The Weaker Sex (Unedited)

Chapter 4

My first week of school went by in a flurry. Saturday morning couldn't have come sooner and once again, Jean-Louise, her friends and I were hanging out at the lake talking about our first week. We were all relieved it was completely different than high school. Everyone was relaxed, you could be on your own and no own judged you. Best of all, you could eat and pee whenever you wanted! I sat up, reaching for a can of soda from the cooler when I got the idea to ask if there were any cute guys in this town. TJ sat up and pulled his shades down his nose. "Uh hello, we're sitting right here." He said, pointing to himself and Tate.

I laughed, shaking my head at them.

"I'm not gonna date someone I consider a friend." I told them.

"Well, we don't really consider you a friend."

"Good to know fellas."

"There are cute guys, and they all belong to Beta Gamma Phi." Tamara added.

"Which I'm rushing for, so you can have first dibs." TJ grinned.

"TJ, shush. It's true though. They're very selective and their president is the crème de la crème. He's gorgeous." Jean-Louise swooned, lying back down on the towel.

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Tobias Delaney. He's the mayor's son, but this is his last semester so don't expect to see too much of him. Plus he's dating Michelle Crawford. They're probably getting engaged soon."

Of course the good-looking ones were always taken or graduating. After another hour of baking in what was left of the afternoon sun, we packed it up and returned home. Mrs. Wells met Jean-Louise and me at the porch holding a homemade apple pie. I'd gained the famous freshman 15 within a couple of days with the Wells. The Mrs. was constantly cooking and baking delicious food and I certainly couldn't pass up. I thought I was going to be a starving college student, but really I was an overstuffed college student. Whatever was left over would be lunch that I proudly carried around in a brown paper bag.

We stepped into the kitchen with her for a slice and some milk. Mrs. Wells set down my mail in front of me. My sisters had gotten into writing me letters instead of just texting me like normal people, but I appreciated that they wrote nice things to me. They also let me know just what of my stuff they'd kept and what my mom had sold. I was hoping to get 50% off the top of that.

I set their letters aside to read later on. Sometimes I sort of missed them, and those letters made me happy that I actually had left home or else we'd be having a turf war like we usually did. I scooped up a nice spoonful of hot pie, curling my toes in pleasure. Not that I had ever had a boyfriend, but I was pretty sure that hot apple pie could beat any hot guy. "So, why don't you have a boyfriend?" I randomly asked Jean-Louise. She stared at me a bit surprised as Mrs. Wells chortled from the sink. "Shh mom," she glared. "I don't have one because clearly TJ and I are meant to be together." She stated matter-of-fact. "Here's the thing," Mrs. Wells cut in. "TJ crushed on this one for years since they were kids. Last year this one decided that she was in love with him too, but by then he'd moved on and now it's her life mission to get him back."

Oh mothers, always telling it like it was. "Jean-Louise, what's your side?" I teased.

"I didn't know my feelings," she began. "I just thought he was a good friend and then he took off his shirt in front of me and it was over. Over I tell you! I realized that he was the one for me, but the reason he took off his shirt was to impress that snooty Courtney Marshall." She rolled her eyes shoveling half the pie into her mouth.

"Bottom line is, he stopped chasing and she wants him back." Mrs. Wells summed up.

"But I love him." Jean-Louise whined, dropping her head onto the table.

"Have you told him how you feel?" I asked. "Of course not! A lady does not tell a man how she feels."

"Hey, Scarlet O'Hara did it."

"Yeah and Ashley turned her down and went on to marry his cousin."

"Well TJ isn't going to marry his cousin. Right? You guys don't still do that, right?"

"If we're desperate enough." Mrs. Wells joked.

At least I hoped it was a joke. "I think you should tell TJ how you feel and let the chips fall where they may. You with me on this Mrs. Wells?" She raised her coffee mug up I agreement. "I've been telling her this for a year, but she won't listen."

"Ugh, fine. I'll tell TJ how I feel." Jean-Louise groaned.

"Do it right now. Don't waste anymore time." I insisted.

"Like right now, right now?"

"Yes! Come on, we'll go right now or you'll regret it forever. Or at least until another hot guy comes along, now let's go."

I dragged her onto the porch where she whipped out her mom's keys tossing them to me. She was too nervous to drive. We hopped in with now me having second thoughts. Ugh men and their inability to see how women felt. Seriously, how were we ever supposed to procreate if men and women couldn't even understand each other? The moment TJ's house came into view Jean-Louise started hyperventilating in the passenger seat. I parked right in front and grabbed her by the shoulders to give her one last pep talk. The worst thing he could do was turn her down, but I'd be there to see her through it and so would Ben & Jerry. She took in a deep breath and stepped off the car.

It took a gentle shove up the walkway for her to finally make it to the door and ring the bell. I gave her the thumbs up from the fence. It was better to keep your distance in these situations, in case of like murders and stuff. TJ opened the door, looking a little confused as to why we were there. I casually waved from the fence when he looked up at me. Jean-Louise brought his face back to her, beginning to fidget. I watched his body language. He raised his brows then furrowed them and rubbed the back of his head. Oh god, he was going to reject her. I should've kept my mouth shut. Way to go Madison.

He smiled and took her face in his hands before kissing her. Oh crap, I was right! I'd brought a couple together, that meant I'd racked up some good karma! Good job, Madison. Jean-Louise jumped into his arms as he literally swept her off her feet in a hug. I should build a dating website, I was good at this. Jean-Louise hurried back to me asking me if I minded picking her up later. "Sure, but don't do anything crazy, your mother will bake me into one of her pies if you get into trouble." I warned.

"Aha, please, it's TJ. He's about to be so nervous he's going to forget I told him I like him." She winked.

"And thank you so much Madison. I owe you big time. Pick a guy, any guy and I'll make it happen."

"Ask TJ to get me in good with his drool worthy fraternity."

"Haha, you got it."

I sent the thumbs up to TJ and got back into her mother's car. Mrs. Wells already knew it'd been a success when she saw me walk in by myself. For the next couple of weeks, Jean-Louise was out with TJ every night. Mrs. Wells was a little irked that she was ignoring half the world for him, but even I knew that when you felt you were in love, nothing else mattered. The next couple of weeks were of course boring for me, so boring in fact that the only thing to do was study so I'd gotten ahead of even my professors. It wasn't until the next weekend that TJ had finally come through and his fraternity was having the first party of the year.