The Art of Courting

Song of the chapter is called All Mine by Portishead. Their music isn't for everyone but I think it's pretty amazing :P

This chapter is dedicated to flake_is_crumbly, another of one my friends who has a new story out called A Cursed Life. Only the prologue is up so far but its pretty good. Check it out when you have a free minute! Thanks! <3

Okay. I think that's all. I was kinda hungry when I wrote this chapter.

**NOT EDITED. I SHOULD PROBS MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO...**

-Twix

CHAPTER TWELVE

But when you smile

Oh how I feel so good

That I can hardly wait

To hold you

Enfold you

Never enough

Render your heart to me

All mine

You have to be- All Mine, Portishead

“OVER HERE, CHELLY! THIS IS perfect!” Jay cried. She rolled her eyes at him and placed the blanket down under the tree. They were in Central Park for their first date ever. It wasn’t very crowded, even though it was Sunday and relatively warm out (for winter), so they were all alone. He placed the basket on top of the blanket and pulled her down beside him.

“So,” she began, “is there a reason why we’re here?”

“Well, I thought today we could just get to know each other.”

“We already know each other, Jay.” She sent him a confused look.

“Yeah, but not deeply. I want to know everything. I want to know your darkest secrets.” He rolled over so he was on his stomach and looked up at her.

Damn the puppy dog eyes!

“Secrets?” Chelsea squeaked. “I don’t have any secrets!”

“One of them,” he replied with an amused smile, “is that you can’t lie. Your voice goes all squeaky and you smile.”

“Can you lie?”

“No.”

“Then we have something in common.” She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out.

“Ha! Then it proves we are kindred spirits!” he cried in excitement. Chelsea stared at him in confusion.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“Nothing!” Jay looked around awkwardly. “So… What’s the whole deal with your mom?”

“What’s the whole deal with your mom?”

“I asked first!”

“Fine.” She took a deep breath. “She left when I was ten and currently lives in London.”

“So, your parents are divorced.”

“No, my parents are still married. They’re just separated.”

“Why aren’t they divorced?”

“It’s more convenient if they stay together.” Chelsea smiled awkwardly, doing her best to not give anything away. “Okay. Your turn.”

“My mom’s dead,” Jay informed her matter-of-factly.

“Oh,” was her ingenious reply. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s not your fault. She died of lung cancer because she smoked most of her life.”

“How old were you?”

“I was eight. It was, um, kind of an expected thing though.” She could see him starting to get emotional, and it broke her heart. “It wasn’t like it was overnight or anything. She was in and out of hospital for years. In the end she just got sicker and sicker until the cancer spread to her blood stream. Jordan and I weren’t there when she died; we were at our grandma’s house. We stayed there for weeks because our dad was a no-show. He came back after a couple of months, but he was… I don’t know. Different, I guess. Watching someone die does that to you.”

“I can imagine,” she murmured. “That’s awful, Jay. I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry,” he laughed back. It was a sad laugh. “You didn’t do anything. If my mom didn’t smoke she’d still be here.”

“Oh, Jay. You don’t know that. Your family might just be unlucky.”

“No, Chelsea. I know it was the smoking. I’m positive.” She didn’t pursue the subject because it seemed too touchy.  

“Alright then. Let’s just… get over our sob stories,” Chelsea decided. She couldn’t take the chance that he’d try to uncover everything that happened the night her mother left. It wasn’t exactly something she wanted to relive.