Taming Of The TOMBOY!!!!

Chapter 11

“How could you do that to her?” Jack demanded as soon as Mrs. Parker picked up the phone. He knew that he shouldn’t talk to her like that since she is Jenny’s mother and he really love and respect her as his own mother. But he couldn’t control himself. Seeing Jenny cry like that had nearly killed him. He knew Jenny very well to know that she never allows herself to show anyone her emotions. She always hides her true feelings beneath her anger. And his heart was breaking just thinking that exactly how much pain would cause her to break down like that in front of him.

“Trust me Jack. It’s for her own good.” Mrs. Parker said calmly and somehow soothingly, not at all bothered by his demanding voice.

“But…but…you didn’t see her. She was so….devastated, so broken. I’ve never seen her like that before. Oh Dolly she was in so much pain! How could you do that to her? You know how much you mean to her!” Jack said desperately.

“Come down Jack. I did that so that she would stop running from her feelings. And trust me Jack she is not as much upset with me as you think she is. I mean of course she is upset with me but she is more upset with herself, with her feelings for you.”

“I don’t know or care why she is upset. All I know that she is upset. And I cant see her hurt like that.”

“My, my. Aren't you a total lovesick puppy?” Mrs. Parker chuckled.

“How could you joke and laugh at me when Jenny's hurting like that?” Jack asked getting mad.

“Because I could see what you can’t kiddo. Jenny is not hurting; she is just scared of her feelings for you which means she has finally started to realize them herself. She is falling for you, Jack. And I would say that's a good thing. Won't you?”

“Really?” Jack's voice was hopeful this time.

“Really.” Mrs. Parker assured affectionately.

……………………..

Jack was pacing restlessly in his office. He was on the edge of frustration. Three days has passed since Jenny’s painful confrontation with her mother and since then he hadn’t seen a single smile on her face. Actually, he hadn't seen any kind of emotion on her face. And she was completely avoiding him. For the past three days, she had been eating her breakfast in silence, then had gone to her office and worked there till long hours, and then after returning at home she had eaten her dinner silently and busied herself with a book until she went to sleep. No matter what he did, he couldn’t lighten her mood or get any kind of emotion out of her. She talked to him only when it was necessary and was living like a robot. Jack was really desperate now to lighten her mood, to make her happy. He was desperate to get his old Jenny back, his fighting Jenny, his spirited Jenny, his tomboy Jenny. He’d do anything for that, anything. But he just didn’t know what to do to make her happy and it frustrated him like hell. Then suddenly it hit him. Of course, he knew! He felt like kicking himself on the ass. Why didn’t he think of that before? How could he be so stupid? For the past three days, he had been fretting over this problem when the solution was right under his nose! Anyway, what’s gone is gone. He is going to fix everything now. For the first time in the last three days there was a huge smirk on his face. He was going to get his old wife back!

……………………………..

It was a Saturday afternoon and Jenny was sitting on the couch with a book in her hands. But her mind was hardly on the object on her hand. Nope. She could hardly avert her mind into anything from the object it seemed to be obsessed with, Jack. She had been avoiding Jack since that devastating night, well at least physically. But with her mind; she sighed, it was a totally different story.

She heard Jack humming happily on the kitchen and for the fiftieth time of the day she frowned in confusion. ‘What’s the matter with him?’ she thought. That night, after her traumatic confrontation with her feelings, she had cried herself to sleep. And in the morning when she had finally calmed down she was embarrassed to hell and as always got really mad at herself for that. How could she break down like that in front of Jack? How could she? Now he is going to think her as a poor weak crybaby who couldn’t hold their emotions together. But she is not weak! No! Jenny Cooper was anything but weak! Oh God, why did she keep exposing her feelings to Jack? Why? Now how was she going to face Jack? She didn’t think that she could. So she decided to avoid him. But that’s not the only reason of it.

The truth is she didn’t trust herself anymore. She was afraid that if she spent too much time with Jack, she might do something she will regret. So she started avoiding him which was really difficult since he was trying so hard to lighten her mood, to make her talk to him, to get her attention. And though it sounds weird she actually missed fighting with him. Now that she thinks about it she actually enjoyed her little fights with Jack. She smiled a little at that and then frowned again as she heard Jack whistle a tune from the kitchen.

Jack had been acting really weird since he came home from the office yesterday. He had been so desperate to cheer her mood up, to get a response from her but then suddenly, yesterday, he stopped doing all these things. He hadn’t tried once to get her attention since then and though it shouldn’t it hurts. And then there was that huge smirk on his face since the moment he got home yesterday as if he had solved a great mystery and it hasn’t left his face yet.

‘What’s that all about?’ she thought. ‘Why is he so happy? And why isn’t he trying to make me talk to him?’ Then a sudden thought struck her. ‘Has he given up on me?’ she thought feeling really hurt. ‘But then again why should it matter? Isn’t that what I wanted?’ she tried to convince herself but it didn’t work at all. Then she sat straight as a worse thought came into her mind.

‘Has he….has he met someone? Someone he got attracted to? Someone who made him forget about me? Someone he was falling for?’ Her eyes got widen in panic and she was almost shaking with a feeling she didn't recognize when she heard Jack humming again in the kitchen. ‘And what the heck is he doing in the kitchen for the past two and half hours?’ she thought. Well, she could easily find out the answer of this one by simply pushing her ego aside and checking it herself by going into the kitchen. But she was, after all, Jenny and pushing her ego aside was simply out of question. So she just sat there thinking, with a tornado running inside her head. Then she was suddenly pulled from her thoughts by the startling sound of the doorbell. ‘Now who could that be?’ she thought with confusion as she got up and started for the door. Since her marriage to Jack, they didn’t have a visitor in their house. She reached the door, opened it and then…….. screamed.

…………………………..

“Laura!” Jenny screamed happily as she pulled her cousin into a tight hug. She has missed Laura so much and considering the way Laura was hugging her back, the feeling was returned. When they finally broke the hug they were almost jumping with happiness and grinning hugely at each other. Then someone cleared their throat.

“What, all the love and hugs are only for your sister? Nothing for me? Now I found that really offensive Jenny”, came from a deep male voice and Jenny immediately turned her attention from Laura to the extremely handsome man who was standing beside her with a teasing smile on his lips.

Jenny pretended to think and said “That depends on how you have been treating my sister for the past month. Let me ask her first. If I get an okay report then you just might have a hug. But if I get any kind of bad report then trust me you are going to lose your head.” Jenny said trying to look very stern and serious but couldn’t keep up the act and broke into a huge grin. “Come on now Boris”, she said and hugged him and Boris patted her back affectionately.

“I really missed you, buddy.” Jenny said pulling away.

“I missed you too, champ,” Boris replied smiling.

“Ah sorry to disturb your emotional family reunion moment but Jenny I really think you should let them come in,” Jack said coming behind Jenny with an amused smile on his face.

Jenny turned to look at him and then gaining sense turned back to Laura and Boris and said “Oops. Sorry. Come in, come in.”

“Jack! It's so nice to see you again. How have you been?” Laura said stepping into the house and giving him a brief hug and Jenny rolled her eyes.

“I have been fine Laura and I'm really glad to see you and Boris too.” Jack replied smiling and shook hands with Boris “Thank you so much for coming.” He said and led them to the living room offering them to sit down.

“There’s no need to thank us. Of course we would have come. In fact, it should be us who should thank you. We were missing Jenny so much. Especially Laura. She was dying to see Jenny. You know what she means to her. Thanks for inviting us.” Boris said placing an arm around Laura’s shoulder who was sitting next to him on the couch.

Jenny turned to Jack who was sitting next to her on the opposite couch of Boris and Laura with a shocked expression while Jack was smiling at Boris and saying, “Oh come on now. There’s nothing to thank me for. Jenny was missing you guys too. So the pleasure is really all mine.”

Jenny wasn’t hearing any of this. She was still gaping at Jack with her mouth open in apparent shock. “You invited them?” She managed to ask finally.

Laura and Boris looked at them getting a little surprised themselves while Jack was smiling at Jenny with clear affection in his eyes and replied shrugging “Well, yeah.”

“You didn’t tell her?” Laura asked Jack voicing her surprise.

Jack blushed a little as he started to explain, “Um no. Well, actually I wanted it to be as a surprise for her. So I…….” but he never got to finish his sentence as suddenly Jenny jumped and hugged him tightly. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” She exclaimed excitedly, “Thank you so much for doing all this. You have no idea how happy this has made me. Thanks again for this wonderful surprise.”

For a moment Jack was just frozen in his place. It was the first time since he had met Jenny that she hugged him and that too willingly and most importantly happily! If he had any idea that inviting Laura and Boris would make Jenny hug him he would have done it right after the wedding day! He grinned hugely as he hugged her back.

“Awwwwwww……. That was so sweet of you Jack.” Laura said smiling, “I must tell that I had no idea you were so romantic when I first met you. But now I’m really impressed.”

Suddenly Jenny realized what she was doing and quickly pulled away from the hug. She was surprised at her own action. She just hugged Jack Cooper willingly? Without any kind of provocation from him? Really? But that was really nice of him to do what he did. She tried to rationalize herself. Yeah right it was really nice of him and she was really thankful. And he deserved her gratitude so no harm was done. So she looked at Jack and smiled at him who already had a huge grin plastered on his face.

“Oh, you two are so adorable!” Laura said excitedly and Jenny blushed a little and averted her eyes from Jack and looked at Laura who nudged Boris with her elbow and said, “See how romantic Jack is? Learn something from him.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Oh please. This guy is literary treating you like a princess for the past ten years. What could you possibly want him to do more? Build you a castle?”

“Thanks, champ. At least someone understands my feelings.” Jack said with a feigned sad sigh which made Laura slap on his shoulder and he grinned.

“No probs buddy. Just tell me whenever my sister troubles you and I will set her straight. You are too a nice guy to deserve any kind of trouble.”

“Ummm… Jenny, thanks for the support and also for the compliment but weren’t you just threatening me outside to cut my head if you hear anything bad from Laura on how I treat her?

For a moment they just stared at each other and then all of them burst into laughter.

………………………………..

“Mmmmmmmm. Jack, you are amazing!” Laura said licking her fingers. Boris nodded in agreement and said “Really Jack you are a fantastic cook. Jenny is so lucky to have such an amazing personal cook.”

“Oh please.” Laura interrupted. “My cousin here is always lucky. Right now I am so jealous of her. How come she always got all the good cooks? I mean first Aunt Megan who was, in my opinion, the best cook of the whole universe until I got to taste Jack’s heavenly dishes. And now Jack, you. I’ve got no word to describe your talent in cooking. You are just out of the world!”

“Hey that’s not true. I’m not better than Dolly. In fact, Dolly is a far better cook then I am. I really love her cooking.” Jack protested immediately meaning each of the words and then grimaced remembering that the whole point of inviting Boris and Laura for dinner was to make Jenny forget all the upsetting things from her confrontation with her mother that night that has been keeping her so upset all the time and make her happy. But mentioning Dolly’s name here when things were just looking up isn’t going to help this mission. Then he glanced at Jenny and his fear was confirmed. ‘Oh s**t’ he thought ‘she has gone upset again.’ He will have to change the topic. He opened his mouth to change their conversation into another subject but apparently, Laura had some other plans on her mind.

“Wait! Dolly? You call Aunt Megan Dolly?” she asked with her jaw hung open. Boris seemed to be shocked too and Jenny stiffened.

‘Oh, crap’ Jack thought. ‘Too much for changing the subject.’ “Umm yeah.” Jack replied uncomfortably; totally aware of Jenny’s darkening mood. He swallowed. Please let them drop the subject here. He prayed silently. Please let them not ruin all the efforts he had made to make Jenny smile again. Please let them forget the subject.

“And…do you….like……call her that…..in front of her? I mean does she let you call her that?

‘Apparently not’ Jack thought, referring to his earlier wish and sighed inwardly. “Well yeah.” He replied to Laura.

Laura seemed to be got really taken aback and so was Boris. They looked at each other looking really dumb folded.

Alright, Jack knew that Mrs. Parker hasn’t let anyone except Mr. Parker, Mr. Dayton and himself call her ‘Dolly’ and got really pissed whenever someone else tried to call her by her nick name. But was it really that big of a deal? He means he knew that it was really a big deal but weren’t they overreacting a little? Or maybe they weren’t. Maybe they seemed to be overreacting in his eyes because he didn’t want to continue this conversation and was getting really impatient to end this chapter. ‘Yes that’s the case’ he realized. And before Laura could have said anything more about this particular topic he grabbed the wine bottle and said quickly, “Hey Laura, your glass has gone empty. Let me refill it.” And he started to pour wine on his glass when Laura stopped him.

“No way. I’m so full! There’s no more space left in my stomach. Thanks to you.”

They finished eating and got back to the living room. Once again they fall into easy conversations and Jack was relieved to see the smile back on Jenny’s face.

Then suddenly Laura clapped her hands and said “I have an idea! Let’s do something fun!”

“And what is that exactly you want to do for fun?” Jenny asked suspiciously raising an eyebrow as she knew her cousin’s definition of fun meant trouble for her.

“Let’s play ‘truth or dare’! It’d be so much fun!” Laura jumped getting excited like a little kid and Boris smiled at her getting really amused at her childlike excitement and his eyes were sparkling with clear adoration.

Jenny groaned. “No way. You know that I hate this game!”

“That’s because you’re such a chicken!” Laura challenged knowing very well that this will do the work. Jenny will never back up from a challenge.

“I am not a chicken,” Jenny replied emphasizing every word. Laura could already see the determination forming in Jenny’s eyes just as Laura knew she would. But Laura decided to push it a little more. It was really fun to tease Jenny like that. They have always teased and provoked each other like that since their childhood and old habits die hard.

“Yes, you are a chicken. That’s why you are so afraid to play this game. And you try to hide it by saying things like "this is illogical" and "childish" and you hate this game. But the truth is you just don’t have the guts to play this game. Because you are a chicken.”

“Enough! We are playing this damn game right now!” Jenny said and got up to bring an empty bottle from the kitchen. Laura bit back the laugh that almost escaped. God! Her cousin could be so predictable sometimes! Boris and Jack didn’t say a word and were looking at each other exchanging glances with clear amusement written all over their face. They were certainly enjoying the exchange between the two sisters. In fact, they were enjoying it a lot.

Jenny got back from the kitchen with a bottle in her hand and all of them sat down on the floor. “Okay, here we go,” Jenny said placing the bottle between them. “Boris, spin the bottle.” Boris spanned the bottle and it pointed to……..Laura.

“Not fair!” Laura whined. “Why do I have to be the first one?”

“It’s only fair,” Jenny smirked victoriously. “Since it was your idea to play this stupid game. Now Jack, don’t go any easy on her.” She warned Jack sternly and he smiled at her; happy that she was finally getting comfortable around him.

“I won’t,” he assured her and turned to Laura. “So Laura? Truth or Dare?” He asked.

“Ummm truth.” She replied after thinking a while.

“Okay so. Tell us about one evil thing that you have done that nobody knows about. And nobody means nobody, not even Jenny can know this before you tell us now.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Duh…. Evil and Laura? She was never the bad girl. She was always the sweet and shy girl. The only times she got a little evil, it was always around me. So there’s no way that she has done something evil and I don’t know about it.” She said confidently before she suddenly saw Laura bit her lips nervously. Jenny’s eyes widened as she exclaimed “OH MY GOD! Laura! What have you done? TELL ME!”

Laura smiled again nervously and started “Umm well…..”

………………………….

“Okay remember when we were in our sophomore year in high school, there was that beautiful blonde girl Miranda?”

Boris seemed to remember as he nodded immediately and looked at Laura questioningly but Jenny frowned and asked “Miranda, who?”

Laura rolled her eyes and said, “The girl who always threw herself at Boris?”

Boris blushed a little at that and Jenny said “A lot of girls used to throw themselves at Boris. Which one are you talking about?”

This made Boris blush more furiously and Jenny smiled inwardly. Boris was always the shy guy. She and Laura had known him since kindergarten. And though it sounds weird they had gone to same kindergarten, same middle school, and same high school. Though when it came to college Jenny had attended a different college but Laura and Boris had attended the same college. Well obviously since they were madly in love and couldn’t be apart from each other. But what’s weird is that though Jenny and Laura have known Boris practically all their life they have never talked to him until high school. Jenny never bothered to make friends in her school life since she had Laura and she was all that she needed. So she didn’t really notice other people around them. So she never made an attempt to talk to Boris though she always knew that he was a really nice guy and she always had a respect for him. But that’s it. Other than some occasional “hi” and waves they were mere strangers to each other. As for Laura, she was too of a shy girl to attempt a conversation with him. But she did manage to develop a crush for him by middle school. And as it turned out later the feelings were returned. Jenny really started to be friends with Boris in their sophomore year, after Boris proposed Laura and she gladly accepted and they became a couple. As Jenny got to know Boris she realized just how nice he was. He had been practically a big brother to her since then. He was always there for her when she needed him, always stood for her, always supported, and always helped her with a smile so gentle and caring that sometimes she wanted to cry out of joy. He always meted her every childish demand with a warm smile on his face like an amused big brother and he was the only person other than her mom and Laura that she had let come so close to her heart. In short, he was the big brother she’d never had. It’s really hard to find a guy like Boris in high school. Especially when he was the captain of the football team of their high school. But unlike most of the football players in their school he wasn’t arrogant, or a jerk, or most importantly a player. In fact, he was the nicest and shy guy in their whole school. Sure, girls always threw themselves at him but he never once got carried away. He didn’t even talk to any girls until Laura. Boris and Laura had liked each other since middle school but with both of them being shy; none of them took a step toward each other. Then in high school, their crush blossomed into love and Boris finally gathered the courage to propose her. Laura accepted only too willingly and that was it. Laura was the first and last girl in Boris’s life and Boris was the first and last guy in Laura’s life. Laura got her Mr. Right and Jenny got a caring and loving big brother. Laura and Boris were perfect for each other. Mr. and Miss perfect. She was the shy, sweet, nerdy, beautiful girl. He was the shy, nice, responsible and gorgeous guy. In fact, Boris was such a nice guy that Jenny gave him a nickname “Boris the saint” and often used to and still does tease him calling that.

“Hello. Earth to Jenny?” Laura waved and Jenny was pulled back from her thoughts.

“Okay, so I was saying” Laura started again as Jenny’s attention was back on her “Miranda.” She sighed and looked at Jenny. “I know most of the girl used to try to get Boris’s attention but she was the boldest one. If you still don’t remember then she was the meanest girl in our class. Remember now?”

Now she remembered. That girl indeed used to cross all her limits to get Boris’s attention though it never worked. But it wasn’t because of her lack of trying. “Oh yes, I remember now. What about her?” Jenny asked Laura, getting confused.

Laura bit her lips again. “Umm…… well she was always throwing herself at him in most…..uh…. outrageous way and always claiming him to be as hers and I really loved Boris and at that time I didn’t know that he felt the same for me. So…..”

“So?” Boris and Jenny asked in unison and Jack was looking at Laura curiously.

“Umm so …..” she bit her lips again. She was really doing it a lot.

“So?” Boris asked this time.

“So I kind of……”

“So you kind of what Laura?” Jenny asked getting really impatient now. The suspense was killing her.

Laura took a deep breath and said: “Remember how she had to cut all her hair?”

Jenny nodded remembering. Boris nodded too. “Yeah, she had to cut all her hair because someone stuck chewing gum all over her hairbrush and she got them stuck all over her hair while she brushed her hair without noticing it, Right?” Jenny asked recalling the memory and then she suddenly widened her eyes as she realized “Wait! You are not trying to say…… I mean you can’t be saying that……”

“That someone was me,” Laura admitted finally looking ashamed. “I was the one who stuck chewing gums all over her hairbrush as I knew that she never really noticed her hairbrush while she brushes her hair. So I stole it from her bag, got chewing gums hidden all over in it and placed it back on her bag.”

Jenny, Jack, and Boris stared at Laura with all of their jaws dropped open. Laura looked at them, from one’s face to another and finally asked “Come on guys. Don’t just stare at me like that. Say something, please. Do you all hate me now?”

As soon as her sentence was finished other three broke into huge grins. “Hate you? Hell no. That chick really used to frustrate the hell out of me. No matter how much I tried she wouldn’t just leave me alone. She just didn’t have any self-respect. There were times I really wanted to slap her hard or at least scream at her but of course, I couldn’t do that. I really hated that girl and I hated the way she treated the weaker girls. You didn’t do anything wrong. Well maybe you did but it doesn’t count as wrong in her case.”

Boris said grinning at her and then took her in his arms.

“You really think so?” she asked looking into his eyes.

“I really think so.” Boris said assuring her with a warm smile and Laura sighed in relief. “Though the whole jealousy part was really unnecessary. As I always had my eyes only for you. But I’m glad that you did get jealous or otherwise you wouldn’t have done anything like that and I would have never known that my sweet, little, shy wife had some fire in her after all.” Boris added grinning and this time it was Laura who blushed furiously.

‘Huh, the blushing couple!’ Jenny thought in her head and smiled. And then she cleared her throat and said “Okay I understand why you didn’t tell Boris but why didn’t you tell me? I’m your best friend! You used to share every single thing with me. Why did you hide this one?”

“Because I thought you are going to hate me if I told you this. I mean I was feeling so guilty after doing it, for a while, I hated myself! I wasn’t thinking when I did it; I acted on impulse without thinking the consequences. But later when I did think about it I really felt guilty. I mean I’ve never done anything like that before in my life. I’ve never harmed anyone. I’ve never even spoken rudely to anyone and then suddenly I did this and she was crying so frantically and then she had to go and cut all her hair and she couldn’t face anyone for a while and it was all because of me and I felt bad for her.”

“You felt bad for HER?” Jenny asked incredulously.

“As strange as it sounds, yes, I did.”

“Of course you did. You are after all the sweet, nice, Laura.” Jenny concluded. “But you should have told me. I wouldn’t have hated you. The only thing I would have done was throw you a party to celebrate your victory.” Jenny said grinning and gave her a hug.

She was still finding it hard to believe that Laura would do something like that! She smiled to herself. Maybe Jealousy could really drive someone into doing things, totally out of their nature. She wondered what would she do herself if somehow she really got jealous of someone. She would never find out though. Because she has never really gotten jealous. Nor that she ever will. She just doesn’t have that feeling. Little did she know that this was going to be changed. SOON.

………………………..

“Okay let’s get back to the game,” Laura said and spanned the bottle. This time it pointed toward Jenny.

Jenny sighed and looked at Boris, “Okay Bro, Shoot.”

“Come on Boris, don’t get any easy on her.” Laura mocked repeating Jenny’s words.

Boris smiled and asked “Truth or dare?”

“I will stick with truth.” Jenny replied sighing.

“Okay then, tell us. How did you fall in love with Jack? I mean what about him made a tomboy like you fall so hard for him?”

“How did I what?” Jenny started asking incredulously but then realization hit her. ‘Of course! To them I and Jack are madly in love with each other.’ She thought. She was actually surprised then that she hadn’t already done something to make Laura and Boris suspicious about her and Jacks relationship since she had totally forgotten about it. She will have to be careful from now on. She will have to pretend like a happily married woman who is totally in love with her husband. She grimaced at that thought. Now how does she do that? And how do people on love act anyway? She couldn’t possibly act like a smitten lovesick puppy. No, way, she just couldn’t. She just didn’t have it on her.

She was jerked from her thoughts at Laura’s whining. “It’s not fair Boris! I thought I told you not to go easy on her. But now you are like totally being partial.” She pouted.

Boris smiled. “If you think that making Jenny talk about romance and especially when it’s her own love story is going easy on her then you don’t really know your cousin. I’m not going easy on her. In fact, it’s the most difficult thing for her. Right, Jenny?”

Jenny smiled at him and thought to herself ‘more than you think.’

Laura’s face lit up and she said “You are right!” then she turned to Jenny and grinned at her evilly “So Jenny tell us your love story.

‘Oh, crap’ she thought. Now, what does she tell them? That she didn’t love Jack? That she never did? That the only reason she married him in the first place was to give Laura and Boris their happy ending? To save their love? Yeah, she can tell them that and cause a world war 3. Nothing on the whole world could possibly hurt Laura and Boris more than the knowledge that she has sacrificed herself for them. No, she can never do that to them, she can never hurt them like that.

“Hello? Jenny? We are waiting.” Laura said waving her hands.

Jenny took a deep breath and looked at Laura and Boris. “Ummm….. well….you guys know that I’m not…really…good at expressing…my..feelings, right?” she glanced nervously at them.

“Come on it couldn’t be that hard. Just tell us. How did you fall in love with Jack, Jenny?” Boris encouraged.

“I just…..I just did! I don’t know how or why or when. All I know is that that I did …uh…..fall in love” she grimaced again as she said the words “with him and I can’t explain it. And you wouldn’t have asked me if it was that easy Boris.” She told him raising one eyebrow.

“Oh no. You can’t get off that easily. If you can’t answer our question then you will have to do the dare.”

“Okay, I will do that” she agreed a little too quickly as she sighed with relief and then to cover that up she asked quickly “But Boris what had gotten into you today? You were never so tough on me. You used to always save me from trouble right?”

Boris grinned at her “As you said before, no partiality on the game. I’m just following your orders. So ready for your task?”

Jenny sighed and told “Yeah. Tell me what sufferings lay ahead.”

“Oh, nothing much. I’m going easy on you this time.” Boris smiled and something in that smile made Jenny suspicious. “All you have to do is kiss Jack in front of us.”

“What!” she exclaimed with shock. Whatever she was suspecting she wasn’t expecting this! At least not from Boris! She turned to Laura. “Okay Laura, what have you done to him? How did my so sweet and shy brother become so bold?”

Laura rolled her eyes and said “Oh come on, Jenny. You are overreacting. He hasn’t asked you to go on the street and kiss a random person. All he has asked you to do is kiss your own husband! As if you already don’t do it all the time!” she smiled knowingly.

‘If only she knew’ Jenny sighed to herself and told Laura “But I can’t…..I can’t do it in front of you guys!”

“Come on Jenny. You guys are married for God’s sake! And so are we. And you have done that before while hundreds of people were watching, remember? On our wedding day?”

Jenny blushed remembering how Jack had kissed her that day in front of everyone. At that time she didn’t think about how everyone else was watching them since she was too mad at Jack to think about anything else. But now as she realized the fact she couldn’t help but blush more furiously.

“Look who is blushing. I never thought that one day I will see YOU blushing!” Laura said with a teasing smile.

“I agree to that.” Boris said as well and Jack was looking at her with amusement written all over his face. ‘Of course! He will find the whole situation amusing’ she thought bitterly. Now, what does she do about the situation? Laura was right. Newly married couples, especially the ones who are supposed to be madly in love, do kissing all the time. It’s not Laura’s or Boris’s fault that they didn’t know that she didn’t love Jack. Now she will just have to kiss Jack. Or otherwise, she will raise their suspicions. She couldn’t afford to do that.

So she sighed and said, “Alright I will do it.” And turned to Boris. “You do know that I will get back to you for that don’t you?”

Boris shrugged and said “You can do whatever you want to do when the time comes. For now, I would suggest you go ahead and complete your own tusk.”

“Alright. Just keep that on your mind.” Jenny replied and turned to Jack.‘Now how do I do that?’ she thought. ‘I’ve never kissed him before. I mean of course I did but I never started it!' She looked at Jack and was surprised to find him smilingly warmly at her and she was more surprised to find the assurance on that smile. It was as if he knew what she was feeling and trying to assure her that everything’s going to be alright. But what she found most surprising was the fact that she actually found some courage from that smile and felt a little confidence. She leaned toward him to kiss him and he leaned forward to meet the kiss. As soon as their lips met he took the lead of the kiss and she was relieved. Because she seriously didn’t know what to do since she was only too aware of Laura and Boris watching. She was surprised to find Jack kissing her so sweetly, not demanding more, not deepening the kiss, just sweetly and softly as if to assure her through the kiss and she was grateful to him for that. Then they pulled away softly from each other and Jenny looked at the floor not daring to look at Laura or Boris.

“Wow…that was sweet!” Laura said making Jenny blush again as she bit her lips.

“Alright. Let’s move on the game” Boris came at her rescue as if reading her embarrassment and she wanted to hug him for that.

So the bottle was spanned again and this time it pointed to Jack.

“So.” Laura said “Tell us. Who was the girl you had your first kiss with?”

This made Jenny highly interested. Though it didn’t make any sense she was curious.

Jack blushed a little and this time it was Jenny who was amused. Jack Cooper is blushing! Not bad. Not bad at all! But as she waited for his answer there was another emotion inside her with the curiosity and the amusement which she didn’t understand.

“Jenny.” Jack replied finally and Jenny was shocked to death. She didn't expect it to be possible even in her dreams. No way, it couldn’t be true. It wasn’t just possible! There wasn’t just any way that a man like Jack has never kissed anyone or been kissed by anyone all that time. And if what he was saying was true then the kiss he forced on her on their wedding day was his first kiss as well. This was just not possible that someone could be that good on their first kiss. “No way!” she said finally voicing her shock.

As if reading her mind he leaned and whispered in her eyes, “Why? Was it that good?” And then gave her a wicked smile. Then he straightened and said “Yes. Jenny is the only girl I have ever kissed before.” looking at Laura and Boris who seemed to appear just as shocked as she was which was totally normal. ‘Surely. I mean just look at him!’ Jenny thought.

Then another most shocking thought hit her. ‘If I was the only girl he had ever kissed does that mean…..?” as if reading her mind Laura asked apparently sounding shocked “Do you mean Jenny is the first woman in your life?”

“Umm yeah. But why are you guys so surprised? I mean You and Boris are each other’s first and last too right?"

“Yeah but. But we were very young when we found each other and have been dating for the last ten years until we got married last month. We were only fifteen when we started dating. But you. You are twenty-seven now and you have been single all your life until you met Jenny two months ago! This is sure something to get shocked about. Especially when it comes to someone like you! If you will allow me, may I ask why?”

“Why what?” Jack asked.

“Why have you have remained single all your life?”

“Oh.” Jack shrugged. “I was just never interested.” He said and then looked at Jenny with a wicked grin. “Or rather correctly no one made me interested enough before.”

“Awwwww…… That’s so sweet.” Laura smiled.

Jenny didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. She was still frozen to her place.

If what Jack was saying was true then It meant…..that he is…….As if reading her mind again Jack looked at her and nodded blushing a little to confirm her thought. No way, It can’t be true. He can’t be telling truth. It must be a lie. It had to be! A man like Jack cannot be a……It wasn’t possible that he could be a….. a…….a virgin! Men like him aren’t supposed to remain a virgin that long. Don’t get her wrong, she didn’t mean any disrespect at him or his characters. She was a virgin herself and Jack was the only man she had ever shared a kiss with. And It wasn’t like no one has never tried to get her attention. In fact, it was the opposite. But she was never interested. In fact, she was always annoyed whenever a man has shown any interest in her and she had driven them away every time. But never did she expect it to be the same for Jack as well. With the looks and wealth he has, tons of women must have been throwing themselves at him all the time. And he was a man! There was just no way that he had been resisting all the seduction for so long. He couldn't be telling the truth. But he had to be! Her eyes widened as she realized. Jack had did many things that she hated since their marriage but he had never lied to her. Never. Not even once. Not even when he knew that the truth is going to make her upset. She then looked at Jack again and saw the honesty in his eyes. And she knew then for sure. And somehow that knowledge made her really happy though she had no idea why. That’s it then! She thought grinning. Her bossy, arrogant, powerful, sexy and super-rich husband was a VIRGIN!

……………………………………

“Okay, game time.” Jenny told as everyone recovered from the shock. It was Boris’s turn, obviously, since he was the only one left. Jenny looked at him and grinned evilly. “Huhuhahaha. Revenge time.” She said and then challenged “Boris Williams Smith. I dare you to choose dare.”

“Hey, that’s not fair!” Boris said defending himself.

Jenny turned to Laura. “See? Who’s being a chicken now? You should have checked your own husband before calling anyone else chicken.” Jenny said knowing very well that it was a won game now.

Laura slapped at Boris’s shoulder. “How could you let me down like that. Choose dare right now or else…….” She said and looked at him pointedly.

“Alright, Alright.” Boris said throwing his hands in the air in surrender. “I choose dare.”

Jenny grinned hugely with evident mischief on her eyes and Boris groaned.

“Oh s**t," He said "I’m dead!”