While You Were Pretending

Chapter Fourteen

As I take the dishes off the table, it pleases me to see Jackie full and happy. I’m glad she’d called her mom to change plans and we’d had my house to ourselves. We’d ordered in and now planned on watching a movie by the fire. “Still have room for dessert?”

“For ‘the chocolate dream’? Always.”

I chuckle and reach into the fridge for the brownie-cake thing from Carrabba’s. With two spoons, I motion toward the living room. “The fire should be nice and steady now.”

She walks with me, putting her hand on my lower back. “I’m really glad we could do this tonight.”

After placing the dessert on the coffee table, I sit down with her, tucking her close to my chest. I kiss the top of her head, “Me too.”

She gives me a squeeze then sits up a bit better. “It sucks I leave in a couple of days.”

I make a face; she laughs and starts rubbing my chest. “But then I’ll be there when you get to school!” I make another face; she giggles again and leans up to kiss me. “It won’t be so bad.”

I brush my nose across hers, “No, I suppose not. What time did your dad set up the car for Thursday?”

“Ten o’clock, check-out.”

My fingers slowly drift up and down her arm, “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you back?”

“Oh gosh, no! You’d waste so much gas. And there wouldn’t be enough time for you to come home and get ready for school.”

“What if I got ready before Thursday?”

After reaching for the sweets, she shakes her head. “No, no! You still have a whole week before you and Peyton head back.” After finishing a huge bite, she pushes her knee against mine. “I know your parents want to spend time with you and she wants to spend time with you.”

“True. And… it’ll give me enough time to finish your Valentine’s Day gift.”

Jackie completely perks up and looks at me quickly. “Oh, yeah?”

I only nod.

She pokes my side. “Oh yeah?”

“Mhm.”

She squints. “Good thing I already know what I’m getting you.”

“I’m pretty sure mine’s going to be better.”

She laughs, “Oh heck no. Mine’s perfect for you.”

I poke her this time, “And mine’s perfect for you.” She gives me a look so I start tickling her. Fighting just enough, she can’t help but laugh. I only stop when she’s in a perfect position for me to kiss her. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

She brushes her hair away from my face, her eyes boring into mine, “Yeah, I guess so.”

*

Jackie’s hand fits perfectly in mine; her soft, warm hand, sitting gently against my palm. After another successful date, the last before she has to head home, we’re wandering around the Barnes And Noble by the movie theater.

“Looking for anything in particular?”

She squeezes my hand. “Nope.”

We wander for a little bit longer, then I remember, “Oh! We should see if they have your favorite book, so I can read it.”

“The Great Gatsby? I thought you’ve already read that.”

“I have, but way back in high school. I don’t own it, either.”

She gives me a look of adoration then redirects us towards the classics. “What about for you? What book should I be reading?”

“I thought you’ve already read The Picture of Dorian Gray?”

She smirks, “I have, but way back in high school. I don’t own it, either.”

I chuckle and twist her into a hug. “I like you.”

She lifts on her toes to kiss me. “I like you, too.”

*

Partway through the drive back to her mother’s house, Jackie gets a text, and her whole demeanor changes. I reach my hand to her leg and rub my thumb across her thigh. “Everything okay?”

Her hand curls over mine, but she doesn’t reply. Just when I’m about to leave it, she looks at me quickly. “I just got a text from my sister.”

“Oh?”

“She asked where I was, to which I said with you. She asked why, and I put ‘lol ‘cause I like him’ with a question mark. Then, she asked ‘oh, you do’ before saying ‘great, he likes you too’. Which… I was going to laugh at but then I wondered. Well,” she reaches the hand that had been mine to scratch at her brow, “she does know we’re dating, right?”

I put my hand back on the wheel, knowing I’ve f****d up.

“Luke?”

“I haven’t told her directly, exactly, that we’re dating, no.”

There’s a sharp inhale, “But why?”

I tighten my hands on the wheel, “Because I wanted this to be private… just for a little bit.” When I look over quickly, I see her head shake. “This is all very new…” I try to explain.

She slams her phone on her lap. “What do you want from me, Luke?”

Confused, I look to her again. “What?”

“You want me to lie, too? You want to fake not being together?” she curses.

I slow the car down, just outside of her mom’s. Turning to her I explain, “No! Gosh, no! I want you… to be happy.”

Definitely upset, she instantly reacts. “And what are you, the happiness police? What about you and Peyton? What? Did she say you can’t have me or some s**t? There’s a huge difference between privacy and secrecy, Luke.

“When are you actually going to talk to her about what’s going on - stand up for yourself and not let her walk all over you.”

I shut the car off. Knowing she’s completely misunderstanding, all I can think to say is, “Excuse me, just because you’re her sister doesn’t make you an expert.”

At this point, she’s already outside the car, leaning on the door. “A life-long friendship hasn’t made you one either,” and she slams the car door shut.