28 Things Guys Don't Know

As Siri and Jett settled down to begin their dinner, Siri suddenly asked, “So you said you’ve like me for a long time, right?”

Jett nodded, “Yeah. What about it?”

“Well, I was just wondering why you’ve been such a jerk to both me and Kelsey for all these years. I mean, if you liked me you could’ve just told me, or at least you could’ve been nicer.”

Jett sighed and replied, “Yeah, well, here’s the thing. I was the new kid freshman year. And everyone else had known each other since grade school. Zane and everyone, they just kind of accepted me. And it felt good to have friends, so I didn’t try to fight it at all. It was only after I’d been friends with them for a while when I noticed how much I actually liked you, and how badly they treated you.”

“You could’ve ditched them,” Siri mumbled. Zane was one of the only people she legitimately hated. He was the type of guy who acted like he was the coolest thing to hit the face of the earth. He came from one of the wealthiest families in the town, a fact that only inflated his ego further.

Jett grinned sheepishly, “I wish I could’ve, but I just didn’t want to be alone again. I hated that feeling.”

“Well you could’ve found other people to be friends with,” Siri said as if it were obvious. “I mean the school’s not that big, but there are other people besides your friends.”

“I know,” Jett looked down. “I guess I just didn’t want to take the risk of everyone alienating me.”

Siri rolled her eyes, “God, you’re so stupid.”

Jett made a face at her, “That’s not a very nice thing to say on a date.”

“Whatever,” Siri waved that notion off. “It doesn’t matter if this is a date or not, facts are still facts, and you’re stupid. There will always be at least one person who gets you and will support you under any circumstances. Just look at me and Kelsey. I mean, we may be each others’ only friends, but at least we’re real friends. We always support each other, no matter what.”

Jett raised an eyebrow, “Are you trying to be deep or something?”

“No, I’m trying to be honest,” Siri corrected. She took a bite of her food. “Ooh, this is really good.”

Jett smiled, “Thanks. I made it.”

Siri’s eyes widened, “For real? That’s impressive. I’m a terrible cook.”

Jett chuckled, “I could teach you.”

“Really?” Siri didn’t sound completely convinced.

“Yeah,” Jett offered, “you could come over to my house tomorrow and I could teach you how to make something.”

Siri smiled, “Sorry, darling, I don’t think you’re getting a second date out of me that easily.”

Jett raised his eyebrows, “‘Darling’?”

Siri shrugged, “That doesn’t mean anything. If you pay any attention to me at all, you’d know that I use pet names like that all the time.”

Jett laughed and shook his head, “What am I going to have to do in order to have a second date with you?”

“A lot more than you’re doing now,” Siri flashed a cheesy grin.

“You’re quite difficult, do you know that?” Jett teased.

“Why, thank you,” Siri smiled. “I try.”

The two finished their meal in a comfortable silence. When Siri finished eating, she placed the plate down on the blanket and lay back to stare at the bright stars in the sky. She felt Jett lay down next to her, his body propped up on one arm. After a few silent moments, she felt a pair of eyes on her, and turned to find Jett looking down at her, an affectionate twinkle in his eye.

“What?” Siri asked, propping her own body up on her arms.

Jett sighed, “It’s just that I’ve waited so long for this chance that you’ve given me, but I’m not sure if it’s going to even mean anything to you.”

Siri tilted her head, peering at him with her clear blue eyes, “It may, but then again, it may not.”

“Why are you so hesitant?” Jett wondered.

Siri looked up at the stars again, “I just… don’t know if I can trust you. I mean, you’ve never been the nicest person to me, and I can’t just forget that. And besides, I don’t want to go out with a guy who has something of a split-personality. I don’t exactly know if you’ll be all sweet and understanding all the time, or if it’s the way you’ll act only when you’re around me and not your friends. If, in fact, you tend to act like in the latter situation, I wouldn’t want to go out with you. It’s the most annoying thing ever to me when guys do that.”

“But I won’t be like that,” Jett insisted. “I’d never be like that to you.”

Siri looked at him, noticing for the first time how much of a striking green color his eyes were. They showed nothing but pure honesty, and Siri felt her will caving in again. As much as she wanted to say no, she couldn’t refuse to someone who looked so sincere. It was her flaw, her weakness, so to speak. She sighed.

“We’ll see,” she smiled.

“‘We’ll see’?” Jett mumbled to himself, trying to convince himself that what he thought she was implying was true. “You mean…?”

“Yes, you have the rest of your four weeks. I promise.”

Jett’s face broke out into an ecstatic smile, and Siri couldn’t help but laugh softly at his giddy expression. She let her arms drop out from underneath her, lying once more on her back, staring at the stars. Jett lay down next to her, the two sharing a peaceful moment together. Soon, though, Jett sat back up and began packing things away in the picnic basket. Siri slowly sat up and stretched.

“We’re leaving?” she wondered.

Jett nodded, “It’s about nine-fifteen. And it takes a while to get back into town, so it’d be best if we left now.”

“But my curfew isn’t till, like, eleven,” Siri stated.

“I know,” Jett smiled, “but I want to make a good impression on your parents, and I don’t think they’d like it if I kept you out as late as your curfew allowed.”

Siri smiled and shook her head, “You try too hard.”

“For you, it’s worth it,” Jett winked. He picked up the basket and folded up the blanket.

Siri rolled her eyes. She followed Jett back to his car and hopped in. As the two sped off back towards town, she reached for the radio dial and soon, music was playing softly through the car. Soon, they arrived back at Siri’s house and were walking up the path to her front door.

“Thank you for tonight,” Siri said, slightly robotically, “I had fun.”

Jett chuckled at her tone, “For real?”

“Eh,” Siri shrugged, “Sort of. It was better than I expected.”

“Good,” Jett smiled. The two were now standing at the front door, and Jett leaned in slightly to kiss her, but Siri touched her fingertip to his lips.

“Sorry, hun, I don’t kiss on a first date,” she told him. “Good night.”

Jett cupped her face in his hand and tilted it down so he could place a soft kiss on her forehead, “Good night. I’ll see you tomorrow. Be at my house at around eleven.”

“’Kay,” Siri waved goodbye as he walked back to his car. She turned and walked inside her house as quietly as she could, wanting to avoid her parents. She knew they were the type to freak out over a date, and her mother had already freaked out enough when Jett arrived. Siri didn’t want to have to deal with another one of those episodes. Luckily enough, Siri was able to avoid her parents, but had a run in with someone almost as unpleasant, her little sister, Emmaline.

Emmaline was that beautiful, preppy girl that everyone loved. She had, like her sister, sparkling blue eyes and naturally blonde hair, though somehow, she’d gotten the genes for straight hair, not curly. Unlike her sister, however, Emmaline didn’t dye her hair black all the time. She preferred it to be its natural hue. She was two years younger than Siri, but, even so, everyone liked Emmaline so much more than Siri.

“Back so soon?” Emmaline asked, stepping into Siri’s path. “I’m surprised you didn’t stay out later.”

“Jett just dropped me off,” Siri explained, trying to push past her sister to the stairs that led to her room.

“Wait, Jett Daniels?” Emmaline’s eyes widened. “Youjust went on a date with the one and onlyJett Daniels?”

“Oh, don’t sound so surprised,” Siri brushed off Emmaline’s questions. “Word on the street is, he’s had a crush on me since he moved here freshman year.”

Emmaline studied Siri’s face for a moment before asking, “Why aren’t you more excited?”

“Because I don’t like him,” Siri said, enunciating every syllable with a trace of “duh” in her voice. “Now, move.”

Siri shoved her sister out of the way and walked down the stairs and into the room. She slammed the door shut behind her and locked it to ensure that no one would bother her. She flopped down on her bed and pulled out her cell phone, dialing Kelsey’s familiar phone number. Kelsey picked up almost immediately, and Siri spent the next hour recounting the details of her date and giggling with Kelsey. When she hung up, it was getting kind of late, so she quickly changed into her pajamas and turned off her lights, thoughts of Jett swirling around in her head as she drifted off to sleep.

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