50: Revelations

This chapter is a monster. I guessed that you all would rather I not break up the party chapters, so I kept most of it together.

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Erin

     I feel like I'm a chaperone for Marie as the two of us are at Jesse's house early. We decided to just come over and help him set up since Bryce had to go to work early.

     I think if someone walked up behind Marie right now and said 'boo!', she'd die of heart failure. She's so nervous! Back home, we'd say she's 'as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.' 

     Marie decided to make an apple cobbler when she found a dutch oven and some apples. I guess she wanted something to do. Jesse told her to go right ahead. He looks a little lost in his own kitchen with the two of us in here doing stuff.

     I look over at him and say, "Jesse, why don't you go find something to do outside. You're making me nervous just standing there with nothing to do."

     "Isn't there something I could do in here?" he asks pathetically but cutely.

      I look at Marie. She looks around the kitchen and dining table where we have set up everything but food and shrugs. "We've got everything covered in here," she answers.

      He looks like he's trying not to pout as he shuffles out of the kitchen and back door. I get the strong suspicion that he'd hoped to get Marie alone. I feel like a third wheel, but I also feel like she silently begs me to stick around.

      I decide to make a little small talk. "So, you're from Champs les Sims?" I ask.

     "Oui," she answers with a small grin before turning back around to do something or other with the stovetop.

     "I have a cousin that grew up there. I wonder if you knew her."

     "The town isn't terribly big, maybe I do. What's her name?"

     "Cristina," I answer.

     Marie freezes, facing away from me still. Then she turns around and looks at me very critically.

     "Did you know her?" I ask again.

     "Cristina Haynes?"

     I smile. "Yes! That's her! So you did know her!" I'm happy. My cousin is a little spoiled, but she's also a lot of fun to be around. I think she's Marie's age too.

     "You're her cousin?!" Her voice raises. Then her hand covers her face as she mumbles, "The one who's fiance cheated on her. Why didn't I put this together?"

      "I guess it makes sense that you know her since you're-"

      "I hate her," Marie says icily and leaves the kitchen after turning off the burner on the stove.

       I stand here with my mouth agape, not understanding. She hates her? ... Is Marie the 'bully' that Cristina talked about?

       I can't imagine Marie being a bully, but then again, I don't know her that well.

Marie

      No! No! No! How can it be that I'm making a friend and she has to be HER cousin? I think angrily as I storm out of the house.

      Jesse stands at his mailbox and looks up, surprised to see me.

      I've had it! Coming here has done nothing to help me! My problems followed me!

      I try desperately to keep the tears from falling as I storm off towards the road. I don't mind walking back to my apartment.

      "Whoa! Where are you going? What's wrong?" I hear Jesse say as he trots up behind me.

      "I want to go home," I say, and some tears escape. "Back to Champs les Sims! Everywhere I go, my problems show up!"

       "What?! No!" he cries out and his arms wrap tightly around me like he thinks that simply holding on to me will keep me from leaving.

      I easily break his hold, but he obstinately keeps getting a hold of me in one way or another, preventing me from getting any farther no matter how many times I physically hurt him.

       "Stop. Please! Tell me what happened!" he begs.

       "Erin is Cristina's cousin!"

       "Who?"

       "Dawson's ex that he cheated on me with." I let out a hiccuping cry.

       I hear the cousin of that evil witch say, "Marie, wait!"

       "Why should I?" I snap. "Who's to say you're not exactly the same!" I momentarily give up on getting Jesse to stop trying to hold onto me.

       "I'm not!"

       "I don't know why I didn't see it before! You look just like her!" I snap. In the very back of my mind, I realize I'm losing it and not making much sense, but I don't care. All I see is Cristina in glasses in front of me.

       "Marie, at least explain to me why you're so mad," she asks of me.
       "Do you know what your cousin did to me?"
       "Not really."
       "When she was done visiting you in Riverview, she came back to steal my boyfriend!" I pant. "I moved here to get away from the mess SHE caused!" I take a breath, and my anger takes control. "And I arrive to only find her in another form!"
       "Wait... you're that girl that was always hanging around Dawson?" she asks, and I'm seething.
       "Only because he was my best friend!" I answer, feeling a little defensive as well. "When we were teens, she kept trying to say I wanted to steal him, but I had a boyfriend already!" I yell into her crumpling face. Yeah, Armand, who turned out to be an abusive jerk.
        "Whatever happened, it's not my fault!" she cries.

    The red in my vision slowly clears as I stand here and Erin cries. She's not Cristina. It's just she looks so much like her that the second Erin mentioned her, Cristina was all I could see. I feel like such a bitch.
     "I'm sorry, Erin," I say lamely as I stand here, numb, not moving. I have no idea what Jesse is thinking of the scene in front of him. I think that it's possible he hasn't gotten past me saying I was leaving. I can feel him watching me like a hawk.

     Erin dries her eyes and looks at me like she's trying to understand.
     I decide to continue with my apology. "I don't know what came over me."
     "What did she do?" Erin asks.
     I take a deep breath and prepare to tell her. I fully expect her to try and contradict me. "When she got back to Champs les Sims, she got overly friendly with him. He assured me nothing was happening, but then his brother brought me out to the ruins, and I saw with my own eyes he was lying." I do my best to avoid saying Dawson's name because I hate doing it.
     Erin wipes a shaking hand across her forehead and says, "She said she wanted to get him back when I left Riverview, and that she was going back home to do just that."
      "Well, it worked," I snap.
      "If he'd moved on so easily, then she shouldn't have gone after him again. I'd wondered before, but this Dawson sounds like a real piece of work," she says in a steady voice. "I knew what she was going to do, and I told her it was a bad idea, but she can be pretty stubborn."
      "You're not going to stand here and try to defend your cousin?" I ask, surprised.
      She shrugs. "No. I believe you. She's spoiled. And it matches up with what I know of her and what you've told me," she answers.
       I need to go sit down. I'd expected a fight. I was prepared for a fight, and now that the adrenaline rush is over, I'm exhausted.
      "You're not still leaving, are you?" she asks earnestly.
       "No. I don't know what I was thinking."
       She nods and says, "Well, there's an apple cobbler that needs finishing."
       I look at the ground and say, "It doesn't need anything. Just turn the burner on. I need to sit down for a while."
       "Okay," she says, turns around, and heads up the stairs to enter the house.
       Apple cobbler now feels like a strange thing to fix for a pool party, but I needed a distraction while in Jesse's kitchen.

     I flop down on what Jesse says is a new couch and stare at my flip-flops. Jesse follows me in and sits down next to me. I really wish he wouldn't. I just want to think, and I can't think with him sitting next to me.
     I'm going to have to talk to Erin some more later about this, obviously, but I can't right now. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she didn't try to defend her cousin at all costs.
     "Are you all right?" Jesse asks me quietly after about a minute of silence goes by.
     I sigh exasperatedly. "Jesse, do I look all right?"
     "Just asking," he says defensively.
     "I'm sorry. I just had everything hit me in the face like it just happened again. I guess the shock that I didn't actually run away from it."

    "That's really annoying how crap will up and 'hit you in the face,' like you said, without warning," he says, I guess trying to be helpful.
      I sit up and close my eyes as I ask, "Jesse, can I simply be alone right now?"
      "Please don't ask me to leave," he begs quietly.
      That does it. The raw emotion in his voice breaks through, and I start crying. I double over from the pain around my heart.
       Jesse makes attempts to grab my shoulders to, I guess, pull me up to him. I fight him off several times.
       "Dammit, Marie. Would you just let me help?" he finally asks.
       I let out a pathetic whining sound and stop fighting him off. I'm as floppy as a rag doll as he pulls me up.

     "My best friend," I say simply in between little cries.
     "I know," he says like he finally understands.
     He thankfully doesn't try anything, although by the time I've calmed down, I can tell he doesn't really want to let go. I can't decide if that's sweet or annoying. For something neutral to do I guess, he switches on the TV, and Erin comes in and sits on the other side of me. We sit and watch some cheesy romantic comedy. My why-did-I-fix-this apple cobbler finishes, and Erin asks me to go over to Bryce's with her for a second so she can change into her swimsuit.
     On the short walk over there, I ask her, "We're wearing swimsuits? I don't have mine."
     She bites her lip for a second before she answers. "You could borrow one from me, or if you want, I'll loan you my scooter so you can go get yours."
     I opt for the scooter plan. I'm glad Jesse wasn't around us when Erin offered the options. I can just see him jumping at the chance to drive me over to my apartment and back.

Jesse

     Erin and Marie go over to Bryce's for a minute so they can change since it's about five now. I wonder where Marie is when I see only Erin walk out of the house and down the stairs to my backyard.

     "Where's Marie?" I ask her, hoping I'm not too obvious.
     She picks up a glass of the drinks I made and answers, "I let her borrow my scooter so she could go and get her swimsuit."
      "Oh," I say. "I could've driven her over there if she needed a ride."
      Erin smiles a knowing, little smile at me and says, "She was also curious about driving my scooter since she's thinking about getting one herself."

    People start trickling in, and I honestly forget whatever it was Erin and I were talking about when Marie shows back up.
    Oh holy shit, she's wearing a bikini! I instantly become irritated that I have to calm down the wild animal in my trunks as she walks down the stairs. What am I? Fifteen?

    She stops at the bottom of them and stares at the ocean. I can't help but wonder if she's thinking about that other guy, what's-his-name.
    Erin watches me and starts acting weird. She's trying not to laugh when I look back over at her.
    "Are you going to stand there drooling, or are you gonna go talk to her?" she asks me very quietly.
     I scowl at her. She thinks she needs to tell me what to do? She's got another thing coming if she does. "She probably doesn't want me to run over to her... yet."
     "Yes she does," Erin answers unexpectedly, and I look at her suspiciously.
     I hadn't realized I said the last bit aloud. I know if I go over there now I will probably make a fool of myself because I feel like some kid who doesn't know what he's doing... almost.
     Grinning, Erin walks over to the hot tub. I hadn't even noticed that Lynne and Troy had arrived.
      Tonight. PLEASE tonight before I go mad.
      Marie turns her head and looks at me, I guess because she can feel me staring at her. Her eyes narrow, and she cocks her hip. I grin. Game on.

    She eyes me suspiciously as I walk over to her.
    "Nice suit," I say.
    She shrugs and says, "It was the first one I could find that matched."
     Translation: All or mostly all of her suits are bikinis.
     Down boy!
      "Well, it looks good on you," I say. "Want a drink?" I ask, and the irony hits me that I'm asking her what she pretty much asks everyone at the bar all the time.
     She nods. "Yeah okay. One."
      One. I've heard that before. Hm, really don't want her drunk though. I smile, turn and take her hand at the same time before putting it behind me and holding her little fingers up to my back as I pull her along. There's a slight tug to get her hand back like there was this afternoon, but I tighten my grip just a second before letting go on my own once we reach the bar.
     I'm going to make you beg.
      I take a drink myself, and we stand here as I try to convince her to teach me simfu. That whole 'don't date the teacher' thing is a load of bull. It has to be; it's completely crazy.
      That's a square knot around her neck.

     "I thought you were going to introduce me to your friends," she points out, irritated from our discussion/argument.
       "Oh yeah, sure." I smile in an attempt to keep the peace.
       She already knows Desmond. Apparently, he knows her dad too. I get a little annoyed at the way he looks at her, although I can't say I blame him.
     I remember that she'd already met a few of my friends, sort of, as their waitress, but never in a situation like this one where she could actually talk. We stand around and mingle, and I honestly try not to hover.

Erin

   Jesse's hot tub calls to me, and I decide to go over and soak with Lynne, Troy, and Belinda. I put down my Coke next to where I decide to sit while the three of them greet me.

     Once I'm seated, Belinda turns to look at me and say, "You'll never guess who I ran into the other day."
      "You're right. I'll never guess," I agree. "Who?"
      "Your ex-fiance, Sean."
      I go instantly on alert.
      "Calm down," she says quickly. "He's left."
      "Huh?" I ask, surprised.
      "He left the island and went back home," she clarifies, still not really helping me.

     Lynne speaks up, "He won't be bothering you anymore."
     "How did this happen?" I ask, my shock still in control.
     "We had a little... talk, and I convinced him to leave," she answers with a smug expression on her face.
      "You just talked to him?!" I ask, incredulous.
      "Lynne can be... a little intense sometimes," Bryce's voice echoes in my head from the other day.
      "Yes. Don't worry anymore about it," she states and leans back with her hands behind her head.
      Troy sits quietly and listens to the three of us. I realize I've never even said a word to him ever. Not that I know what to say now.

     I make the decision to just go with it.
     Sean is gone. He left the island. He gave up. Thank God. I take a deep breath and relax back against the edge of the hot tub. I'm free.

    I spend some time getting to know Belinda. I like her. She's got a quirky sense of humor.
     Troy and Lynne start getting a little more friendly. It gets harder and harder to ignore them.

     Belinda pipes up when she can't take it anymore. "Would you two get a room?!"
     The two of them laugh a little before going right back to what they were doing before.
      A little breeze blows Marie's conversation with Jesse over to me.

    "I keep forgetting to ask you. I left some clothes in your car the other day, and I was wondering -"
    He interrupts her. "Oh, yeah. I found them and washed them. They're upstairs."

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Yes, I'm leaving you with that cliffhanger. Sorry, but if I included the next bit this may as well become a novella instead of a chapter.

Wow, fifty chapters! It doesn't feel like fifty chapters! And to think... this was just going to be a short nothing so that I could play around with Sunlit Tides, hehe. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement because you are the reason that it's still going and will hopefully continue on for at least another fifty chapters!

I'll probably be writing a 1-50 summary soon and include extra info, Easter egg like, throughout the thing.

49: The Volcano Gods

Bryce

     "What are you doing?" the beautiful woman behind me asks as I sit on the edge of the bed. The morning sun has risen well into the sky by now. I check the time on my phone. It's ten.

      "I'm texting Marie to ask if she can come to a meeting here now instead of another day. I want all this sorted out, and Jones already said he could," I answer her and hit send.

       While Erin gets up and takes a shower, everything gets settled. Jones will pick Marie up on his way and bring her here.

        Erin comes out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, and I can't resist her.

       "How can you do this to me now when we have people coming over?" I moan into her ear as I pull the towel off her. Her skin feels soft and slightly damp, and I can't stop my hands from racing all up and down her back before I cup her behind and cover a nipple with my mouth.

     "We have a few minutes," she breathes.

     "Dammit, I love you," I say as I lift her and deposit her on the bed. The freshly-shaven space between her legs calls to me, and I can't resist moving down to get a taste. Erin: my favorite flavor, I think as four-letter words come flying out of her pretty mouth while I tease her with my tongue.

      In the midst of her swearing, my name comes out in a moan. I love it when she says my name, but I want her to scream it.

      But I don't have time! I think with an irritated groan as I pull off my briefs before lifting her hips to me where I stand next to the bed.

      I groan for a much better reason after I push myself inside her. She's so fucking tight! I scream inside my head as I begin swiftly pounding myself into her.

      I love that she loves this position. Well, I never outright asked her, but I can tell she's not complaining by the way she's carrying on. She gets tighter, and it's all I can do to hold on.

     "Please, Erin baby, come on," I moan down to her as I feel her getting close. She starts making little whining noises and arching her back while I tortuously add a little more force.

      Yes! I think as she comes and I can finally let go. I feel my hands dig into the soft flesh of her hips as I watch her eyes roll to the back of her head. Her legs now on either side of me, I lean over and attack her mouth with mine. She whimpers since I won't let her recover, but I have to kiss her right now. I want to just crawl right up inside this woman and live there for the rest of my life. This simple, quiet, shy goddess that has so graciously allowed a mere mortal like me to make quick, but satisfying, love to her.

     The doorbell rings, shattering my illusion.

     "Oh shit!" I let out as I quickly separate us and frantically search for wherever I threw my clothing. Erin starts giggling at me, I guess at my expression... or the situation.

      "Ha ha very funny," I say in a mildly-sarcastic voice. "You're not the one that has to go answer the door."

     Laughing at me still, she says, "Nope."

     After I pull the first shirt I could grab over my head I lean down to quickly but firmly kiss her. "Thank you," I say once I pull back up.

     "The pleasure's all mine, hottie. Now go answer the door before they think you're not at home anymore," she says with a grin and somehow manages to swat my behind.

     She called me a hottie, I think with a ridiculous grin covering my face as I trot down the stairs in my bare feet.

      They got here way too fast, I think as I answer the door and usher Jones and Marie into my dining room. I realize this is the first time I've ever had Jones over. I hope he'll accept the promotion I'm about to offer him.

     "Thank you both for coming here on such short notice," I say to them as we all take a seat at the table. Then, I proceed to offer Jones the assistant manager position. He actually looks surprised, and he happily accepts. Good. Got that squared away. Next, I tell them that for the next little while, I'm cutting operating hours to only the evenings so that I don't have to hire someone else for the time being BECAUSE I'm going to tear the place down coming up real soon and build another building.

    I'd been considering this little scheme for about a year now. The whole cutting back the opening hours wasn't really in the plan, but I don't think it's fair to hire someone only to have them not work for an extended period of time. Plus, that's one less employee that I'm going to pay a salary to while the building gets done.

    Marie is the first one to ask about her paycheck, and that's when I tell them about the salary. All of this is going to really cut into my savings, but I think it'll be worth it in the end. I may actually have to finance an engagement ring for Erin when I get to that point. Hopefully, I won't have to take out a loan, or much of one, to finish the building and get everything I want.

    "I may still ask you to come out and help with the labor for the building, if you think you can," I say.

     "Of course," Jones replies. "We'll not be doing much otherwise, right, Marie?" he asks.

     "As long as it's something I can handle, that should be fine," she answers, and her phone starts buzzing. "Sorry, I thought I had it silenced," she says sheepishly.

     "No problem. You can go answer it if you want," I say.

     "It was just a text, I can answer it later."

     "The only thing really left to discuss is that I want both of your opinions about are the actual changes I want to make. A game room, for instance," I say, and Marie's phone lights up on the table. "Go ahead and take that, Marie, we can always get your take on stuff later." 

     Marie looks at her phone worriedly, nods, and gets up to answer it and head outside.

Marie

    "Hello," I say simply before I close Bryce's glass door. It's Jesse.

     "Did you get my text?" he asks.

     "Yes, but I didn't read it yet because I was in a meeting with Bryce and Jones. Bryce wanted to do it this morning to get it out of the way, I guess," I answer, wondering now what the text said. "What did it say?"

    "I wanted to know if you changed your mind about needing a ride anywhere."

    "No, my day isn't going like I planned, but I guess that's okay since apparently my hours are being cut and I'll have more time on my hands on all the other days," I answer and then realize that sounded bad.

    "What?!" he yells, sounding upset.

    I quickly get in, "I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I mean that Bryce is cutting back operating hours for a little while."

     "Oh. Why?"

     "He wants to build a new bar-slash-whatever," I answer.

     "Oh yeah, he'd mentioned that to me before, but I thought he'd changed his mind," he states.

      We get quiet, and I wonder what he's thinking.

      "So," he says a little quieter, "where are you anyway? At the bar?"

      "I'm at Bryce's," I say, looking back at his house for a second and wondering if he's at home.

     "Really?" I can hear his smile.

     "No, I'm inside the volcano because I got cold," I answer in a humorously-sarcastic undertone.

     "Well, if you're that cold, I'd be happy to warm you up," he says seductively. That man never misses any opportunity to throw something in like that apparently.

     "Jesse..." I say in warning.

     He laughs and says, "Oh, right. Nice texting. I forgot." He laughs again, "Sorry, that was the first thought that popped into my head."

      I stay quiet, reminding myself that there was a real person sending me those texts last night, and right now, I'm talking to him on the phone.

      "Those shorts look good on you," he says in a lower voice, and I whip around to look at his house.

     "So you ARE at home," I state.

     "Yeah, the volcano isn't really my favorite place. Besides, you should steer clear of it too. I wouldn't want anyone to get some hair-brained idea to appease the volcano gods by tossing in a beautiful woman."

     "And just how many times have you used that line?" I ask, trying yet again to keep what he said from affecting me.

     "Probably... three, but I've never meant it so much as now," he answers, and we get quiet again. 

     I do my absolute best to keep from looking at his house now. It's driving me crazy to know he's watching me.
      "Can you come over when the meeting is finished?" he asks me in a hopeful voice.
       Alone with Jesse at his house... bad idea.
       "Why?" I ask, stalling.
       "Because... I ... could use some help getting ready for the party tonight."
       "If you needed help, then how were you planning on getting things ready while you were playing chauffeur?"
       "Throwing things together at the last minute," he answers. Then he asks his own question, "Aren't you supposed to be in a meeting? I don't want to get you in trouble."
      "It's pretty much over. In fact, I don't think I really have anything left to contribute," I answer.
      "Oh good! I'm coming over there then," he answers happily and hangs up before I can stop him.
      I frantically look around before dashing back into Bryce's house. I wish I had some form of transportation! I think, still panicking. I can see Jesse now as he walks towards the house, and I hear the television in the living room. Moving quickly and without giving an explanation to Bryce and Jones, I dash into the living room to find Erin sitting on the couch. I walk a little past her and sit in the chair.

      "Everything okay?" she asks me timidly.
      No! I want to hide because I can't handle Jesse and his feelings right now! I scream inside my own head. Fidgeting, I glance over at the girl sitting next to me. I'm guessing she's a few, maybe three, years older than me, but I don't think much more than that. I quickly make a decision and hope she'll help me.
      "Jesse's coming over," I say quietly, letting my panic show in a pleading expression.
       Her eyes widen as she, thankfully, gets what I'm really saying. "Oh."
      We have no time to do anything to save me before Bryce and Jesse walk into the room. They each take a seat on the couch on either side of Erin with Jesse sitting right next to me. I suddenly find the coffee table extremely interesting before I look at the television.
       "So Bryce," Jesse says, "Marie tells me you're going to do that whole 'tear the place down and rebuild' plan with the bar."
       I see my boss's head pop over in my direction.
     "News travels fast. That must've been you on the phone then," Bryce says. I hope I'm not in trouble.
        "She wasn't supposed to tell me?" Jesse asks the question I'm thinking.
        "No, it's fine I'm just... surprised," he answers, and I see Jones out the window as he starts up his car and leaves.
         There goes my ride. Bryce must have told him not to worry about it.
         "So Erin," Jesse talks again, "I know about everybody but you. Are you coming to the party tonight?"
         She looks at me to ask, "Are you going, Marie?"
         I don't know why she's asking me, but I answer anyway. "Yes."
         "Yeah, I guess I can go." I can sense Bryce tense up before Erin says, "I'll be surrounded by people the entire time."

       "I'm just nervous we haven't seen him in a couple of days," Bryce says in a small growl.
       "I hope to see him," I say angrily. "Let him try to pull that crap again. I'll ensure he never has any children." I see Bryce hide a smile, Erin cover her mouth with her hand to prevent a laugh, and I hear Jesse crack up laughing. I can't look at Jesse.
      "Oh hey," Jesse talks again, "that reminds me, Marie. Would you teach me how to do all that stuff?"

       I look over at him for the first time since he walked into the room, and he looks like he's sincerely hopeful I'll teach him.
       "You seemed to be able to handle yourself anyway," I state.
      "But I wanna learn that stuff, and there's nobody here that could teach me but you," he nicely argues.
        The television goes to a commercial break.
        Bryce breaks the silence, "Erin, would you help me fix some lunch?" A subtle look passes between them.
        Please don't leave me alone in here with him! I think desperately to the room. I'd just started to get mildly comfortable again.
       "Okay," Erin answers Bryce's question.
       I quickly offer to help as well, but the two of them shoot me down. Jesse sits there quietly.
       I'm alone in the room with him.
       "Why don't you want to teach me?" he asks while I look at our feet. I pull mine off to the side away from him.
       I decide on an answer. "Jesse, you want to date me, and I don't think it's a good idea to date a pupil." Oh no. I know exactly what he's thinking right now.
        "So you're saying you'll date me?" he asks hopefully and leans forward. I feel like his whole body is leaning towards me, ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

       "No. It's that... " I pause in surprise as he takes my hand. "And I've never taught anyone ever."
       "I bet you'd make a great teacher," he says quietly as he pulls my hand towards him and covers it with his other one. "And it's what exactly?"
       "Hm?"
       "You said 'it's that,' and I wanna know what you meant."
       It's that I'm very attracted to you and CAN'T be your teacher. "It's not a good idea."
       "It's a great idea to spend more time with you." he says while his thumb plays with the top of my hand. Then I hear the smile in his voice as he says, "And you'd have an excuse to beat the crap out of me on a regular basis."
        "No matter how tempting beating the crap out of you sounds, I don't think it's a good idea." And I don't think I could beat the crap out of you now if I tried.
        "Tell me why," he requests quietly.

        "Jesse..." I say in a worried voice as I try to get my hand free from his tightened grasp.
        "Would it be easier to tell me if I texted you?"
        "With you sitting here right next to me? That's ridiculous."

       "But you were more comfortable with that," he states, and we both get quiet for a few seconds. Then he speaks again, "I'm going to make a few guesses. You don't want to teach me because you have feelings for me, and you don't want that to get in the way. Or, you're scared of whatever it is you feel, and you don't want me to always be around you."
        Again, I wonder if he can read my mind as I try to keep the shock from showing up on my face.
        Since I haven't said anything, he says, "I want to learn, and it would be the perfect thing while I'm waiting for this unknown amount of 'time' to pass."
       "Perfect in what way?" I ask, trying to make my voice steady. What he's still doing to the top of my hand is utterly distracting.
       "To be around you. What happened to the girl that texted that she said she felt better when I showed up?"
       "I was being nice."
       "I like nice."
        ...........
        I don't say anything.
        "I'd even pay for the lessons so that it won't feel like there's something else going on. I'd just be your pupil," he adds.
       "Then, as my 'pupil,' you can't hold my hand like this." I jerk my hand out of his grasp.
       "You're saying you will?" he asks, eyebrows raised.
       "I'll think about it," I answer as I get up and head towards where Bryce and Erin are taking a lifetime to prepare lunch.