Jo's POV
I freeze, shocked, and Luke continues on, not even a glance back. Jess pops back up pushing his dripping hair from his face.
At first he doesn't look angry, only as shocked as me, then his scowl quickly returns to his face. My shocked face turned into a grin and I accidentally let out a giggle.
I cover my mouth still smiling as he shoots his glare in my direction. I put my hands up.
"I'm sorry. Just-," I cut myself off laughing again.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, really. Here," I drop my backpack and bend down a bit, giving him a hand to get out.
He smirks at me and before I can react he drops both of my hands and yanks me forward. I, much like my brother, fall head first into the water.
The only difference being the high pitch scream that left me before I submerged into the water. I'm able to get my feet under me and I stand.
I push my hair from my face and glare at him.
"That wasn't very nice. You deserved to go in the lake."
Where as the water hit his hips, it hit about my waist. He reached for his back pocket before looking down.
He dips back into the water and pulls out the books he lost.
"My book is wet," he grumbles.
"That's my book, ass."
He reaches for me.
"Here."
I let him grab me. He puts his hands on my hips and lifts me onto the edge of the bridge. I help pull him up.
We trudge to the diner, still dripping wet. As we make it through town we pass a group of boys from school. When they see me they start pointing and laughing.
I don't understand. As Jess passed they stared, but they didn't laugh. I look down and realize what they are laughing at.
The outfit I picked today was a pair of black overall shorts, a white t-shirt and my black boots. My dip in the lake caused my shirt to cling to my body, becoming completely see through.
I didn't think twice about putting on my yellow bra this morning, but I'm regretting it now that it's bright color is easily noticeable and on full display.
My face grows warm and I pull my arms up to cover my chest.
"Um, Jess," my voice is shaky.
"What," he asks, not picking up on my tone.
"Jess," I breath quickens a bit.
He turns to me and follows my eyes before looking back at me. He wraps his arm around me, taking my bag from my hand.
"Get lost," he yells, glaring at them.
"Just enjoying the show," one yells back.
I feel his grip tighten a bit.
"Don't," I tell him, trying to keep him from punching one of them.
He leads me the rest of the way to the diner. We go upstairs, trying very hard to avoid eye contact with any customers.
We dry off and change. Jess settles in doing Jess things, and I do my homework.
--
Luke comes in. I'm reading and Jess is smoking. Luke goes over to him and starts going through the bag in his hand.
"Okay. We got the patch, the gum, hypnosis tapes, chinese herbs, self-help books, and several pictures of diseased lungs to hang on the fridge. Pretty, huh? This is done," he says, taking the cigarette from Jess's mouth.
"Hey!" Jess yells.
"You will get up, you will go to school, you will come home. You will work in the diner until closing, you will do your homework, then you will go to bed. Where's the gnome?"
"The what?" Jess asks, playing dumb.
"You stole a gnome?" I ask.
"Weekends are for chores, and selected preapproved outings, I.E. kabala studies, freeway beautification projects, pottery painting- all discussable options."
He says all this while looking around the apartment until he opens the closet and pulls out what I recognize to be Babbet's gnome.
"You will not steal. You will pay back Taylor Doose, you will graduate from high school, and you will return Pierpon to his yard."
"You can't just-" Luke cuts Jess off.
"I can just. I am not letting you two fall off the face of the earth. You will not drift. I won't let it happen. Now, I don't know if this is the right way to handle this, but this is the way it's being handled, and that my friend is the end of this discussion," Luke finishes.
There is a pause and then Jess grabs his jacket and stands, walking to the door.
"Where are you going?" Luke asks.
"Out," Jess replies.
Luke signs when the door closes.
"Well, at least I asked."
"Monster stole Pierpon," I mumble.
I stand up and walk up next to Luke, holding my hands out.
"May I take him home?" I ask.
"Um, sure. Here."
He hands the gnome to me. I grab my bag containing a book, my keys, and my last pack of smokes, heading for the door.
"Be back in time to do your homework," he says.
"Already done."
"Alright, be back to help close then."
"Okay."
I open the door.
"Wait," he says, stopping me.
I turn to look at him. He looks like he's thinking for a second before holding his hand out.
"Give 'em," he says.
"Give what?" I ask.
"You know what."
I sigh.
"Please, Uncle Luke. They help keep me calm," I try.
They do. He walks over to the pile of stuff he gave Jess and walks back over to me.
"Give me," he repeats.
I pout, reaching into my bag, pulling out the pack of cigarettes. I drop them in his hand and he replaces them with the gum he bought.
"No more. Got it?"
I just nod, still pouting. He steps forward, and gives me a kiss on the forehead.
"Now, take your friend home," he tells me.
I give him a smile and head to Babette's.
\\AN// -- All grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections are helpful, encouraged, and greatly appreciated.
Thank you
-- Izzy