A Taste of Jellybean Kisses - Pink - The Prequel

Three

BEFORE

The hotel room smelled musty, but it looked clean. It was one of the last  in the state with openings, since many beach towns, including Avon, had mandatory evacuation orders in place. Our parents stayed home but insisted that we leave together. They had no idea that that drama we’d gone through the past few weeks was worse than the most terrible weather.   At least there were two beds, so that was one less thing to worry about.  After two hours in gridlocked traffic, almost anything would do.

Jax brought in all our bags and tossed the snacks on the desk. The neighbors next door had given us a six pack of beer, and Jax popped the caps on two of them, handing one to me. I didn’t usually drink while it was light outside, but this was an unusual situation.  The east coast faced a major hurricane, and Jax and I were just going to have to sit here while it rained. A few months ago, that would have been my idea of a good time. But now  I could barely look him in the eye.

"Thanks for this. And all the snacks. Cheers?" It wasn’t usually a question but my nerves had me up-talking.  We hadn’t talked at all in the car, and I hadn’t gone with him into the grocery store. But, since we were stuck here together, I steeled my resolved and moved forward. I owed him an apology, if only to clear the air.  "Erm, I'm sorry about everything with Madison." I said. As conversation openings went, it wasn't the best, but it had gotten it out there   at least.

"Sorry? Whatever for?” he asked. I wasn’t used to Jax’s sarcastic tone. He often used it with others, but never me, never before. I’d made things tense for us, though, so I needed to make them better, if that was still possible.

“Because you aren’t going to homecoming," I said quietly, biting my lip and peeling the label from the beer. I needed to hide my eyes from him. Because I wasn’t actually sorry. Not at all. I’d gloated silently when I found out the dance had been cancelled because of a hurricane warning. Unfortunately, the damage had been done, and my attitude towards him over the past month guaranteed we weren’t going to have any fun until I could make things right for us.

"Quit it Jacey. We both know you're not sorry at all." he said, as the lights flickered. Outside the storm was just getting started.  The room dimmed for at least thirty seconds, and I wished it would stay that way.

My face burned with shame. "I'm sorry I've been such a bitch to you. I was just really hurt when you said yes to her."

"She asked me. You didn't," he said. He shrugged like it was no big deal.  But his eyes betrayed him. They always did. When we were little they lit up with yellow flecks every time he cried. He didn't shed tears often anymore, but he still had the tell.

 "I'm sorry, I guess I took it for granted that things would be the same as usual," I said, sighing softly. He sounded really hurt and I'd only been thinking about my own feelings. As usual.

"You've been so different all Fall, I didn't figure you'd want to go with me. So I said yes to someone who actually did.” 

My mouth opened and closed like a fish. I didn't know how to respond  so I got defensive. "Well, you at least could have told me first. Being last to find out was humiliating!" I said, voice raising. One of the most obnoxious boys in our class had set me up, asking me to go with him in the lunch line. When I'd said no, that I already had a date, he'd laughed and told me Jax was going with Madison. I'd run from the cafeteria for the first time since the daily humiliation of my freshman days.  

"I'm sorry for that. She asked and I said yes. It was a spontaneous decision. And I didn’t think you’d care, to be honest.”

"But, it was our last Homecoming Dance," I said, wondering how he could even think that. "Why would you think I wouldn't care?"