AN: Random one-shot.

©NataliaNicolette

But I own nothing you recognize.

“I'm everything you want,I'm everything you need,and every little part of you, is a part of me...I'm everything you know,I'm everywhere you go,And I hope that you see,That your everything to me,Oh yeah,Everything to me, Yeah,”

Everything To Me - Brooke Hogan

--

I’d hidden the fact that I had been ogling my best friends goodies for a good three years. Jake and I had been friends since birth, our mothers were best friends in junior high, so we were bonded before we were even created.

Our friendship was always platonic. He was the one that warded off bullies in the schoolyard, the one that shared his PB&J with me when I forgot mine, the one that hugged me and wiped my tears when my first junior high school boyfriend broke up with me. As long as I could remember, it had always been Maleah and Jake, Jake and Maleah.

I had no idea what got into the part of my brain that controlled my hormones, but in our first year of high school I began to notice little things about my good ole buddy that I never saw clearly before. Like the rich russet tone of his skin, he inherited from his Native American lineage. Or the very, very yummy washboard stomach he earned from football training.

Now we’re seniors in high school…and I’m still sneaking peeks at his deliciousness. It’s not just the physical things that make me wanna jump Jake’s bones. It’s the personality that makes all the physical stuff better.

I’m the type of outspoken girl with the funky, retarded sense of humor. No one ever gets what the hell I’m trying to say in my random jumbles, but Jake does. He’s also the sweetest person that I’ve ever known. Whenever something terrible happens, he’s right there to pick up the pieces and put them back together.

When my father passed, I was shattered. Jake didn’t leave my side, my room for a week solid. He wiped my tears away and held onto me.

So, you ask, why not tell him how you feel?

Right.

There’s one problem in particular that I, personally, cannot alleviate.

Her name is Jenevieve Thomson.

AKA Jen.

AKA Jake’s narcissistic, egotistical, bitchy, neurotic, pain in the ass girlfriend.

I did have to admit, Jake and Jen.

Sounds good, but if you saw them you would think they were the oddest couple you’d ever set your eyes on.

Jake was tall, dark and handsome.

Jen…well Jen was a little four foot something, who wore black and a scowl most of the time. Jen was also deathly pale.

Yeah, I know, there’s nothing wrong with being lightly complected, but the girl was verging on albino! Her and Jake together was like the sun and the moon, two things that orbited one and other, but should never come in close proximity with the other.

Jake was dark, she was light. Jake was tall, she was short. Jake was amazing, she fell flat!

Damn my dilemma.

I’m not the only one that saw the thought of Jen and Jake together was a hilarious notion! Jake’s mother, Tina, thought of Jen like a little mosquito. Small, annoying and just kept coming back. Tina was like my second mother. She had always thought that Jake and I were meant to be, but when Jake brought Jen home, Tina told me that she was seriously rethinking her son’s sanity. I agreed, but then again…I had never lead on that I was diggin’ him in a ‘more than friends’ way. How was he supposed to know? Jake was a lot of things, but mind reader was not one of them.

--

“You coming, Mo?” Jake called back over his shoulder, after guiding Jen toward the front door. Tina, who was standing near me, folding the laundry, scowled. He’d been calling me Mo for as long as I cold think back.

Maleah Okala. You get the picture.

I shook my head. “Nah, I’m gonna help Tina with the laundry.” I mumbled, watching Jake place a hand on Jen’s lower back.

“You sure?” he asked, “You’re always welcome with us. Right, Jen?” he asked the extremely white pipsqueak. Jen rolled her eyes.

“Oh, yeah! Every date, you’re welcome to be the third wheel anytime!” she said in a sarcastic tone. My blood boiled slightly. I wasn’t exactly one to screw with.

“Look, you albino midget..-” Jake stepped in.

Did I mention that Jen and I were NOT on friendly terms.

“Alright, we’re just gonna go now.” Jake said pushing a snarling Jen out the door. Turning back to Tina, I couldn’t help but smile. She had a hand over her mouth, bent at the half, clutching her knees, laughing her Navajo Indian ass off. The little vain in her neck popped out and her face was red.

“Albino midget!” she sputtered through her snickers, “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day!” She burst into another little fit of squeals. I giggled a little, seeing her so amused.

“There’s a lot of other things I would love to call her.” I grumbled with a sadistic grin, picking up a hand towel and folding it neatly. Tina rested a hand on my shoulder.

“Honey, it’s only a matter of time until my idiot of a son sees the amazing girl in front of him, and kicks the albino midget to the curb.” she laughed at her own jab. I smiled. She was so confident that he and I would end up together.

Tina is the shit.

“A girl can dream, aye.” I mumbled, folding some wash cloths.

“A dream is a wish the heart makes.” I laughed, heartily.

“Is that some kind of Native proverb or something?” Tina beamed.

“No, I heard it in a Disney channel song.” she giggled. I burst out laughing at the innocent look on her face.

“Tina, has anyone ever told you that you are the bomb diggity?” I asked. She shook her head.

“No…not today anyway!” she cracked up, I fallowed. We folded the laundry, laughing like little jackals. I went home a few hours later. I was about to delve into my Calculus homework when my cell phone buzzed. I glanced at the caller ID to see it’s my best friend. Flipping open the, I shoved against my ear.

“Sup super stud, how’d the date go with mini bitch?” I asked. Jake chortled slightly.

“Funny you should ask.” he mumbled.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Jakey Cakes? I don’t speak riddles.” Jake sighed. “What happened?” I asked, beginning to get worried.

“I’ll give you a hint…my mother is ecstatic.” he grumbled. I fake gasped.“You mean that Jen is pregnant with little albino devil spawn?!” I retorted sarcastically, even though my insides were melting with joy, just waiting for him to confirm my assumption.

“Ha-ha! You’re hilarious, Mo!” he said in a monotone voice. “She broke up with me.” I pumped my fist through the air, restraining the scream of joy that was bubbling up into my chest. I controlled my inner outburst.

“I can’t say that I’m sorry, but if it’s any consolation, you can have all the girls you want now!” I explained, feeling like an ass for even mentioning him with other girls because, first and foremost, I was in love with him, and secondly, his girlfriend just broke up with him.

Maybe not the best time to mention other females, Maleah! I mentally scolded myself.

Jake snorted. “Nah, I think I’m going to abstain for a bit. Girls are nothing but a headache.” I rolled my eyes at his dramatic revelation.

“Whatever,” I mumbled. “Be a man, pull a Justin Timberlake, cry a river, build a bridge and get the hell over it, for the love of all that is holy!” I rambled. Jake laughed into the phone. The deep silkiness of his chuckle made my heart flutter.

“Gee, thanks Mo, you sure now how to shower one with sympathy.” I again rolled my eyes, cracking open my Calc book.

“Sympathy is for wimps and the weak hearted. Last time I checked, Chimayo, you are neither!” he always hated it when I called him by his last name.

“True, very true, my rice picking friend.” he laughed in a terrible Asian accent. Jake always loved to poke fun at the fact that I was half Filipino, half black.

“Oh, whatever Squatting Bull!” I giggled. Whenever he resorted to Asian jokes, I resorted to Indian jokes. He was full Native, but didn’t have a tribal name, so I took the liberty of giving him on, Squatting Bull! It fit him so well.

Ha forkin’ Ha!

I slay myself!

“Whatever you say, Chow Mien.” Jake rumbled.

I laughed sarcastically. “Chow Mien isn’t even Filipino! It’s Chinese!”

“Same difference, you all have squinty eyes!” I gaped.

“My eyes are not that squinty!” I argued. Jake hooted.

“They get really squinty when you smile!” This was a loosing battle.

“Listen Squanto, I have Calc homework that needs tending to. I’ll give you a ring a ding, ding when I’m finished.” Jake laughed once more. It felt good knowing that I was able to cheer him up a little.

“Alrighty, flip ninja.” he chuckled. I could almost see the grin on his face. When he was smiling just right, little dimples appeared in both of his cheeks. I was a sucker for dimples, needless to say, that whenever he and I cracked over something stupid, which was often, I melted at the sight of his little baby face dimples. “You’re still coming to my game tomorrow, right?” he asked. I sighed.

“Jacob Daniel Chimayo, have I ever missed a single one of you football games since freshman year?” I asked. Jake laughed.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” he murmured. I nodded, realizing that he couldn’t see me.

“Yes, bye, bye, hon.” I bellowed in a mock, kissy face voice.

“Sayonara, Mo San!” he snickered in a Mr. Miogi impression .

“That’s Japanese, smarty.” I muttered before hanging up the phone. He grumbled something that sounded like ‘same difference.’ I glanced at myself in my vanity mirror. I really did look more Asian than anything. My facial features, my cheekbones, my eyes, everything was predominantly Asian. The only thing that wasn’t was my skin tone. It was a rather caramel, mocha-ish tone. I always thought I was truly an odd looking one, if I might say so myself.

--

Saturday, the championship football game. Jake was the starting quarterback. .

He was excited. It would virtually be the last game he would play in high school. We were graduating in a few weeks.

Our mothers showed up a few minutes after the first quarter. They were getting ready to go out tonight. God only knew what the pair of them did when they went out on weekends. I, personally was scared shitless to find out, but they went out every other weekend. Jake and I would hang around my house, watching movies and eating until we fell asleep. Then our mothers would bust in, laughing in the early hours of the morning.

I was talking with my best friend, the only friend that I had that was girl, Taya, when Tina crushed me from behind in a massive bear hug.

“The albino midget is out of my son’s life!” she chimed. None of us had to ask, we all knew she was referring to Jen. Taya and I laughed.

“Halle god damn luja! I never liked that girl.” my mother said, as Tina winked at me. My face turned red.

“So where are you two off to tonight?” I asked Tina, trying to change the subject.

“We’re going into the city. What about you? Are you gonna put the moves on my son?” she asked with a mysterious grin. I rolled my eyes. “If you do, just remember, no glove no love! I would love for you to have my grandbabies but let’s wait until college is finished.” my face was thirty different shades of red by the time Tina got done teasing me. I was saved when the game started.

I was, needless to say, Jake’s biggest fan. I screamed and cheered until my throat was sore. Tina and my mother just laughed at my enthusiasm.

I nearly broke my neck trying to get to Jake when the game was done. He assisted the tie breaking touchdown. When I got onto the field of cheering family members, players, and cheerleaders, I ran straight for Jake, who caught my sight as soon as I set foot on the field.

“You did so amazing!” I screamed as I leapt into his waiting hug. He lifted my feet of the ground and spun me in a circle.

“I could hear your big mouth cheering all the way down here!” he laughed, as he pinched my cheek. I smiled.

“You would be nothing without your biggest fan!” I teased him back. Jake grinned in dimply grin. “So are you coming over for movie night, the terrible two are going out.” he nodded.

“I’ll go home and shower, and then I’ll be over.” he said, releasing his hold on me.

“Alright, I’ll see you then.” Feeling bold, I stretched up on my tip toes and kissed his warm cheek. He leaned into my kiss before I pulled back and looked at me with big eyes. I blushed and rushed off, before he could say anything.

It only took an hour for Jake to knock on my front door. I bounced down the stairs, and wretched the door open.

“Hello, crouching tiger.” he grinned his dreamy grin.

“Evening, Squatting Bull.” I laughed, stepping aside as he moved past me. Our mothers came bustling out of the kitchen, all dolled up.

“We’ll be back late. Don’t wait up.” my mother smiled at Jake as they made their way to the door.

“Have fu-un.” Tina winked at me. I blushed.

“Bye!” I hurried them away, slamming the front door shut. I slumped back into the living room, where Jake was sprawled out on the sofa. His hugeness taking up all the room.

“What are we watching?” he asked. I shrugged. “You pick.” He pulled himself off the couch, over to the DVD shelf. I took my opportunity and threw myself on the couch. He popped in some random DVD, Carina. He motioned for me to scoot over. I did so, knowing full and well that if I didn’t, he would sit on me without hesitation.

Halfway into our third movie, I began to get bored. It was some historical film, Jake was completely enthralled. My eyes started to wander away from the screen onto other things, ergo, Jake. My eyes trailed up his side, his skin was so…pretty. The complexion, ugh, made me jealous. Suddenly he shifted, still amazed by the movie. A very knarly bruise caught my attention. Just over his lower arm, a large purple, blue bruise was settled. It looked painful. Reaching out, I poked it with my finger. Jake hissed.

“Ow!” he whined.

“Where did you get the battle wound?” I asked, poking it again. Jake swatted my hand away.

“I got stepped on.” he muttered, settling his eyes on me. After a moment of his intent gaze on my face, his eyes glazed over, I looked up from his bruise, in which I had been concentrated on.

“What?” I asked, pulling my hands over my face. “Is there something on my face?” I asked. He shook his head, turning himself back to the movie. Still bored, I reached out and poked his bruise again.

“OW, stop MO!” he playfully growled. I glanced up at his smirking face. Jake was a sexy beast. A thought occurred to me right then.

Why hadn’t I jumped his sexy ass already?

I didn’t know.

I poked his arm again.

“Stop!” he whined. I grinned.

“Or what?” I challenged. He met my eyes. His eyebrows raised.

“Or I’ll bite you!” he said. I rolled my eyes.

“I’m shaking in my boots, Jake!” I said, sarcastically. I reached out to poke his bruise again, but he caught my wrist, somehow flipping me onto the floor in front of the couch. He toppled lightly on top of me, pinning my hands loosely at my sides. I looked at his chuckling face, wide eyed. I wasn’t hurt, just shocked, and his close, very close, proximity was making me hot and bothered. He straddled my waist, keeping me stationary on the floor.

After a moment, his snickers died down. He lowered his face near mine. I began to freak out.

“What are you doing?” I asked, in a shaky voice. He inched closer to me, bring his mouth to my ear.

“Biting you.” he whispered. I shivered as his breath touched my skin.

What the hell?

Just as the thought floated into my mind, I felt his teeth latch onto the my earlobe. He tugged lightly.

I was frozen.

Couldn’t move.

Couldn’t think straight.

Then he gently sucked on it.

…

I burst into a peal of giggles. The piece of skin was sensitive, it tickled. Jake pulled back and scoffed at me, before lowering his face to mine. Before I could ask what he was doing, his teeth latched onto my bottom lip, he lightly nibbled the flesh.

Then, to be mean, he bit down, just enough for me to feel pressure. I pushed him back.

“Ow!” I whined, touching my lip with my fingertips. Jake smiled, his dimples in full force.

“Did I hurt you? I can kiss it and make it better.” before I could protest, he swept my hands away, lacing our fingers together, and pinning them above my head. His face once again lowered to mine but this time both his warm lips engulfed my bottom one.

I lost any coherent thoughts in my mind.

He released my bottom lip, only to kiss me full on. His lips moved against mine in perfect sync. He released my hands and buried one in my hair and the other caressing the skin where my t-shirt had ridden up just a bit. My hands rested on his waist, pushing up his t-shirt and running my hands over his perfect stomach, like I had been wishing to do for three damn years. Jakes tongue drew across my lips and I opened my mouth, happily. He deepened the kiss, pushing himself closer to me. His tongue touched mine and I felt breathless.

By the time we broke apart for air, Jake’s hands were fully up my shirt, running his fingertips over my ribcage. I couldn’t breathe as I erupted in goose bumps at his touch. He placed timid kisses on my neck, down my collarbone, stopping at the v of my t-shirt.

“Jen never kissed me like this.” he breathed against my skin. I giggled, totally dismissing the words he just spoke.

By this point, I was enjoying myself, no doubt about it, but of course the tiny little voice of doubt, you know the one that everyone has? The one that ruins all good things, that little voice started in.

Why is he all of a sudden all over you?

He never expressed interest in you, not as more than a best friend.

He just broke up with his girlfriend.

He’s mentioning Jen, while kissing you!

I bet you’re just a rebound.

Rebound!

The word lolled in my mind as Jake kissed the hallow of my throat, finally after a moment, the little voice of common sense won me over.

I pushed Jake back.

Staring at his face, he had a glazed over look in his eyes.

“Mo, I-” he began. I stopped him.

“It’s okay, I understand, um, you’re just trying to forget Jen, it’s no big deal.” I pulled myself from the floor. Jake gazed up at me, still kneeling on the floor.

“Mo, no that’s not-” Tears of doubt and regret welled up in my eyes.

How could I let this happen?

Will things be the same?

“You should go.” I mumbled, looking at the floor, ashamed for the tears that were ready to fall.

“What? I-”

“Jake.” I interrupted, “Just go please.” He rose from the floor silently, looking at me momentarily before grabbing his hoodie and taking off. I ran straight for my room, tears already falling.

I cried until my I heard my mother open the front door.

That night was the worst.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Jake and myself.

He and I were best friends, well were best friends. Jake wasn’t the type of person to play with someone, there was no way he would to that to me, but then again when he mentioned Jen, I was hurt.

I played on both sides of the fence all night.

The next day, Jake called me twenty seven times, all of which I didn’t answer. He left fourteen voicemails, all begging me to answer my phone because he wanted to talk. He also left nine text messages, all increasing with irritation as they came.

I couldn’t bare to answer, to talk about it. I guess the thing I was afraid of most may have been that he could quite possibly hurt me, even though I know he would never do it intentionally, he kind of already did. When he called the house, my mom called up the stairs.

“Maleah, phone!” she hollered.

Crap.

“Uh, I’m busy. I have Chem homework!” I yelled back.“It’s Jake.”

“Sorry, I’m busy.”

I could hear her telling Jake that I was busy with my schoolwork. My mom knocked on the door a few minutes later.

“Alrighty, what’s up?” she asked, flopping on the edge of my bed, observing that I wasn’t actually doing homework.

“Whatta ya mean?” I asked, gazing out the window in my bedroom. She eyes me suspiciously.

“Don’t play ignorant. You have talked to Jake everyday since you two were old enough to use the phone, now you’re avoiding him.“What makes you say that?” My mom rolled here toasty brown eyes.

“He told me that he called you a handful of times and you wouldn’t answer.”

Reminder to self; kill Jacob Pierce Chimayo after sewing his BIG mouth shut!

The lovely mouth that kissed you senseless last night!

I shook the thought from my head.

“It’s nothing, I just don’t feel like talking about it.” I grumbled. My mom nodded and patted my leg.

“Okay, but if you need to talk, I’m here.” she smiled, heading toward the door.

“Kantot.” I cursed in Tagalog under my breath. Fuck.

“Oh and honey,” my mother peeked her head back into my room, “Whatever Jake did wrong, forgive him. He sounded pretty down when you didn’t want to talk to him.” she grinned. I nodded and she slipped away.

--

That night I dreamt of Jake in all of his Native American glory, wearing a very small loin cloth, and then…-

Whoa dang, cold shower, cold shower!

Dreaming of his deliciousness wasn’t making it easier to be angry with him! It made things even more confusing than they already were.

When I got to school, Tia was dancing like she had to pop as squat and pee.

“Oh my God, there you are, I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” she grabbed onto my arm with a very forceful, painful grip. I pulled my arm away.

“Jesus biotch, did you have protein for breakfast or what!?” I smiled. She laughed, and tugged me toward her locker. “What is so important!?” I pulled my arm from her grasp once again. Once in front of locker 712, Tia’s locker, she wretched it open.

“You have got to see this!” I rolled my eyes. Let’s just say that Tia was prime for overreaction. She pulled out her 2009 year book. I was planning on going to get mine this afternoon.

“Tia, if you’re planning on showing me my hideous senior picture, then I don’t want to see it!” I giggled. She shook her head with a determined look on her face.

“This!” she bellowed, after flipping to the senior memories section.

Each senior was to submit an excerpt of a memory they would never forget from their four years of high school. Mine was a given.

‘Senior Memory: “The memory that I’ll always remember from my high school years is the day I blew up a beaker in chem. I miscalculated the measurement of chemicals in the beaker over the bunson burner and KAMOOB! Ha! We had to evacuate the classroom and Mr. Tremp had to use a fire extinguisher to get the flames under control! Yep, that’s just something you just don’t forget.” - Maleah Okala’

True story! I had detention for three straight weeks after that fiasco.

Anyway, I fallowed Tia’s gaze, it landed on Jake’s submission.

‘Senior Memory: “The memory of my high school years that I’ll never forget is when I was a freshman. I stayed after football practice in the weight room, my best friend stayed along with me, to keep me company. While I was bench pressing, she decided to give it a go as well, both of us not knowing that she wasn’t able to lift much. She heaved the 100 pounds and it fell flush on her, but instead of crying out and making a big deal of it, she started laughing, laughing until she cried. Once I pulled the weight off of her, we fell on the floor in hysterics. That was the day that I realized she was different from any other girl I’ve ever known. She was special to me. That was the day I fell in love with my best friend.” - Jake Chimayo”

My jaw fell open and I gaped!

FRESHMAN YEAR!?

What.

The.

Fuck.

Ripping the book from Tia’s grasp, I peered harder, expecting it to disappear.

“That’s so sweet!” Tia gushed. I rolled my eyes, feeling angry.

“The hell it is!” I slammed the book shut, and stomped down the hall, seeking Jake. He was about to disappear into his first class when I grabbed a handful of his t-shirt, ripping him back and pushing him against a row of lockers. He looked down at me, shocked.

Hell, I was shocked with myself. Jake was about eight inches taller than me. I weighed a mere 110 LBS while he was about 170, 180. He was a footballer so he was huge in comparison to me.

“Hey-” I cut him off.

“FRESHMAN YEAR!?” I shrieked, shoving the yearbook in hid face. People around looked at me like I was insane. Jake knew exactly what I was talking about.

“Listen, I-” I cut him off again.

“Jake, you have liked me since ninth freaking grade and you never told me about it!?” I was talking pretty much to myself now that the shock of the situation set into me, I was trying to process it all. “What about all those other girls!?” I asked, flustered.

Jake’s hand grasped onto my shoulders, as he spun me around, pinning me gently against the lockers and bending, smashing his lips to mine. It was the nicest kiss I’ve ever had. He ran a hand in my hair as the other stayed against the lockers. He nibbled my bottom lip and made me breathless, before he pulled away, with the same love stoned look on his face that I’m sure was plastered on mine.

“Jake,” he cut me off this time.

“I have always loved you, freshman year was just when I was bold enough to admit if to myself.” he murmured, his warm breath on my lips.

“And Jen, and all those others?” I asked, feeling dizzy, in a good way. Jake shook his head and smiled.

“They were a distraction. I didn’t think that you liked me as more than a friend, so I thought that if I was with those other girls that I could just move on, or maybe make you realize what you were missing out on. But obviously it didn‘t work, I couldn’t deal with my feelings for you properly, even Jen could see that I was sweet for you, that‘s why she broke up with me. She said she couldn‘t be with someone who loved someone else.” I grinned at this.

“You tried to make me jealous?” I asked. He nodded, sheepishly.

“I did, but when we kissed the other night, I realized that you may feel the same, then when I tried to explain, you wouldn’t talk to me about it. I’m sorry if I made you feel like you were my rebound for Jen.” he mumbled.

“You’re stupid.” I smiled.

“Huh?” he asked.

“You tried to make me jealous, but you’ve had me pretty much since forever.” I informed him. Jake grinned his sexy, dimply smile and my heart melted. He leaned in and kissed me sweetly, before pulling back.

“I love you, Squatting Bull.” I laughed.

“I love you more, Chow Mien!” We laughed.

FIN.