How Jesse Got His Karma

sixty-three

"Are you ever going to let me pay for food when we're together?" Karma asks as she sits in the passenger seat of the car, looking over at me whilst placing another fry in her mouth.

Rolling my eyes at the question, she obviously knows the answer to. I let my silence answer for me as she huffs exaggeratedly continuing to practically inhale the fries in her hands as she always does.

We were exiting the Mcdonald's drive-thru on our way back to the school. We argued again trying to decide where to get food from today. I wanted Checkers and she wanted Mcdonalds so I decide to make two trips to both places.

I prefer Checker's fries which is the only reason I wanted to go there. We don't always go to lunch together like this but after the whole thing with Joseph and Jonah, I decided that I wouldn't let her out of my sight in any way that I can. I even started going to Jonah's class. On-time. Which I think I deserve praise for considering that I show up to every class late.

Karma had noticed this change in my behavior and gave me that praise without knowing why I had started showing up to class more.

My grades were fine in all my classes, I didn't have to show up much to get the grades that I have all that matters is me graduating at the end of the year.

I hadn't noticed just how much Jonah was attracted to karma until after I started going to class. How he'd touch on her in ways that he didn't do with any other girl in class, how he'd call on her every time she rose her hand even if other people were trying to participate as well. Every time she asked a question about something she didn't understand his voice would get all soft and whatnot. As if he's speaking to a child. But if anyone else had a question he would say something like, 'ask your peers and if they still don't understand, come back to me.'

If favoritism was a person it'd be him.

Bless Karma's heart for being so innocent but I don't even know if she's noticed what I have in the past week.

I don't know when Jonah or Joseph or planning to get at her but I already know that they'll be taken care of by the end of the week.

I called Joseph the other day asking to meet with him with some bullshit story about giving up the gang and allowing him to create some kind of a merger with his own, allowing him to gain full control.

He fell for everything I said. You know, if this weren't my job, I'd probably go into acting. I made sure to sound extra stressed on the phone. I waited a few days after the math event last Friday to call him because I didn't want him to suspect anything right away.

Even if I were to actually step down from my position he'd the be last person that I would call.

By Saturday there'd be no more Joseph.

He wouldn't be able to harass me, my friends, Karma or Gio.

...Yeah and I guess Paula and the pathological liar are important too.

My left hand had a tight grip on Karma's thigh as she held one of her quarter-pounders in her hands, taking her first bite.

When we pulled up to a stoplight, Karma decided to speak.

"You know, we've never really been on a date before." I watch as her head trunks to face me, while she's chewing on her food, looking fucking adorable as always failing to notice the ketchup that's now resting above her lip.

Reaching out, I take my hand off the wheel, to wipe the top of her lip clean of the ketchup, and she thanks me quietly before opening up the sandwich and removing the pickles out of the sandwich tossing them into a napkin.

A loud honk startles the both of us before I realize that I had been staring at her simply removing the things she hates from her burger for too long and now the light had turned green. Stepping on the accelerator, I begin to drive again thinking back to what Karma said.

"We have been on a date," I said tilting my head in confusion a bit, turning on my left turn signal, "We've been on plenty."

"Jess, if you're talking about us sneaking around in the daycare and the one time that we went to Emiliano and Amelia's pizzeria...those weren't actual dates." she snorts and takes another bite of her burger, reaching into the fries container to grab another.

"Did we leave the house?" I ask

"Yes bu--"

"Did I buy you food?"

She laughs, "Yeah bu--"

"You had fun?" I ask

"Yeah, I did," she answers

"So how exactly are those not dates again?" I open my mouth in her direction, keeping my eyes on the road and she understands what I'm asking for silently as she places two fries in my mouth and I hum in satisfaction beginning to chew.

She sighs, "Because I want us to actually plan it this time. In a place that does not smell like toys and hand sanitizer or, grease and pepperoni." she starts, "Oh! And an aunt who insists that we're sleeping together if I kiss you for a few seconds longer than I should." she begins to do that thing where talks with her hands

"I want to dress up and have you pick me up from my house and tell me that I look pretty." she stares off into the window absentmindedly, "And have you open my door and lead me to this really pretty restaurant, eating food that looks disgusting but tastes great. Spending hours talking about anything and everything that we lose track of time."

I look between her and the road a few times to see she's still facing the window, playing with the necklace on her neck, completely disregarding her food.

She speaks again, "It just sucks that we can't do normal couple shit without hiding it from certain people or my parents."

I can tell she's serious because she actually stopped eating just to say all of this.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to give her what she wants. She really knows to paint the nicest picture because I wouldn't mind doing all those things with her. I mean the whole reason that I refused to tell her about Joseph and Jonah is to keep her unsuspecting and calm. As if nothing was wrong.

I might have to switch around my schedule because of everything going on on Saturday. But I should be able to open up the entirety of Friday for her. Luckily, it's an off-day for students on Friday due to some training that teachers are doing so that's enough time to plan everything.

I grab one of her hands that were resting on her lap, interlocking our fingers together, bringing our conjoined hands up to my lips, catching her attention.

"Clear your schedule for me on Friday, baby." I say, rolling my eyes as she gasps and begins to 'aw' at me

If it's normalcy she wants, then that's what she'll get.

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[A/N] Anywhoresss, this book is coming to a close in the next few chapters :((( just wanted to give you a heads up but I have an announcement to make in the last chapter so stick around for that :)

Thanks for reading!!