Double Nickels on Your Dime

Day 2

The next morning Ben woke up early to run. At 6:30 he passed the Jameson’s house at the beginning of his normal route. He ran for 45 minutes and passed their house again. He glanced over the brick wall and was surprised to see someone in the pool. When they came up for air, Ben saw it was Jane. She pulled herself onto the side of the pool and sat with her feet in the water. Ben turned his head and kept walking not wanting to think he was creeping on her. He put his hands on his hips and looked at the sky wishing it would rain. He loved a good storm. If what Heather said about the hurricane was true, they may soon get rain.

“Hi Ben!” He nearly walked right past Jane who was poking her head out the gate.

“Jane! Why are you up so early?” He laughed realizing she could ask him the same thing.

“Swimming. I have to stay in shape for cheer and in the winter I swim, so…yeah, but I was wondering what you’re doing later today? Maybe we can hang out or something?”

“Sure! When do you want to meet up?”

“Well, I’m not sure, but Nick and I are moving our stuff into the game room upstairs. If you want to come over and help and maybe watch a movie, we could do that!”

He smiled at her enthusiasm. “Yeah, just let me know when, do you want my number?”

“Sure! Just…uh…let me grab a pen, my phone is upstairs. You can come in the gate I’ll only be a minute.” She dashed off. He stepped in the gate and looked around the yard. It really was nice. There was a gazebo at the end of the yard, the pool was large but there was still plenty of space for grass. Jane was back in a flash and had a pen ready. He gave her his number and she jotted hers downs on his hand.

“I guess I’ll see you later then?”

She smiled brightly, then was gone back into the pool. Ben jogged home.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jane's POV

Jane sat at the island on a bar stool eating fruity pebbles when Nick walked in sleepily.

“Good morning!”

Nick looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Why are you so happy?”

Jane shrugged. “Mom is going to get groceries. She has Amanda and Pete. She wants us to unload our game room today. I invited Ben Taylor to help us. I saw him this morning. Running.”

Nick gave her a calculating look. She knew he was reading her like a book. “He’s got a girlfriend Jane.”

She scoffed at him. “I never said anything about him like that. Besides, we only met yesterday.”

“Jane.”

“What? ... Fine. He’s adorable. Beautiful. Hot. Ugh.”

“I didn’t mean that, just be careful. He’s taken. Don’t get into trouble.”

“Oh, I won’t. Yet. He is just one sexy new neighbor. Mmm. ”

Nick rolled his eyes. “So when is he coming over?”

“When we text him. I got his number! He has mine, too!”

Nick let out a puff of air and opened the refrigerator. There was only milk inside. Jane giggled behind him. “Cereal it is then.”

They ate their fruity pebbles side by side. “Anywaysss…I figured he’d be better help than me when you move the entertainment center upstairs and all.”

“Yeah, probably. Go ahead and see if he wants to come over now.” Nick finished his cereal, placed the bowl in the sink and disappeared out the door.

Ben was on his computer when Jane texted him.

'Hey! It’s Jane! If you’re ready, come over!'

Ben grabbed his keys and left the house. He parked in the road and began up the front walk, but changed course when he saw Nick on the side of the house by the moving truck.

“Hey. I’m here to help. Put me to work.” The gate to the back yard swung open and Jane came skipping out. “Hi Ben!”

Nick looked at Ben and shook his head. “Okay. The first thing that needs to go up is the entertainment center. It’s the biggest and hardest to do so we might as well get it over with.”
Nick vaulted into the back of the truck and began sliding a large unit towards Ben. They tipped it forward and Ben was walking backward into the front yard while Nick followed with the other end. Jane shouted directions and warning to the two boys as they maneuvered up the stairs.

They had nearly reached the top when Ben’s foot caught on the stair and he fell backwards with the entire end falling on him. Nick still held the other side, but the weight of the center was ON him. “Oh shit!” Ben swore he lost consciousness for a moment.

“Are you okay? Can you get up?”

Ben struggled for air. His nuts were getting crushed. He gave a strangled yelp and Nick got the idea. “Jane! Go help Ben! He’s uh…uhm…just lift it before he can’t have children!”

Jane shifted the weight to the side and Ben grunted and rolled out from under the unit. Nick held onto his end while the other end rested on the stairs. Nick was laughing. “Walk- walk it off, man.”

He had somehow managed to curl into a smallish ball. The pain. God, the pain. After a few minutes, Nick cleared his throat, “This is kinda heavy as you probably know, would you care to help me finish moving this?”

He nodded not wanting to speak if his voice was a few octaves too high and slowly picked himself up off the stairway. They managed to get the entertainment center in the gameroom soon after.

“I’m sorry about that ah…incident.” He started laughing again. Ben just flicked him off and limped back downstairs to find something to drink. Jane and Nick followed behind me laughing.

“So, school is in two days, nervous?” Jane piped up first.

“Do you think I’ll be okay? The girls aren’t vicious here are they?” Her eyes were big.

Ben laughed, “Not really. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“And me?” Nick raised his eyebrows.

“YOU will be fine. You’re a guy and the girls are always looking for their next item of interest, and since I’m taken…well, they’ll have to find someone new.”

Both Jane and Nick watched Ben as he kept a straight face for about ten seconds then burst out laughing. “I’m kidding! Kidding! Shit! I’m not that big of an asshole.”

Nick grabbed three cokes out of the refrigerator. “Let’s go watch a movie…or play 360?”
Jane shouted “No!” But it was too late and both boys were already racing upstairs.

They started to play Halo 3 and it began to pour outside. Jane plopped on the coach between the two boys and sighed immensely.

"Shouldn't we finish unloading the van?"

Neither paid any attention to her so she did it again. She still got no response. She tried one more time and threw herself on the floor pretending to choke.

“Jane! I can’t hear the tv! Quit choking!”

She sat up and crossed her arms angrily. “Let’s watch a movie! Please?”

“We can watch one after we beat the next level…just…MOVE YOUR HEAD! AH SHIT!”

Ben laughed loudly and continued to kick alien ass. Nick’s player died but quickly spawned again.

“You just wait. We’ll see who has better stats at the end.”

“BETRAYAL”

“WHAT THE FUCK BEN!?”

He whipped around and punched him in the arm. Ben just laughed louder. Nick respawned and Ben blew him up.

“BETRAYAL”

“FUCK YOU!”

“BETRAYAL”

“RRRAAAHGGG!” Nick launched himself on top of Ben and held a pillow over his face. The two struggled for a moment, but Nick had the advantage. He held the pillow over Ben face as he squirmed under him. Jane giggled from her spot on the floor. Ben stopped moving. Nick laughed and pulled the pillow away. Ben's eyes were closed and his mouth hung open. Nick pushed his mouth shut and pinched his nose. Ben’s chest wasn’t moving. He waited a few moments and Ben's mouth twitched into a crooked smile. His eyes snapped open and took a huge breath. Nick got off him and settled back on the couch. He slung a pillow nailing Ben in the face.

“Okay, okay. I won’t kill you anymore. I give.”

“Movie time?” Jane asked from the floor.

“Sure, why not?” They let Jane pick so they were watching ‘She’s the Man’.

“You’ve got a nerve, giving me the cold shoulder, giving me the twice over, it’s not deserved, and we’ll talk aga-“

“Hello? No. She can’t get a ride? Where is it? Okay, fine. Whatever. Bye.”

“I have to go pick my sister up…” Nick groaned.

“Shoooot meee.” He mimed shooting the tv.

Ben laughed and left the Jameson’s house. It was still thundering, but not raining.