She Won't Be Lonely Long

Chapter 12: Girlfriend

Unsurprisingly, Sienna had trouble focusing throughout the day. She could have played much better than she did. She struck out more than she liked, and although she did not make any errors in the field, she could have made better throws and easier transitions. If her mother and Jaden had not put her through the ringer this morning, maybe she would have played better. Sienna knew she was actually frustrated with herself, upon arriving home she showered and then started in on her homework.

With her flustered mind, her Calculus homework was more of a struggle than normal. Calculus did not make much sense on a good day, let alone a bad day. She did her best on her homework, but knew she needed to talk to the teacher in the morning to get help before the test at the end of the week.

Sienna rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. Physically and mentally exhausted from the weekend of softball and questions she was not quite ready to answer, she closed her eyes willing herself to succumb to sleep.

Ding!

The sound of her phone going off roused her from her beginning stages of sleep. She blinked a few times to get herself to start functioning again.

Jaden: Hey you!

Sienna: Hey

Jaden: What are you doing?

Sienna: Laying in bed. What about you?

Jaden: The same. How was your day?

Sienna: I have had better days.

Jaden: Have you thought any more about being my girlfriend?

Sienna: Do you even know how to be someone’s girlfriend?

Jaden: Ouch! You know I have had a girlfriend or two before.

Sienna: They clearly did not work out for a reason. I am not just another girl to add to a list.

Jaden: Trust me, I know.

Sienna: I do not stand for cheating or lying. If you are not willing to take this seriously, then there is no point to even try.

Jaden: I am serious. I want you.

Sienna: For now.

Jaden: I want you and only you. Before I met you, I dreamt of you. I feel good when I am with you.

Sienna: Are you making that up?

Jaden: I’m not I swear. I really did dream of you. You are beautiful and smart and I just want to be with you and no one else.

Sienna: I do not sleep around.

Jaden: I think I have been around you enough to figure that out. I have no plans to rush you into something you are not ready for.

Sienna: Okay. I will give you a shot and you better not mess it up.

Jaden: You will be my girlfriend?

Sienna: Yes.

Jaden: I wish I could kiss you right now.

Sienna: Will I see you at lunch tomorrow?

Jaden: Absolutely.

Sienna: Alright. I’m exhausted. Goodnight Jaden.

Jaden: Goodnight Sienna.

Sienna plugged her phone in and turned her alarm on. She had to be at school by 7 if she wanted help from the Calculus teacher. As she climbed under the covers, it hit her she had a boyfriend. Maybe her senior year would not be so bad after all.

The next week went by like a blur. Sienna spent every morning before school with her Calculus teacher trying to understand the different kinds of problems to be expected on the next exam. Jaden met her for lunch every day to eat with her. Sienna went to the batting cages Monday and Wednesday after school, and had team practice every Tuesday night and Thursday night. This left very little time to hang out together during the week.

From the minimal time, they spent as boyfriend and girlfriend, he was a pretty good boyfriend so far. He ate lunch with her every day. He would walk with her between classes if they were on the same side of the school. He had wanted to hang out after school, but she was too busy.

Jaden and Sienna were having lunch together on Friday in the cafeteria. She was going over her World Geography notes for a test she had after lunch.

“What are we doing this weekend?” Jaden asked, once again he was fiddling with his cigarette lighter. She noticed he did it without thinking, just as a way to keep his hands busy.

“I am not sure what WE are doing. I play softball both days this weekend.” Sienna replied, putting an emphasis on we. She flipped to the next page of notes.

“You play softball an awful lot. Do you ever feel like it is more of a job than fun?” he asked thoughtfully.

“Softball is still enjoyable for me. And I have to be good if I want a college to sign me, and give me a scholarship.” She said, spinning her pencil in her fingers.

“It just seems like all you do.”

“Well before you no one really cared what I did with my time. And I can’t really afford to pay for college without an athletic scholarship in addition to academic scholarships.” Sienna said nonchalantly.

“Oh,” was all he said.

“We can hang out for a bit tonight, if you want.” She said finally, looking up at him with her big blue eyes.

“What would we do?” His classic smirk returning to his freckled face. Sienna rolled her eyes.

“We could go to Shawnee Mission Park, I’ve never been.” Sienna suggested.

“Not what I had in mind, but can the guys come?” Jaden asked.

“Whatever you want. Come to my house a little bit after school and we will go.” Sienna said gathering her books up to head to her World Geography class.

“Awesome. See you after school.” He said before taking off. Their classes were on opposite sides of the building right after lunch.

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Sienna arrived home after school and took her books up to her room. She changed out of her jeans and nice shirt into a T-Shirt and shorts to go to the park. She went back down to the kitchen for a snack where she ran into Brody.

“I hear we are going on a date with you?” He asked, crossing his arms.

“We are just going to hang out at the park. It is not a date. But if you have an issue, you don’t have to come.” Sienna replied as she began peeling an orange. Brody could be so dramatic.

“So, no making out?” Brody asked. Sienna shook her head. “Okay, knowing you guys are dating is bad enough.”

“Like you have never overshared your love life before?” she said rolling her eyes. Brody gave her a grin. He had always been a little girl crazy since they were little. She was sure he was chasing a girl or two at the same time.

“Well Jaden and Stephen should be here any minute. Stephen texted a bit ago to say they were on their way.” Brody said, stealing half her peeled orange. She glared at him and started peeling a second orange.

Brody and Sienna finished eating the oranges in silence, laughter broke out from the basement. Jaden and Stephen’s voices trailing upstairs. Stephen was Brody’s friend who dropped out of high school to help raise his younger siblings. His mother was Korean and his father was African American. He was only about 5’4” and he looked tiny among Brody’s usual group of friends, especially next to Brody. Stephen as almost always smiling and laughing, fun should have been his middle name. The boys made their way upstairs.

“You guys ready?” Brody asked.

“Yeah, let’s go!” Stephen said, kicking at the air in front of him.

“Well I finished fixing Sienna’s car, and she can drive us.” Brody said. He turned 16 in about a month and was dying to start driving. He was already quite the mechanic for someone who could not legally drive.

They loaded into the tiny blue Chevrolet Cavalier, Jaden behind Sienna’s chair and Stephen behind Brody’s. Brody would not actually fit in the backseat without kneeing himself in the face.