JESS

CHAPTER 2

Take a look at TheKeyofE's stories!

- - -

Jess

After school I totally skipped over homework and started drawing. Smart of me, huh? I know. It’s just that drawing is so much more intriguing than calc.

I chucked my pack onto the bed, quickly unzipped it and pulled out my water-stained notebook. I flipped through until I found a page that wasn’t too badly wrinkled. I took this thing everywhere with me. Including into the rainstorm last month.

"Jess!" My mom yelled up the stairs to my room.

"Sí, mamá?" I answered. My mom's preferred method of communication was in Spanish.

"Has terminando con todos tus tareas? Are you finished with all your homework?"

"Um... no... pero después de dibujar, voy a trabajar en mi tarea. Le prometo. After I draw, I'll work on it. Promise." "

Okay, te amo, mi linda  hija. I love you, my beautiful daughter."

"Te amo."

I plopped down onto the shaggy blue carpet that covered my floor (ugly, right? Long story.) and started sketching. My hand moved kind of automatically; it should’ve: this was about the fifty bajillionth time I’d attempted this. My hand marked line after line. Pretty soon, I’d watched my hand come up with a face. It was interesting. Sort of. But, I was surprised that I had actually gotten close to what I’d been aiming for. The head shape was just about right. Except the jaw was supposed to be sharper. The nose was actually pretty good, just medium, not too pointy. And the mouth… well, I have to admit that it was pretty sexy. It had that little almost-a-smile twitch that I hyperventilate every time I see. Haha. Anyway, the only thing wrong was the eyes. And it made me livid. Like I said, after the fifty bajillionth time, I should have them down, right? Well, the problem was, I didn’t have them down. I’d seen them a couple of times, but they always scared me. It’s like he knew something I didn't. Something weird  like that. Except that it wasn’t really weird. It was intimidating.

I slapped by sketchbook closed, shoved it in my pack and popped my earbuds in. My favorite song looped until mama called me down for supper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Dre

I see her everywhere at school. Which is good. It gives me this intensly happy feeling inside, just because I see her. She usually talks to me if I talk to her first. And smiles if I smile. And waves if I wave. Although it usually turns out cheesy, haha.

"Hey, what's up yo?" Kyle came up behind me and slapped my back.

"Not much!" I stuck my fist out for a bump.

"So, you gonna come with us tonight?"

I slipped past a group of giggling sophomore girls and continued down the hall. Then, around the corner came none other than Jess. She was clutching a notebook to her chest and looked like she was running from the principal or something.

"Dude! Are you going to?"

"What?"  I turned to Kyle, but kept my eyes on Jess.

"Come with us tonight! What is with you lately?"

I shrugged, "Hey! Jess!" I waved and smiled. She looked up, almost alarmed, and waved back. And smiled with her cheesy smile. I laughed. She is so cute when she does that.

She looked down, and I think she blushed, but I couldn't tell because her hair fell into her face. She didn't look up at me again, but slipped into the corner next to the gym.

_______

The next day, something funny happened. Okay, well, it wasn’t really funny, it was more strange.  I was walking down the hall with my buds: we were headed to shoot a few hoops in the gym. Halfway down the hall and sitting next to the wall, in her normal place, was Jess. And she was looking good. She had on her turquoise A.E. shirt and her new jeans, complete with matching converse. I wondered what in the world she was doing – her back was hunched, her hand was flying, and obviously she was intensely concentrating on something. She bit her bottom lip and brushed her bangs out of her face. As I came closer, I saw she was drawing.

“Jess! What’cha drawing?” I caught a glimpse of some eyes – amazing eyes. She was pro! “Wow, those eyes are amazing! I had no idea you could draw like that.”

Her head snapped up, and she stared up at me with a panicky look, slapped the book shut and shoved it into her backpack, hurriedly zipping it up and slinging it over her shoulder as she stood. Her face was beet red. Head down and hair in face, she brushed past me and bustled away.

My guys were confused.

“Hey, Dre, what’s up with her? What’d you do?” Jake elbowed my rib cage and looked at me, concerned.

“Yeah, I dunno. It’s kind of freaking me out.”

“Hey, dude, don’t worry, she’s not even worth worrying about.”  Kyle laughed, “Come on, let’s play.” Several of the guys laughed with him and started wandering toward the court.

Jake stayed with me for a minute, “Dude, why are you so worried?”

“I don’t know, it just seemed so strange. She doesn’t usually act like that. I just wanted to see the drawing.” I pursed my lips and thought for a minute.

“Dude, come on. Don’t worry, she’s probably just stressed or something. Let’s go.”

I stood there, staring at the spot where Jess had been sitting.

“Come on, Dre.” Two or three of the guys were waiting at the court doors.

“Yeah, coming.” I jogged over and went inside to kick some butt.

But it still is bothering me. I mean, I just don’t understand why she would do that. I just wanted to see the drawing.