Her eyes watered pulling on the straw, Dylan sat back assessing her.
"Come on, what's bothering you?"
"George broke up with me" She confessed sadly with the same tired raspy voice and Dylan gazed at her lost for words.
The doors to the store opened and a group cheered moving in, Counter guy pointed
"Hey, no musical instruments in here unless you wanna play a serenade without getting paid!"
She glanced at them recognizing Ciara and her band.
"Great job guys, the principal said...we don't suck" She drew in her breath and the other students cheered settling down on the round table, the others had to get seats to join them.
George shoved his hands in his pockets walking to the shop with a big smile on his face, he certainly felt good about drumming.
***
Dale paced back and forth with a belt while he stood there pale but straight-faced, he didn't like the sight of the belt, he wanted to shrink away and not have to face his dad.
"Drumming, this what you wanna waste your life doing?! right George, you've got one thing coming"
He fumed and George's eyes watered
"I'm doing this"
"Don't you dare talk back at me, young man? I'm trying to keep you from going wrong right after you picked up that...girl from 5th grade"
He flung his hand, George's hand clenched when he referred to her
"I'm nineteen, dad, I'm sure I can think on my own without you trying to silence me with a whip"
Dale growled raising the whip and George didn't balk when the belt flew up
"Come on, why don't you say it to me without that security? Afraid that I might say no?"
"You are my kid and you'll listen to me!" Dale looked as angry as ever, the belt shook in his grip while Rose kept Gracie at a distance.
"I stopped being your kid years ago when..." He swallowed and looked at Gracie who was resisting Rose gazing at him with big blue eyes.
"I'm doing the one thing I like and at least that'll get me out of your hair"
Dale's eyes twitched shell shocked, he left the house and George puffed out air with relief and raked his hair.
***
He pushed the door to the shop but it didn't budge until a lady from the inside pushed the door and left in a hurry, he scoffed at that and yanked the door open stepping into the room.
Immediately he walked in, Ciara called gesturing him to join them, he grinned and it wavered when he spotted Jean with Dylan two tables away. Something in him snapped when Dylan covered her hand but slowly she withdrew gazing up at him in surprise.
George was repaid with a dark look from Dylan and he stood helping her up enfolded her shoulders leading her out of the shop.
He sighed and went over to join them, a guy wearing the high school T-shirt clapped him on the back.
***
Jean looked up at Dylan, she only hoped what he said was a joke because he made it look like they were dating. She didn't want it to be that way especially now that George might want to take a break from her.
"Did you hear me, Jean? I said I don't want you around George, each time you see him, you're always unhappy. Tell me what you'd like to do?"
She gave him a skeptical look and grinned testing him. She just had a change of plans, Stanford University was offering a partial scholarship if she could just pull it off with a high score, she might not have to worry about anything else.
"I could use a consultant right now"
She passed him the laptop and he scanned the poster, it didn't seem like a scam and the site was very sleek.
He smirked and she grunted at that, the way he smiled was very unusual and very annoying, he looked like he was about to wreak havoc.
"Good thing my sister Erin's in the bar."
Jean lit up "Really? Gee, that sounds amazing, maybe my luck's changing"
He scoffed "It's not luck, it's fate"
"I can't wait to meet her," She said doodling seahorses on her notebook. "I still have the SATs to worry about"
"I guess we'll kill two birds with one stone" He sat back on his chair, she smiled.
"So you'll help me study?"
"No, books and I don't go together, I'll watch"
"Thank you, Dylan"
He saw the spark of appreciation in her eyes but cleared his throat.
"What?"
"You are so clueless" He shook his head " I'll get straight to the heart of it and just tell you to come over here"
"And do what?"
"Fine"
She stepped back when he stood up from the bench running after her in the empty park. She was backed to a tree and coughed with laughing tears in her eyes.
She looked perplexed when he pulled her closer, she felt a holding and footed closer with her arms around his waist, feeling warier and peaceful like she had been in his arms before.
"Don't fuss" He whispered and kneaded her hair.
His voice sounded familiar yet irresistible, she couldn't get enough.
"This is very odd"
"Mmm, nothing odd here" He murmured swaying a while.
They walked to the center of the park and evaded the security guard snickering as he searched for trespassers. She put on her helmet and hugged his waist as he kick-started the bike to drive off.
She laughed when he dropped her off at her house.
"We'll see some other time...about the scholarship"
"Mmm but I warn you, my mom's not so receptive about rascals"
Jean winced when his expression changed "That was out of line_thank you for tonight"
"I guess you're not completely clueless...later" He started the bike and drove away, she stared ahead while he zoomed downtown.
"Dylan..."
Erin glanced from Dylan to the girl in her living room, he seemed to be making more stops to her house now and then.
"Jean Rafferty and you must be_"
"Busy_I mean Erin" Jean took the first step to shaking her hand, Erin returned her clasp.
"I've heard, from Dylan" She grimaced at her response "I just need guidance for the course I'm taking"
"You need guidance? From me"
"Yes"
"I'd be delighted to, here" She ushered, Jean sat back on the armchair spreading out her books and Erin settled down.
"Now there's so much to cover but this isn't law school so we'll just take it easy, what for, a scholarship? Dylan already told me."
She babbled and Dylan groaned turning red already embarrassed.
***
"Well you broke the ice" Jean told him walking on the stepping stones by the road as they strolled, he shrugged.
She felt so enlightened, Erin was smarter than she knew and very concise about everything.
"Whereas you are as plain as a board" Jean ruffled his hair and he looked around.
"I'm sorry, did I miss something?"
The genuine confusion on his face was laughable, he put his hair in order and shoved his hand back into his pocket.
"Only half of it. You dropped out?" She teased and pouted when he put her down from the concrete platform like a ragdoll.
"I have a high school diploma and I don't want to go to college, best I learn from a real pro. I don't need to waste money"
"Fair enough" She nodded climbing onto the stones again, her foot skidded and she yelped when Dylan caught her in his arms. Her arms tightened around him to keep from falling, her heart raced and she let out air in relief.
Why did this feel so familiar? Her hand moved to his chest on impulse to feel his heartbeat. It was very sturdy like him.
Her phone cut through her daydreaming and he let go while she took the call hearing Scarlett's chirpy voice as she babbled.
"Why are you so excited?"
"This is not conventional but the principal is letting me take the wheels for the yearbook, that's the good news."
"And the bad news?" That attracted a questioning look from Dylan as she spoke and took a stroll listening.
"It's going to happen on homecoming"
"Oh"
"Easy for you to say, you have a date and the nerds aren't coming unless there are girls...alone"
She bit her lip, she hadn't broken the news to Scarlett yet and she was bubbling up like it was Halloween.
"Anyways with or without a date, you'll be expecting me"
Jean touched her forehead anxious "See you there"
***