Melody's Crush

Chapter 17

I decided that keeping my eyes averted to the scuff stained tiles as I walked was probably the better idea.

Reaching Jake, he smiled apologetically. "Sorry I wasn't at your locker like I said I would be."

"Eh... I had to deal with daddy dearest anyway so it's better you didn't show." I sat down next to him at the long aluminum lunch table. It was the first time in years we had sat at the same table during lunch.

He lifted a brow. "So, things weren't hashed out after I left?" He actually seemed happy about it.

I laughed bitterly. "If you consider him turning his back to me and turning out the light so I couldn't see my way back to my room hashing things out, then yeah! He did a banged up job of it. Literally," I said wincing as I rubbed the knee I hit on the kitchen chair in the dark on the way back to my room last night.

Jake gave a lopsided smile. "He'll come around if he wants to get through the next four days."

"Dear, God. Four more days?" I asked unbelievingly. "How the heck am I going to make it through?"

His smile grew with his pleasure of knowing I was having a rough time with Kyle causing me to growl at him in protest.

"You jest at my pain," I said frowning at him.

"No. I'm just happy to hear you don't like him as much today as you did yesterday."

"I never said I liked him at all."

Or did I?

"That makes me even happier." He smiled bouncing the bundle in his arms. "Wanna peek?" he asked tilting the baby toward me.

"No," I responded without batting an eye. Jake's lips pouted as his expression dipped into a frown. "Eck... alright, alright." I gave in rolling my eyes. "But just a quick one. I don't want Tricia coming up behind me clawing my eyes out."

He chuckled. Turning the baby toward me, I noticed that it looked a lot like Chloe. The features, that is. But for some reason, it was nowhere near as realistic as Chloe. I mean, theirs looked like a doll. And Kyle's and mine looked like... well, Chloe.

"What's that look for?" Jake interrupted my conscious comparison. I wondered if this was what it felt like to be a parent caught comparing their kid to someone else's. For a moment, I felt like a proud momma.

I wanted to start comparing cries, coos, poops and burps so I could show off my Chloe's skills.

I shook my head suppressing the urge.

"Spit it out," Jake said wryly.

"I don't know. Yours just doesn't... look... right." My cheek ticked with my insult. "I mean, she doesn't..."

"He," Jake corrected me.

My eyebrow rose. "He?"

"Yeah. It's a he."

"Ohhhh. A he," I repeated while nodding. "Did you name... it... he... I mean, him?" I shook my head again.

"Tricia calls him by It, That Thing, Piece Of..." he smiled sheepishly. "You get the picture."

I blinked in surprise.

"But I named him Kyle."

"What?" I yelped.

"Shhh... shhh... shhh," he said while laughing. "I'm kidding. His name is Chuckie."

My mouth dropped open. "Seriously? Chuckie?"

He continued to chuckle. "Actually, yes. I call him Chuckie. Isn't he cute?" he asked in a googlely voice while trying to suppress a smile.

"You scare me," I said smiling. He continued to laugh. I cut my eyes at him. "No seriously, dude. That's just messed up."