My Twisted Teenage Romance

Sunday morning was a blur. When I first woke up I couldn't think straight, Saturday night had seemed like a dream that was way too good to have come true. I reached for my phone, which was on my nightstand, and scrolled through my messages. Sure enough, not too far down the list, were the messages Jacob had sent asking me to dance. The previous night came flying back at me like an angry bird and, again, I started to smile uncontrollably.

I wanted to scream my happiness from the rooftops. My heart started to race just remembering the feeling of Jacob's lips on mine. I didn't want to move, I wanted to stay forever lying in my bed, remembering the amazing feeling I got just from being close to him. Just thinking about Jacob gave me butterflies.

I spent the whole day in a daze, just thinking about last night and what the next time I saw Jacob would be like. I wondered a lot about what it was going to be like for us now. People kiss other people all the time; it doesn't make them a couple, no matter how much one of the two parties wanted it. But on the other hand, I thought, when those two people confess their not-so secret feelings right before the kiss in question, did that make them a couple?

The questions bounced in and out of my head all day. The phone rang two or three times, and each time I prayed that it would be Jacob, I wanted desperately to hear his voice. But each time it wasn't him, my spirits were crushed to the slightest degree.

I moved robotically around my house, too preoccupied with my own thoughts to actually think about the chores I was doing. My parents had left a list before they left as to what I was to do, and at first I complained, but now I hardly noticed how fast they were being done. I jumped at the slightest noise, hoping it was a knock at the door or the phone ringing, and praying that it would be Jacob standing at my door, or his name on the caller ID.

As the day turned into evening, I still hadn’t heard a word from Jacob and I began to wonder if I had done something wrong. One part of me was worried that I had done something wrong, I couldn't think of anything, but for all I knew, he was furious with me. Another part of me was telling me that he was just as anxious as me, waiting to see if I would call first. I decided to believe the latter. Jacob wasn't the type to rush things so he was most likely waiting for the perfect time to call, the time when it would catch me completely off guard and cause my heart to skip a few beats.

When I had finished puttering around downstairs and completing the long list of things my parents had left for me to do, I found myself in my room, lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I sighed exasperatedly, it was pushing seven-thirty and I still hadn't heard from Jacob. I heard a car pull into the driveway and I knew it was my parents getting home from my aunts. I heard a door slam and someone walk up to the front door, probably my dad opening for my mom. But to my surprise, there was a knock at the door. I figured my dad had his hands full and wanted me to open it for him, so I hurried down the stairs and to the front door.

I jumped down the last few steps and opened the door.

''Sage!'' I said, shocked to see him standing on my porch. I had spent the day alone, and figuring it would only be my parents that I would see today, I hadn't bothered getting dressed and I was still in Jacob's t-shirt and a pair of shorts that I had slept in.

''Hi Nikki.'' he said, looking and what I was wearing and sounding a little embarrassed that he had caught me in such a state.

''Jenny's house is next door.'' I teased playfully.

''Actually, I know, I rang the bell and no one answered.'' he said, scratching the back of his head.

''Well what can I do you for?'' I asked, leaning against the doorframe.

''Can you give this to Jenny? She left it in my car.'' Sage said, handing me a sweater that I just noticed was in his hand. Sage's face, like Jacob's, was too hard to look away from to notice anything he could possibly be holding.

''Sure no problem.'' I said, putting her sweater over my arm. Part of me wanted to ask Sage where Jacob was, but part of me insisted that he wouldn't know.

''Well I'll see you later then.'' Sage said and turned to leave. As he started to walk I made my decision.

''Hay Sage?'' I called and he turned around.

''Do you –um- by any chance know what-I mean why-'' the words wouldn't come out right. Sage grinned as if he had been waiting for me to ask.

''Don't worry, he'll call.'' he said with a sly grin, knowing exactly what I was going to ask.

''See you later.'' he said and continued to his car. I waved and then closed the door.

I was more then happy now, just knowing that Jacob was going to call made my heart race ever so slightly. I went into the living room and watched TV for a little while, not so much concentrating on the show that was on, but on listening for the phone that wasn't ringing yet. I heard another car pull in the driveway, and even though I had spent most of the weekend with him, I secretly hoped it was Jacob.

I shut off the TV and went to open the door. Standing there was my dad, his arms full of the duffle bags they had taken to my aunts initially and several other bags from various stores near her house.

''Need some help?'' I asked, taking some of the bags from him.

''Thank you.'' he said after I had relieved him of some of the bags.

I walked the bags into the living room and set them down, knowing my mom would want to showcase her new clothes, shoes, and other accessories. My mom soon came into the house, her arms as full as my dads and he went to help her.

''The house looks nice, what have you been up to all weekend?'' my mom asked as she sat down on the couch after we had said all our 'hello's'. I sat in a chair across from her, folding my legs underneath me.

''Nothing really, I went to Peter's party.''

''Oh? How late did they let it run this year?'' my mom asked, she, like every parent in town, knowing that the cops had to end Peter's parties almost every year.

''Two a.m.'' I stated as my dad sat down.

''Then today I finished that mile long list you left me in the kitchen.'' I finished and my dad chuckled as he opened the coke he had in his hand.

''Sounds like fun. Anything interesting happen at Peter's?'' she asked, almost as if she knew something.

''Nothing in particular why?'' I asked keeping calm. She was fishing and I knew it.

Suddenly the phone rang and I jumped from my chair with a speed I didn't know I possessed.

''That's why.'' my mom chuckled as I hurried into the kitchen to get the phone.

I skidded to a stop in front of the phone and tried to catch my breath as I lifted the phone to my ear.

''Hello?'' I said.

''Hi Nikki!''

''Oh hi Pete.r'' I said, very disappointed that the voice on the other end of the phone wasn't the one I'd been longing to hear all day.

''What's up?'' he asked, sounding very cheerful.

''Nothing, my parents just got home.'' I said, trying not to sound too upset that it was him.

''Oh, well anyways, I don't want to dance around it all night, so I'm going to just plain ask, do you have a ride to school tomorrow?'' he asked, his question a reminder of the next ten months of school that I had to endure.

''I'll probably go with Jason like I do every year.'' I informed him.

''Jason?'' he asked, sounding happy that I hadn't said Jacob, even though I wished I could have.

''Yup, just Jason and Jenny.'' I said.

''Oh, alright then I guess I'll see you at school, and if you ever need a ride, I'd be happy to drive you.'' he said, the end sounding more like a request then it did an offering.

''Thanks, I'll see you around.'' I said.

''Bye!'' he said and I heard him hang up.

I hung up and went back into the living room and sat back down in my chair, folding my legs under. Something I my face must have given my mood away because my dad gave me a look of concern, while my mom looked like she had a better idea of what was going on.

''Not the call you were waiting for I'm guessing.'' my mom said and I sighed, making her laugh a bit.

''Don't worry, he'll call.'' she said, repeating exactly what Sage had said earlier and making me wonder if they knew something I didn't.

But despite everyone's reassurances, I was starting to think that he wasn't going to call. However, my hopes were renewed when the phone rang again. When I made an attempt to jump out of my chair this time, my foot caught on the chair and I fell to the floor. My parents laughed and I rolled my eyes.

I skidded for a second time to a stop in front of the phone in the kitchen, almost falling as I did, and then answered the phone, my heart starting to race a bit.

''Hello?''

''Hi Nikki, it's Jacob.'' he said. As if he needed to tell me, I had been waiting all day to hear his voice and it definitely did not need an introduction.

''Hey Jacob.'' I said, not really tying to hide the elation in my voice.

''What are you doing?'' he asked.

''My parent's just got home.'' I said.

''Ok then I won't take up too much time, I was wondering if you needed a ride tomorrow'' he stated, sounding as abnormally confident as he always did.

''I was planning on going with Jason, but he's a very slow driver.'' I said playfully.

''Well I promise that if you go with me, the speedometer will never read under sixty.'' he said and I could only imagine the perfect smile that was touching his lips as he spoke

''Such a tempting offer.'' I sighed and he laughed a bit.

''Is that a yes?'' he asked.

''Absolutely.'' I said, a smile now finding its way to my face.

''So I'll see you tomorrow morning around seven-thirty?'' he said.

''Sounds like a plan.'' I said, nodding even though I knew he couldn't see me.

''Bye Nikki.'' he said with a not so subtle degree of charm in his voice.

''Bye.'' I said, a smile still plastered to my face.

I hung up and walked back into the living room, jumping into my chair and then pulling my legs up. My mom looked at me knowingly, while my dad looked like he was feeling out of the loop.

''So! Who wants to see what I got!'' my mom said excitedly and I was thankful that she hadn't started to pry about who had called.

''Not again, I was there when you bought them, isn't that enough for you?'' my dad groaned and my mom laughed.

The rest of the night was spent in the living room with my mom, listening to her prattle on about her weekend with my aunt. They went shopping mostly, and out to eat almost every meal. After my dad had gone to bed, my mom asked a few questions about Peter's party and the phone call I'd been all too eager to get, but she didn't pry, which was one of my favourite things about my mom.

I eventually called Jason to let him know that I had another ride for Monday morning and he told me that Jenny had cancelled as well, saying that she was going with Sage and that she gave him some lame excuse that she wanted to show him around the school.

When the clock started to push ten thirty, I still wasn't tired in the slightest so I decided to take a shower and blow dry my hair, so that I wouldn't have to worry about it the next morning, but it didn't do anything to help the fact that I was still wired.

When I finally did get to bed, it was almost impossible to sleep. The anticipation of seeing Jacob the following morning was enough to keep me tossing and turning all night. After a few restless hours, I finally fell into a light sleep, having quite a few awkward dreams, that I could only remember when I first woke up.

I woke to the sound of my phone buzzing on my nightstand, it was five minutes before my alarm was set to go off, but even so, with my lack of sleep, it irritated me immensely. I reached over to the nightstand, dropping it carelessly onto the top, and felt for my phone, which was still buzzing. When I finally found it, I flipped it open to see a text from Jenny who, no doubt, had been up since five.

'I'm not going with Jason, sorry, you're on your own =)'

I laughed at the apparent fact that Jason hadn't told her I wasn't going with him either.

'I'm not either.' I typed and sent.

I rolled out of my bed, landing unsteadily on the floor, and headed for the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and pulled a brush through my hair, then tied it in a loose ponytail at the back of my neck. When I got back to my room, I pulled out an outfit that Jenny had picked out ages ago for the first day, it was like a tradition, one would pick out what the other was going to wear.

When I was dressed, I got my bag out from under my bed and then skipped down the stairs to the kitchen.

I slung my bag over one of the kitchen chairs and then put a piece of toast in the toaster then went to get the peanut butter and jam. My mom walked into the kitchen, already dressed with her hair done and she immediately went to boil the kettle. I hopped up onto the counter next to the toaster and swung my legs back and forth.

''You're in an unusually good mood.'' my mom said, getting a mug out of the cupboard.

''No I'm not.'' I lied. It was the first day of school and I was practically jumping off the walls and she saw right through my façade.

''So when is he going to be here?'' my mom asked, putting a tea bag in her cup.

''Seven thirty.'' I grinned. It was already ten after.

''Morning.'' my dad said sleepily as he came into the kitchen and went for the coffee maker.

''Hi dad.'' I said cheerfully. My toast popped and I jumped down off the counter to fix it with the appropriate dressings.

I put the peanut butter and jam away, then took my toast to the table to eat. Out of nowhere there was a loud bang at the back door that was in the kitchen. I looked up to see Jenny grinning. I dusted off my hands and went to open the door for her.

''Hi!'' she said ecstatically as I opened the door.

''Good morning Jenny.'' my mom said from where she was drinking her tea and waiting on a bagel.

''Morning mom.'' Jenny said, skipping into my kitchen and taking my seat. Jenny and I had spent a lot of time at each other's houses throughout the years, and her calling my mom 'mom' was nothing new.

''Anyways, I can't stay for long, my ride's going to be here soon.'' Jenny said, picking up my toast.

''So is mine.'' I said, taking my toast just as she was about to eat it.

''Sage told me that he left my sweater with you?'' Jenny said, reaching for the glass of milk my mom had put on the table for me.

''I'll get it.'' I said, taking my milk away as well. She smiled and put her hands in her lap.

I went up to my room and grabbed Jenny's sweater off my bed, and then went back down to the kitchen. Jenny was sitting on the counter now as she ate a quarter of a bagel. I looked at my mom who shrugged.

''Here you go, now please vacate my kitchen.'' I said, pushing her towards the door.

''See you at school!'' she said, her mouth slightly full.

I looked at the clock, it was almost twenty after. I finished my breakfast quickly, knowing that Jacob would probably be early, then put my shoes on and waited in the kitchen. I shook my leg anxiously as I watched the seconds tick by.

I heard a car pull in the driveway and I jumped up so fat that I almost knocked the chair over. I was at the door before there was even a knock. I opened the door as Jacob was just about to knock and he grinned his irresistible grin.

''Good morning to you too.'' he said and I laughed a bit.

''You ready?'' he asked.

''Yea, I've just got to grab my bag, you can come in if you want.'' I said, starting to walk back to the kitchen and he followed closely behind me.

''Mom, dad, you guys know Jacob.'' I said quickly as I crossed the kitchen to get my bag off of the chair.

''Good morning.'' Jacob said and my mom and dad nodded in response.

''Let's go!'' I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

We headed out to his car that was parked on the driveway. When we got in, I was about to put my seatbelt on when I saw Jacob out of the corner of my eye, looking at me instead of doing up his own seatbelt. I dropped my belt and turned to him and he was suddenly right in front of my face, startling me a bit. He grinned when I jumped slightly, but then seemed to be thinking about something else. My breathing quickened as he got close enough that I could feel his breath; he must have been able to tell because a grin pulled again at the sides of his lips.

He leaned forward, closing the tiny gap between us and his soft lips were pressed against my own. My heart hammered in my chest. Although he had only kissed me for a brief second, it was as breathtaking as the first time he had kissed me, and it stunned me for a second.

Jacob sat back as I remained frozen in place, an apparent grin now covering his lips. I could feel myself blush as he looked at me and I let out the breath I had been holding. He was looking right into my eyes and I knew that if I didn't escape the hold they had on me, we'd never get to school. I turned quickly and busied myself with putting my seatbelt on. He chuckled quietly as he started the car and did his seatbelt up.

''So.'' he said as we drove.

''So what?'' I asked, turning to look at him. The light coming in through the tinted window on his side of the car created a stunning silhouette of his face and he looked more like an angel than anyone should be allowed to.

''So I kiss you and you don’t say anything?'' he more asked than stated.

''What was I supposed to say? 'Jacob you are the best kisser I have ever met, I never want to kiss anyone but you forever and ever'. '' I said jokingly and then wished I hadn't let the 'forever and ever' part slip out.

''Something along those lines.'' he laughed and I rolled my eyes.

''So how's Sage?'' I asked, slightly raising one eyebrow. I hadn't heard from Jenny all Sunday and this morning she hadn't had enough time to gush about Saturday night.

''He's fine why?'' Jacob asked, clearly oblivious to my questions deeper meaning and I raised my eyebrows pointedly at him.

''OH.'' he said, clueing in.

''He's been on a cloud since Saturday night to say the least.'' Jacob said, smiling slightly.

''I haven't spoken to Jenny yet.'' I stated.

I looked out the window and we were just about to pull into the school's parking lot. I sat up a bit straighter in my seat and I was suddenly very aware that I was arriving with one of the most absolutely striking people in this entire town.

We pulled into a spot towards the back of the building and not too far away I saw Andrew's Porche. It was way further back than us and covered in mud; he apparently didn't want to cause too much commotion, having the nicest car in the lot and all.

''Are you ready for this?'' I asked, as I undid my seatbelt and turned to look at him.

''For what? I have been to school before, I wasn't always home schooled you know.'' he said, rolling his eyes a bit.

''Not the regular pressures of school, that.'' I said nodding my head in the direction of the school, but not failing to notice Jacob's strange reaction at the word 'regular'.

Towards the front of the school, a giant group of Ashley and her friends were standing. Sage had just gotten out of his car and walked around to the front where he was waiting for Jenny to get out and Ashley and a few of her clones were already swarming him. Ashley flipped her blonde hair back over her shoulder and stood with one hand on her hip as she spoke to Sage. He scratched the back of his head nervously and shrugged, making her laugh animatedly. Even though Sage was a year younger, he was being hailed as one of the most gorgeous guys in our entire school, right along with Andrew and Jacob.

Jenny was out of the car now and she didn't look happy that Sage had been overtaken while she went unnoticed. She pushed through a few of the girls who were cutting her off from Sage and stood pointedly beside him. She turned and said something to Sage and then waved at the girls as her and Sage left the group.

''Don't worry, that's only because he's the cuter brother.'' Jacob said playfully but reassuringly at the same time.

''You're so full of it.'' I mumbled as we got out of the car.

The second Jacob stood up straight; the horde of vultures at the front of the school had spotted him. I could tell from the look on her face that Ashley had recognized him…and me. She whispered something to her clones and they started to move inconspicuously in our direction.

''Here it comes.'' I muttered as we got closer to the girls.

''Jealous?'' he whispered mockingly and I hit his shoulder.

''No!'' I said too defensively.

''Don't worry.'' he said as we closed the gap between them and us.

''Hey Jacob! Long time no see!'' Ashley said, flipping her hair over her shoulder like she had done before.

''Hi uh Amy was it?'' he said. I tried desperately to hold back my laughter and Ashley noticed.

''Ashley.'' she corrected, shooting me a quick glare but then turning her attention back to him.

''So what homeroom do you have?'' she asked, biting her lip as she waited for his answer. Jenny and I had gone to pick up our timetables a while ago, though I had never asked Jacob about his or mentioned mine for that matter.

''English.'' he said flatly. Ashley looked put off but one of her sidekicks perked up immediately.

''So do I.'' she said, a toothy smile flashing onto her face.

''Well then I'll see you there.'' he said, smiling and completely blindsiding the poor girl.

''Yea.'' she sighed dreamily, but was pulled out of her trance by Ashley who nudged her with her elbow.

''Well right now I've got to go find my class, so I'll see you ladies later.'' Jacob said and then tried to walk away but stopped when Ashley spoke again.

''Do you wanna have lunch with us?'' she asked innocently and I rolled my eyes.

''Actually, he's eating with me.'' I answered for him.

''Maybe next tim.e'' he said and started to walk away again.

''Well then do you maybe wanna do something after school one day?'' she asked, still trying.

''As a matter of fact I'm busy all week.'' he said and then took my hand in his and moved them pointedly into her line of vision. The look of resentment on Ashley's face, which normally would have made my day, paled in comparison to the electricity I felt at Jacob's touch.

''See you around Ashley.'' I said cheerfully as Jacob and I walked away. I could feel the hate stare that Ashley was holding on my head as we walked and I couldn't help but grin. Ashley was one of those girls who always got what she wanted no matter what, and I had a feeling that Jacob was the first one to tell her no.

As we walked towards the building, my hand still tight in Jacob's, I could feel people looking at us. Not us, Jacob. I was nothing extraordinary, but Jacob was absolutely dazzling. As we walked by, girls whispered behind their hands to their friends, and guys wrapped their arms that much tighter around their girlfriends. Even though he had been there a grand total of five minutes, Jacob was already the most wanted guy in school.

Jacob was still holding my hand as we walked, and I wondered if that was his way of declaring that I was his, not just to everyone else, but to me as well, or if it was his way of keeping all the other girls off of him. Either way I wasn't going to protest.

We were just inside the doors of the school now and not too far ahead, I saw Jenny and Sage rounding a corner, keeping a slightly awkward distance between them.

''What do you have first period anyway?'' Jacob asked suddenly.

''Umm science.'' I said, having to think about it for a second.

After that we walked slowly but surely towards our classes, an odd silence hanging between us. I wanted desperately to ask if Saturday had changed anything between us. Nothing had been said about it since that night, so I had no idea whether or not we were an 'official' couple, or just friends who had spilled their secret feelings about each other. But that wasn't something you just spring on someone in the middle of a school hallway, so I kept my mouth shut.

I could see the science room not too far ahead of us and there were already a few people gathered outside, including Ashley. She spotted me and sent yet another death glare my way at the sight of Jacob and I holding hands. Jacob slowed to a stop not too far from the classroom, but far enough that whatever we said wouldn't be heard by the group standing outside of it.

He leaned back against the wall and I stood rather awkwardly in front of him. We were standing silently and I was trying not to look right into his eyes, although I could feel them on me. I quickly glanced up at him and he had a torn expression on his face, like he was debating whether or not to ask me something. Just as I opened my mouth to ask what was on his mind, the bell rang. I sighed, aggravated that the bell had decided to go now. Jacob laughed lightly at the expression that must have been covering my face.

The heard outside the science room started to move inside and Jacob and I inched closer to the door. I hated this looming silence that had fallen between us for some unknown reason. I wanted to break it, but I didn't know what to say. We were at the door and I turned to look at him. He was staring back into my eyes and I could still see the longing look in his eyes, like he needed to tell me something important. He opened his mouth and I held my breath, waiting for what he was going to say.

''I should go, or I'll be late.'' he said and the breath I was holding came out as an exasperated sigh.

''Yea, you can't have that on your first day.'' I said, trying to keep my tone light despite my disappointment.

''I'll see you at lunch?'' it was more of a question.

''Yea I'll meet you outside the cafeteria.'' I said, excitement sparking faintly in the pit of my stomach at the thought of being with him again, even though he was standing right in front of me.

He smiled his mesmerizing smile, although his eyes read something completely different. He then reached up with the hand that was still holding mine and brushed back a stray strand of hair, and then held my hand close to his lips and kissed the back of it gently. I immediately felt my cheeks flush red and I looked away from his face. I saw him grin out of the corner of my eye. He released my hand and with that, he disappeared down the hall and around a corner.

I went into the classroom where everyone was getting settled. Ashley and her crowd had over taken the left side of the classroom, so I found a seat at the back on the other side of the room next to a girl I recognized as being in my math class last year. I thought her name was Sammy.

''Hi!'' she said too cheerfully for eight in the morning.

''Hey.'' I said, dropping my bag on the floor next to me.

That was the extent of our conversation. I, still being unsure of her name, hoped I wouldn't have to address her directly, at least until the attendance was read. She had dark brown hair and was wearing a long yellow baby doll top with black leggings and black jewellery to match. It was starting to hurt my eyes to look at her so I turned in the opposite direction and put my head down. The class already seemed to be going too slow and it hadn't even started.

The teacher walked in a set a black briefcase down in front of him as he stood behind the island at the front of the room. He pulled out a sheet of paper and then called the class to order with a certain authority that not many high school teachers could manage on the first day. Most of the people who had crowded around Ashley's table had returned to their seats before while a few stragglers stumbled to get back to theirs now. It didn't surprise me that Ashley was sitting next to one of the smartest people in the class. That was how she had made it through these three years with an eighty average at least.