If Not For You

Chapter 5

Paul wouldn’t let the whole dating thing go.  He questioned everyone until he found out what he was looking for.  The guy that asked her out was in fact a doughebag.  It was Craig Killner, or as the football team called him, Killer.  He was first string on the football team on defense.  He dated a lot of girls and disposed of them like used tissues.  This was worst case scenario for Paul.  Killer was tall, dark, and handsome, broad shoulders and as the old folks would say “strapping”.  He could be charming to the girls but the guys knew underneath it all, behind locker room doors, he was cocky and had no issue with doing whatever he needed to in order to get from a girl what he wants. 

Paul debated how to play this out.  If he forbade Jenna from going out with him of course he knew that would make Killer all the more appealing.  He couldn’t even have a real heart to heart with her because after their argument in the cafeteria she is just going to assume he is saying what he thinks will get her to listen to him.    Unfortunately since the sophomore class was a little younger than Killer normally preyed on, so the few classes Jenna did have with kids her own age, the girls were gushing to Jenna about how hot Killer was.  The only plan Paul could come up with was to have Lena talk to her.  Last year Killer was making a play for Lena.  She was so used to hanging out with guys that she was usually smart enough to see through the bullshit.  But Killer was that good and she fell for it.  Shortly after the conquer he lost interest in the relationship.  Lena was crushed.  

After school, in the locker room, as the boys changed for practice, luckily Killer said nothing.  He talked about some blond chick named Cherry from another school that he had slept with over the weekend and Paul gave Ben a knowing glance.   After practice as the locker room cleared out Paul and Ben were getting ready to leave the room when Ben turned to Paul.  “It kind of puts it in perspective when the girl is related to you, huh.  I mean every girl you’ve messed with is somebody’s sister or cousin, you know.”

Paul looked at Ben surprised.  Paul was a bit of a player himself.  He never treated girls as badly as Killer but he has lied to get what he wanted.  He has pretended to like a girl more than he really had.  “You know sometimes I really hate when you point out the shit I try to ignore.  You know you can come over if you want to.  My parents are out of town for a couple of days.”   Paul knew that was all he needed to say.  Ben always took him up in the offer.  Some of his friends in the past would mistake his offer as an opportunity to invite as many people over for a little impromptu party, but not Ben.  Ben had a rough family life.  He would just be grateful for the peace and quiet.  There were a lot of times in their friendship that Paul dropped the ball with, so he tried to make it up to Ben whenever he could. 

Paul pushed open his front door and led Ben inside.  The smell of something cooking came out of the kitchen and down the hall.  “Paul get your ass in here and eat your dinner.  Even though you don’t deserve it because you are still a jerk.”   The body behind the voice came shortly after her words met their ears.  Jenna’s eyes met Ben’s and she said “oh sorry, I thought it was just Paul here. Regardless I made dinner, and by made I mean I ordered food with the money Aunt Lisa and uncle Pete left behind, hope you like Italian Ben.”

“Uh, sure” Ben said.  His heart had skipped a beat when she said his name.  She looked him in the eyes and he wanted to throw up.  She was so beautiful up close.  Not like stripper hot but like natural beauty.  Her hair wasn’t in braids anymore but in long flowing curls.  She was wearing a pair of boxers for shorts and a t-shirt that looked like it belonged to a 6 year old.  It was tight and showed her belly, which apparently was pierced, which Ben thought was hot, like she needed to be any hotter.

They all three walked into the kitchen and the boys sat down.  Jenna had the food all set out on the table.  It looked like she couldn’t decide what to eat so she just ordered it all.  She went to the cabinet and retrieved another plate and silverware.  She opened the fridge and grabbed out a beer.  They sat at the table eating and talking about nothing in particular.   Paul and Jenna talking like siblings.  It surprised him that as close as they seemed he had never met nor heard Paul talk about Jenna.  Although to be honest he had a lot of more important things to occupy his time other than memorizing his friend’s family trees.

He noticed that Jenna wasn’t eating much.  She mostly just ripped the food up into little pieces.  She would take a bite every now and then but left a pile of shredded food that looked bigger than the original pile of food she started with.  When Jenna noticed that he was staring at her plate he noticed that she was watching him watch her.  When their eyes met she made a goofy face that made Ben smile.  She seemed to smile about making him smile. 

After they were all done eating, Paul stacked all the boxes on top of each other and shoved them into the fridge.  Jenna grabbed another beer and they all went into the den.  Ben and Jenna ended up sitting on the opposite ends of the couch and Paul threw himself on the chair.  “Now what Paul, I’m bored, entertain me.”  She turned to Ben and said, “What do you do for fun Benny?”  She looked at him waiting for an answer.  Ben could think of a thing or two he would like to do with Jenna but he refrained from even playing those thoughts into his mind. 

“Um…”  Ben hated himself for not being better with girls.  He never really wanted to be so he never really was.  It was close to 8:30 and since there was never anything good on television, Paul suggested they go swimming for a bit.  Paul and Ben were the first ones in.  Ben was in the deep end treading water; Paul was sitting in a bench that was carved into the wall of the pool.  Next thing they knew Jenna came out of the house wearing a bikini, not anything extra slutty, like a thong but enough to get a reaction from Ben.  She walked to the edge and dipped her foot in.

“No freakin way.  That is ice water.”  Jenna stated as she took a few steps back from the pool as though she were taking steps back from a hungry bear.

“Hell yes you are.” shouted Paul who was now pulling himself up out of the pool towards Jenna.  She put her hands up in front of her face trying to fight him off.  He instead grabbed her in a bear hug and lifted her tiny frame up and carried her to the side of the pool.   “Who is the coolest person ever?’ Paul asked his now shrieking cousin.

“ME.”   She shouted in his face.  She blew breath on his face which made him shut his mouth.  His grip loosened and she almost squeezed free.  But Paul quickly recovered and reached his long arms out and quickly caught her again.  “Help me, help me, help me.  Ben help me.  I swear you will be the coolest person ever if you get Paul in the pool.”

“Really?”  Paul said looking down at her face.  “You are going to try to use my own friend against me.   Apparently you don’t know the first rule of boyhood.  Bros before ho…”.  And with that Ben had already gotten out of the pool and snuck up behind both of them.  He pushed in Paul.  He had attempted to intercept Jenna in the process but failed, and in she went as well. 

Once Jenna made it to the surface she was coughing and sputtering.  “Well that’s not exactly what I had in mind but I guess you technically gave me what I asked for.  Next time I’ll be more specific about NOT getting ME wet.”  Ben walked over to the side of the pool and reached his hand out for Jenna’s to help her out of the pool. 

“It still makes me the coolest person ever. You have to admit that” Ben said trying to fight the butterflies in his stomach that came alive as soon as his hand touched hers.

“Soaked man says what.”  Jenna said sweetly to Ben while still holding his hand.  Confusion read across his face, not fully understanding what she was saying.

With that Ben looked at her and said “what?”  And in the pool went Ben.  It took him a few seconds of the water stinging his eyes and nose before he broke the surface but he could hear Jenna’s laugh and he knew then that there was nothing bad in his life that her laugh couldn’t take away.   He came up behind and pulled her close to him and then lifted her up out of the water and threw her to the deep end. 

Jenna swam towards the ladder and pulled herself up.  “Well that was too much fun for me.  I am going to watch a movie.”  Ben was a little disappointed that she didn’t want to continue flirting but she turned around with her hands on her hips and looked at Ben and Paul, “are you two coming or what?  You will have to be my designated girlfriends considering I haven’t made any yet.”

“That’s not true.” Said Paul already standing next to a lounger drying himself off.  “You have Lena.”

“I’m not stupid.  Lena doesn’t consider herself my friend.  You make her hang out with me.  She is just there to babysit me.  It wouldn’t surprise me if you pay her an hourly fee.  Although it would save you frustration if you just pay me the hourly fee.  I’ll promise to listen to most of your rules.”  With that Jenna turned on her heels and disappeared into the house.