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Hey! Thanks for stopping in to my new story. I wrote itfor my Short story for class and I am REALLY proud of it. I hope you all like it.
OH! If you see any where in the story that says the name
Harry. PRETENd it says James. PLEASE. and then if you don't mind
telling me about it...
But I am pretty sure that my beta reader,
BagelMoo, we got them all. Big thanks to her.
For instance, Kari Collins was one of the prettiest girls he would ever meet and also one of the brainiest. She sat in the back corner, small dark rimmed glasses slipping slowly down her nose as she stared intently at the book she was currently reading. Every now and then, a piece of her long black hair would fall into her eyes and she would brush it back with little patience. Kari glanced up and saw him looking at her. She tilted her head and smiled, then diverted her attention back to her book.
For being only 16 she was bloody smart and nicer then anyone. However, because of her intimidating intelligence, most of the student body at Acadamy d'étude de Toulouse didn't like talking to her.
Then there was Nobel Joshlin. Most people would call him a rebel, someone who doesn't like rules. But after teaching Nobel for three consecutive years, James knew there was more to him. From the time Nobel was two he had been living in a boys’ home. He had never felt wanted or loved. He had never met his parents, which James could relate to.
James' dad had died in a plane crash before his was born. But that didn't affect him much, he knew everything about him. But he wasn't the only one. Everyone in the world knew of his dad.
Tommy Peterson was more than just his father; he was one of the world's most famous rock stars. The day his father's personal plane had crashed, the world had cried. And James had been born with a sliver spoon in his mouth.
Then his mother had come down with a bad case of cancer. It was more than money and his dad's fame could fix. His mother died before he was six and he could remember nothing of her.
So, when James had moved to France to begin his job as an English teacher, Nobel had intrigued him. He had broken into the boys shell and soon the two became friends. James had helped Nobel show the side no one knew, but the side everyone wanted to know.
Nobel still rebelled, but he wasn't as bad. He not only had James, but, because of James, he had friends.
James smiled towards Nobel and then looked back at Kari. The girl raised her eyebrow at him and dog-eared her page, then closed her book. She scooted her chair closer to Nobel's and whispered something to him. Nobel glanced up at James and then quickly back to Kari, nodding his head. He could hear the two mumbling rapid French back and forth, too quiet for him to make out.
James glanced away from Kari and Nobel. On the opposite side of the room, a large group of students sat talking, laughing, and messing around. He frowned when one of his more obnoxious students, Katelyn Zimmerman, fell off the table she had been sitting on, making her friends laugh and Nobel and Kari glance up. Nobel rolled his eyes and Kari smiled the girl’s way in sympathy. Kate, who was now blushing furiously, stood from the floor and wiped a bit of dirt off her pants. Her friends continued laughing and she glared their way. She muttered French curse words under her breath and walked to a chair closer to Kari.
When the laughter didn't stop, Kate put her head in her arms and glared at the desk. Kari frowned sadly, ignoring Nobel's attempts to get her attention. Also frowning, James decided it was time to save Kate from further humiliation (and Kari from a bruise on her arm from Nobel's rather persistent prodding). He cleared his throat loudly.
"Class!" He yelled in English. All 36 pairs of eyes looked at him. He smiled. "I think that's enough." He knew they all understood what he was saying, for many of them had the decency to blush or mutter an apology towards Kate. Kate smiled at him briefly.
"Now," He moved out in front of his desk, scanning his class. A sad gloom came over him. They wouldn't be his class much longer. "I have news. News that I am guessing you all are not going to like." The class all frowned and muttered amongst themselves momentarily.
"I..." He switched over to French, so that none of the students would think themselves hearing it wrong. "I will be returning to England in three weeks." Instead of the muttering that usually went on after big news, the class fell into a dead silence. No one seemed to move. James frowned and glanced around the room.
"James?" Kari was the first person to speak. "Are you coming back?" She asked even though the class already knew the answer.
"Not to teach." James said, sadness seeping from him. This time, the silence wasn't there, as the class began to express themselves in French and English. A book slammed loudly and Nobel stood from his seat. He looked James dead in the eye.
"I can't believe you're leaving." Nobel screamed at him in perfect English. Then the teenage boy grabbed his bag and bolted from the room. Kari yelled after him but he didn't come back.
James stared at the door and shook his head. "Well, we will discuss this more another day. It's time to start today's lesson." He looked back at the class and ignoring all their disbelieving looks, turned around to write on the blackboard.
-
After school let out on the day James was leaving, Nobel walked alone in the alley behind Acadamy d'étude de Toulouse. He hadn't been back to class since the day James had made his announcement. After running out of the class, he had really regretted it. He knew that he would be counted as skipping and that he couldn't have gone back in, not after embarrassing himself as he had.
But...he just couldn't believe James was leaving. When he had first met James 3 years ago, he had been reluctant to get close to him. But James had definitely grown on him and Nobel felt as if...
As if James was the father he never had.
Nobel sighed and lowered himself on the ground next to the building. It was really only his fault that he was hurting at the thought of James leaving him. He never should have let himself get close. Nobel had always thought somewhere deep down that everyone leaves him.
He brought his knees to his chest and laid his head on them.
"Hey, Nobel." Nobel's head snapped quickly up at the British voice. James stood at the start of the alley a sad smile on his face. Anger once again filled Nobel. He looked away, glaring in the opposite direction.
"What do you want?" He spat out in French, spreading his legs out in front of him. He heard branches snap as James came closer.
"I know you’re mad." James said as he lowered down to the ground. He grimaced. Mad? He was infuriated. "But, if you would have listened, instead of running at the first chance you got..."
"Why, what else was there for you to say?"
"Well...I wanted to talk to you about it for one thing. I do have a reason for going home."
"I'm sure you do."
"I do. I don't really wanna leave you all. But..." He sighed and cursed in English. Nobel glanced over and saw that James was staring at a brick wall across for them. He looked troubled and Nobel instantly felt sorry.
"I..."
"It's alright."
"No...I acted stupid... and really selfishly."
"Yea," James admitted and Nobel laughed. They let a comfortable but sad silence fall over them.
"I am really..." Nobel began but cut off.
"Huh?"
"I'mgonnamissyou..." He spoke really quickly and softly. James heard and smiled.
"I am going to miss you too mate." James spoke in prefect English but Nobel understood every word. "You know, I tried to get the boys' home to let me take you with me..."
"Really?"
"Yea. But you are registered at the home and can't leave the country until you're 18."
"Two more years..." He spoke sadly, but then glanced up and smiled. "Can't you wait?"
"Ha. No sorry."
"So, James, why are you going back home?" Nobel asked after a few minutes. "I mean, you don't have to answer if it's too personal."
"No, it's not." A sad look fell over James. Nobel had seen the same look thousands of times in the past three years.
"You miss someone there?" He asked cautiously, not wanting to prod. James nodded.
"Many people."
"Is there..." Nobel smiled mischievously. "Someone...special?" He wiggled his eyebrows up and down and James laughed.
"To me, she is special. I just...don't know if there could ever be anything between us." The sad look was back.
"And you're going home to find out?"
"Yea. That and I want to see the rest of my family." Nobel knew that James was talking about his best friend’s family who had taken him in when he was younger. "Also, there are too many of my dad's screaming fans here. There, people know me and don't idolize me as much." James shrugged. "Besides, I miss London."
-
The next morning, Jenny Walters shot up in bed when the loud banging at her front door awoke her from a peaceful sleep. After giving her racing heart time to settle, she looked around. The banging at her door had confused her and she wasn't sure what was going on. She scratched her nose and flung the covers off her legs.
The persistent knocking had yet to stop and was beginning to give her a headache. She rubbed on her slightly pounding forehead and stood up from the bed. Ignoring how impatient the person on the outside of her small apartment seemed to be, she took her time walking from her bedroom to the door.
By the time she got there, the knock had become a full bang and she was almost afraid the door would fall off the hinges. She rolled her eyes and leaned against the door.
“Who is it?” She called slowly as if she had all the time in the world, but loud enough that she was heard.
“Jenny! Open the bloody door.” The voice mumbled and she scrunched her eyebrows together. From the muffled sound she couldn't make out who it was.
“How do I know you're not some...” She smiled. “Axe murderer?”
“Damnit Jenny! This is not the time to be joking around!” The voice had gotten louder and in the volume increase, clearer. Her eyes got really wide and she quickly unlocked the door. The moment it was open, James Patterson practically fell into the room and slammed the door shut behind him. But not before Jenny noticed the many flashes that had managed to take a picture through the crack.
James leaned against the door and took in a deep breath.
“What in the hell took you so long?” He asked rubbing the side of his fist, which looked slightly red. Jenny assumed it was from beating the door.
“Well...” She smiled sheepishly. “I didn't realize answering my door was so important.”
“It is when the person on the other side has 50 reporters chasing him down.” James sighed and walked over to her couch, flinging himself on it. She smiled as he stretched his long legs over the coffee table and leaned his head back, shutting his eyes.
“How did they even know you were back? I mean, I didn't even know.” She let the sarcastic disappointment flood her voice.
“No one did, not even Remmington.” Remmington Walters was her older brother and James' best friend. James and Remmington had gone to high school together, with Jenny a year under them. Remmington and James’ friendship blossomed the day they met.
James rolled his neck around in a circle to get out some of the cricks and looked up at her. “And that,” He pointed to the door, where the reporters could still be heard knocking and asking to come in. “...is exactly why I didn't tell anyone.”
“I figured.” She walked into the kitchen. “Want a Frisky's Grape Soda?”
“Yea...” James mumbled barely loud enough for her to hear. She grabbed two sodas from the fridge and walked back into the living room, taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch. She handed him his soda and watched him snap it open and take a long drink. He then leaned his head back against the couch again and let the soda rest on his leg.
Having James back in her apartment was a big shock. No one in her family had seen him for three years, not since he had left for France to teach English to the kids there. He had left the day after his 21st birthday.
No one had expected him back so soon. Jenny wondered over this as James silently rested his neck. Why was he back? It was the middle of the school year and she was sure he had classes to teach. She had never gone to visit, but they had written and he had told her about his popularity over there. The students loved him and not just because of his dad's fame; the boys idolized his athletic yet lanky build and how good he was at sports; the teenage girls swooned over his good looks and young age.
She stared at him a few more seconds before voicing what was on her mind.
“Why you back home so soon?”
“You sound as if you don't want me here.” James smiled and titled his head towards her without moving it from its resting spot on the couch.
“You know that's not it.” She smiled back after rolling her eyes. “I was just wondering because it is the middle of the school year...”
“Oh...that. I am transferring over. I am going to teach English Literature at the high school.” He said with a shrug.
“But...James!” She turned fully around to face him. “You love teaching at Academy de-"
"Acadamy d'étude de Toulouse." He corrected with perfect French.
"Right...You've told me multiple times that you love your students and classes. What about the-” Jenny stopped when she heard James sigh loudly.
“Jenny...It's not the same. I'm tired of being in France. Over there, I don't really have friends, I have admirers and fan clubs, people who walk around like reporters do with an instant camera and a pen.” He frowned. “I miss being here, where I know people. I have friends, family. I mean, there are still plenty of people with the ‘your-dad-was-a-famous-rock-star’ look on their faces. But...” James let his voice fade as he stared at her. She sighed.
“Fine. Your choice.” She mumbled making James laugh.
“Gosh, Jenny, and to think I thought you would be happy to see me. Not even here for ten minutes and you’re all ready telling me to leave...” He laughed again and Jenny glared playfully at him.
“So, tell me. Why do you look so tired?” She asked propping her elbow on the couch.
“'Cause I am...” James muttered and Jenny rolled her eyes.
“Why?”
“For one thing, it's six in the morning and I've had no sleep besides an hour on the plane. Add that to really bad jet lag." He grimaced and forced back a yawn. “Then there are the 50 some reporters waiting for me the moment I stepped off the plane... 'Mr. Peterson!' this...'James' that...” His voice faded away and he waved his hand in annoyance at the thought of the reporters (who finally realized they were never going to get in, and had left).
Jenny smiled softly in sympathy. “I have a guest room if you want to move yourself in there."
"Ah...can I just stay on the couch?" He yawned.
"Okay then." She smiled and stood up. “Mr. Peterson, I give you permission to stretch yourself out on my couch and sleep until you can't sleep anymore. I will return momentarily with a blanket. Then, I will proceed to my bed and return to slumber, which your loud and obnoxious pounding woke me from.” She bowed in a joking manner and walked to her bedroom.
She returned in less than a minute with a small cover. She paused beside the couch when she saw James had done as she said and stretched out, already asleep and snoring very softly. She threw the cover gently over him and then knelt beside him. She slowly lifted her hand and softly brushed a piece of hair from his eyes.
He really hadn't changed much. His hair had gotten longer, his personality seemed the same, from what she could tell. His green eyes had been shining as bright as ever. But, she shouldn't have expected change. Just about everything was still the same with her.
Her red hair now reached below her waist and her blue eyes where still blue. She hadn't gained nor lost any weight, nor had her attitude gotten different. According to Remmington and his wife, she was still as stubborn as before.
Jenny kissed her fingers and then placed them on his forehead. That was another thing that hadn't changed. She was still hopelessly in love with him. Now that the excitement of seeing him again had faded slightly, she could feel the fluttering in her chest. The feeling she got when ever she thought about him, whenever she saw him, heard about him.
She stood up and walked away, smiling as he snored a little louder. When she reached her room, she closed the door and curled in to a ball under the warmth of her covers. Even though she had told James she would return to sleep (and she had thought she would), it wasn't as easy as she was hoping.
She couldn't keep her mind from going back to the man sleeping down the hall. Since she was eleven and the two of them had first meet, James had always managed to steal her thoughts whenever he was around. In the beginning, she had idolized him. His father, Tommy Peterson had been one of her favorite singers.
She had gone crazy with happiness when she found out Remmington and James were friends. For the next few years, she would blush or mumble stupidly whenever he was around. She had always dreamed that she and James would get married.
It was when she turned fifteen that she realized her dreams where only dreams. She stopped staring at him and goggling his looks. Then, things changed. Remmington got his first girlfriend and James became a third wheel. He began to talk to Jenny and the two of them became friends.
That was when she realized she was in love with him. And she had yet to get over the man she had fallen in love with. You would think that at 23, she would have gotten over him. But he was still managing to steal her thoughts, and now he was stealing her sleep. She sighed and shut her eyes tight. Clearing her mind of all thoughts (or at least trying to), she willed her self to sleep.
-
"Jenny? Bloody Hell, Jenny! Wake up." Jenny rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. James stood on the side of her bed, shaking her slightly. "Jen? You finally awake?" He asked. She nodded and he thrust something in front of her face. She blinked twice to clear up her vision and saw it was a copy of Saturday London Times.
One look at the cover page had Jenny bolting in a sitting position and snatching the paper from James. She gaped at the front page. James sat down next to her on the bed, with his knees hanging off the side. He put his head in his hands.
The front page had a photo of her apartment door, with James slipping in; she could be seen slightly through the crack. She sighed and read the article.
It told how the reporter had chased James down the street, with James refusing to answer questions for he 'must see his love soon!' Then it said that the two of them of closed the door in the reporters faces after calling out their love for one another. What was wrong with reporters today?
"I'm sorry Jen." James took his head out of his hands and looked at her. "I shouldn't have come here first. Bad idea, I didn't consider any of the consequences."
"James, shut up." She pushed the covers off her legs for the second time that morning and stood up. She stretched her arms above her head and glanced at the clock. 11:20. She sighed. Much too early to be out of bed. "I don't mind that you came here, or that the reporters wrote about you coming here." She glanced down at James to find him staring at a small patch of bare skin, which had come into view when her shirt rode up during her stretch.
She slowly fixed her shirt, and watched him divert his gaze to her face.
"You mean that?"
"No, I'm lying." She tried to smile, but ended up yawning instead. "Why are you up already?"
"I think the paper boy threw the paper hard. The bang of the paper on the door woke me..."
"Wonderful." She said remembering how she had been woken earlier. “Now, I am going to get in the shower." She rummaged through her drawers quickly. She shut the drawer with a snap and walked to the door holding it open for James. "Treat yourself to some food and drinks if you want." Then she pushed him the rest of the way out of her room and followed him down the short hallway.
-
Jenny came out of the bathroom, freshly dressed, a towel wrapped around her head. She grabbed a brush off the sink and stuck in her pocket before shutting the door. Running her tongue along her recently brushed teeth, she entered the kitchen. It was then that she finally noticed the delicious smell.
James sat at her kitchen table, a plate of eggs, sausage and toast in front of him, what was left of his meal still on the stove. She sighed towards the heavenly smell and walked straight towards it. She grabbed a plate and hungrily filled it. She sat down across from him.
Jenny smiled and scooped eggs onto her fork. James grinned back and she put the food in her mouth. After her second bite, Jenny once again sighed. She took another bite quickly and then looked at him.
"You make this?" She asked before stuffing a piece of sausage in her mouth.
"Yes." He smiled and took a bit himself.
"By hand?"
"Yea."
"Oh gosh." She reached for the jam and a butter knife. "You're a god." She put jam on her toast. "You're going to make one very lucky girl very happy." She laughed softly and bite into the bread.
"I know." He answered smugly with a smirk. He tried to scoop more eggs on to his fork, to find they were all gone. Stretching his arm across the table he scooped the rest of Jenny's eggs from her plate and put his fork into his mouth.
"Yum."
"James!" She huffed. "You stole my eggs."
"You stole my eggs." He mocked with a laugh. "Yes I did. And they were good."
Jenny glared at him before laughing slightly. She stuffed the rest of her toast in her mouth and stood up form the table. She grabbed his plate and placed them both in the sink. After running the water for a bit putting soap on the dirty plates, she turned towards him.
"So, any plans today?"
"Yea. I wanna go see everyone. But I need to go pick up my bags first. I didn't have time this morning, being chased by reporters and all." He shrugged and stood up, stretching slightly.
"That's right." Jenny brushed past him and walked to the couch. She sat down and began to unroll her hair from the towel. She pulled the damp towel off her head and pulled the brush from her pocket. "Are you going to want to shower before we go?" She asked as she began pulling the brush through her tangled red hair.
"No clothes..." James stood in the doorway to the living room, leaning against the frame. He held a grape soda in his hands and was sipping every now and then.
"James, I have six older brothers. I'm sure I can find something for you to slip on." She smiled and pulled the brush through her hair one last time. Then she stood up and pulled her barrette from her pocket. She pulled her hair into the barrette and walked into the hall.
"Alright." James followed Jenny down the hall and into the room next to her bedroom. It was fully furnished with a bed, dresser, nightstand and a small table with a lamp on it. She walked over to the dresser and opened it. All kinds of assortments of clothes were inside. She searched for a moment then pulled out a pair of jeans and blue t-shirt.
"Here. It's an outfit of Dustin's. He left it here a few weeks back." She smiled. "Now, hurry up in the shower."
"Aye, aye, Captain." He said before leaving her alone in the room. Jenny watched him walk away and then heard him shut the bathroom door. She could only imagine him peeling off his clothes and getting in...
She heard the shower spray on and shook her head clear. Thinking of James in the shower was not a good thing. She turned around and closed the drawer, then left the room.
She walked into the kitchen and started once again to pick up the rest of their mess. She wiped the droppings from their breakfast with a rag and put their glasses in the sink. She began to hum a song in her head as she walked into the living room and grabbed James' cover. Jenny had plans to put it back in the guest room, but the telephone rang.
Jenny groaned. She knew it was her mother, Marley. Marley read Saturday England Times every Saturday (Jenny worked at the paper and had recommended it to her mother) and would know about James being here. She sighed as she snatched the phone off the charger. Clicking it on, she placed it close to her ear.
"Hello Mum." She said and then quickly held it away from her face as her mother's voice rang out.
"JENNIFER MAE WALTERS! I REALLY HOPE THIS ARTICLE IN Saturday England Times IS LYING. IF I FIND OUT THAT YOU AND JAMES HAVE BEEN KEEPING YOUR RELATIONSHIP FROM THE FAMILY, I WILL GO BALISTIC." She heard her mother take a shaky breath and Jenny brought the phone back to her ear. "With that said, I want you to know that I am incredibly happy for the two of you. There is nothing more that a mother wants than to see her daughter with the man she loves."
"Mum..." She frowned at the phone as she began to deny her feelings for James "You know it's not like that with me and James-" Marley cleared her throat on the other end, ignoring Jenny's protests.
"Darling, I have a little more yell in me. Best move the phone." Marley said in advice, Jenny rolled her eyes and did as her mother told her to. "AS FOR YOU JAMES ADAM PETERSON. I AM HIGHLY DISSAPPOINTED IN YOUR BEHAVIOR AND SECERCY. YOU BOTH WILL BE EXPECTED TO LUNCH AT THREE."
"Bye mum."
"See you later, honey." Jenny heard the other line click off and hung up with a smile. She heard a small cough and looked up to see a very wet James in the doorway...
...A very wet and very good looking James. He was dressed in the jeans with the shirt thrown over his shoulder. He had water dripping from his wet hair, which clung to his forehead. He leaned against the frame with a smirk.
"We should have expected that don't you think?" He asked snapping her attention away from his looks.
"Yea." She mumbled her tongue darting out to lick her suddenly all too dry lips.
"Mum never liked secrets." He smiled.
"No." Gosh, she seemed to be reduced to one syllable words. Her gaze drifted from his eyes to his chest.
"Lunch at three..." James seemed very oblivious to the feelings rolling around inside her, the ones that were almost to the I-wanna-ravish-James point. "Doesn't give us much time to get my stuff. About two hours."
"Yea...not much time." Maybe she was under some type of spell. She looked up at James' face and saw him reach for his shirt on his shoulder. Yes, good idea, put your shirt on. Jenny thought. End this torment your chest is driving me through.
"We could drive to the airport, I'll run in and get my stuff and then we will go to the house from there." He slipped his shirt of his head and Jenny's mind made silent protests, despite the earlier thoughts against his shirt being off. "All sound good to you?"
"Sounds wonderful." She watched the last piece of his stomach disappear under the cloth. She came back to reality and smiled. "Ready?"
"One second." He smiled back and then slipped back into the bathroom.
-
"So, you know Jenny. We are going to be in the paper again." James pointed out after they had thrown his suitcases into the trunk and quickly got in the car, ignoring the reporters the best as they could.
They had arrived at the airport and gone in to get his bags, only to be surrounded by reporters on their way out. With a shared glance, they had run from the group of reporters.
"Yea. I know." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Let them think what they want. Soon it will get old. It always does." She smiled.
"Yea..." James frowned. "I just don't understand why people have to make up things. Isn't there real stuff out there?"
"Yes, but the real stuff isn't as exciting as the mysterious gossip type things. If something is actually happening, no one but real news reporters want to write about it." She shrugged. "It's all really simple to me. But, I do hold the job for a living." She smiled again.
"I think I understand. I'm used to people having something to say about me. But involving you..." He gripped his hands. "It really pisses me off."
"It's really okay. I don't mind. If anything, more people will read my articles." She joked referring to the job she held at the Saturday England Times.
"This isn't funny Jen." She could tell by his tone exactly how serious he was.
"Then..." She frowned at the road. "Give them something to talk about."
"You mean..." James stared at her.
"Go on a date. I'm sure I have some friends who would love to go out with you." She looked away from the road to him momentarily. "Of course. Sally, Ginger, Darcy..." She smiled.
"You want me to date these girls?"
"Yea. Kind of."
"What do you mean...kind of?"
"Well, what I mean is you take each of the girls out, separately of course, to a public place. The press will be there, I will make sure of it. It will get the news off of me and you, which is what you are worried about." She shrugged at the simplicity of it. But inside she was going mad. He had seemed so worried about her that she had to make some type of suggestion. One that she really hoped he wouldn't take.
"I..." James frowned. "What if I don't like the girls?"
"I will warn them ahead of time. I'll tell them that you are looking for a girl-friend and can't find one on your own, so I am setting you on a series of blind dates. One date from each girl is all it will take."
"Ah..." He glanced away from her just as she looked at him. She looked back to the road, noticing how tightly his hands were gripped from the corner of her eye. "Alright."
"James..." She frowned once again. "Don't do it if you don't want to. I said I don't mind them writing about me."
"I mind." He said each word sharply and Jenny bit her lip.
"Alright then. Who knows, maybe you will fall in love with one of them." She said trying to add a little humor to the moment. She glanced over at him with a smile, to find him looking at her.
"I doubt it." James spoke softly. Jenny held his gaze for a moment then looked quickly back to the road, not understanding what the look in his eyes meant.
-
When they arrived at the Walters' family home, everyone was excited to see them. Smiles and hugs had been passed around in greeting. No one seemed to be able to get enough of James. Especially Marley, who started crying and wouldn't release her hold on his neck.
After they had pried her mother off James, they all took seats at the large circular table. She smiled at her large and still growing family. Not all of her brothers had made it to dinner with their families, but the three youngest of her 6 older brothers were here.
Russell and Dustin were twins and otherwise called Rusty and Dusty. They had brought their wives and together had 7 children. Her brother Remmington and his wife Harmony had made it, along with their three small children.
Jenny placed a piece of chicken in her mouth and looked around. James, Remmington and Harmony were all talking about the past and laughing over stupid things. Russell was wiping his seven month year old daughter’s mouth and Dustin was placing more on his plate to eat. Their wives sat together talking. All the kids over 5 were sitting together and trying to be as loud as possible.
Jenny smiled as her mother moved to sit next to her.
"Hello dear."
"Hello Mum." She took another bite of chicken.
"I'm sorry about my phone call earlier. I was sort of...in the moment." Marley smiled sheepishly. "I now realize that there is nothing going on between the two of you."
"That's right. I am actually getting ready to set James-"
"But." Her mother said cutting her off. "With the looks James has been shooting you all night, there could be."
Jenny dropped her fork and looked at her mother sharply.
"Don't say things like that. They are not true. James doesn't look at me any different than he does you."
"Oh dear." Marley laughed. "He most definitely does."
"No, Mum. He doesn't."
"Alright." Marley patted her daughter's arm in comfort. "I am not gonna argue with you about this." She stood from the table. "I am finished." She smiled and walked away.
She couldn't help but think about what her mother had said. James did not look at her any different. There was no way. She would have noticed...right? Jenny glanced up and looked James way. He was laughing at something Remmington had said.
She sat at her seat at the table and watched him. He would take a bite every now and then, talk about something, and laugh. It seemed a repetitive sequence. He was in mid bite when Remmington said something else and his hand froze, his fork mid-air.
Jenny watched with a questioning eyebrow as James sat his fork down and turned around to face Remmington and Harmony fully.
"So, you still pining after my sister, mate?" Remmington asked with a smile. James froze and frowned, sitting his fork down.
"No, no." He turned in his seat. His two best friends smiled knowingly back at him. "It's not like that guys. I don't like her. And I was never pining for her."
"Yea, you were." Harmony interjected.
"No I wasn't-"
"Then...why are you back in London?" Remmington smirked.
"I..." James paused. He knew that Remmington had caught him to a hole and there was really no way out. "I missed the family."
"I'm sure that's part of it."
"That's all of it." James muttered flicking at his food with his fork.
"No, it's not. I think..." Harmony pretended to think. "I think that you got tired of being alone. Tired of holding back the love you've held for Jenny..."
"I..." He looked across the table and found Jenny staring in his direction. She smiled and he returned it. "I'll be back..."
"No, you won’t!" Remmington said stuffing food into his mouth.
Jenny wasn't close enough to them to hear what they were saying, but she could tell by their facial features that James wasn't enjoying the conversation half as much as Remmington and Harmony. James seemed a little mad and had been playing with his food. Remmington and Harmony held satisfied smiles when James had looked in her direction.
And now he was on his way to sit by her.
"Hey, Jen."
"Hey." Jenny took a bite as James flung himself into the seat next to her.
"Food good?"
"Yea."
"It's nice seeing the family again."
"Yea." She repeated trying to focus on what they were saying. When in fact, she wasn't even paying any mind. She was instead thinking about how close he was. Really close. She could feel each little movement of his leg and each swaying of his sleeve.
And the feelings his closeness were giving her were incredibly nice. Every time his arm or leg came in contact with hers, vibrations shot though her. Made her want to lean in closer, to feel more...
"Jenny?" James was staring at her oddly and she frowned.
"Yea?"
"Are you listening?"
"Ah...not really. What did you say?"
"I was asking you if I could...ask you something."
"Oh...well yea, sure." She smiled reassuringly.
"Okay. I wanted to know if I could..." He paused. "If I could stay with you. Only until I get an apartment of course. I would ask mum but with Remmington and Harmony staying here for the summer, the house is a little full." He glanced around at the kids.
"I..." She stared at him. Let him stay until he got an apartment? Heck. He could stay forever. She smiled to herself knowing she couldn't really tell him that.
"Don't answer now. You can think about it if you-"
"James. You can stay."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Thanks. I will try to get an apartment soon. I think I'm gonna tell the family tonight."
"Tell the family what, Jamesie?" Dustin asked coming up behind them.
"That you and Jenny are madly in love?" Russell added coming up next to his brother.
"We knew it of course."
"Yea...all along. The signs are there."
By now, both James and Jenny were slightly red and frowning.
"There is nothing between us." Jenny said loudly.
"Sure there isn't." Remmington said smartly from across the table. James' frown grew deeper.
"I have to agree with them." Marley took a seat by a few of her grandchildren. "Even if there isn't now..." Jenny sincerely hoped her mother wouldn't repeat their earlier conversation.
"Yea. So when are you guys going to get hitched." This came from Dustin.
"Give us a head warning please. I need to have time to buy a tux." Remmington said with a laugh. "I will of course be the best man..."
"Keep talking and you won't even be at my wedding-" James threatened.
"So there is a wedding!" Russell proclaimed.
"-hypothetically speaking!" He added quickly.
"Ah, just tell her mate. Get it over with." Dustin sighed.
"WHAT? There is nothing to say." James' yelled in anger.
"Then you're blind." Remmington said with a growing frown.
"Would you all just shut up?" Jenny stood from her seat abruptly and it clattered to the floor. "Bloody hell! There-"
"Jenny Walters! You will watch your language in front of these children!" Marley sputtered sternly. Jenny ignored her.
"-is nothing, nothing, between me and James." She slammed her hands on the table. "Got it?"
"She's just expressing her anger for the denial she is in..." Russell whispered to Dustin who nodded. Jenny glared their way.
"In fact, James is going on a date with one of my friends tomorrow." She looked around quickly. "Isn't that right James?"
"Er...yea." They family was too shocked to notice his hesitation.
"But..." Harmony muttered, finally needing to input her opinion on the situation. "James has only been here for a day. He can't know this girl already."
"That," Jenny said sharply. "doesn't matter."
Everyone fell quiet. Jenny was mad, James was a little annoyed. Everyone else was too worried about getting their heads bitten off again to speak. Harmony, the brave soul she is, was the first to speak.
"So, if the news wasn't to...well...to say that you and Jenny..." She paused and shook her head. "What is your news?"
James looked around. Jenny bent down to retrieve her chair and took a seat. The family all turned their attention to James with interest.
"Well, it's nothing big really. I just wanted to tell you guys that I am going to stay at Jenny's until I find an apartment." He shrugged and looked at Jenny who nodded. Marley looked ready to protest so James quickly added, "Don't worry mum. Jenny and I are practically siblings..."
Marley smiled at him calling her mum and calmed down. Jenny, on the other hand, stared at James shocked. She hadn't heard him call her his sister since...forever. To her, they were anything but siblings. Because she definitely didn't feel the things she felt with Remmington as she did with James. Not even close.
If only she knew that James was thinking the same thing...
Ash
