Page 78 of The Second Kiss
Jasmine adds a layer of lipstick to her full red lips and then caps the tube. “This should be interesting.”
I’m panicking. I’m not sure if jealousy is a good thing at this point. I didn’t expect Jacob to be meeting my date at the same time I am.
Jacob knocks once and then lets himself in. “Jess,” he calls up the stairs. “That new belt for the Nag finally came in. I’m going to get started installing it. I need your keys.” I come out of my room as he sets a bag down in the entryway. He watches me come down the stairs with an expression somewhere between disbelief and confusion. “Are you going somewhere?”
Jasmine sweeps down behind me. “We have dates.”
“A date?” Jacob looks at me as if he’s never heard that word before. “You have a date?”
I bristle. “Sometimes I have a social life.”
“I know... I mean... I thought... that we would... Don’t you have homework?” He finishes.
“Yeah, Dad,” Jasmine mocks him, “But it’s Friday night, we have the entire weekend to get it done.”
I shoot Jasmine a warning look. “You didn’t call,” I say lamely. “I didn’t know if you were coming over or...”
“How late are you going to be?” Jacob asks.
“We’ll be back before curfew; we’re big girls now.” Jasmine says. She’s pushing this too far. I can tell Jacob is annoyed, but I’m not sure how to rein her in.
The doorbell rings. Two guys peer through the window. Jaz pushes past Jacob and opens the door for them. “Hello," Jasmine says, her voice dropping into a familiar flirty tone.
“Hey, Jaz. Hey Jess,” one says.
“Hi...” I hesitate. The boys look kind of familiar, a curly-haired blonde and a taller, thinner guy with dark hair. We met them a few weeks ago, but I don't remember their names.
“Jarom,” Jaz supplies, pushing me toward the blonde.
“Jarom,” I repeat, “Good to see you again.” Jacob looks at me and then at the two boys. They both look at Jacob. “Jacob,” I say, all the ‘j’ names have me even more flustered. “This is Jason—”
“Jarom,” Jarom corrects.
“Jarom,” I continue, “and...”
“Kirk,” the other guy says. At least his name isn’t Josh.
“Guys, this is Jacob, a family friend.”
Jacob steps forward and shakes hands with Jason and Kirk. They murmur some kind of greeting, but it looks like they’re sizing each other up.
“We’d better get going.” Jasmine reaches for her purse and nudges me toward the door.
“Right,” I pick up my jacket. Jacob is leaning against the wall, looking nonchalant. I can’t decide how he feels about my date. I fumble for my keys in my purse and then hand them to him. “Thanks for helping with my car.”
“Sure,” he barely touches me as he takes them. Jealousy? Indifference? I wish I could read what's written in those deep brown eyes.
Jasmine’s date makes a grand gesture of opening the door for us. I follow her out, my date close behind. I resist the urge to take one last look at Jacob.
I'm positive this is a huge mistake.
thirty-eight
Fine
Isit down at my mom’s laptop and stare out the window at the rain. I have to finish an essay for my English class that’s due tomorrow onThe Things They Carried.I’m having a hard time making myself do it. It’s not just a lack of sleep that’s keeping me from focusing on the paper. The book is all war stories and soldiers. It makes me think about Matt joining the Army—and about Jacob.
Jacob hasn't been here for nearly a month. No explanation for his sudden departure from my life. Maybe it’s because he finally fixed the Nag, so he doesn’t have a reason to be at my houseanymore. Possibly, my plan—or Jaz’s plan to make him jealous—just made him angry. Maybe he never really cared. Maybe it was all in my head.
