answers she wanted.
“Not now, okay Aunt Deb? Later, I promise. Go enjoy your party,” I said turning her toward the crowd of people.
“Later, Jacob. As soon as this party is over, you come find me and tell me. Don’t you try to hide and make me have to hunt you down,” she said threateningly, but then gasped happily when she saw the cake.
“Oh my God. Would you look at that cake? It. Is. Perfect.”
Aunt Deb immediately scoured the crowd for Niki, and caught her trying to edge away from the mass of people as well. Niki squeaked as Aunt Deb squeezed the air out of her, and dragged her forcefully over to where the cake was.
I walked closer to overhear their conversation.
This is just sad, man. How much more stalkerish can you get?
“Niki, it is beautiful! This must have taken you forever.”
“Well, Addie said that you never had a wedding cake when you got married. I just wanted to make something that you would like.”
“I love it! Thank you, Cutie. I’ll finally have a picture of us cutting a cake to frame.” She pressed a gentle kiss to Niki’s forehead. “You really are something special. We’re so lucky to have you as part of our family,” she said to her quietly.
I concur.
Niki’s eyes became noticeably brighter, as she smiled sweetly at Aunt Deb. “Thank you, Debbie.”
Aunt Deb tutted and chastised her playfully, “What did I tell you to call me?”
Niki laughed softly, “Thank you, Aunt Deb.”
“See, now doesn’t that sound better?” she said, hugging her tightly again.
Walk away, stalker. Before you do something stupid like go up to her, wipe away those tears, declare you’re obsessed with her and ask her to bear your future children.
I turned and started walking up toward the house to find a quiet place to sit until the party was over, grabbing a beer from the cooler on the way there.
Yes, soon-to-be unemployed failures definitely do not deserve girls like Niki. Go sit in your self-pity corner and drink your beer.
* * * * *
Annika
It had been over four hours since I saw Jake walk away from the crowd gathered in the garden, looking troubled (Yes, I was a loser who had been keeping track of how long her crush had been gone).
Biting my lip, I made the decision to fix him a plate of food and take it to him. Something was obviously bothering him, but I felt that he shouldn’t go without eating something, especially as he looked as if all he wanted to be doing was pounding back a couple dozen beers.
In the time that Caleb and Liya had been together, I had grown close to all the Jamesons, and I knew this behaviour was unusual for Jake. He and Josh were usually the most approachable of all the Jameson siblings. At times they could be downright over-the-top friendly.
I was a little curious but mainly concerned at his sudden change in behaviour from the Jake I had known months ago.
Be brave, be bold, take chances.
I chanted Aunt Trudy’s words to me silently, and realised it was time to push aside my own uncomfortable feelings, and be there for Jake as a friend.
Grabbing a plate I starting piling it high with his favourite foods (Yes, I was also a loser who knew what her crush’s preferred foods were), walked past the couples swaying to the slow music blaring over the large speakers, and went back into the house to search for Jake.
Not being able to find him downstairs, I remembered that Caleb had mentioned Debbie still kept their old bedrooms unchanged from when they’d lived there.
I paused at the foot of the stairs, wondering if I was crossing a line, before deciding to just be brave and climb the damn stairs.
Finding all the other rooms empty, I came to the door of the last room at the end of a long hallway that was ajar. Knocking on it lightly, I pushed the door open further.
Jake’s long body was sprawled across a bed, as he stared blankly at the ceiling. He had sighed when he heard the knock, but sat up quickly when he saw me at the door.
“Niki.
“Not now, okay Aunt Deb? Later, I promise. Go enjoy your party,” I said turning her toward the crowd of people.
“Later, Jacob. As soon as this party is over, you come find me and tell me. Don’t you try to hide and make me have to hunt you down,” she said threateningly, but then gasped happily when she saw the cake.
“Oh my God. Would you look at that cake? It. Is. Perfect.”
Aunt Deb immediately scoured the crowd for Niki, and caught her trying to edge away from the mass of people as well. Niki squeaked as Aunt Deb squeezed the air out of her, and dragged her forcefully over to where the cake was.
I walked closer to overhear their conversation.
This is just sad, man. How much more stalkerish can you get?
“Niki, it is beautiful! This must have taken you forever.”
“Well, Addie said that you never had a wedding cake when you got married. I just wanted to make something that you would like.”
“I love it! Thank you, Cutie. I’ll finally have a picture of us cutting a cake to frame.” She pressed a gentle kiss to Niki’s forehead. “You really are something special. We’re so lucky to have you as part of our family,” she said to her quietly.
I concur.
Niki’s eyes became noticeably brighter, as she smiled sweetly at Aunt Deb. “Thank you, Debbie.”
Aunt Deb tutted and chastised her playfully, “What did I tell you to call me?”
Niki laughed softly, “Thank you, Aunt Deb.”
“See, now doesn’t that sound better?” she said, hugging her tightly again.
Walk away, stalker. Before you do something stupid like go up to her, wipe away those tears, declare you’re obsessed with her and ask her to bear your future children.
I turned and started walking up toward the house to find a quiet place to sit until the party was over, grabbing a beer from the cooler on the way there.
Yes, soon-to-be unemployed failures definitely do not deserve girls like Niki. Go sit in your self-pity corner and drink your beer.
* * * * *
Annika
It had been over four hours since I saw Jake walk away from the crowd gathered in the garden, looking troubled (Yes, I was a loser who had been keeping track of how long her crush had been gone).
Biting my lip, I made the decision to fix him a plate of food and take it to him. Something was obviously bothering him, but I felt that he shouldn’t go without eating something, especially as he looked as if all he wanted to be doing was pounding back a couple dozen beers.
In the time that Caleb and Liya had been together, I had grown close to all the Jamesons, and I knew this behaviour was unusual for Jake. He and Josh were usually the most approachable of all the Jameson siblings. At times they could be downright over-the-top friendly.
I was a little curious but mainly concerned at his sudden change in behaviour from the Jake I had known months ago.
Be brave, be bold, take chances.
I chanted Aunt Trudy’s words to me silently, and realised it was time to push aside my own uncomfortable feelings, and be there for Jake as a friend.
Grabbing a plate I starting piling it high with his favourite foods (Yes, I was also a loser who knew what her crush’s preferred foods were), walked past the couples swaying to the slow music blaring over the large speakers, and went back into the house to search for Jake.
Not being able to find him downstairs, I remembered that Caleb had mentioned Debbie still kept their old bedrooms unchanged from when they’d lived there.
I paused at the foot of the stairs, wondering if I was crossing a line, before deciding to just be brave and climb the damn stairs.
Finding all the other rooms empty, I came to the door of the last room at the end of a long hallway that was ajar. Knocking on it lightly, I pushed the door open further.
Jake’s long body was sprawled across a bed, as he stared blankly at the ceiling. He had sighed when he heard the knock, but sat up quickly when he saw me at the door.
“Niki.
Similar Books
