Will. My smile vanished as I recognized the tension between the two boys. I studied Jake’s face and he held the same face he used to wear when we really went down on each other. That face that told me he would pummel me, but in this case, he’d pummel Will.

“Stay away from her, Foreman,” Jake threatened and I put a hand on Jake’s chest, pushing him back before he hit Will.

“Dude, Jake, chill,” I told him and he glared ahead at Will who stood smirking.

"Yeah, Jake. Chill," Will mocked and I rolled my eyes.

“What’s up with you? He was tickling me, not raping me,” I chuckled and his eyes turned to stone. Shivers made their way up my spine as I stood in front of Jake. If looks could kill, Will would’ve been six feet under.

“You don’t even know how wrong you are,” He mumbled and pushed me off of him. He glared back at Will and gave me this look before he walked off.

And as I glanced back at Will standing there with his hands in his pockets and a smirk placed blatantly on his face, I felt uncomfortable. For some reason, I really didn’t want to go back to Will.