Braver - Jack Brewer

4. Dojo Day Afternoon

After the night with Jack, I went home and took a shower. I was late to practice but who cares? I mean, I was working on Jack's ring so, I could be late. I actually finished it and I put it in a little bag with a blue jolly rancher, knowing the blue ones are his favorite.

I put it in my pocket of my grey sweat pants and skated to the dojo.

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When I walk in I see Jack in the middle of everyone with a broken board on the ground.

"What's the big deal, Jack? You've done that 1,000 times." Jerry says. No one has noticed me yet, so I lean against the wall and watch.

"Wait for it." Jack blows and the cinder blocks that was under the board crumble to the ground.

Everyone 'whoa's and I just clap. Everyone looks at me and Jack smiles.

He walks up to me,"Hey. I didn't think you were coming." He looks down at me and smiles.

I smile back. "Well. Can't a girl be late? I mean, I was working on this." I grab the small bag with the ring and dangle it in the air.

Jack's smile brightens as he grabs the small bag. He opens it and pulls out the ring and the candy. He looks at the ring closely before sliding it on his finger. Then he looks at the candy in his hand. He holds it up.

"Now this. This, is a bonus." He smiles and unwraps the candy, popping it in his mouth.

"You like?" I smile at the boy.

"Oh, this?" He holds up his hand. "Nah...I love." He smirks and pulls me into a hug.

I hear 'ooo's from Kim, Jerry, Milton, and Eddie.

I look over Jack's shoulder,"Shut up." I glare, flipping them off. They all gasp and I smile. Jack just laughs while he pulls away.

"I'm going to get a smoothie." Eddie says.

"Get me a strawberry-mango?" I yell out. He holds a thumbs up, not looking back. "Thank you!" I yell out, he nods, still not looking back.

All of a sudden there is clanking and sloshing coming from Rudy's office.

"No, no! Don't you die on me, not now! It's not your time!" Rudy yells out as we all slowly walk to the door of his office.

"What's going on in there?" Milton asks, disturbed.

"Rudy's toilet's clogged again." Jack and I say at the same time, grimacing.

We hear a flush come from the office and we all gag. Rudy comes out wearing rubber gloves, a water suit, and a hard hat with a flashlight on it.

He starts panting,"Poor Myrtle. I almost lost her. Twice I had to plunge her back to life." He still pants.

"How do you know if a toilet's a boy or a girl?" Jerry asks.

"Oh God." I bury my head in the crook of Jack's neck.

"You take the top of the tank off, you reach your arm in, and you feel around-"

"STOP!" We all yell at Rudy and he shuts up.

Jack runs his fingers through my hair since my head is still nuzzled in the crook of his neck.

"Rudy, focus." Kim stresses,"The new owner of the mall's gonna be here any minute."

Eddie comes running in,"Hey, you guys gotta check this out."

I lift my head up and grab my smoothie from Eddie. I thank him. I go to take a drink, but Jack grabs it and takes a sip. I grab it and take a sip as he hugs me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder. I put the straw near my shoulder for him to take another drink, because I knew that's what he wanted.