Double Nickels on Your Dime

Nick and Jane sat at the table eating breakfast. Nick ate waffles, while Jane settled for toast.

"You going to make it this year?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "It's me that should be worried about you. I've already been accepted as a cheerleader. I'm set." Nick snorted into his waffles.

"Oh, snort it up brother, what have you got so far?" He knew she was just playing, but he realized that she was half right. Jane was fitting in and finding a friend in Heather, who had innumerable friends. He and Ben got along well, but he wasn't used to having just one friend and Ben had already told him he didn't have all that many close guy friends. He needed to take some initiative.

"You wait, I'll be there with you in no time. I'll bet I have a girlfriend before you find a boyfriend though." Jane rested her cheek in her hand. "What makes you think that?"

Nick shoveled another bite of waffle into his mouth. "Because you are hung up on Ben. He has a girlfriend. Get over him."

Jane smirked. "You underestimate my prowess as a girlfriend then."

"Ben and Heather are inseparable. And Heather is your friend. Would you really do that to her?" Jane's smirked fell. "Got you."

"Haven't you seen the way they act together though? They don't seem like they are in throws of passion all the time. They hardly even kiss."

Nick thought about it, but found an automatic hole in her vision. "The kid has his mouth wired shut."

Jane shook er head vehemently. "No there's something more to it. Sure, they act like they like each other, but there is no, I don't know, there is too much reserve. I mean come on. Look at the guy. He is gorgeous. And think of how he acts. He's crazy at times. You would think you'd see more of that between them."

"I don't know Jane, they just don't like PDA. I'll bet you anything."

"And I'll bet you they break up within the next month."

"That still doesn't mean he will get with you. Or that Heather won't be your friend. Find someone else."

"I'll bet they haven't had sex yet."

Nick nearly choked on his waffle. "God Jane, what does it matter. How would you know?" He eyed her warily.

"Oh hush. I haven't either. But you can tell when couples haven't. Think about you and Carrie, compared to you and Jordan."

He was sent into a coughing fit because of the waffle that decided to be sucked down his windpipe. "Yeah, yeah, I know you and Jordan did it. I don't know how mom and dad didn't know."

"Jane! What," he coughed again, "the fuck."

"A person can just tell. Yes, you liked Carrie, but nothing ever happened. Ben likes Heather, but, nothing has happened yet."

Now Nick wondered if that was true. Since she was so blunt about it, he could kind of see where she was coming from. Maybe he'd ask. He almost laughed out loud. Who was he kidding, he wouldn't.

Jane stood up abruptly. "I have to get ready. Heather is picking me up soon. Maybe I'll ask her about Ben?"

Nick was left sitting at the table with an empty plate. He dumped his plate and Jane's into the sink and went upstairs to get ready for school.

Just as he was about to begin the walk to school his phone buzzed.

Ben Taylor: Do you want a ride to school? I'm about to leave.

Nick sent back a quick yes and walked out through the back door to stand in the alley. He pulled up a minutes later and Nick climbed into the passenger seat.

"Morning. Thanks for the ride."

"No prublem. Heather said she was getting Jane, figured you might need a ride."

Nick could hear a slower Day to Remember song playing quietly from the speakers.

Ben hummed along softly as they drove in an otherwise silent car. The song changed. Ben instantly became animated, flailing his arms around, dancing to the dubstep song.

Maybe Jane was right.

Well, he sure wasn't going to ask.

Jane and Heather got out of her Xterra. Heather was telling Jane about what her and Ben had done last night for their date. Since she had openly bet against her brother, she had to know the truth. Heather finished her story and Jane blurted out, "How far have you and Ben gone?"

Heather's cheeks turned pink and the two girls watched each other carefully.

Jane giggled.

Heather raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry! It's just you two are so cute together, but you seem really reserved and I thought it was maybe because you two hadn't...I just couldn't help but think you might have...I mean look at you and look at him..." Jane knew she was babbling, but her mouth just kept working. "I realize that is such an awkward question, but curiosity got the better of me and I just- I- I'll shut up now."

Heather had lost the pink in her cheeks, but her eyes sparkled.

Heather started walking again, hugging her books close to her chest.

"Me and Ben are like that." Jane raised an eyebrow. "I don't mean we can't or won't, but we've been best friends for years. We have only been dating for two months. Neither of us wants to take things too fast."

"Oh. I wondered how you two got together. Ben seems like a great guy." Jane genuinely smiled. "You don't find many guys like that anymore, huh?"

Heather shook her head. "We'd been best friends for years, but he was with Kathrine Birsche. She was a 2 years ahead of us, but you know how that goes. He'd gotten a lot of recognition, even as a freshman, for soccer. Our summer before sophomore year, Kathrine started talking with him and they were together before school started up again. They were together for almost a year."

"What happened?"

Heather sighed annoyed at the unpleasant memory, "She turned out to be a real bitch, Jane. She'd met somebody when she visited the college she was going to. They started talking, had a thing. Ben didn't even get the chance to find out for himself and be angry about it." She looked Jane in the eyes.

"That bitch had the nerve to "take a walk" behind the science building, with Ben of course. I remember he missed all of 5th period while he was out there with her. They did some stuff and she ended it, right after."

Jane snorted, "That's classy."

Heather shrugged. "Ben was upset to say the least. Until then, I'd never seen him so out of it."

"So he was like, sixteen and this girl used him and ripped his little heart out."

Jane nodded solemnly.

"And you two didn't get together until two months ago?"

"Yeah. I love Ben. I always have, but it had just been a best friend thing you know? I like him a lot. So much."

They began walking again. Jane knew she'd read them right.

"Do you say 'I love you' to each other?"

"Yes."

"What are you going to do when you both graduate?"

Heather bit her lip. "I don't know yet. I've asked Ben, but he says not to worry about it. Focus on this year. Which I get. The thing I'm so nervous about is not having him near me. He's been with me through everything."

They entered the main doors of the high school. Both girls were immersed in their own thoughts. They stopped at Heathers locker first. As she was getting books out Jane asked so quietly Heather almost didn't hear her, "Do you love him more than a best friend?"

Heather froze still facing her locker. "I think so..."

Jane nodded. Heather still hadn't moved and was staring into her locker, but not seeing it. Jane left her alone.

At lunch, Ben, Heather, Nick, Jane and Macey Crawford, who Jane seemed to have made friends with. Jane and Macey were chattering animatedly about some routine they had seen on tv. Ben was asking Heather about her classes this morning, but she seemed to have her mind on other things. Nick was watching they way they interacted.

Heather was being distant today. Ben could tell she was thinking about something that worried her, but he didn't remember her saying anything importnat or stresful was coming up in the week, so he couldn't be sure.

"Is everything alright with your family?"

Ben watched her face for any sign she was lying.

Heather nodded her head vaguely and poked at her wilted salad. He looked away from her and around the cafeteria. He caught Nick's eyes. Nick's eyes skittered off Ben's and back to his sister and Macey. By the end of school, Heather was still being distant with Ben, but he decided he wasn't going to pry.

Nick grabbed Jane's upper arm.

"What the hell did you say to Heather?" He glared at her.

Jane's eyes widened, "I swear I was just asking her questions. She came to that conclusion on her own."

"What conclusion? Did you see how she was acting at lunch?"

"Yeah. She was thinking. Like I thought, she isn't sure if she loves him. She definitely hasn't slept with him. No way, Jose."

"Jane! You aren't supposed to meddle. You're being a bitch!"

Jane frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm being a bitch? Wow, Nick."

"Jane. You are purposely trying to break them up! That's a bitch move."

"I told you, I was only asking about him. You can ask him. He is using Heather as a major rebound." Nick tried to ask her what she meant, but Jane cut him off.

"He was dating some high and mighty bitch for a while. She was a bitch. Completely used him, then cheated on him. Heather was his best friend. He rebounded. They are comfortable together, but that all."

Nick was slightly impressed how much sense his sister was making.

"I said I would give them a month, right? I'm wouldn't be surprised if it was earlier. They'll definitely break up now. But shut up, Ben just walked out of the front doors."

Ben loped over to them smiling brightly and reflectively.

Jane blanched over dramatically. "That's kind of scary."

Ben shrugged and mumbled a hello at them. He nudged Nick with his elbow. "Do you wunt to go running today?"

Nick nodded. "Now?"

Ben stuck a long thumb in the air and pointed to his clothes, "Got to change."

He pointed to Nick, "You too."

Ben was a fantastic runner. He took huge strides and didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that his mouth was wired shut. His pace was extremely fast, to the point where Nick was pushing himself to his limits to keep up.

After forty five minutes, they slowed to a walk. Nick was breathing hard out of his mouth and trying to slow his heart rate. He looked sidelong at Ben. He walked with his hands on his hips. His cheeks were pink, but his eyes were bright. His nose was flaring. Nick tried to catch his breath through his nose. His nostrils flared and his lungs protested at the much smaller amount of oxygen permitted.

He watched as the taller boy leaned his head back with his eyes closed, breathing deeply from his nose. Nick followed the line of his neck down to his collar, admiring the way his sweat glistened (Did his own sweat glisten like that?), then tapered down to his lean waist. When he leaned back, his shirt permitted a strip of tawny skin to be seen just above the waistband of his black shorts. Ben straightened back up. They were walking across an intersection. Ben looked left making sure no cars were going to mow them down for an untimely death. Nick studied the curve of his lower back to his butt, where the shirt was pulled tight because of his hands resting on his slim hips.

He suddenly felt very awkward, even though Ben hadn't caught him staring.

Out of the blue, Ben chuckled. Nick looked at him questioningly.

Ben pointed at his mouth, "This sucks."