Confessions of a Teenage Caffeine Addict

28 // Blue Lips

So, is that what you call a getaway?

Tell me what you got away with.

Cause I've seen more spine in jellyfish.

I've seen more guts in eleven-year-old kids.

—Brand New, Seventy Times 7

____________________________________

JAKE

FEBRUARY

"Bath?" Jules asked me with a smirk on her face as we drove to school.

"Done. Breakfast?" I countered.

"While you were in the shower. We had some bananas and Cheerios." Jules nodded. "Her hair doesn't look like a tornado hit it," Jules said.

"Sparkly blue barrettes for the win." I shrugged. "And you made sure she had her elephant this morning?"

"No," Jules was looking out the window. I opened my mouth to protest but Jules clearly had more to say. "Elephant and giraffe. Come on, babe, they're best friends." She laughed.

"Oh, you're good." I nodded, handing Jules her coffee.

"It's taken you two-and-a-half years to finally realize that?" Jules rolled her eyes before taking a sip. "Hey, she's getting a cold."

"The giraffe?" I asked as we made a right hand turn.

"Emma."

"Oh, yeah, I know." I looked over at Jules.

"Did you give her some medicine after you did her hair?" Jules asked me.

"I gave it to her before I did her hair and yeah, it was the minty stuff next to her changing table, right?" I wanted to double check because there was more than one type of medicine next to her changing table.

"Yes." Jules took another sip.

"Yes. I. Did." I said, trying not to brag too much this early in the morning. I pulled into a parking spot.

"Wow, I'm actually impressed." Jules got out and walked around the back of my truck to meet me.

"It's Friday and you don't have anything to be angry with. Including me." I snagged her coffee and took a sip.

"Hey, you already had yours!" She protested.

"I did her hair this morning." I kissed her on the cheek before wrapping my arm around her waist and spinning her around. I set her down and pressed my forehead to hers. "Today, we are good parents." Jules wrapped her arms around the back of my neck and pulled me down towards her for a warm kiss.

I could still taste the caramel from her lips when we got to my locker three minutes later.

"Are you still gonna pick Emma up today and meet the girls for dinner?" I asked,

"Yeah, we're going to that new Thai place a few towns over." Jules applied some lip gloss, using the mirror on the inside of my locker door, the one I specifically put there so she could do just that.

"And then you'll be at A-Mart's later tonight?"

"Yep. After I drop Emma off with my parents." My mouth set into a hard line. "Babe, they miss her. My mom isn't working tonight, and my dad is cooking dinner. She'll be fine."

Jules put her hand on my chest. I put my hand on top of hers, our fingers intertwining. I moved her hand from my chest, down to my waist. Her fingers made their way through my belt loops as I pulled her closer to me.