tongue tied - jake kiszka

10.

I didn't see Jake for the next couple of days. Call me a bitch if you want, but I was trying to keep my distance.

I knew it was for the best.

Dawn hadn't been thrilled when she found out that Jake and I had spent the night in the car. She ignored me our whole drive home until I offered to pick us up some coffee and the little Welch's fruit snacks she liked.

That's when she had finally looked at me and asked if I liked him. "Dawn." I had said, giving her an incredulous look, "We just needed somewhere to sleep." That seemed to be enough for her because she nodded and asked me if I could get the mixed berries gummies.

   And it was true. We did need somewhere to sleep. Jake said he would try things out with Dawn and that him and I could be friends. There was nothing I wanted to worry Dawn with.

   Yet as we drove I could still feel his fingers absentmindedly running through my hair and the tune he hummed played over in my head, dancing in and out of my ears.

   Yeah, no.

   I had to get it together. So I did.

   In the days that followed I chose to ignore his messages. They weren't flirty, but Dawn hadn't heard from him at all, so I knew not to respond. I assured Dawn he would come around.

   I remember one guy she had been obsessed with had found her on a date with someone else. After that, he wouldn't respond to her calls. She had been an absolute wreck.

   I didn't have the heart to tell her that technically she was in the wrong, but everyone fucks up from time to time. So I told her not to worry, that he'd come around.

   And he did. They always did.

   Those days that she didn't hear from Jake had been hell. She kept checking her phone, throwing it when she saw nothing, and then rushing to go pick it up to see if he had texted in the nanosecond her phone had been hurtling through the air.

   Finally though, he texted her.

   He asked if we wanted to come listen to one of their gigs. It was in this little theatre in town. The stage was small, but there was about 700 seats. He said he could get us in the front row next to Posy tonight.

   Dawn's face lit up instantly as she read it out loud and fell just as fast. I wasn't sure if it was because of Posy or because of the we. But I had a feeling it was the latter.

   "I'm probably not gonna go." I said quickly. I was sitting cross legged in my bed, still in my pajamas. Dawn stood in my doorway, her phone in her hand, waiting to send a response. "Char." She sighed, "I need you there. I don't get along great with Posy alone and that'll make me look like shit in front of Jake."

   "So you want me to come along so you don't look like shit?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. Dawn gave me a look and I rolled my eyes. "I get it, okay?"

   "I need you there Charlie."

   "Maybe this will be your chance to work shit out with Posy. Maybe you can bond over the music, I don't know."

   She let out a groan as she crawled up on to the end of my bed. Once she was situated and sitting face to face with me, she looked at me intently and waited.

   She wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Do I have to?" I asked, wishing more than anything, especially now, that I could distance myself from that boy. If he and Dawn had any chance of becoming anything then I needed to give them time alone.

   "Please Charlie, pretty please. I'll clean the shower if you go."

   Well...

   "The toilet too?" I asked and she made a face. "Fine." After that was settled I finally agreed. I wasn't all that thrilled, but their music was good and I would get to see Posy again. I didn't have to talk to Jake other than a friendly hello.

   It could work out. It was gonna have to if I was going. Dawn threw her arm around my neck, squealing with excitement before apologizing quickly. She knew I wasn't big on physical touch. I waved her off, letting out a smile.

   Tonight would be fine.

   She texted Jake back letting him know we would be there and he sent back a thumbs up and a smiley face. She was ecstatic as she left my room, rushing to the bathroom to shower so she could start getting ready.

   I brought my knees up to my chest, letting my head rest on top of them as I sat there. My hair was a mess from sleep and I was still in my pajamas even thought it was already 3 pm. I was going to have to do some serious damage control if I wanted to look presentable tonight.

   I didn't mind making myself look nice. It just took a little bit of work. I tried not to think about Jake, it wouldn't do any good either way. He was sweet, too sweet for me. I wasn't good at relationships anyways.

   I knew I didn't want to get in Dawn's way. She seemed to really like him and he would feel the same eventually. There was no way he wouldn't. That was the thing about Dawn- she almost always got her way.

   It was admirable really.

   I straightened back up, stretching out my arms in the sunlight that peeked through my blinds. I felt my phone vibrate and I pulled it out to see that a number I didn't recognize had texted me.

?: im so glad ur going tonight

   Another message popped up almost immediately after.

?: its Posy btw :)

   I smiled as I saved her number and texted back quickly.

Me: Hey :) it'll be good to see U

Posy: yes!! i got ur # from Jake

Posy: hope that's ok

Me: Yea of course I'll see U tonight

She texted back more exclamation points and a heart and I wondered if this is what normal girl friendships were like. I always seemed to attract the crazies. Not that I minded.

I was just always the mellow friend. The "hey don't cry, it'll be good" or the "maybe you shouldn't key his car" or even the "well i guess you could, just don't get caught."

As soon as I set my phone back down it vibrated again. I figured it was probably Posy again, but it wasn't.

Jake: Glad ur coming

That was all. That was it. "Fuuuuck." I whispered under my breath. I didn't text him back though. Instead, I grabbed my wallet, yelled out to Dawn that I'd be back, and went to the gas station to get a pack of cigarettes.