A Good Guy & A Bad Boy

Ch. 4

A week went by, and the next day is Friday. Jake was in class, working on a worksheet, when Nick popped up in front of him.

"Yo, Boy Scout," he said.

"Nick... what's up?" Jake replied.

"Boswell wants to see us, and Goldilocks too."

"What's going on?"

"Beats me. Just come on."

Jake followed Nick out the classroom and down the hall. On their way, they encountered Erica.

"Any ideas what Boswell wants with us?" she asked.

"You're asking the wrong ones," Nick answered.

"Maybe it's nothing," Jake replied.

When they entered the principal's office, they saw Principal Boswell wearing a smile on his face.

"Principal Boswell? You called for us?" Jake asked.

"Ah, yes," Boswell responded. "Come sit down with me."

Erica and Nick sat down in the two available chairs in the room, leaving Jake standing up. He decided to sit on the arm rest of Nick's seat.

"I called you three in here to reward you," Boswell said.

"Reward us? For what?" Erica asked.

"For one full week, Nick here haven't tried to break the rules. You two must have something to do with his good behavior."

"We really haven't done anything," Jake said. "All we did was be friends with him."

"Well, I hope your friendship grows. Now, for your reward. I decided to let you three be exempt from school for one full day."

"A whole ditch day?" Nick asked. "You serious, Boswell?"

"I'm bending the rules for you. Be happy that I'm doing this."

"We're not complaining," Erica replied.

"Pick a day you wanna be exempt from."

"Friday!" the teens said in unison.

"This Friday to be exact," Jake added.

"I'll let your teachers know," Boswell typed on his computer. "You have a great day."

"You too."

Later, during free period, Jake and Erica headed to the football field and saw Nick sitting in the bleachers. He dumped a bottle of water over his body, his shirt looking skintight. They approached him, sitting beside him.

"I guess the heat was too much for you," Erica said.

"You try playing football in 85-degree weather," Nick replied.

"I can't believe it! We have a whole ditch day!" Jake got excited. "What should we do?"

"Well, I was thinking that we could go surfing at Pender Beach, watch a movie at the Pender Theater, and eat at the Twilight Cafe," Erica suggested.

"I can't surf. No one taught me how."

"I will teach you how to surf, Boy Scout," Nick said. "I have more experience with surfing than Goldilocks here. It'll be funny to
see her wipeout on the first wave."

"Hey! I am a very skilled surfer!" Erica raged.

"We'll see when we hit the beach."

"What's this about the beach?" Trina asked, approaching the trio.

"We're headed to the beach in the morning," Jake said.

"Sounds fun! Can I come?"

"I don't think-"

"Sure! The more the better!" Nick interrupted Jake. "Bring another set of clothes, 'cause we're gonna be doing a lotta stuff all day."

"Great. See ya," Trina walked away.

"Why did you tell her that?" Erica asked. "She's gonna get in trouble."

"That's why I did it, so she can get in trouble," Nick responded. "I know she's into me. I kept telling her I don't want her, but she won't listen. This is my chance to show her I don't like her like that."

"A week ago, she did ask me if I like you," Jake said. "I couldn't get a word out, so she probably thought she could try to get with you."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Erica asked.

"I thought it wasn't that important. I didn't expect she would try to make any moves."

"Well, we'll see what happens when I show her how I feel," Nick replied.

After school, Erica and Nick accompanied Jake to his house. When they arrived, they saw Jake's mother sitting in a chair swing on the front porch. They walked on the front porch and approached her.

"Hey, Jakey!" his mother said with a smile on her face. "How was school?"

"Jesus," Jake muttered.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Mom, these are my friends, Erica and Nick."

"Nice to meet you," Erica said.

"Hey there," Nick added.

"Please, call me Becky," Jake's mother smiled.

"Okay... Becky."

"Mom, Principal Boswell exempted us from class for one day," Jake said. "So in the morning, I'm leaving with Nick and Erica."

"They're exempted too?" Becky asked.

"Yeah. Is that okay with you if I spend the day with them?"

"Of course! Just get home safely."

Jake smiles, Erica and Nick smiling with him seconds after. They spent the evening at Jake's house, watching television and eating junk food. When dinner time came around, Erica and Nick walked to the front door, Jake following them.

"We'll see you in the morning, Boy Scout," Nick said.

"Alright, see ya," Jake replied, closing the door after his friends left.

Jake took a deep breath and turned around, only to be delivered a hard slap to the face from Becky. He fell to the floor, rubbing his face.

"What the hell's your problem? Bringing those kids here?" Becky asked sinisterly.

"T-they're my f-friends..." Jake quivered.

"Friends? Someone as weak as you don't have friends. Acquaintances, maybe, but friends? Hehe... that's a laugh."

Becky walked upstairs to her room, leaving Jake in pain.