My Twisted Teenage Romance

‘’Ah! Thanks for that.’’ she said sarcastically as she took the drink from me.

‘’Any time.’’ I grinned and opened my own can.

‘’What took you so long? It takes like a minute to get to and back from the kitchen.’’ Jenny said as I took a sip.

‘’I got distracted.’’ I shrugged.

‘’Really? By who?’’ she asked, one eyebrow slightly raised.

‘’Peters second cousin, apparently when he goes over there he complains that I keep rejecting him.’’ I told her.

‘’Then why don’t you just go out with him! The boy is crazy for you! Not to mention pretty sexy.’’ Jenny said with a one sided grin.

‘’Umm hello? Back to the guy in the kitchen.’’ I said, waving my hands a bit.

‘’Right sorry, so did you like talk to him?’’

‘’No Jennifer I stood there staring at him for five minutes.’’ I said, rolling my eyes and she huffed.

‘’He talked to me firs.t’’ I said proudly.

‘’About?’’ she asked, gesturing for me to continue.

‘’Well I was kind of laughing at him, well not at him, but what he did.’’ I said with a slight smile.

‘’These two really ditzy girls were hitting on him and he shot them down so politely, it was rather amusing. Then he asked why I was laughing and yea.’’ I shrugged.

Just then Jason came over and pushed gracefully in between Jenny and me.

‘’Ladies.’’ he said, doing his best prince charming impression.

‘’Who stuck her tongue down your throat?’’ Jenny asked sarcastically.

‘’That one, and then that one.’’ Jason said, proudly pointing at a pair of blonde twins who winked and waved back.

‘’Our little ladies man.’’ I said, sounding like a mother praising her child.

‘’Nikki! Is that him?’’ Jenny said and discreetly pointed at someone who was coming out of the kitchen.

The guy she pointed at was tall, blonde with brown eyes and he was cute, but in the same way as a baby. Jacob walked out behind him, very graceful as he wove through the few people who crowded the door. I felt my cheeks flush slightly, and then turned Jenny so that she could see him, where he was now standing beside the front window talking on a cell phone.

‘’No,’’ I said flatly ‘’that’s him.’’ I said, pushing her cheek against mine and then turning our heads so that she was staring straight at him.

‘’Wow.’’ she said dreamily.

‘’Yea.’’ I sighed.

‘’What we looking at?’’ Jason asked, pushing his head between our cheeks. I pointed his face in the right direction and he whistled.

‘’Very nice.’’ he said and I grinned.

‘’Do we have a name?’’ Jason asked

‘’Jacob.’’ Jenny and I said in unison.

‘’I like him already.’’ he said.

‘’Me too.’’ I sighed and the three of us started to laugh.

Jenny turned around to the group we were standing beside and injected her self into the conversation. Jason was suddenly sidetracked when a very cute brown haired guy walked by and started to move slowly, but surely to the group the guy had stopped in. I was suddenly alone, standing just outside of two circles. In one Jenny was blabbering away about something or other, and the other consisted of people I only vaguely knew.

I pushed myself into the circle Jenny was in and tried to follow their conversation, which was hopeless with how fast it jumped around. After about twenty minutes Adam offered to get Jenny a drink and she quickly put down the one I had brought her and accepted. Once Adam was gone Jenny created a conversation out of thin air with the other guys in the group. I was strangely left out of this conversation so I moved out of the circle, hoping that I would find something to do.

Realizing that my pop was gone and that I had an excuse to leave, I started back towards the kitchen, but my feet suddenly decided that I was going to go over to where Jacob was standing, still alone. I hooked my left thumb through my front belt loop, and realized that I was still holding the empty can as I got closer to him.

‘’What am I even going to say when I get there? I don’t know what I’m going to say! Ah turn around! No stop! Feet please go the other way! STOP!’’ I was suddenly wishing that my feet would actually listen as I got closer to him.
The gap between us was closing faster than I would have liked and I was still begging for my feet to stop. Suddenly there was a hand on my shoulder that pulled me to a stop and a sense of relief washed over me, that is until I turned around.

‘’Hey Nikki.’’ Peter said with a goofy smile.

‘’Oh hi Peter.’’ I said with a forced smile. We were about five feet from Jacob and I was suddenly very aware that he was standing so close.

‘’So you wanna dance?’’ Peter asked for the second time that night. I really didn’t want to be mean, it was his party.

‘’Well actually I was uh- going to uh- I was on my way to-‘’ it was hopeless. I was nowhere near the bathroom or the kitchen, so I couldn’t use either of those for an excuse. I was just going to have to dance with him.

‘’Nikki, there you are, it doesn’t take that long to get a coke, or did you get lost?’’ Jacob said, suddenly right next to me and taking the empty can from my hand.

‘’Big house.’’ I laughed, still completely dumbstruck.

‘’Hey Peter, how’s it going?’’ Jacob said with a smile before he pretended to take a sip from my empty can.

‘’Alright I guess, listen I’ll catch up with you later Nikki.’’ Peter said, looking slightly put off as he walked away.

I turned back to Jacob, whose lips were pulled up into an irresistible grin.

‘’Thanks.’’ I said, holding out my hand for the can.

‘’You looked like the gold fish a cat was making small talk with before he was about to eat you.’’ he said and I laughed.

‘’Your metaphors are magical.’’

‘’Thank you, thank you.’’ he laughed.

Out of nowhere, I was suddenly knocked forward but quickly pulled back by my shoulder.

‘’Nikki! I can’t find Jenny!’’ Jason said frantically, his hand the one that had pulled me back.

‘’And why do you need my help?’’ I asked, staring at Jason through narrow eyes. He had just interrupted my first ‘almost’ conversation with Jacob and I was not too pleased.

‘’To look for her duh.’’ Jason said like it was common knowledge.

‘’I mean why do you need me right now? ‘’ I asked, looking quickly to Jacob and then glaring at Jason.

‘’Cause she’s gone right no-ow wow wow oh, hi.’’ he said, grinning at Jacob.

‘’Hi.’’ Jacob said with a smile that would turn a straight guy gay.

‘’Please?’’ Jason asked one more time but only after he had managed to pull his eyes away from Jacob.

‘’Fine.’’ I huffed.

‘’I’ve got to go sort this out, I guess I’ll talk to you later, and uh- thanks for saving my ass.’’ I said and Jacob laughed.

‘’See ya.’’ Jacob said with a smile.

As we walked away, more like as Jason dragged me away, I glared at him. When we got into the hall where it was less crowded he stopped and turned to me.

‘’Can I help you?’’ I asked impatiently.

‘’What part of I can’t find Jenny are you not getting?’’ he said.

‘’So look harder!’’ I said.

‘’I looked everywhere.’’ Jason said hopelessly.

‘’Ugh.’’ I huffed and went towards the stairs.

I walked up the stairs and instinctively went to the left. I opened the first door I came to and found a couple trying to eat each others faces. Jason made a noise of disgust behind me and I closed the door.

‘’Well at least go that way!’’ I said, pointing in the other direction. He nodded and hurried off to the other doors.

I opened three more doors, only to find two empty rooms and another couple who were knocked out cold. As I walked to the next door, I passed a picture frame on the wall. In it were pictures from when Peter was little, including one from his sixth birthday party. There was Jenny, Peter and I, holding hands. The three of us used to be the closest of friends, that was until middle school and his hormones kicked in, then Jenny and I met Jason.
I was pulled from my memories when I remembered why I was up here in the first place and I quickly moved to the next door and opened it. It looked like it was some kind of living room type thing. There was a couch against one wall, a table under the window which had curtains to match the dark blue carpet.

Sure enough there was Jenny, sitting on the floor in Adams lap, kissing him furiously.

‘’OH hi Nikki!’’ she said when I walked in. She sounded drunk, which amazed me because we hadn’t been here for long.

‘’Jenny, what have you been drinking?’’ I asked. The room reeked of liquor and there was a half empty bottle and two shot glasses on the table they were sitting next to.

‘’That one.’’ she said, pointing at the bottle, but ended up poking Adam in the face.

‘’OH I’m sorry!’’ she laughed and he laughed to.

‘’Come on Jenny, we’re going.’’ I said, crossing the room and standing in front of them.

‘’Why?’’ she said simply.

‘’Because, it’s time to go.’’ I said, and pulled on her arm.
She fastened her arms around Adams neck and shook her head.

‘’Ugh! Jason!’’ I called and could almost immediately hear the footsteps coming down the hall.

‘’Jenny! What have you been doing?’’ Jason asked as he joined us in the small room. She put her hand up and pointed at Adam from behind it.

‘’Well I hope you had fun cause we’re going now.’’ Jason said and Jenny pouted. She looked like a five year old.

‘’But I don’t want to.’’ she said, folding her arms. I took the opportunity and lifted her from Adams lap.

‘’Out you go.’’ I said as I pushed her towards the door. Jason quickly followed.

‘’You know what I never noticed?’’ Jenny said, slightly slurring her words.

‘’What’s that?’’ Jason asked and I put one of her arms around his neck to help her walk.

‘’How cute you are.’’ she said, getting very close to his face.

‘’Thanks Jen, you’re pretty cute to.’’ Jason laughed.

‘’Stairs!’’ I said as we reached the top of the wide staircase.

‘’WHOA! That’s a long way down.’’ Jenny said, sounding slightly scared.

‘’Commere.’’ Jason said and lifted her up bridal style.

‘’You’re strong to!’’ Jenny said happily as he carried her down the stairs.

‘’Psst Nikki! I think I like this one.’’ she whispered pointing her thumb at Jason.

‘’I should hope so, he’s your best friend.’’ I whispered back, trying not to laugh.

‘’NO! He is!’’ she said and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

When we got downstairs, Jason carried Jenny outside to his car; he drove a silver Lexus SUV. He slipped her in the back seat and I helped her do the belt up.

‘’If you want to stay I’ll take her home by myself.’’ Jason said, leaning against the drivers door.

I looked longingly back to the house. The truth was I would have loved to stay and talked to Jacob all night, but I couldn’t leave Jenny, she would do the same for me.

‘’No it’s alright I’ll come.’’ I said and then got into the passengers seat.

As we drove back to Jenny's house, it was silent except for Jenny humming happily to herself in the backseat.

''I'm taking you back after.'' Jason said suddenly.

''No, it's alright I'll stay with Jenny, you go back and have fun.'' I said.

''No way! That Jacob guy is cute! You're going to stay and talk to him!'' Jason said, slightly grinning.

''Well, if you insist.'' I said, also grinning. I definitely wasn't going to push this argument to far.

We pulled into Jenny's driveway and Jason undid his belt.

''I've been here before!'' Jenny said excitedly.

''Jenny, honey, you live here.'' I laughed.

''Out you get.'' Jason said, lifting Jenny out of the car.

''Wait here, I'm coming back.'' Jason said, locking the doors with his remote.

He walked Jenny up to the door, took out her key and opened it. He walked her inside while I waited.

''What am I going to say to him? 'Thanks for saving me from your cousin?' I already used that! Ah! Maybe I should just make Jason let me stay here.'' I thought as I sat silently in the car.

I could see the path from the driveway up to the front door, it was lit with lights right in the path and there was a light above the garage, those being the only sources of light in the pith dark.

I pushed the recall button on the stereo, it was only eleven. I rested my head back against the seat as I tried desperately to think of something to say to Jacob.

''Maybe I could walk into him, 'accidentally' of course, but no! Then he'll think I'm an idiot!'' I thought and then sighed out loud.
The locks clicked and I saw Jason hurrying down the path.

''She's in bed, but she said she felt 'spinny', so after I drop you off I'm coming back.'' He said, starting the car.

''Jason, just let me stay.'' I begged.

''Not a chance!''

''Come on! I-I don't even have anything to say to the guy!'' I said, slamming my head back against the seat and covering my eyes.

''You'll think of something.'' Jason said encouragingly.

''Like?! I am stumped! I mean you've seen him! What do I say to him!'' I asked helplessly.

''I dunno.'' Jason shrugged.

''Thanks.'' I rolled my eyes.

''Well, I hope you've got something cause we're here- what's going on?'' Jason said as we pulled onto Peters street.

There were two cop cars out front and from the looks of things they were sending people home. It was a gridlock with all the people trying to get their cars out.
I saw Jacob get into a black two door Ford Mustang and reverse halfway down the street before turning around and speeding off.

I sighed. So much for what I was going to say to him.

''Aw, honey don't worry, you'll see him again.'' Jason said reassuringly.

''Maybe.'' I mumbled and slammed my head against the dashboard.