Page 24 of The Second Kiss
“The class is Wednesday at 7:00, but I need to be early so I’ll pick you up at like 5:30.”
I’m calculating in my mind. I have a 3:00 swim class that day. If I rush I can make it. “Sure.”
“See you Wednesday,” he says. “Oh, and wear something comfortable. Like what you would work out in.” I hold on to the phone and try to catch my breath for a few minutes after he hangs up.
Jasmine has most of my workout clothes on my bed and she’s digging through my underwear drawer. “You are not going to that self-defense class wearing a t-shirt and basketball shorts.”
“He said to wear something comfortable,” I push the pile of clothes aside and sit on my bed.
“Comfortable doesn’t have to mean sexless. You teach kickboxing all the time. Why don’t you buy some cute workout outfits?” She digs deeper. “I know there are some tanks in here somewhere.”
“I can’t wear a tank top. They don’t work over my sports bra. I don’t like the double strap thing.” I put up my hand. “And don’t you dare tell me to go braless.”
“Don’t worry. You have too much up top to pull that off.” I make a face and she rolls her eyes at me. "It's a compliment." She moves to the back of my closet, pushing hangers from one side to the other. “We have got to work on your wardrobe. This.” She emerges holding an outfit that my mom bought for me. It’s a sleeveless spandex top with blue lines coming up the sides and a matching pair of pants cut to about mid-calf. I was so frustrated that it was too tight when I tried it on that I shoved it in the back of the closet. The tags are still on it.
“It’s too small.”
Jasmine holds it up to me. “When was the last time you tried it on?”
I have to think, “Mom got it for me for Christmas last year.”
She shoves it into my hands, “Try it now.”
To appease her, I put it on. “See.” I turn around for the full effect.
Jasmine smirks at me. “You look great.”
“It’s still tight across the chest, and in the butt.” I look at myself in the mirror over my shoulder.
“It’s meant to fit like that,” Jasmine says. “Tight across the chest is a good thing.” She slaps my behind. “And your butt looks fabulous.”
I turn back and forth in the mirror. She’s kind of right.
“You look healthy. Fit. Better than when you were starving yourself to look good for ‘he who shall not be named,’ I wish I had your tone.” She touches the striation on my shoulder.
Both our reflections in the mirror stare back at me from the mirror. I look okay, good even, until you put me next to a girl like Jaz.
I make another face. "Yeah right."
Jaz stands up and puts her hands on my shoulders. "Learn to take a compliment, Jess. You're beautiful. More than that, you're fierce. Show him your fierce side and our boy Jacob will melt into a puddle at your feet."
I look back at the mirror, forcing a smile. I wish I had Jasmine's confidence.
I’m late. I screech into the driveway in my mom's car, hoping that Jacob isn’t here yet, but it’s too late. He’s already here, leaning on his car, waiting. “Ready to go?”
“Yes. No. I need to change,” I slam the door to Mom’s car.
“What you’re wearing is fine,” he answers. “We need to get going.”
I agonize. He’s waiting and he’s already seen me anyway, no make-up, braid, t-shirt and basketball shorts. I should have taken the outfit with me to work. “Five minutes.”
“Hurry,” he says.
I run upstairs and throw on the outfit. Forget the braid, it will have to do. I put on a little eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss.
Jacob barely looks at me when he opens the car door to let me in. Maybe the outfit switch wasn’t worth making him wait.
The self-defense class is in the cold gym of a large brick building on base. As soon as we walk in, Jacob gets down to business. “I’m going to teach you the moves that I’m teaching the class, so you can go around and help me demonstrate them. But you need to be careful, these moves work and they will hurt.” He takes my hand. “If you grab someone’s wrist like this, flip it around and push it back towards their body, you can get enoughleverage to force them to take a step back, go to their knees, or even break a wrist.”
