2/4, Rain
Author: kat_sor
Rating: Older Teen..
Summary: Rain can bring a new beginning, but it has the tendency to whisk them away before the chance can be taken. And sometimes, just sometimes, that chance would have changed something. In a world of games and rides, sometimes rain brings more bad than good.
A/N: I understand these are short chapters, but they are blurbs of my thoughts and my worries. Nothing more. Enjoy.
~*~
Eighty-degree sunshine beams down on the building. Although there are fans on the ceilings and all of the doors are open, the humidity and lack of breeze only add to the heat. I stare down at a cookie on a paper plate. It looks almost like raw cookie dough.
“Go ahead and cut into it,” the judge murmurs. “It looks interesting.” I glance up and see her smirk but quickly set to work. The plastic knife slices through easily, showing a doughy consistency beneath the surface. “Chocolate chip?”
“Apparently …”
“Take a bite. Let me know what you think.”
“Oh … okay …” I slowly take a piece of the cookie and raise it to my lips. I can taste the vanilla almost instantly, but the sweetness is overpowering. “Not enough salt. Not enough salt at all.”
“Write that down and … well, I’d give them a white.”
“Same.” I retrieve a white ribbon from the box beside me and staple it to the recipe card.
“I’ll go get some more food.”
“Okay. Take your time.” I smile and walk toward the other end of the building.
“Jenny!”
“Amber, hi, I don’t have much time to talk right now. I have to retrieve-”
“Look, I don’t wanna spread rumours but apparently Adam’s told Blake that he’s kind of upset over what you said last night, whatever you said.”
“I really didn’t say anything but the truth …”
I really don’t give a damn.
Remembering my words, I wince and place a hand on my hip.
“Dunno, Jen, but you might wanna straighten it out. Blake says Adam isn’t talking, and spends most of his time with the horses now.”
“Yeah. I don’t really know what to say, Amber …” ‘I’m sorry’ would be a good start …
“There he is.”
“I don’t care,” I blurt.
“Talk to him,” Amber urges, her blue eyes pleading. “Just talk to him and-”
“No! I am not going to fall for his stupid little tricks again. I made that mistake once.”
“Come on, Jen …”
“No! I don’t ca-Hi, Adam.” I cut myself off, not because of any reason other than I don’t want him to hear me say I don’t care again. I’ve said it enough. That time has passed. And I know I do in fact care; I just can’t bring myself to admit that aloud.
“Amber, have you seen Blake? Paul needs him, apparently.”
“Kids and Horses tent, last I saw him.” She elbows me lightly and I take the hint. I sigh and begrudgingly look him in the eye.
“Adam … can we … talk?”
“Didn’t you say enough last night?” In his eyes swims not only anger and resentment, but also hurt. “Not to be rude, but you already stated that you don’t care about me anymore.”
“No … Adam, no, that’s not what I meant …”
“Isn’t it?” He raises an eyebrow in skepticism. “You seemed pretty sure of yourself last night.”
“I know, but you-”
“Jenny, this isn’t even about me. Obviously, when we broke up back in May, you moved on way faster than I did.”
“Are you kidding me right now?” I stare at him, my mouth agape. “You think I got over you?”
“You show a great sense of indifference, Jen. You’ve made your point clear.”
“Adam, you can’t be serious …” I gawk at him.
“I guess it’s my turn to move on.” His voice becomes quiet. “I’m sorry, Jen, but I can’t do this anymore.” How can he turn this on me …?
Blinking hard, I shake my head and say, “Whoa, whoa. Do what, Adam? You’ve done nothing to even be doing anything. You told me back in June that you didn’t want anything to do with me romantically anymore.”
“Yeah, well-”
“No, Adam. Obviously, I’m not the confused one anymore.” Crossing my arms, I add, “I can’t believe I actually took time out of work to fix things with you. I can’t believe I came here with the understanding we were nothing more than friends. Nothing more than companions.”
And as I walk away, I can hear him say, “I’m sorry.”
~*~
“Jen!” Blake shouts over the music. We hug and I loop my arm through his. “What’s up?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I rest my head on his shoulder lightly and he ruffles my hair. “Hey!”
“I know the whole story about Blake, Jen. In all honesty, I don’t understand why he’s working so hard.”
“Yeah, me neither. If I’d known he wanted me still, I would have just … I don’t know … gotten back together with him. But he didn’t say that.”
“He told you that he wanted-”
“-To be nothing more than friends. Exactly.”
“That sucks.”
“Yup.”
“Kind of like what happened with Maddie last year.”
“Yup.” The strobe lights blind me, and I notice they somewhat numb my pain.
“Who is this?”
“Switchfoot, remember?” I shout over the guitar. “Justin’s here somewhere.” I can’t help but to groan.
“Need protection?”
“Funny.”
“I was being serious, but okay.”
We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves?
“That’s not what I meant, by the way,” Blake jokes. “I just meant, you’d been complaining about him and stuff so I wasn’t sure.”
“Yeah. I still need a bodyguard.” I look around hesitantly. “Damn, there he is.”
“Who, Adam?”
“No! Justin!”
“Oh …”
“Hey, Jen,” he grins widely, sauntering up to us. “Is this Adam?”
“No …? This is Blake, Adam’s brother. And hi, Justin. How are you?”
“I am so stupid. I’m sorry,” Justin apologises.
“Stop that.” That’s one thing that I hate. When people bash themselves. I mean, when it’s a legit bashing, sure. Go ahead. But when it’s not true and is also inappropriate for the situation, it would be nice if people could rein it in.
“Sorry, sorry.”
“Yeah.”
“So, Justin, what brings you to the Fair?” Blake asks. “I mean, you’re from where,
again?”
“I live about forty minutes from Jen. This is one of my favourite bands, and I knew Jen was going to be here, so it’s kind of like a double-win, you know?” Justin smiles. My stomach turns and I tighten my hold around Blake’s arm.
“How’s Lindsay?” I ask purposefully. “Did she end up coming with you?”
“She’s good, but she couldn’t come because I’m staying with my aunt and uncle tonight and tomorrow night.”
“Why tomorrow night?”
“I’m coming back tomorrow …?”
“Oh. Fun.” I inwardly grimace.
“Jen,” a familiar voice says behind me. “I missed you.”
“What the hell are you-” I turn around and find myself face to face with Adam. “Oh. Hi.”
“Is that all you greet your boyfriend with?” Adam smirks, and nods a ‘hello’ to Justin. “I would have figured after dating me for a while I’d at least get a, ‘Hi, sweetie.’”
Hah. He’s trying to save me. How sweet.
“Oh. Right.” Fine. I’ll play along. But I don’t want to. “Hi, sweetie.” I smile inwardly; I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to test my acting. Or maybe that’s just the excuse I wanted to have for calling him sweetie. For acting like his girlfriend.
“What, no kiss either?” I reach up and kiss his cheek. “Ah, that’s right. You hate public displays of affection.”
“Yeah,” I mumble simply as he wraps his arms around my waist and stands behind me. I rest my head on his shoulder and smile at Justin. “You should have brought Lindsay, Justin. She would have loved this.”
“I know … she’s really into music … uhm, I think my uncle’s calling me over. I’ll text you later, okay?” After casting a single, sweeping glance at Adam’s arms encircling me, Justin walks away. I am left in silence.
“Okay, now that he’s gone, thanks for your help. Later, skater.” I duck from beneath his embrace and fix my shirt and hair. Beginning to walk away, I feel a tug on my wrist, a warm hand around it. I look down once and then back up into his eyes. “Can I help you?”
“I … Jen, can we just sit down and tal-”
“Adam. Sweetheart. Baby. No.” I gently pull out of his grasp and nearly prance away. Anything to get away from him.
Wasn’t it just a few months ago I’d do anything to get close to Adam Sinclair?
I shake my head. There is nothing between us anymore.
And there never will be.