Your Not So Average Nerd

Chapter 4.

I don't have any recollection of meeting Ana, to me it seems like she's just been there my whole life. I just always knew that she was my older sister.

Before my dad even met my mom, he had a relationship with Ana's mom when they were 16 years old.

From the limited stories, I've been told, our dad and Ana's mom were high school sweethearts. Well, until they broke up three days after their senior prom.

Unfortunately, before their amicable split that occurred after yelling at each other in the hallway of the high school for two hours straight, our dad got Ana's mom pregnant the night of prom.

And well, here we are now.

Ana lived with her mom, and came and visited her dad every other weekend. We used to hang out just like she was my real sibling, which I full consider her to be. She was there for my birth and whenever else I could possibly need her. That's more than I can say my father has done since he left. His words of calling us once he was moved into his DC apartment must've been a flat out lie.

I know you're wondering where that leaves me and Jake, and really it just leaves us exactly where we were before. Nothing.

His dad married Ana's mom when Jake and I were about a year old, if that. I've never met Jake's mom and from what I've heard, I'd never care to. Ana and Jake are step-siblings.

Which makes me and Jake, just me and Jake. I don't think I really mean anything to him. I guess I wouldn't know for sure though since our last full conversation was two years ago.

We used to be the best of friends when we were little, also going to the park together or playing videogames together. That all changed about two years ago, but that's another story for another time.

He still means just as much to me. He did save my life after all. But of course, he also stopped talking to me after that.

Talking about Jake brings back some bad memories, one's I would much rather forget.

~*~*~*~*~

Getting to see Ana and Emmett was definitely the highlight of my week. It's been so long since I could see the only person I consider my sister. Sometimes Chris and Will will act like girls, but it just really isn't the same.

After dinner, Emmett wants us to play Monopoly with him. Even though Pokemon Monopoly is the only thing I want to do right now, I am still grounded and my mom should be home soon.

I pull Jake away from his family to drive me home. We head off in the direction of my house, at least I hope it is the direction of my house, without uttering another word.

The ride back was more awkward than the ride there, if that was possible. I was still holding onto Jake's body as if I would die if I loosed my grip at all. At the top speed Jake was pushing the bike to, I was kind of thinking that I would die of a heart attack rather than fall off the bike.

We did not go nearly this fast on the way down. I wonder what happened between then and now. At one point during our visit, Ana and Jake stepped away to talk in private, it must have been something she said. It couldn't have been what happened between us. I mean, why would Jake of all people care about me? And cutting him off from he wanted to tell me could not make him nearly this upset, could it?

We did not say a word the entire way home either. He probably wouldn't have been able to hear me anyways since the wind was whipping against us. It did make things a tad less awkward. He dropped me off at my house without a glance in my direction. He couldn't seriously be mad at me for that. Jake just does not understand his hypnotic eyes can have on me, and there was no way I would let him see that he got to me. I did not want to give him some crazy impression that I liked him or something. Not him, just his eyes.

I get off his bike, and turn to him, "Jake, I didn't mean to get you mad--"

"I'm not mad," he says with a look that could most likely send him to an anger management class, and tears out of my driveway without another thought.

He was clearly lying, and I had no idea why. He never showed an interested in me before. Why would it matter now?

I went into the house like I do every Friday afternoon even if it was a bit later today. "Chris! Will! What are we ordering?" I scream so that it echoes through the house. This is what happens every Friday. The three of us order take-out, usually from an Asian Place, and we go to some lame party that Chris and Will have to go to for some stupid popularity reason. I just tagged along to watch the drama unfold.

This Friday had already been so strange, I thought there was no way it could get any more bizarre. I guess that saying be careful what you wish for applies in every situation including this one. There was no instantaneous, simultaneous response, "Food dumby," as I had anticipated.

I hear my mother calling from the formal living room in a very defiant tone, "Would you please come here, Ginny?"

I knew not getting a response was bad, but I was thinking they broke the Xbox bad not my mother is calling a family meeting on a Friday night bad.

I could tell from just the tone of her voice that this had to do with more than me breaking the rules of being grounded. My mother has yet to be home on a Friday night once since the day I was born. Before my father left us, the two of them would always go out for a "date night." After, I think it was too painfully for my mother to stay at home, so she went out to do who knows what. And the last family meeting? My guess would be the night that Dad left. Yup, this situation was definitely worse than breaking an Xbox. At least that was my opinion, but I also only play one game on the thing.

I walk as slowly as possible into the family room. Nothing good ever comes from walking into this room. My mother was standing in front of the couch, hands straight at her side with her wavy, movie star- like blonde hair cascading down her shoulders. And she's still in her light gray suit and button-down green shirt underneath her jacket. That can't be good either. When my mother comes home she changes into something more comfortable, and by comfortable, I mean something along the lines of business casual clothing. My mother is not very good with casual especially sweatpants.

I sit down in between my two red headed brothers, and automatically feel like an outcast. I look more like my father while my brothers look like my mother. Besides the fact that I'm an outcast, I'm highly uncomfortable because I'm afraid my mother is going to tell us that we lost all our money and need to go live in a cardboard box or something equally as life changing.

As the three of us stared at our mother, she began to squirm. That's how I knew I was correct about the life changing thing. "Will, Chris, Ginny," my mother said as she looked each of us in the eye. I turned to look at both of my brothers with what I'm guessing was the most confused and concerned look on my face.

"I think you are all old enough for me to just say what is happening." Letting out a deep breath, she continues, "I dated a man one Friday night five months ago. We have been go out a few nights a week ever since. Three days ago, I discovered that I was pregnant with his, James', child. I told James. His reaction was to propose. I'm getting married again, not just for this child also because I love him. We are moving to his home about 20 minutes away next Thursday, a week from tomorrow. Do not worry, you will be going to the same school, and you will all still have your own bedrooms. Even your own bathrooms. Nothing but our location will change." With that my mother walked out of the room. She was never one for confrontation.

I cannot be sure, but I'm almost positive I heard the front door close.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Chris screams as loud as he can. I'm not sure about him, but I'm more upset that she just walked out without letting us say a word. "I can't believe she just did that! Why would she tell us like that? Why...." I tune out Chris while trying to process the information. What the hell is my life coming to? First Jake comes back into my life, and now my mother is pregnant and I'm moving. Things were definitely not going my way.

The only other reaction the three of us have is to go our separate ways and get ready for the weekly Friday night party at some random soccer or baseball player's house. And tonight, after everything that just happened, wasn't going to end well.