Messed Up Youthful Innocence

(Katie's point of view)

school blows

you blow

that’s what she said! OH!!

that is what I said-idiot-what are you doing after school

dreading the second day of school tomorrow? Who are you doing?

mature, really - want to do something?

my house? Drewless?

perfect

Miss Hurley!”

My eyes widened and I dropped my phone into my backpack

“Was that your phone?”

“No, it was a camera?”

“Right. Oh wait, you dropped it in your backpack?”

I blushed

“Yes”

she stared me down and sighed.

“Your backpack is a gateway to hell”

“My dad says that too”

“Well can you tells us what was the difference between the east and west eggs?”

“What?”

“In the great Gatsby, we are in English class, and you were supposed to read it this
summer”

OH those eggs

“The west egg was new money, with Gatsby, the east egg was where daisy lived and it was
old money”

“Good”

I guess I couldn’t risk texting again during this class, but the next one was fair game.

Mom, can I go to Jake’s house after school?”

yes- but shouldn’t you be paying attention in class and not texting?”

it’s the first day!

You better be passing - or else

Lame

I hate when my mom gets all snappy in text messages

I’m going over to Jake’s after school

no you’re not

mom said it was okay

she’s supposed to be on my side!

well she’s not - see you before dinner

The rest of the day was thankfully uneventful

“Nice skirt”

“Shut up”

“My day was fine thanks for asking.”

I smiled at Jake after I shut the car door.

“Did you hike up your skirt as you left to piss drew off?”

“No?”

‘You’re such a liar, you’re killing me Katie.”

“Why?”

“Because all he thinks that we do when we’re alone is make out and I mentally undress you”

“Drew’s lame”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.”

“Are you telling me you were only friends with him to get to me?”

He laughed for a long time

“No, though if you told him that he’d probably kill me”

‘Yeah, he really needs to calm the fuck down with all that. I’m so tired of it. I mean he’s not
the one making out with my best friend all the time. Nor am I a weird third person in his
relationship.”

“Well, right now it’s just you, me ….and my mom cause she’s home”

I pulled my skirt down to the length it should be before we walked into the house. I don’t see
why drew got so mad at me for these things. He knew I was doing it for a reason, plus, he
knows Jake and I were swimming all summer. As far as I know he hadn’t gotten Kayla pregnant yet so he really shouldn’t be acting like a dad. I shuddered

Kids

Ew

I helped myself to a can of pop in Jake’s fridge.

“Movie?” he asked taking the can out of my hand

“Sure, which one?”

“Dunno”

We stared at his wall of movies for awhile until one caught my attention.

“We’re watching Silver Streak”

“What’s it about?”

“Gene wilder and a train crashes into union station. You will watch it, and you will love it” I
narrowed my eyes at him.”

After the Silver Streak crashed into union station I noticed Jake staring at me biting his lower lip. I looked at him like he was crazy. He was already wrapped around me, but he buried his
head in my neck and started kissing it. Soon we were making out on his couch with me on the bottom. We paused for breath right when he put his hand on my hip, right below my untucked shirt. My jaw dropped as I felt his warm fingers inch their way up side underneath my shirt and into the waistband of my skirt. Goosebumps popped up under his fingertips.

“What’s wrong?” He asked after I inhaled sharply, breaking our kiss

“Where are your hands?” I asked not making eye contact.

Like I had burned him, Jake’s hand was out of my shirt and back on my hip.

‘Sorry’ he murmured.

“Take me home.” I mumbled sitting up, looking at my feet.

I paused slowly exhaling before looking up at Jake, frowning.

“No” he said simply.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“What?” I growled.

“Well, if I take you home you’re going to go think about how much of a jerk I am.” He settled
into the couch on the opposite side of me.

“Your hand was going down my skirt.” I exclaimed my voice getting higher.

“I was not disputing my jerk-ery, I’m just not taking you home. You could walk home I guess, but I’m not going to let you walk that far by yourself. So, you’re stuck here”

“So you’re just making yourself more of a jerk?”

“No”

“Yes”

“Katie”

“Jacob”

We stared each other down, both of us putting on game faces until Jake suddenly smirked.

“I’m sorry I’m just used to you wearing just a bathing suit.”

“W-what?” I stuttered. Like seriously? What the hell does that mean?

“This summer, you were in a bathing suit whenever we were making out and I’m just used
to that much skin. Oh and I’m a jerk and want in your pants.”

“Seriously?” I laughed.

“Positive”

All I could do was sigh and try not to laugh as Jake scooted closer to me.

“Do you ever get the feeling that you’re the living embodiment of the songs your dad wrote?”

“You lost me”

“You never wanted the nice boys anyway… The Fall Out Boy songs, even though they’re
mostly Pete’s lyrics, do you ever feel that you’re living out the song?”

“I never thought about it.”

“Petey is so ‘heat wave in your pants”

“Without a doubt” I snorted

“So what do you think I am?” Jake asked, but he wasn’t smiling.

“I’m not sure” I paused and he put his arm around my shoulder. “What do you think you are?”

Jake was silent for a few moments, thinking it over.

“You'll never make me leave” he paused to breathe, I forgot that he could sing ”I wear this on
my sleeve”

“Give me a reason to believe” I finished. “So what does that mean?”

“I’ll tell you one day. If you continue to talk to me after I do things that get me in trouble.”

“Jake” I rolled my eyes.

“Come on,” he stood up and put his hand out for me to grab,” I’ll take you home. Just
promise me none of this I mentioned to Drew.”

“No matter how much of a dickface you are, I’m not going to do that.”

Jake drove me home. After a slightly awkward silence car ride, I leaned over and kissed him
on the cheek. He actually blushed scarlet. I dropped my stuff at the door and sprinted up the
front staircase. I used my hand to wipe ‘boys suck’ off my dry erase board. I had written it up there sometime after New Year’s. New school year, new quote. I slowly printed “you’ll never make me leave, I wear this on my sleeve, give me a reason to believe” there was way too much thought behind it to be some random quote.

What am I supposed to be believing?

Jake is so weird.