Chapter 18: Oh hell!

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"Ow…will you just do it," Jade said softly.

"I don't want to do it and hurt you," Zach said.

"Please Zach…"

"Ok, but I did warn you."

A grunt was heard through out the dim lit room.

"Ow! Ow! Stop…it hurt's. It's too big!" Jade whined. "Are you sticking it in the right spot?"

"Of course I am, do I look like an amateur?"

"Hell I don't know do you usually apply large bags of ice to ankles?" Jade asked.

Zach smiled while wrapping the brace around a bag of ice, around Jade's right ankle. "I may not be a male certified nurse, but I think the ice will do your ankle justice. There that looks good," Zach said admiring his work. "I hate to use the cliché of I told you so, but I told you not to carry that heavy bag up the steps or you'd hurt yourself."

Jade sighed sorely. "I could have carried that fucking bag up those steps, if I didn't lose my footing."

"I believe you," Zach told her. "I'm going to go and get the rest of the bags, k?" Zach tenderly kissed the top of Jade's head and got off of her bed.

"Hey Zach?" Jade asked, before he made it out of her room.

Zach turned around. "Yea?"

"Mind if you get my phone, so I can call Olivia's cell? I promised I would call her once I got home."

"Sure," Zach said and walked over to Jade's desk, where her phone was. He grabbed the phone and gave it to Jade. 

"Thanks!" Jade yelled at Zach, as he left out of her room. She winced at the pain in her right ankle when she moved slightly on her bed. Grabbing a pillow, from behind her, Jade folded it up and placed it underneath her ankle for a bit of leverage. She chuckled lightly, thinking about the fall down the steps, about what made her foolishly take the bag. Looking down at the phone she pressed in Olivia's cell phone number.

"Hello!?" Olivia's voice echoed. Jade couldn't help, but think she sounded a little bit sleepy.

"Hey Liv, it's Jade. Are you ok?"

"Oh yea I'm doing well enough. Why do you ask?"

"You sounded a bit sleepy, but I guess it doesn't matter," Jade added, trying to get more comfortable on her bed. "So…umm…tell me about that thing on last Friday, how did it go?" Jade had already told herself that she was going to tell Olivia about Josh's intentions, but she didn't know how. Maybe, if Olivia said the date went terrible, that would be a wonderful time to fill her in.

"Oh that!" Olivia perked up. "It was awesome; he's the sweetest, nicest and sexist guy ever!" 

"So, I take it you two had fun?" Jade said questioningly.

"Hell yea! The dancing, eating, drinking and the conversations we had were awesome. I really think he's into me!"

"Really!? Um…are you sure about that?"

Olivia scoffed. "I think he is because why would the guy sleep with me?" 

"WHAT!???" Jade yelled into the phone. 

"Damn girl, don't blow my ears out!"

"Wait a minute…you slept with Josh on Friday night?" Jade asked a bit surprised. Olivia wasn't the type to sleep with a guy on the first date… second and third maybe….but never the first.

"Ok, this is how it went," Olivia said. "Friday we went to the club and got to know one another. He told me that he liked me and I just thought he was trying to fuck with me, but I was wrong. He was a complete gentlemen, didn't even give me a goodnight kiss. So when we were at my door he asked me would I like to go out again. Of course, I said yes, who wouldn't want to go out with that hunkable hunk?" Olivia laughed. "Anyway, we went out Saturday through Tuesday and had a blast. He asked me what I would be doing on Thanksgiving Day, as you know I wasn't going to be doing anything, so I told him I had nothing to do. Then out of the blue he asked me if we could spend it together! Can you believe it!?"

Jade rubbed her eyes sensibly. "So, when did you sleep with him?"

"Sorry for keeping you in suspense, but let me tell you the rest of my story. I told him I would love to be with him during the holidays. So, I went over to his house, which is very well decorated, and had a lovely dinner with him. Then, before I was about to leave I gave him a kiss, which turned into a steamy make out, which turned into a passion filled night of lovemaking. Oh, I think I'm in love for real this time Jade!"

"Wow!" was all Jade could say. She had sex with Josh? He didn't take as the kind of guy who would be so devious anyway. Maybe, she was wrong about Josh, maybe he had moved on from her. "I can't believe that."

"Yea, well I'm happy and we've been hanging out at his house since then, so I know he's taking this serious too."

Jade smiled, happy for her best friend in finding this happiness. "Are you at his house now? Did you guys…you know?"

Olivia laughed on her end. "As a matter of fact, I am at his house right now. He left to go to the store already and told me I could leave when I feel like it. But, I think I'm going to stay here to surprise him with dinner."

"That sounds like a plan," Jade declared.

"Yea well…how was your Thanksgiving? Meet any sexy guys that you remember from when you were little?"

Jade's face saddened. "Uh…it was ok," she lied. "I didn't meet any guys down there, so I'm still…" Should she say single? "Playing the field."

"Oh well, you'll find someone. I mean look at me!" Olivia giggled. "I've been in and out of love with many guys and I finally find a good one!"

"Well, I'm happy for you," Jade said, smiling when she noticed Zach in the doorway making a funny face. "Who knows my perfect guy maybe under my nose."

"Thanks for calling me on my cell and everything, but I don't want my battery to die on me, so I better get going."

"Sure girl, I'll see you," Jade said.

"Bye!"

"Bye!" Jade said, hanging up her phone. 

"Finished with the phone?" Zach asked, as he walked in the room. 

"Here," Jade said, giving Zach the phone. 

"Everything ok with her?"

"Looks like her and Josh are together," Jade said as-a-matter-of-factly.

Zach turned around with a mischievous grin on his face. "Hmm really? That's great he won't be trying to pursue you anymore." 

"I kind of liked the attention that he gave me," Jade admitted. 

"You're my woman now, so no other guy better try and take you from me or…"

"You'll fight for me?" Jade asked curiously. She watched Zach check her ankle, lightly applying pressure to the ice pack. "Ow!"

"Sorry about that just checking. Do you want me to take you downstairs?" Zach asked, already picking her up off the bed before she could answer. 

"Whoa…sure…but why?" Jade squealed. She ducked her head to Zach's chest, so she wouldn't bump it on the doorframe.

Zach began to walk down the stairs. "I have to go and return the car. You don't want to be stuck upstairs while you're paralyzed, without doing something."

"I'm not paralyzed," Jade laughed, happy that she made it alive down the steps. 

"Whatever," Zach mocked. He sat her down on the couch, placing a pillow underneath her ankle. "There you go all settled in. I should be back within the hour," he said walking to the front door. 

"Alright," Jade responded, shifting on the couch. She reached to grab the remote off of the coffee table. "Don't take to long or I'll worry."

Zach chuckled. "I won't dear. Oh…and by the way…I would fight for you!" he said giving her a wink and walked out of the door.

"That guy is odd," Jade said outloud, flipping on the TV. Man, it was good to be home. She missed the way it smelled, even though the living the life part was filled with stress. At least, part of that stress had been taken out of the equation. With Josh interested in Olivia, she wouldn't have to worry about his consistency or trying to get with her. But, she had to admit to herself, she would miss it!

A couple of minutes later Jade heard someone knock on the door.

"Oh dammit, I can't get up," Jade said underneath her breath. But, again the person began to knock at the door. Jade sighed deeply, squeezing her eyes shut hoping that whoever it was would just leave.

"Hello!"

Jade's eyes popped open. "It couldn't be!" she said surprisingly. Pulling at the curtains on the window, she peered outside. "Oh god!"

"Hello!"

"What the hell?" Jade griped. "Give me a minute!" she yelled. Swinging her feet over, she got off of the couch. The pain that seared through her foot was unimaginable. Biting her bottom lip, she hopped over to the door. "Hi, Josh!"

Josh smiled brightly. "I pasted Zach downtown and I didn't see you, so I expected you would be here. You know since I didn't see you at work and everything…" he said, looking down at her ankle. "Oh man, are you alright?"

Jade looked down at her swollen ankle and shrugged. "It's nothing I just fell down…"

"You should be lying down." Josh took her arm, which was holding the door open, and dragged her back into the living room. "Sit down," he said, going back to close the front door. 

"I'm ok Josh…" Jade tried to state.

"You need to elevate your leg and make sure you have ice on...it," Josh stopped once he got a look at the brace that was around Jade's ankle.

"Zach fixed me up already."

"Oh, well now I feel like an ass," Josh laughed nervously, just standing beside the couch. 

"Why don't you sit down?"

Josh looked down at the Jade had her whole body stretched over the couch. "Um…I can place your leg on my lap." Josh picked up Jade's, twisted ankle, making his way onto the couch.

"So…" Jade said.

"How was Thanksgiving with the family?" Josh asked, stroking Jade's leg gently with his fingers.

"It was ok….how was Friday?" Jade looked at him sternly when he cleared his throat.

"I went out and had fun," Josh said with a smile.

"What about Thanksgiving?"

Josh blushed deeply. "If I had to say it was a lot more enjoyable, then last year."

"Ooo…tell me what happened?" Jade said fascinatingly.

"I…I…" Josh stuttered, his face still bright red.

"Boy, you got laid didn't you?" Jade laughed. 

Josh's eyebrows slanted at her. "How could you tell?"

"Olivia told me that you and she were…an item now," Jade declared. "Or was I wrongly informed?"

Josh suddenly became silent.

"Well…" Jade asked again, nudging him with her foot.

"I didn't want you to find out this way," Josh told her sadly. 

Jade furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "What do you mean?"

"With everything that was going on between….I just didn't want to break your heart."

"Excuse me?" Jade stifled a laugh. When Josh gave her a funny look she waved her hand at him. "Look, Josh. I don't want you to get the wrong idea about anything, but you and I had nothing going on."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry…but that was the truth," Jade apologized when she noticed Josh's disappointed face. "Besides, I think Olivia and you make a nice couple."

Josh gave her a weak smile, sliding off of the couch. He made sure that he was gentle not to hurt Jade's swollen ankle. "I really like her; she's a great girl once you get past the shallow exterior."

"And all that self-esteem," Jade laughed. Josh turned around and walked to the front door, with his shoulders hunched over. "Where are you going?"

"The store needs me, so going back there, but uh…" Josh said turning around to face her.

"Yea?"

"Did you meet anyone at your parent's house?"

"No, I didn't meet any guys on my trip, if that's what you mean. It was just Zach and me all the way through. Why?" Jade asked.

"Hmmm…." Josh said, sucking at his teeth. He reached out to grab the doorknob, but stopped to look back at Jade. "Don't you think it's odd?"

Jade smiled uneasily and crossed her arms. "What do you mean?"

"That Zach and you are into each other?" 

He didn't just say that did he? What the hell's that suppose to mean? "Wh…wh...what? We aren't into each other are you crazy?"

"You say you didn't meet any other guys on the trip, yet you have about three big red spots on your neck," Josh said, stepping back into the living room. 

Jade flung her hands around her neck quickly. Didn't she warn Zach not to be so careless about his actions? "No…see…this…" she stuttered, barely able to get the words out, when the front door flew open.

"Jade, when I was downtown I was thinking we should clear one of our rooms and place a king size one in it, so we can sleep to…get...her…" Zach said, until he noticed Josh standing in the living room. "Damn, I thought that car parked outside was Josh's."

"Zach…we're fucked!" Jade said, covering her eyes.

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