Wipe That Smile Off Your Fucking Face
[chapter nineteen]
“come on Jade, cheer up”
Jade looked away from her and out the window
“I never thought I would feel like this” she whispered to herself
“whats that Jade?”
“oh nothing” she said looking up
“you’re kinda quiet today” came a voice from the passenger seat “is everything okay Jade?”
“uh yeah, I guess, im just still thinking about that thing we talked about last time”
“oh I see” the excitement in Jon’s voice dropped
they stepped out of the car and started walking into a famliar building, as soon as they got in Sue and Brendon were off and gone into their own little work, the music was loud and the energy high. Jade walked right up to the bar and Jon followed close behind, she started her sad routine and started taking shots as if expecting to find something at the bottom of each shot glass. Jon joined her as an excuse to be close to her. after a few he asked “do you wanna go talk?”
she nodded “yeah lets go”
they found a place to sit at, where it was less quiet and Jon finally let it out “Jade, I like you”
“its too loud in here” she laughed “I thought I just heard you say you liked me” and she continued to laugh
Jon placed his hand on her knee “and why is that funny?” he tried competing with the speakers
“because everyone knows that your best friend…wait?! you did say that?!” she grabbed her purse and started to walk out with Jon sloppily trailing behind her. as soon as she stepped outside her head started spinning, she lost her balance for a second and then managed to sit on the curb. moments after Jon was sitting next to her
“Jon im sorry if ive ever misled you but, its not like that”
“Jade you’re not like other girls, you’re different” he put his hand under her cheek and pressed his lips onto hers, hers quivered at first but then slowly started to open at the thought of being alone, he dragged his hand down and he played with the lace on her dress and the outline of her bra, she caressed his thigh with one hand and felt the ruggedness of his face with the other.
“I like you a lot Jade” Jon whispered in between breaths and then deepened their kiss, Jade quickly broke it upon hearing what he said and got up and walked away.
Jade dialed Sue’s cell as she continued to walk home
“hey where are you?”
“im going home”
“what? why?”
Jade searched for the words but couldn’t find them and finally went with “don’t worry, I’ll see you at home”
“okay then, take care”
Jade hailed a cab and started to dial another number
“Gabe?”
“who is this?”
she sniffled
“hello?”
“its Jade”
“Jade?”
“Gabe, im so stupid for never seeing it before, I need to see you”
“what for?”
“please, we need to talk”
he let out a loud sigh “ok then”
“I’ll get there as soon as I can”
“wait you’re drving here now? it’s a three hour drive Jade, I cant let you do that”
“this cant wait”
“I’ll meet you half way”
“ok then”
“I’ll be in touch”

“have you seen Jon or Jade?” Brendon asked Sue
“Jade called me saying she was going home, and I don’t know about Jon”
“I think we should go find him, its getting kind of late anyways”
Sue smiled “okay”
they walked through the crowd holding hands until they were outside, where they found Jon sleeping on the curb
“dude what the fuck?” Brendon kicked Jon’s shoe
Jon looked up and yawned “oh shit”
“dude, lets go”
Sue and Brendon helped Jon up and as they walked to the car Jon mumbled “you guys I just had the weirdest dream”
Brendon helped Jon into the back seat and then looked over at Sue who was still standing outside staring at him
“Brendon, im ready to go home now”
“I know, we’re leaving”
“no, I mean im ready to go home, with you”
“really?”
“I hadn’t realized how much I missed being with you, I had been feeling kinda upset lately, but since you and Jon showed up, I feel happy again, I wanna go home”
“I came here, just hoping you would say that” he hugged her and kissed her on the forehead
they got into the car and as soon as Brendon started the engine he said “we’re leaving tomorrow morning”
“I’ll get my things ready when we get home”
“I love you Sue”
“I love you too Brendon”
a splashing sound got their attention and they turned around to seen Jon with his head out the car door throwing up onto the pavement
“thank God I didn’t drive away as soon as we got in the car”
he spit and then looked up “im ok dude, lets go”

“Jade where are you?”
“im at Newport”
“ok, go down to the beach under the pier”
“ok, I’ll see you there”

“Jade!” she walked around the living room “she must be in her room already”
“fuck, im so sleepy” Jon yawned and laid down on the couch
“you can stay there” Sue shrugged
Brendon and Sue went into her room

Jade sat on a rock under the pier and watched the waves crash, even though the waves roaring was comforting to her, there was more comfort in what she heard next: “Jade!” she leapt off the rock and stood waiting as he walked up to her
“Gabe”
she stared at him for a long time, and he waited for her to say something, the silence was killing him but he had waited for this moment for so long he didn’t want to ruin it
“I know I’ve said this already, last time I said it only because I felt guilty, and that was the only way I knew how to fix things but this time I have a reason and I mean it more than last time: im sorry”
“stop apologizing”
Jade looked down
“look Jade, its not that im not accepting your apology, I know you’re sorry I can hear it in your voice” he sighed “its just that im scared, im scared of what will happen if this keeps happening”
“what do you mean?” she said briefly looking up
“is it just gonna be one apology after the other?”
“im not making you any promises Gabe, im really not, I am however letting you know that I like being around you and that it’d be nice to hang out once in a while” the tears were already set
“I’d like that”
“really?”
“yeah, lets go up on the pier” he took her by the hand and they walked in between the rocks and the ocean
“finally” Gabe whispered
“finally what?” Jade asked
“I finally feel that everything’s right; that everything’s gonna be ok” Gabe replied, he then leaned in and touched her lips with his
yeah, everything. everything i love about you is a mess she looked up at Gabe and smiled.

[The End]