Ages: 17 & 14
"Jenny! Let's go!" James yelled across the school parking lot impatiently. She had been talking to some guy near the entrance of the door for almost twenty minutes and James had been ready to go since school let out which was nearly half an hour ago. He watched curiously as Jenny said goodbye to the boy and rushed towards his parents' car. Rolling his eyes in agitation, he swung open the driver's side door. "Finally." He sat down and started the ignition before turning to Jenny. "Who were you talking to?" Jenny buckled her seat belt and remained silent with a large smile and dazed look plastered across her face. "Hello?" He asked louder, trying to get her attention while she stared blankly out the windshield. "Jennifer!"
She shook her head briefly and turned back to James with a look of confusion. "What?"
"What's up with you?" With a raised eyebrow, he glanced over at her.
"Nothing." She said weakly and tried to hide the large smile growing on her face by looking down at the books in her lap.
James gave her a look, letting her know he could see right through her lie, but she just turned away. He continued glancing over at her every few seconds, just waiting for her to crack. Patience was definitely not a trait he lacked.
She slowly began to turn and face him before reluctantly speaking. "Okay, there is something and I kind of need your help." She spoke quickly and by then her body had twisted in his direction as she slid her right ankle beneath her left leg.
He noticed her excitement and his eyes widened for a moment. "No, I'm not taking you to the mall to get your navel pierced with Kaitlyn." James joked, remembering how she would beg him to drive her and her best friend to the mall so they could get their belly button pierced against her parent's wishes. She seemed to overlook the fact that he was only seventeen and wouldn't be able to give permission for something like that anyway.
Jenny rolled her eyes and continued moving closer as she prepared to beg. "No, I need you to drive me to Pete's Pizza Shack tonight and tell our parents that you are taking me for ice cream."
Although her request didn't involve piercings, it still involved lying; one skill he did lack. "And why would I do something like that?" He asked, not really looking forward to her answer.
She sighed and shrunk down in her seat a bit. "You promise not to tell the rents?"
James couldn't help but smirk at her terminology. "Promise, Lil' Weezy."
"Kyle Jacobson asked me out."
"Who?" His voice came out louder and slightly more agitated than he intended.
"Shampoo dude?" Jenny clarified, hoping it would jog his memory from the day he read her diary.
"Oh."
She sat there for a moment; waiting for him to respond but soon became impatient. "So? Will you help me?"
"Well...no." He said almost immediately with a smirk on his face. Unlike when he was eleven, telling Jenny 'no' had become something he was quite good at. He was rather fond of it as well, especially in those moments.
Jenny's expression dropped to disappointment in an instant. "What? Why not?!"
"Because it's stupid," he pointed out bluntly. "Why wouldn't you just tell your parents? I'm sure they would be happy to make the lucky guy a nice root beer float before you head over to Pete's; the Pizza Love Shack." He said arrogantly while grimacing on the inside at the mere thought.
"You know how my dad is! In his eyes, teenagers shouldn't be dating period and especially not this teenager." She pointed to herself with the best puppy dog frown she could muster up while James continued to glance over at her every few seconds.
"And I completely agree with him," James said without skipping a beat. "You are way too young to be dating and you have plenty of time for that when you're older and more prepared to handle adult situations." Jenny slowly began to close her eyes and leaned forward in an attempt to pretend to fall into a bored sleep. He looked over and smirked at her attempt to be humorous. "You will thank me one day."
She opened her eyes with a soft sigh and moved closer to him. "I'm sure I will but today isn't that day, Jameson and today I really want to go to the Pizza Shack with Kyle and enjoy my life while I'm young and if you do this for me I promise I will be your slave come tomorrow morning." She latched onto his arm and rested her chin softly against his shoulder before smiling up at him. "Please, Jameson." She begged with puppy dog eyes.
Looking over at her, he couldn't help but feel sympathy at her desperation. She obviously really wanted to do this and he couldn't disagree with what she said about her father. Mr. Loren was extremely strict when it came to the subject of his daughter and boys. Jenny was a firecracker, she was spirited and extremely passionate about life and everything it entailed. James couldn't help but look ahead to the pure agony Mr. Loren had waiting for him down the road and he worried that time was coming all too soon. It was just a year ago that Jenny was the awkward teenager getting picked on in the parking lot of ice cream parlors and suddenly, he found himself staring at this beautiful, confident girl with plenty of friends and a Friday night date. Looking after Jennifer Loren was becoming more difficult with each year that passed and looking after this girl wasn't just an after school job anymore, it was a coveted position. "I'm not leaving the Pizza Shack while you're inside. I will wait outside in this car until you finish eating and that is all you will do, eat." He put emphasis on the last word while looking over at her with seriousness.
A large smile immediately took residence across her face and she jumped forward, wrapping her arms around his neck but made sure not to distract him from driving. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" He couldn't help but smirk at her excitement and placed one hand on her arm before she pulled away. "You are the best, Jameson!" She gave him one last smile before returning to her side of the vehicle.
James simply looked back at the road with a soft sigh, wondering if he made the right choice or if it was just another example of his complete lack of self-control when it came to Jennifer Loren.
~
"You have one hour to eat you pizza and then I'm taking you straight home." He informed Jenny as he pulled into the parking lot of Pete's Pizza Shack.
Jenny rolled her eyes while unbuckling her seatbelt. "I got it." She quickly pushed open the passenger side door before stepping outside but just before she closed the door, James spoke up.
"Hey!" His voice was rough at first but when she turned to look at him, his expression softened. "I'll be right here if you need anything."
She gave him a small smile and nodded before slamming the door shut and rushing into the Pizza Shack.
"Jenny! Over here!"
Jenny smiled at the sound of a voice calling her name from behind but when she turned around, her expression fell to sadness at the sight of Kyle at a table along with about five other people. Slowly, she made her way over to the table she thought she was going to be sharing with only Kyle and tried to force a smile. "Hey, what's going on?"
"We were just fixing to eat before we head to the party," Kyle informed her with a look of excitement as the other kids talk amongst themselves.
"Party?" Jenny questioned as she made the tight squeeze in order to sit beside Kyle.
"Yeah, at Brad's house. Didn't I tell you?"
She shook her head, still trying to decipher how she misheard party at Brad's for a date at Pete's Pizza Shack. "No...I thought we were just having some pizza?"
"I asked you to meet us here so we could all ride over to Brad's for the party later," Kyle said with a smile while playing a game of 'who has the strongest elbow' with his buddy sitting on the other side of him. He turned to his friend with a laugh and elbowed him in the gut while Jenny tried to get over her disappointment at the change in activities.
"Oh...well, that sounds like fun but I'll probably just be able to eat pizza and then I need to be getting home."
"What?" Kyle looked honestly disappointed and gave Jenny his full attention. "Why?"
"I...well..." She stuttered over what to tell him because the excuse 'my babysitters sitting in a car outside waiting' didn't sound like the best thing to tell her sixteen-year-old crush. "...I just have other plans." She finally spits out, although she couldn't help but feel like it was an extremely lame excuse.
"Is it because your parents brought you?" He asked, drawing attention to the fact that she was two years younger and had yet to acquire a driver's license. "Because if that's why you can't go, just tell them you have a ride." He smiled and took a piece of pepperoni off the pizza before tossing it into his mouth. "I would be more than happy to drive you home." Smirking, he leaned closer to Jenny, almost closing the already tight space between them. Her stomach did all kinds of funny flips when he leaned in closer because his dark gray eyes were so alluring and she wanted so badly to impress him. She wanted so badly to not feel like a little kid anymore.
She felt a sudden rush through her body and shook her head, hoping her blushed cheeks weren't noticeable. "No! No...that's not it," she stated quickly but didn't bother clearing up the facts.
"Great! So, you'll go?" Kyle asked again, even though he hadn't resolved anything.
"Um...well...I guess..." She answered slowly and immediately after, the table began to clear.
"Awesome!" Kyle exclaimed as he wiped the pizza sauce from his hands with a napkin. "So, are you ready or did you want to eat first?" The rest of the group had practically already bolted for the door so it was just the two of them at the table.
"Hey, Kyle! We're going to head on over! Catch you at the party!" One guy yelled before pushing open the entrance to Pete's and heading to the parking lot.
Jenny shook her head with a small smile when Kyle turned to her. "No, I'm not that hungry." She lost track of how many lies she had told that night, but that was another one to add to the list.
"Great, let's go!" They both slid out of the booth and headed for the door. Jenny sucked in a breath of air and desperately hoped James wasn't paying attention to the entrance, but her luck was bound to run out eventually or continually, in her case.
"Jenny!"
Cringing at the sound of her name coming from the Jenson's Buick Lesabre, she glanced at James a moment before turning back to Kyle with a small smile. "Can you just give me a minute? I'll meet you at the car."
"Don't be too long, it's not responsible to keep a perfectly good keg of beer waiting." He walked off with that goofy grin and all Jenny could think about was the fact that he was planning to drive her home after the party. Hearing his engine rev, all she wanted to do was get into his car and go home but she couldn't disappoint Kyle and wasn't it the perfect time to grow up?
"That was quick. You ready?" He asked but instead of getting in the car, she stood at the passenger side window.
"Not exactly...Kyle invited me to a party at Brad's."
James turned the engine off once more and stared back at Jenny. "Brad Cunningham? He's a sophomore." Jenny swallowed the fear rising in her throat and looked down before nodding slowly. James's eyes widened as he came to a sudden realization. "Jenny," he stated firmly. "How old is Kyle?"
She glanced to the left and quietly muttered the little bit of information she had decided earlier not to divulge. "Sixteen."
"Jenny!" He shouted in anger and stared over at her in disappointment.
"Kyle's not a sophomore though! He's still taking some of my classes, that's how we know each other."
"Oh, so he's dumb too? You know, you're not really pleading your case very well!" He shook his head and started the car once again. "Get in this car right now! We're going home!"
Honestly, she probably would have gotten in the car had he not been such a controlling ass but after his outburst, there was no way she wasn't going to that party. She backed away from the car and shook her head, a defiant look now replacing her look of uncertainty. "No! You can't tell me what to do! Just go home, Jameson!"
"And tell your parents what exactly? That somewhere between home and getting ice cream you just magically disappeared? You're coming home, Jenny and that's final! Stop being so immature!"
To Jenny, there was nothing worse than being called immature. She couldn't stand the fact that he was three years older than her but when he made it so apparent, she felt her insides twisting. All she ever wanted was for him to see her as mature and confident but at that moment, as tears stung her eyes; she felt nothing but anger and sadness. She quickly turned away from him and marched over to Kyle's car.
"Jenny!" James shouted as he unbuckled his seat belt to walk towards Kyle's car. Before he could come close, Jenny was already in the car and Kyle quickly exited the parking lot. "Shit!" James cursed before rushing back over to his car. Quickly pulling out of the parking lot, he kept an eye on the old Camero six cars ahead of him. After about ten minutes of driving, James lost track of the car and ended up at a fork in the road. He took a guess and followed one path down a line of houses before spotting a dark black Camero parked outside. He quickly pulled up to the suburban home with loud music blaring from inside and stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind him. He took long strides up to the front door of the house and entered without a second thought, immediately scanning the house for any sign of Jenny. He felt a hand on his shoulder and quickly turned around to see a friend from his junior class.
"James? Since when do you come to sophomore parties?"
"Hey, Rex, have you seen a dark brown haired girl with big blue eyes and neon colored converse shoes around here? Probably looks like she doesn't belong?" He didn't even bother asking what his friend was doing at a sophomore's party; he just figured he was probably there to see if there were any younger, naïve girls he could get with. Suddenly, James was even more anxious to find Jenny.
"Uh...no...sorry, dude." His friend said before taking another large swig of his drink, adding to the buzz that was obvious in his speech.
James shook his head and walked off into the party, knowing his friend wasn't going to be much help. Glancing at the crowd of teens dancing, he noticed a pair of neon sneakers making their way up the stairs. He anxiously pushed his way through the crowd of people and couldn't help but think he had gotten there just in time.
"Kyle, maybe we should just stay downstairs," Jenny suggested while Kyle continued pulling her down the hall.
With a drink in hand, he glanced back at her, a glazed look now in his eyes. "It's too loud down there. We will have plenty of privacy up here." Smirking, he pulled her into an empty bedroom and closed the door. He walked over to the bed and sat down before patting the space beside him as he took another drink. "Sit don wih me." His words slurred together and Jenny gave him a curious look while staying in her current vertical position.
"We just got here, Kyle, how are you already drunk?"
Kyle shrugged with a devious smirk. "Maybe I had one or...two pre-party drinks."
Jenny's eyes widened in shock and rage. "You were drunk when you drove me here!?"
"Not drunk just...buzzed." He added extra emphasis on the z and laughed drunkenly as if it was the funniest thing in the world. "Relax...sit with me." He smiled sweetly and gently took her hand before pulling her down to sit beside him on the perfectly made bed.
"I really think I should be getting home," Jenny said and tried to stand up from the bed but she was immediately pulled back down. "Ky-" Before she could finish her sentence, Kyle's lips were roughly pressed against hers as the smell of alcohol and cheap cologne engulfed her senses. She immediately pushed Kyle back and felt her eyes filling with tears almost immediately. He stole her first kiss and she was furious. To Kyle, it was just another stupid kiss but to Jenny, it was the only first kiss she was ever going to have and all she wanted was for him to take it back. He ignored her shove and came forward again, making Jenny relive the nightmare once again. Only that time, the kiss was deeper and forced upon her like a terrible birthday gift you wish you could return. All of a sudden, she was torn from her nightmare as Kyle was pulled from her and shoved against the wall. She immediately stood up from the bed and stepped forward to where James was pinning Kyle against the wall.
"Jenny, go downstairs and wait for me in the car," James said fiercely but it was obvious to Jenny he was trying his best just to remain calm. She stood there for a moment, unable to move or comprehend what had just happened. "Jenny!" James finally shouted, breaking Jenny from her trance. She quickly tore her attention from Kyle and focused on James who was staring back at her with wide eyes of seriousness. "Go." He stated calmly and she immediately exited the room. Rushing down the stairs, loud music and previous events cloud her head. She stumbled out the door and saw the Jenson's car parked outside with one tire pulled onto the sidewalk. She rushed over to the car as tears began blurring her vision while she fumbled for the door handle. She sat inside the car and cried softly with her head resting in her hands. By the time James made his way outside, her tears were almost dry and the sound of the driver's side door opening caused her to jump in a sudden fright. He slammed the door and sat there motionless, just staring blankly out the windshield.
She sat silently a moment before slowly turning to him with bloodshot eyes. "I'm sorry," she choked out, her voice raspy and dry from crying.
"Are you okay?" She was a bit taken back by his question and it took her a moment to respond by slowly nodding her head. He finally turned to her and his eyes showed nothing but compassion. "Are you sure?"
She could feel her eyes filling with tears once again and trying to keep them inside only caused the back of her throat to burn as if it was filling with fire. Finally letting them fall, she lowered her head to sob once again. She could feel the sound of the leather seat beneath his jeans at he moved closer to her and the feel of his comforting arms wrapping around her caused her to jump instinctively. She slowly felt her body start to relax in his arms as she rested her head against his chest. Holding her tightly, he placed his chin on the top of her head.
"Thank you." Her voice was softer than a whisper and for a moment, she wasn't sure he had heard her.
James slowly pulled away and looked down at her in concern. "Jenny...he didn't...I mean, I got there before..."
Jenny shook her head and forced a small smile as she focused on the floorboard of his parents' car. "No...you got there in time. Although, I wouldn't have been opposed to you moving just a tad bit faster." Jenny hinted with a saddened chuckle before looking back over at him. She hated him seeing her as immature but telling him things just came naturally and she didn't feel embarrassed as the next few words rolled off her tongue. "I just really wanted my first kiss to be one I consented to." She said with a sad smile and pulled her knees up to her chest.
James laid a hand on the back of her head and looked over at her in sympathy. "I'm sorry, Jenny."
She turned her head to look at him, causing his hand to glide to her cheek. She shrugged with that same lost smile. "I guess I was just being a naïve girl; hoping for that perfect first kiss, huh?"
He smiled and shook his head. "No, that's not naïve, that's very...mature." He couldn't help but smile at the sound of Jenny laughing.
"Maybe I just need to kiss someone else tonight that I don't think is a total ass and that way I can just pretend that it was my first kiss. I mean, who's going to know, right?"
James' eyes came together in doubt at the sound of Jenny's spur of the moment idea. "I don't know if that's-"
Before he could finish, Jenny had turned her whole body so she was facing him with a doe-eyed expression and a soft smile. "Jameson..." She started off, the sound of devious intentions and flattery falling from her high-pitched plea.
He stared at her smile a moment and suddenly, her intentions became extremely clear. Almost instantly, he began shaking his head and placed his hands firmly on the steering wheel before facing forward. He couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable and she hadn't even asked the question. "Ut-uh. No way, Jennifer Michelle Loren."
Jenny couldn't help but smirk at his quickly turning pink cheeks and the fact that he continued to stare out the windshield without a single glance in her direction as he spoke. She simply smiled at his childish nervousness and moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his broad shoulder. There were very few times Jenny got to make James feel like the immature one and she was going to milk it for all it was worth. "Come on, Jameson Samuel Jenson...please. You're the only sober male within twenty miles of this subdivision and I don't think you're a total ass." She said in humor before looking back up at him with a small smirk.
He breathed deeply and looked over at her, suddenly becoming very aware of the fact that their lips were now just inches apart.
Noticing his anxiety, she slowly slid back so there was a fair amount of space between them. She turned to look over at him and spoke very maturely, dropping the fake flattery in her voice. "This is strictly for professional purposes only, Jameson. I promise. I just need to have a kiss that doesn't make me want to throw up whenever I look back at tonight. Please, you would really be helping out the Jennifer Loren ten years from now. Just think how grateful she's going to be when she looks back at tonight and instead of remembering the sleazy sophomore with beer breath, she remembers her best friend Jameson and the sense of safety and friendship that's supposed to come with a first kiss. Don't you want to give that to her, Jameson?" Jenny asked with a simple smile, continuing to play the business card while James just stared over at her, in a debate with himself.
He sighed and slowly took his hands off the steering wheel, turning his whole body towards her like she did moments ago. Jenny smiled and quickly returned to the position she was in before so they were facing each other. They sat there in awkward silence for a moment, neither one of them really knowing how to begin a pre-arranged kiss agreement.
"Well?" Jameson asked lamely with a raised eyebrow, breaking the awkward silence as they continued sitting motionless.
"Well, you kind of have to lean in, Jameson. Geez, you'd think this was your first kiss!" Jenny scoffed and rolled her eyes, causing James to glare in frustration.
"This is your 'kiss deal', shouldn't you be the one to move in?"
"Just because it's my 'deal' doesn't mean you don't have to do anything! A kiss goes both ways, no matter whose arrangement it may be."
Rolling his eyes as well, James lifted his hands before slowly and awkwardly placing them on Jenny's shoulders. "Fine. Just...hold still."
"Oh, how romantic." She spat sarcastically.
"I'm sorry, but your rude sarcasm isn't a very attractive color." He said through gritted teeth before he took another breath and slowly started to lean forward. Jenny closed her eyes and waited for the moment of impact, but the only thing she felt was hollow air after seconds of silence.
"Any day now."
Suddenly, a loud groan echoed through the small truck as James' hand fell to his sides and he threw back his head in frustration. "That's it! You're just going to have to deal with your shitty first kiss because dealing with you right now is traumatizing me."
"No! Jameson, come on." Jenny begged and moved just a tad bit closer. "I'm sorry. I promise to shut up. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I mean, you're obviously uncomfortable but sarcasm is my way of dealing with uncomfortable situations and I guess since I'm just piling on the sarcasm tonight it's probably a sign that I am just as nervous as you obviously are so-"
It has been said that a kiss is the best when it's completely unexpected, when there's no time to think, no time to debate or negotiate and at that moment, Jennifer Loren would have most definitely agreed. His hands remained softly placed against the side of her face as he slowly moved back, breaking the intense connection of their lips. He slowly began to lower his hands and turned to face out the windshield once again as an extremely uncomfortable silence filled the small space of the Buick Lesabre. He placed his hands on the steering wheel at the moment Jenny finally started to open her eyes. She slowly returned to her place on the passenger side of the car with that doe-eyed look still plastered perfectly across her face as she stared out the windshield.
"I'm hungry."
~~~
I'M BACK! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO COMMENTED ON THE FINAL CHAPTER OF "PERMISSION TO LOVE"
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND I CAN'T WAIT TO POST MORE OF THIS STORY! I AM SO EXCITED TO WRITE MORE AND POST MORE OF THIS STORY BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE STORIES THAT CAN'T REALLY BE RUSHED. I'M KIND OF IN A SITUATION SIMILAR TO JENNY'S AT THE MOMENT AND MY REAL LIFE IS A HUGE INSPIRATION - AND LIFE DOESN'T LIKE TO BE RUSHED ;p
I REALIZE THIS CHAPTER WAS EXTREMELY LONGGGG BUT THIS STORY IS GOING TO HAVE EXTREMELY SHORT CHAPTERS AND EXTREMELY LONG CHAPTERS ALL THE WAY THROUGH. EACH CHAPTER IS DIVIDED INTO MOMENTS THAT HAPPEN AT CERTAIN AGES OF THE KIDS SO IF THE MOMENT IS A LONG ONE, THE CHAPTER IS JUST GOING TO BE LONG. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW SO I CAN POST MORE!!! :D