~Day Four~
I woke up to Jake breathing in my ear, we hadn't moved out of that position all night. His breath was hot and it tickled my ear, so I silently and carefully turned so my back would be against him, trying not to wake him. I started to scoot closer when he pulled on me; he was pulling me closer to him. I giggled lightly and quietly as to not wake him. Even though he and I weren't together as a couple, it still felt good to be in his arms, safe from the nasty thunder and lightning that occurred the night before. There were some more rumbles in the distance, but none that would bother me too much.
I looked at the clock, thinking it was really early because no light was on in the living room, but it was still raining. I hated Spring rains, they lasted way too long for my liking. I enjoyed being outside, especially with my art and writing. I often went to the park, just to sit in the shade of a tree and draw or write. I wished I could do that today, but the stupid rain forced me indoors.
It was eleven in the morning and I suspected it was going to rain all day, so it was inside all day today. I mean, I guess being inside didn't bother me much, I liked it from time to time, but it was a good thing I brought my notebooks and other things for this trip. If I hadn't, I'd be sitting playing Go Fish with Jake all day; and, no offense to Jake, that was just something I didn't want to do. I didn't have a clue on what Jake was going to do though. Oh well, he'd figure something out.
I laid there for awhile, accepting the comforting warmth from Jake. I kept my eyes closed, hoping for another few minutes or another hour of restful sleep, but it never came. Soon, Jake stirred awake and buried his nose into my neck. I giggled again, happy with his reaction.
"Thanks for comforting me last night." I said, pulling away just enough to look at him. The warmth of his chest and stomach left my back, letting goosebumps run down my arms. His toothy smile appeared, making me smile and more goosebumps appear.
"Yeah." He said, shaking his head. "No problem."
"It's still raining. My indoor activities include my writing...so..." I bit my lower lip, suddenly feeling very bad for not figuring out something to include him in. I didn't want to exclude him. I was enjoying my time with him. I didn't want to leave him out of anything I did.
"It's fine." He smiled and got up, trying to switch on the light, but failing as the power wasn't on. "I'll just play solitaire and watch you."
I blushed self consciously. No one had ever watched me write except for the occasional classmate, but they didn't watch for long and they were more interested in trying to figure out what I was writing. This would be kind of awkward with him watching. I know some of my habits when I'm writing, and it's not something I'd like to show him. Like groaning out loud, I didn't care who was around usually, and when I was frustrated, I groaned. The occasional friend/classmate would ask me, but I'd wave them off. I didn't want the warmth to rise to my cheeks. I hated blushing. Just like I hated blushing right now. He noticed my blush and smiled.
"Something wrong with that?" He asked, turning he smile into a smirk. He raised his eyebrow. I blushed deeper. Dammit, Ness! Stop blushing the color of your hair!
"N-no!" I stuttered. I rubbed my arm, nervous. "No one's ever watched me write before...to be honest...it kind of makes me nervous."
He smiled and pulled me out of bed and directed me to the living room 'dining' table. He found a candle, lit it, and set it in the middle of the table. The light traveled across the table and he handed me my messenger bag. I looked up at him and at his eyes. They had an eager look in them. He really wanted me to write today. I didn't quite understand why, I mean...it's just a person sitting and scribbling on a piece of paper. What's so special about that?
He didn't take his eyes off of me and the hand with my messenger bag in it, didn't lower. I sighed, defeated, and took the bag out of his hand. His expression turned into that of a little boy getting a matchbox car for Christmas. What was so special about watching me again?
I pulled out a couple of manila folders filled with paper. I pulled out blank pages and set them in front of me. I already started to ignore my surroundings. This would be easier than I thought. Maybe I wouldn't show some of my little habits... I did notice Jake sit down with the deck of cards.
I pulled out the already written down pages. I spread them out in front of me, the oldest on my left, newest on the right. My surroundings were fading away as I read the last page I'd written. I scrunched up my face in confusion--shit, there was one of my habits--with what I had written. There was noise off somewhere, but I didn't know where it came from, so I ignored it. I picked up my bright blue, point five, mechanical pencil and started pouring out the words in my head onto the paper. Ignoring what I had written on the last page I'd read. I'd fix it later.
An hour later, I had over ten pages done and Jake was up cooking. He had asked if I wanted lunch a few minutes earlier, but I didn't remember saying 'yes'. I shrugged it off and kept writing. My stomach could use the food. I certainly didn't care if I ate or not. Soon, my half-filled page was pulled out from under my pencil. Thank goodness I didn't have the pencil pressed down.
"Hey!" I exclaimed and pouted. A plate with grilled cheese sat in front of me. I looked up at Jake. That sandwich smelled delicious. But I wasn't giving up yet. I wanted to write more. I wasn't done with my idea.
"Eat." He said, smirking. I pouted more. What was his plans with that piece of paper. I didn't want him to read it. I really hoped he didn't read it. It was embarrassing sometimes...what I wrote about I mean.
"If I eat, do I get my paper back?" I put down my pencil reluctantly. I really didn't want to stop writing. Grr. Stupid Jake and his food.
He rolled his eyes, now smiling. Yes! I won! Now if only he'd set the piece of paper down... I smiled anyway and picked up the warm sandwich. I took a bite and instantly fell in love.
"This is amazing." I told him. It was just a simple grilled cheese, and I don't know what made it so amazing, but it was delicious. He smiled. He leaded up against the wall next to me, watching me. He seemed to like watching me lately. It was kind of weird, and nerve wracking, but I didn't let it get to me. He was just interested and curious.
"I'm glad you like it." He said, sitting down across from me. He picked up the first page I wrote of the piece I was writing that day. I huffed in frustrated. I really wanted to reach out and take it, but I knew if I did, I'd get grease all over the paper. Stupid greasy cheese sandwich... I blushed deeply as he read it. He chuckled as he set down the first page. That's why I was embarrassing. I knew he'd laugh at it.
"Romances?" He asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. Of course, he was a boy though. Boys don't like romances. Quite frankly, right now, I was okay with that.
"Guess you could say I'm a hopeless romantic." I shrugged, kind of embarrassed. It was true too... I was always searching for the guy who'd 'sweep me off my feet' and 'carry me off to a land, far, far away.' Jeez. I was such a cheeseball. I needed to get it together. That would never happen... But I could get a guy that would respect me. That'd be lovely. Rather than the jerk 'j's'.
"I think it's cute." He said. I blushed like mad. He just called my stories cute. He was certainly cute himeself... Gah. What was I thinking?
"Is there other stuff you've written?"
"Yeah!" I exclaimed, instantly excited. It wasn't so bad having someone I knew read my stuff after all. I mean, sure, I'd post them on websites, but I usually never got comments on them, much less a comment in person.
I pulled my messenger bag up off the ground and my two sketchbooks fell out. Before I could grab them before Jake saw them, they were already in his hand. One of them had an elaborate picture of a girl writing at her desk and the next had a cartoon a little kid would like. I blushed like mad, I wasn't so concerned about that sketchbook. It wasn't as important and secretive as my other sketchbook. He flipped through the one with the cartoon on it. I bit my lower lip as he grinned. That gave me a little hope that I wasn't completely an idiot for drawing cartoons.
"Children's books?" He asked me. I nodded sheepishly. In that sketch book were mini children's books, the way I wanted them to look when I wrote them in the future. I wanted the stories to be completely made by me. Not by me and some illustrator. I wanted it to say 'Written and Illustrated by: Vanessa Dale Evans'. Or whosever last name I took on before I strted writing children's books. Perhaps I'd just keep my family name. The covers of the children's books were also in the sketch book. I even colored them. I had colored pencils in my bag.
He moved onto the elaborate drawing sketch book. My hands weren't greasy anymore, so I reached for it. He pulled it away in from me in his chair quickly. He stood up and stepped back. I got up as he held it back from me. I really wanted to get it from him. Not even my big brother, whom I spent most of my time with and whom I shared everything with, knew what was in that sketchbook. I never allowed to see it. I really didn't want Jake to see it either, but I knew I wasn't getting it back until he looked through it, so I gave up and pouted. He looked through it quietly, a small smile spreading across his lips. I just buried my face into my hands. He smiled and looked at me with a questioning look. I sighed, defeated once again. I pulled my hands away from my face and placed them on my thighs.
"Personal sketch book." I told him, the blush not leaving my cheeks. God, this was so embarrassing for me. He smiled again and continued to flip through it. I watched him turn to the page I sketched of Miriam and Patrick kissing. I blushed uncontrollably.That was going to be their anniversary present this year. Two years. Slightly provocative to the normal person. Sweet and kind to me. Jake smiled. I forgot I wrote 'happy anniversary' on the back of it.
He closed the sketch book. I was still blushing like none other. Like I mentioned before, one had ever seen my personal sketchbook. This was new and very uncomfortable for me.
"I think it's awesome." He said, holding it out to me.
"No it's not." I replied, taking the book out of his hands. He laughed at how quick I took it back.
"Yeah it is..." He paused, just looking at me. "You look really beautiful when your red hair falls over your face when you're writing."
This caused my face to burn worse than what it had been. No one had ever said I was beautiful when I wrote. My other boyfriends never cared, they ignored it. They hated when I did it around them though. Stop it, Nessa! I really needed to stop thinking about my ex-boyfriends. He laughed and I realized that I wanted to draw more than anything at that moment. I picked up a large pencil and separate eraser.
"Lean back in your chair like you're having a great time." I said. He raised and eyebrow at me, unsure of what I was saying and making him do. I frowned, frustrated. If only he'd just listen without an explanation.
"Just do it."
He rolled his eyes smiling and not questioning me. Good. He put his hands behind his head and his smile was genuine, not just for what I told him to do. I loved his smile. He large...toothy smile. I started at him for a moment, hoping he didn't notice. Once I had my fill, I pulled my knees up and set my sketchpad on them and started to sketch Jake the way he was sitting in the chair. The chair was on it's back legs. We sat there for yet another hour as I sketched him.
"Done." I said. I didn't bother to color it in. In fact, if I WERE to color it, it would ruin it. Maybe I'd draw him some other time and color it in. Maybe I'd use my memory and sketch him and give it to him as a surprise. Maybe I'd give him a sketch of me...or was that too far right now? Seeing as we weren't dating.
"Your tongue sticks out to the side when you draw." He smiled and stretched, getting out of the position he'd been sitting in for an hour now.
"I never noticed..." I mumbled. At least he didn't notice me staring at his 100,000 watt smile. I closed the sketch book and he gave me a little...pout? I cock my head to the side, confused. Why would he be pouting about time not ever noticing? You'd think he'd find amusement in it...
"Can I see?" He asked. I smiled, catching on to the reason behind his pout, and shook my head. He pouted again, but I still shook my head. I was going to stand firm against my decision. He sighed and nodded.
"You can look at it when I'm not around." I stated matter-of-factly. He smiled. I looked over at the clock. The power went back out shortly after Jake cooked me grilled cheese. I assumed they were trying to fix the lines. The clocks were also battery powered, so I was glad for that. I didn't remember where I put my phone when we got here. Hopefully I didn't lose it. Why did I bring my phone in the first place? It's not like anyone was trying to get a hold of me, nor was I trying to get a hold of anyone else... Using my cell to call the police didn't even cross my mind. Wow. What an idiot I felt like.
The clock read ten at night. Where did the time go to? The raining stopped, so I turned on the porch lights and remembered the power was out. Frustrated, I grabbed the almost gone candle in it's holder and stepped outside. I gasped at the sight that was laid out in front of me.
Most of the weaker palm trees were strewn across the beach. I found the source of our first electric outage; an electric pole laid across the sand not far from the cabins. Miriam's van had multiple dents from what I assumed was hail, and all it was was a thunderstorm. No tornadoes or anything., but it looked like one came through. Maybe one did and we just didn't realize it. We weren't too far away from the beach, but we weren't close either. Maybe it was a water spout like I predicted in my feared state.
I went back into the cabin and saw Jake looking at the picture and I blushed. I didn't think he was going to look at the picture that soon. He noticed and looked up.
"It's wonderful." He said, smiling at me. I blushed more and realized that he wasn't joking. He was being sincere.
"I just wanted to draw something..." I mumbled stupidly.
He laughed and got up. He stood by me and, even though I was five-nine, he was a good head taller than I was. He embraced me in a hug and I hugged him back. The warmth and comfort of his embrace filled me again, like it had last night. I yawned. I wanted to write or draw or something, but I was so sleepy. Who knew that just writing and drawing could take so much out of you. I guess the fact that it was a rainy day didn't help the situation at all. Jake noticed and he loosened the embrace. I frowned. I didn't want me to let go yet. He took me and the candle into the bedroom. It hit me that we never got out of our PJ's and I crawled into bed. Jake stayed on his side of the bed tonight, which disappointed me slightly, and he blew out the candle.
"Goodnight, Vanessa." He said. I could hear the smile in his voice. I earned to reach out and pull him to me, but I resisted.
"Night, Jake." I said. I closed my eyes, thinking about how I liked it when Jake called me Vanessa instead of 'Nessa' like everyone else. It was like our little special thing... I slowly fell asleep.