JUMP STREET'S JUNE BRIDE???

CHAPTER 22: DARK DAY AND FLASHBACKS

I said, "She was a lucky girl, I mean to have you. You being so sweet and romantic to her," I smiled. Tom said, "I saved up so that I could take her to her favorite restaurant. Even though it was expensive. And then my dad dropped us off. And picked us up."

How pathetic am I, I think. I mean my first date was when I was in college.

Tom said "Anyway we were just little kids. We were 11. Going to be 12.  We were boyfriend girlfriend, and then it was summer when we were 13. And I don't know we kind of had different friends. Different interests.  Jenn was big in girl scouts, and shopping, and girl stuff, and I had my buddies, and sports, and I mean we weren't really each other's best friends like we started out as"

He said, "I mean when I was 8 this new kid moved to town. He and I hit it off. His dad was always working and missed all of his growing up."  I said, "how sad Tom" He said, "yeah, I mean they lived in like a mansion, that had a pool, and all this money, and he had older brothers, but they were in high school, didn't want a little kid following them around."  I nodded.

He said, "My dad was great. I mean did everything with me."  He burst into tears.  I hugged him.

He said, "Sorry. I'm getting there."  I said, "no Tom it's ok. take your time. I mean I know what it's like to lose your parent.  My mom was my best friend. I will never get over losing her. I ache deep inside it will never go away."  Tom nodded.

He said, "my dad was great, like taught me how to do everything, fish, sports, work on cars. His evenings and weekends were mine and my moms. Like some dads work hard all week, then want to chill on the weekend. Not my dad. He worked hard all week, but then he'd do stuff with me and my friends or my mom on the weekends. He was never too busy, never too tired. Turned down things with his buddies, to take me and my friends camping, or fishing. Never missed a game. Even if he was on duty, he was there. Or he would trade shifts if we were out of town game."

I said, "he was a great dad."  Tom nodded.  Tom said, "my dad was like a second dad to my best friend. He helped him with football, he was a quarterback, and my dad spent hours with him working on mechanics, footwork."  I said, "Tom just curious, did that hurt you at all? I mean didn't you play football?"  Tom said, "yeah I did, but I was defensive back, and no it didn't really. I mean my dad included me" I nodded.

Tom said, "Anyway back to me and Jenn. We kind of drifted apart. Like she had her friends, and things, and I had mine, and there were lots of new girls in school, and we kind of just both had a conversation, where we were thinking the same thing, that we would like to just be friends and break up.  There was a boy she liked from her church, and there was a girl I wanted to be with."

I nodded.  Tom said, "Anyway we did that, and then the summer when we turned 14, our parents went on a family vacation, we were so excited to get out of the state, and it was going to be like 3 weeks at this fancy resort. Our parent's kind of let us loose, they went and did their thing, we went and did our thing."  I said, " Sounds great."  He nodded.

Tom said," After the first week, we went for a walk, and she kissed me. Then she apologized. I told her it was ok. And she broke down crying, telling me that she missed me, that she realized that she loved me, and wished we would not have broken up. And I told her actually I felt the same. This trip made me really realize how much I did love her.  That I had been unhappy watching her with that other dude, but I wanted her to be happy, so we ended up back together and had sex for the first time in the hotel room."

Tom said, 'Hey I'm sorry. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable. I just don't know where to start."  I said, "it's fine. You really loved her huh" Tom said, "yeah i did. But I don't want you to think that I love her now. I mean I don't. I mean it was young love."