The Nevers

Chap. Three - Jack

  He is Jack.

   He is a Kelly.

  He is the love of my life.

"Hey!"

  I hear the familiar voice of a boy as I walked to school. I am wearing my blue long-sleeved shirt, white skinny jeans, and my favorite boots. Normally, we had uniforms, but since the Admissions are only five days away and I am part of the graduating class, we are off the hook when it comes to clothes--temporarily.

  I patted down my hair that waved (now combed) down my back and turned around.

  It was him.

  Jack ran up to me, grinning ear to ear. He has short brown hair that it lighter in the sun and he has a labyrinth for eyes. Like brown and green. If I stared into them myself, I'd see me, his best friend.

   Jack is tall. Right now he is 6'1 while I stand at 5'6. He's estimated to grow up to 6'4 by the time he is 21. Me: 5'6. I'm done.

   Jack comes up and wraps his arms around my shoulders, bending his back in doing so. He is tall and muscular, but not beefy muscular, more like thin, well-built muscular. I laugh as I stumble around, struggling from his grip. I finally maneuver myself out.

   "Hey Alce," Jack says, pulling me against his waist. I laugh as some people around us stare at our shows of affection. Alce is the nickname he gave me in third grade. He knows I hate it. 

    "Hey Kelly," I tease. He hates it when I call him by his last name.

    Jack frowns and pulls me into a bear hug, careful not to crush my bones. "Really?" he asks. "The Kelly thing?"

     Oh we can play that game. "Really?" I retort. "The Alce thing?"

     "Would you rather be called Lice, Alice?" Mischief was playing over his face like a piano.

     I shoved him as hard as I could, only causing him to move a step back. "Don't you dare!" I snip. Jack laughs.

       He knows I hate that nickname because in context, it spelled out "lice" as in actual lice.

      "Alright," he says, holding his hands up in mock surrender. He smiles at me. "Though your name should be Lice--'cause you're always in my hair."

     I slap his arms. "Take that back right now!"

     "Okay, okay."

     "Did you take Bobby to school?"

     "Duh, right before I got here."

     "Did you give him his inhaler?"

      Jack rolls his eyes in mock irritation. "Yes, Alce."

    "Do you have the backup?" I demand.

     He reaches into his pack and holds it out as proof. "Happy, Mom?"

    "Very."

    "Do I have permission to go to class now?" He glances at the clock. 8:35.

     "Go," I say.

     "Okay," he replies, slowly backing away fom me. "See you later...Lice."

     He scurries away and I chase after him, busting through the school doors.

      Jack Kelly, you are totally gonna pay for that one.

    Our  classroom is huge. I enter and sit on the ascending row of bleachers. They face a large projecton board that expands in thin air.