Tomorrow is a new day.
Recap:
Jesse made spaghetti for dinner, and while having it, he recollected his life and decided that it was time to work on moving on.
Jace, on the other hand, was still worried about how to tell him about her living arrangements with him that would soon come to an end.
**
Jace woke up to the alarm set on her iPhone. It had been ringing for almost half an hour. Jace was determined to actually wake up on her own this time, and almost succeeded too, if she hadn’t clicked snooze. She set it at 6:00am last night before she “died” on her bed. At 6:04am earlier, she’d heard it ringing and she pressed snooze. It was supposed to ring in another 5 minutes and it did, but she slept through the entire ringing for about 20 minutes before her brain registered that she had to get up.
Her body shivered involuntarily when she sat up on her bed to switch off the alarm, she wasn’t used to autumn; it was quite chilly compared to her home country. Normally, she wouldn’t bathe in the mornings before school, but she was still adapting to the climate and she needed to up her body temperature before her sinus kicked in, so she turned on the shower and waited for it to warm up.
She entered the steamy shower and felt her sinus melt away from her nostrils. The warm water made her sleepy again and she wanted to fall asleep in the shower. Her brain wasn’t helping either; it wanted to sleep too. It was sheer willpower that dragged her out from the shower and into the steamy bathroom foyer. She wiped herself dry before wrapping herself up in a towel and leaving the bathroom.
Automatically, she checked her watch. She had always been late for school back in her country, because she was never interested in attending, and also the teachers never bothered, there was no such thing as “detention”. Her watch could give her a rough idea on how late she could be after freshening up. It was 6:47am, she still had time, classes started at 8:00am.
If there was anything great about studying in America, it was everything – from lockers to casual dress codes and free periods. Of course, in her boarding school, there were uniforms; each uniform was tailored by the school’s seamstress. New students had the first weeks dressed in casual clothing before they got their uniforms for all seasons. By the three week, each student must be in uniform.
Today would be her appointment with the seamstress for her measurements, so Jace was rummaging through her brand new closet of clothes looking for an outfit that wouldn’t exaggerate her body size (for better or for worse). She picked out a pair of decent blue jeans and a blue v-neck t-shirt that had fish prints on it. She tried it on and looked at herself in the mirror. She was thinking whether to change into another outfit when she heard a soft knock on the door. “Come in,” she called, still looking at the mirror.
She heard the door knob twist and she turned around, “What do you think?” She asked Jesse who was already awake and dressed (in style, might I add). He was standing by the edge of the door as he entered.
Jesse took a good, long look at her and had a confused expression, “Is this what kids these days dress in?” He asked, he remembered that his sister would spend hours in the morning, or the night before picking out the perfect outfit for a day at school. She had a tonne of clothes. That was exaggerating a little, Lea did have a fashion sense and she would follow the trend every once in a while. She always looked good. Jace, on the other hand, also, always looked good in anything she picked, but sometimes she wears such mundane clothing it would make a person on coffee patches yawn. Her outfit right now made her look like she was ten. Seriously, fishes??
“Does this not look okay?” Jace twirled and stared at the mirror again. From the mirror she saw Jesse shake his head and walk over. He opened her closet and picked out some tight jeans and an orange blouse. They had bought this a few days ago when Jesse had “kidnapped” her for her acne treatment with the nice doctor.
Jace held the clothes to her body to see how it would look. She turned to Jesse for approval and he nodded. She smiled, “Okay then, I’ll be down for breakfast in a few! Thanks Jesse!”
**
Jesse had left the Jace’s room and went into his kitchen to prepare breakfast. There wasn’t much to prepare since breakfast today was just milk and cereal, and orange juice if Jace wanted. Jesse had finished all the food in the fridge, he would have to go for another round of grocery shopping later. He had misjudged the amount of food intake and bought too little food on their first grocery trip the weekend before.
Now that I think about, tomorrow’s Saturday.
He really hadn’t had anything planned for the weekend since he didn’t plan on having guests at all. But Jace had moved in, and he felt that she was part of his life now, like some part he’d always wanted and needed but never had. It was something like a spontaneous stranger, something like a one night stand, but someone you actually manage to interact with more than just sex for the night. When Jesse thought about it, he recalled that there were some hot, steamy moments with Jace. Well, he wouldn’t exactly call it “hot and steamy”, but it ran along that idea. They had kissed, more than once, it felt great. He felt awesome when they kissed but he realized even though he thought he wanted more, he didn’t really want any more. Those kisses were enough. Any more could ruin everything.
Since Jace moved in, Jesse had started thinking more than he usually did. It made him sleep funny at night. When he thought something through, it made his brain all fuzzy with excitement then it was suddenly calm. The encounter with Katie just the day before left him a little bit shaken still. She had looked so calm and over me. He thought he’d spotted a rock on her finger too, but didn’t manage to stay long enough to figure out whether he was just imagining it. He also wondered if Katie was really there, and if it wasn’t some image he conjured up in the moment because he was there. He felt that he should visit that apartment one last time.
Are you stupid? What are you? Crazy? Why would you do that, McCartney?
He sighed. Jace being here made him happy, but it also made him think a lot, and it was very tiring. He felt that his own intellect was being challenged with Jace around so he involuntarily started thinking more than he usually did. Jace was a very positive energy source for him, but all that positive energy had to discharge sooner or later.
A dose of Jace every now and then, huh? He chuckled to himself. He shook his head and brought out two bowls from the cabinet. He had already put out the cereal and the milk laid the spoons and napkins when he was still thinking to himself. He sat on his end of the table and wondered if he should start eating or wait for Jace.
**
Jace had changed into the outfit Jesse had picked out once he left the room. She stared at herself in the mirror. This time it wasn’t to check out her outfit.
She stared blankly at the mirror and started brooding. She had to tell Jesse about the move sooner or later. She didn’t want to tell him, she was too afraid, but she couldn’t not tell him, he was the one who trusted her enough to let her stay with him, he’d even brought her out for shopping, of course, she had promised to pay him back.
She shook her head and patted her cheeks, “Jace, you have to tell him. You have to! Just, I don’t know when.” She nodded to herself in the mirror and turned around. She packed a few things that she would be bringing to school, her cell phone, a bottle of water, a jacket and her homework; she had left her books in the school locker. She put on her sneakers and left the room. She decided that she would think about it later.
She put her nose up in the air to sniff once she entered the kitchen. It didn’t smell delicious. She frowned, “What, no special breakfast today?” She asked playfully.
“And a good morning to you too,” Jesse greeted her. He had been waiting for her. His bowl was already filled with cereal but he hadn’t poured in the milk yet.
She had left her bag on the couch in the living room and hopped onto her seat, “Oh yum! Froot Loops!” She poured the cereal into her bowl eagerly. She touched the carton of milk to feel if it was cold, and it was. Jace only ate cereal with cold milk. She dug in before saying anything else.
“Hey, hey, hey, where’s that greeting?”
She swallowed and quipped, “Good morning, your majesty.” And then she lunged for another mouthful.
Jesse pouted, “Hey now, that’s not what I’m talking about, where’s that thing you say right before you eat? That Japanese thing, something –soup or something.”
She chewed and swallowed hard before she said, “Oh you meant itadakimasu? Yeah, well, it’s too late now, I’ve already started eating…” She was smiling sheepishly.
Jesse shook his head and clicked his tongue playfully, “Well it’s still not too late for me.” He poured the milk into his bowl of cereal, “Itadakimasu!” He called out before digging in.
They ate quietly, Jace had another serving.
Jesse glanced at his watch, it was 7:15am. “C’mon, we’ve got to get going.”
“Do we really?” Jace whined, dejected. She enjoyed spending time with Jesse. She enjoyed school too, but once she found out that she had to move in to the boarding school dorm, she wanted to spend every waking minute with her favourite idol.
“Yes, we have to, we don’t want to be caught in the traffic for too long. You don’t want to be late-“ Jesse stopped himself before he could say anything more. He was starting to sound like a parent.
Jace saluted as she stood, “Sir, yes, sir! Cadet Jace reporting for transport, sir!”
Jesse laughed but played along, he saluted, “Okay now, cadet, get your things and go wait in the car.”
“Sir, yes, sir!” She brought her hand down after Jesse had brought his down and then she stomped on the floor.
“Woah, hey there, that’s terracotta tiles, don’t stomp on it.” He was lecturing.
“Oops, sorry,” Jace dropped the army act immediately and glanced at the floor. She kneeled and caressed the floor and apologized to it. (…and she kissed it too)
“Why’d you do that?” Jesse asked when they left the house.
“The stomping?” Jace replied when they got into the car.
“No, you apologized to the floor.” Jesse started up the engine.
“Well, I didn’t mean to hurt it, so I apologized.” They pulled out of the driveway.
Jesse pondered about for a while but decided he couldn’t understand, “Why?”
“Hmm, I guess I just wanted to. It felt right then.”
Jesse smiled as he turned into the main road. This time, he was starting to enjoy the silence. It felt nice.
**
Caleb was having lunch at the school cafeteria. He was alone. Other students were bustling around about him. He felt lonely in this crowd. All of the other students had their friends. Caleb poked at his sunny-side up and watched as the still watery egg yolk flow out of the puncture. Caleb decided that he wasn’t hungry. He had lost his appetite when the cafeteria started to get busy. He knew he was going to regret it because he was going to get hungry later. Well, I’ll just have to get breakfast earlier next time.
As he walked out into the hall, he wondered if Jace had eaten breakfast. He knew Jace hadn’t moved in to the school dorm because he had tried looking for her after school hours but never found her. He knew that it was a big school and she could have been anywhere, but she didn’t look like she had that many friends yet, so she wouldn’t be so hard to find (or maybe that was why it was so hard to find her). That was what he figured. He also knew that Jace would head out every day after class (since the first day they met) and enter some black car parked outside the school. He had seen the black car parked outside, sometimes for hours before it left and returned after a short while.
He started to wonder if Jace was a daughter of a politician and if the black car was her bodyguard. But if she was, she sure didn’t act like it. She was far too friendly. Caleb was careful, but the years spent with his Spanish nanny and her family had moulded him into a fine young man. Well, that’s what he believes, at least. He still had a large ego amongst his peers. (Peers, wow, I feel ancient when I say that)
He had walked into the courtyard and he stared at the sky. The autumn sun was still scratching at the sky, eager to come out. Ribbons of yellow and orange streaked across the purple sky. He stared at where the sun was budding; he was suddenly filled with ease and calmness. He decided that there would be his favourite direction. He nodded to himself, yes, East, I like East.
When he was done admiring the miracle of sunrise, he looked around him, students were starting to walk around the courtyard and he could see that the school gates were open, although no one was walking through them. It was open for the ones who were living outside. Like Jace.
He looked around him again; some of these students were going to be his classmates. He realized now that the majority of the students were from other countries. There were only a small percentage of American students. (When I say American, I mean born and bred in America, colour doesn’t matter.) Most of his classmates would be kids from wealthy, prestigious families who were going to grow up to be politicians or democrats or rulers of their respective countries.
He was trying to stereotype the people he might get involved with during class when he saw the same black car up the driveway.
There she is.
Jace stepped out of the car dressed in an orange blouse and tight black jeans. She looked amazing. He watched her wave at her driver and watched them converse. He couldn’t hear what they were saying because they were too far but Jace seemed to know the driver very well and they seemed to be having a very nice conversation. All of a sudden, Caleb wanted to have a conversation with Jace too. It seemed like talking to Jace would be a blast. The only problem was, he didn’t know what to talk about.
**
“What time do you want me to pick you up?” Jesse was asking from the passenger’s window.
“Hmm, I think class ends at four today, the latest, but if there’s any changes, I’ll call you.”
“Okay, you be a good girl and stay in school now, you hear?”
“Yes, daddy,” Jace rolled her eyes playfully, “When haven’t I been a good girl?”
“Maybe today, if you don’t get going before the bell rings.” Jesse winked.
Jace smirked, “It’s still early.”
“Go make friends? It’s high school, you should enjoy it.”
“Did you go to high school?”
“Yeah, a bit, here and there, I never had the full high school experience, but I hear it’s a blast, you should go crazy in high school, that’s the only time you get to. When you’re my age, you don’t get to have as much fun.”
“You’re not that old.”
“I meant that I’m a legal adult; that means I am accountable for my actions, you’re still a teenager, go to parties, have some fun. Just don’t do stupid stuff like killing someone. Stealing cars are okay if you don’t get caught.”
Jace gasped dramatically, “The great Jesse McCartney teaching me how to be bad? Oh, you must love watching people get into trouble.”
Jesse smiled fancily, “Yes, I reckon I do. Now get along now, I don’t want you to be late because of me.”
“Okay,” Jace pouted but she stopped leaning at the window, “Thanks for driving me. Bye.”
“I’ll see you later, then,” Jesse smiled softly.
Jace stood from a safe distance and waved as she watched him drive away. She turned and found Caleb waving at her. She smiled and walked over. “Hey, how’s it going?”
“Well, I was going to-“ The bell rung before Caleb could finish his sentence. That made him think twice about what he was going to say.
“You were going to what?” Jace asked.
Caleb’s mind rushed to find a decent answer that wouldn’t embarrass him, “Well, uh, I was going to class. Um, are you coming?”
“Yeah, I’ve got homeroom with Miss- I can’t remember her name.”
“Yeah, me too.” Caleb answered mindlessly. They were walking into the school. They had a five minute grace time before the second bell would ring to signal the start of class.
“Homeroom?” Jace asked.
“Huh? No, um, class.” Caleb realized that he didn’t have homeroom with Jace.
Jace smiled, “Well, okay, I’ll see you around then, here’s my stop.”
Caleb nodded, “Okay.” And then he walked away.
**
The seamstress arrived in the school with two of her assistants. She had a dozen people in her factory tailoring the uniforms for the Yanker’s International Boarding School. Her two assistants were carrying bags the first batch of tailored uniforms. She had gotten the measurements of 100 students on Monday and there were now 400 uniforms waiting to be distributed. Each student has 4 uniforms, one for each season in the year.
She had instructed her assistants to wait for her outside the office when she entered to inform the staff that she was here. Firstly, she had to distribute the uniforms, and then she and her two assistants will take the measurements of another 100 students. It takes 3 days to tailor 400 uniforms and there were almost 500 students in the school. The seamstress was on a tight schedule but this was the only time of the year that business was flourishing, the school pays good money for her work and she knew that the principal was a strict one, he would find another tailor if she could not live up to his demands.
She had been coming to the school every day since Monday to take down the student’s measurements. Today, she’d brought in the first batch of uniforms and she was going to take the measurements of the last batch of students.
**
“Good morning. Students who had their measurements taken on Monday, please report to the infirmary; your uniforms are ready to be collected. Meanwhile, students to have their measurements taken today, please be seated, you will be called upon shortly.”
**
Almost half of the students in Jace’s biology class stood up after hearing the announcement. Mr Hemsworth, the biology teacher nodded his approval and the students left the classroom in a hurry. Biology was interesting, but it gets boring sometimes. The rest of the class sighed in despair.
“Now, now, kids, don’t be disappointed. Since the classroom is half empty, I don’t see any point in continuing the lecture, so open up your books and do your own studying.”
Jace shrugged. Having her own thinking time would be nice. She would be having her measurements taken in a little while and she was getting nervous. There was nothing to be nervous about. Jace was reading the chapter about chromosomes and how they multiply. She found it rather interesting. She had always been fond of math, so this particular chapter had appealed to her quite nicely.
She didn’t know how long she had spent engrossed in the chapter, but the students who had left had returned. Some of them had taken the opportunity to put their new uniforms in their lockers; some were holding on to them in class.
The announcement came again, this time to tell the students who were to get their measurements taken that it was their turn. Jace packed her things because she knew she wouldn’t be coming back to the classroom. Some of her classmates were also packing. Mr Hemsworth nodded lazily and they left the classroom.
Out in the hall, some of the students rushed to keep their things in their lockers, not eager to bring their notes along to the infirmary. Some rushed to the infirmary, eager to get their measurements taken earlier. Some walked slowly, not caring.
When Jace arrived at the infirmary, she had to take a number. She got 76. A little while later, she spotted Caleb and waved to him. He had gotten there just a little earlier, he was number 72. The measurement taking was progressing very quickly. The students from the number 50 were already coming out and returning to their classrooms.
Three by three, they came and went, each just spending not more than 2 minutes in the infirmary. Jace’s turn was about to come because Caleb had just entered. He came out and gave her a thumbs-up sign, then she heard her number being called.
When she entered the infirmary, one of the three tailors shouted “seventy six!” Jace raised her hand, the tailor said, “You’re with me.”
She hurried over, because they all looked like they were in a hurry.
“Put your hands like this,” the tailor lifted her arms to show how she was supposed to pose. She brought a measuring tape around her underarms then lightly across her chest and then around her waist. Jace watched the tailor scribble the measurements on a piece of paper that had “76” written on the top right corner.
“Now put your hands down.”
Jace did as she was told and the tailor ran a measuring tape over her shoulder then from her shoulder to her wrist. The tailor also measured her hips and the length of her thighs for the skirt.
“You’re done, girl,” the tailor called another number as Jace left the infirmary. She found Caleb waiting for her just outside and smiled at him.
“How was it?” He asked.
“Wow, they’re in a hurry.” Jace said as she gestured to the infirmary.
“Yeah, they’ve got a deadline.”
**
Jesse was in his basement, still trying to figure out the lyrics to his new song. He had written a bunch of stuff but he felt that it was too corny. It didn’t sound right. He wanted it to sound right.
He glanced over at the lyrics he had written up, they were good lyrics, but they weren’t right for this melody. He scratched his head and laid down on the couch. He tried singing the lyrics and then he found the melody to go with it.
“Yes, this is it!” He got up and strummed on the guitar.
He wrote the chords down above the lyrics and recorded the melody. After that, he tested the song on his keyboard with some rhythm and some synth.
When he was finished, he replayed the recording to listen. He nodded along to his new song and scribbled on his songbook. He added a little here and there, and then he scratched off a little of this and that. When he ran out of ideas, he returned to his couch and stared at the low basement ceiling.
He was about to fall asleep again when he heard his phone ringing. He rushed to grab it.
“McCartney.” He answered into the receiver, without waiting for the caller to identify him/herself.
“Jesse?”
A familiar voice flooded through his ears, like silk, the voice travelled to the darkest regions in his head and it made him feel helpless.
He swallowed, “K-Katie?”
“Hey, you remember me!” Jesse could feel her smiling on the other end and he found his hand shaking. He had to hold it still.
“Yeah, it’s hard to forget.” Jesse said quietly into the receiver.
“You were here in my apartment yesterday, but you left so fast I didn’t get to talk to you.” She was purring on the other end. Jesse knew it. He knew it was a trap. Katie would always catch him when he was about to go away.
When he didn’t reply, Katie said, “Why don’t we go out for some coffee? Are you busy?”
Yes I’m busy! I’m busy getting over you!
“No, I’m just hanging around, y’know, composing stuffs.” He nodded to himself. Dammit, what am I saying?!
He heard her giggle on the other end, “Great, so that means we’re up for coffee? Say in half an hour?“
It was too late to say no, Jesse agreed weakly, “Yeah, okay, half an hour.”
“Great, you’ll pick me up?”
“Huh? I-uh”
Before Jesse could refuse, she added, “I’ll see you later then!” and then it was dead on the other end.
“Damn it!” Jesse cursed out loud. He punch his insulated walls. They were padded, so it didn’t hurt. Jesse cursed again. He had wanted it to hurt.
How can I be so stupid?!
________
Hi guys! This chapter took less than a year to write! Whoo! Hahaha
Anyway, enjoy =)
Oh, before I forget (I don't quite remember if I've said this before), but I don't intend this book to be a romance fanfic, yeah I think I'm lacking in my humour department too.
Guys, I really need your opinion on this, would you like a romance or is it okay for them to just be friends? (I swear to God I'm horrible with romance, but I would really like to know what you're hoping for)
Okay now toodles!