Finding Myself - 15. Chapter 15: Avoiding Him

January 22 2019

Basketball practice was at the end of the day, and I was practicing free throws with Chase. He and I hung out a bit more as a result of our parents dating, and he was on the freshman boys basketball team with me. Today happened to be my 15th birthday, and after school, I was going to the Arcade with Jake to play some video games. I was nervous for that, as I would be alone with Jake, and I definitely didn’t want to do anything stupid with him that could challenge our friendship.

I dribbled the basketball and took a shot. I missed. “Dude, you’ve missed four in a row,” Chase caught the ball.

“Sorry,” I blushed. “A lot on my mind,” I swooped the bangs out of my face.

“Got any plans for your birthday?” Chase asked, swishing a free throw.

“Yeah. Jake and I are going to the arcade, and you and your family are comin’ over for dinner.”

“The arcade sounds fun.” Chase passed the ball to me. I nodded and took another shot. The ball bounced on the rim before sinking through the hoop.

“If you got nothing else goin’ on before dinner, yer welcome to join us,” I offered in a desperate attempt to not be alone with Jakey.

“Thanks, Aedan. I wouldn’t want to intrude though. Jake’s, like, your best friend. And I get if if you want to hang out with him by yourself.”

“It’s fine. Jake would be cool if you tagged along,” I used my forearm to wipe sweat from my face. That’s probably not true. Jake would be upset I brought another friend along to our date... um I mean… hangout!! (Yeah… hangout.) But he’ll have to tolerate an extra friend.

When practice was over, I showered and changed into my jeans and an extra sweatshirt I kept in my locker. Chase and I met Jake in front of the school, where light snow was beginning to fall from the grey clouds. It was a short walk to the arcade in town, but I was beginning to regret not bringing my winter jacket this morning. I had no idea it was gonna snow today!

“Dude, seriously?” Jake asked quietly in an annoyed tone. “You invited Chase to come?”

“Y-yeah… He didn’t have anything else to do before dinner, so…”

“This was supposed to just be the two of us!”

“Jake, I have other friends besides you. And it’s my birthday so I can invite other friends. And Chase’s cool. Don’t be mean to him please.”

Jake was reserved and quiet when in the arcade, despite his winning streak at Pac-man. Chase ended up having a great time though. Jake used his tickets to claim a dolphin plush, which made him smile a little. I felt a little bad for inviting Chase, but the result was probably better than if Jake was alone with me. My hormonal stupid brain would treat it as a date and make everything awkward… Mom came to pick us up and scolded me for not wearing a jacket in the snow. Back at the house, Chase, Jake and I worked on algebra homework in my room. Jake and Chase seemed to enjoy math more than me. I’m glad they at least weren’t fighting and stuff. “So... Chase... when’s your birthday?” Jake asked.

“Oh, February 29th. 2004 was a leap year so I happened to be born on that extra day,” Chase explained.

“Oh, uh, that’s cool,” Jake smiled.

“So you’re turning fifteen next month?” I asked.

“I normally celebrate it on March 1st during normal years.” Suddenly the doorbell rang. “Oh, that’s probably my dad and sister,” Chase explained. “I’ll get it!”

Jake went to his room to change. I changed as well, into a plaid button-up shirt and khaki pants. “Howdy,” I came down the stairs and entered the living room.

“Hello, who might you be?”

“Aedan Jackson, sir,” I shook his hand.

“Ah, the birthday boy. Nice to meet you. I’m John. Your lovely mother has told me about you.” Dr Hendrix was about my height, which was 5’9, and had a nerdy appearance. I could see why mom liked him. He was very different than my dad’s overbearing large loud presence.

“Oh. She did?” I blushed, grimacing at the embarrassing things she must have told him.

“About your amazing artistic talent, yes. You’re quite the prodigy…”

“Oh,” I blushed even more. “I don’t know if I’m that good,”

“Aedan, stop it,” Jake entered the living room, brushing his bangs out of his face. “You won an art award in 8th grade and you were runner up for like two awards this year...” If it was even possible, my face grew even redder.

“Hi, John!” Mom entered the living room. Phew... thanks mom! She had been changing into a dress in her room. “Dinner is ready. Jake, could you go get River and Violet please?”

“Oh, um, yes,” Jake nodded before he went upstairs.

“Hi, who are you?” I asked the girl that I assumed was Chase’s little sister.

“I’m Fiona,” she answered awkwardly, She looked to be no older than 10 years old.

After Chase changed into some nice clothes his dad had brought, Chase and I helped set up the dinner table in the dining room. “Hey, Aedan, thanks again for inviting me. I had fun.”

“I’m glad, bro…” I smiled. “This whole thing has been a bit awkward with my mom dating your dad, but I’m glad we’re cool.”

“I don’t think Jake liked having me around though.” Chase said with a blush.

“He’ll come around, I guess,” I placed some forks on top of the placemats on the nice dining room table.

“Hey, birthday dork,” River teased as he entered with Jake. River was as tall as Jake now, at 5’6.

“Hey loser,” I laughed. “Violet, hey!” I hugged my almost adult sister. She was gonna be 18 in a couple weeks. Violet had on some boots and a knee length dress.

Next, dinner was served. Thank God, I was STARVING!! For dinner we had pulled pork, baked potatoes, and collard greens.

“Dude, I think Fiona has a crush on you,” Chase joked. “She’s been staring at you all evening, referring to his little sister.

“Oh,” I chuckled.

“You probably have a crush on him too,” Jake muttered under his breath.

“Jake!” I blushed.

“I’m not gay…” Chase said, before Jake and him began arguing about God knows what.

I tuned out their bickering and listened to what mom and John were saying to the girls and River about how they knew each other back in college years ago when he was a graduate student and mom was a nursing student. John is apparently 45; older than mom, who’s 38. Mom was pregnant with Violet at the time. And she had to drop out for financial issues and finish her nursing degree at a local community college.

“That’s a crazy coincidence that y’all met up again here,” I explained.

“It really is, baby…” mom smiled.

After dinner, I got the cake out of the fridge. I made the cake over the weekend and decorated it myself. My artistic talent apparently carries over into baking.

“Need any help?” Jake offered.

“Finally done bickering with our guest?”

“I—“

“No don’t answer that. Just get the small paper plates for cake…”

“Why are you acting so weird today?” Jake said as he came out of the pantry with a stack of paper plates.

“Me? Yer the one who’s been actin’ all weird!” I huffed. God, Jake drives me so crazy sometimes!

“You invited Chase on our arcade visit that was supposed to be just us...” Jake slammed the paper plates on the kitchen island. “You’ve barely talked with me since school ended!”

“A-are you jealous of Chase?!” I stammered. "He's just my, hopefully, future stepbrother."

“Whatever... I’m done.” Jake stormed out of the kitchen. “I’ll be back for a slice of cake though! That cake looks freaking incredible!”

The petty side of my brain was telling me to not save him a piece, but he’s my best friend and the cutest boy in Connecticut so I kinda had to.

February 4 2019

*beep beep* Mom pulled the thermometer from my ear. “101.4” she said before handing me some Tylenol and putting a cold cloth on my forehead. Mom was in her medical garb and had a mask and gloves on. She always got a little paranoid when my siblings or I got the flu. “Have you thrown up at all?”

“Not since last night,” I answered weakly. The previous night had been the Super Bowl and I had begun to feel sick during the game. “Tell Violet I said happy birthday.”

“Alright, baby,” she blew me a kiss. “I’ll see you after work. If you need anything…”

Suddenly a scream was heard downstairs.

“What the hell was that?” I stifled a laugh.

“Violet must have found her birthday gift. She’s getting my old car after I purchased that new one last week.”

“Woah she gets a car?!” I pushed back the covers and sat up.

“Lay back down, hun. You need to rest,” mom tucked me in. I made you some toast. Drink water and Gatorade to stay hydrated. Text Catherine if you need anything. And don’t leave this room. You’re quarantined in here.” I slowly took a bite of toast. I was too dang tired to leave this room anyways. Thankfully, I had my Nintendo DS so I could play video games. I finished my toast when mom left and I played Mario Kart for a bit until I puked again into the trash bin next to my bed. I fell asleep from exhaustion.

I woke up in the afternoon to a warm soup smell after sleeping on and off most of the day. There was a note next to a bowl of soup on my nightstand. Hey, Aedan, I made this for you : ) -Jake

Aww what a sweetie...

February 15 2019

Today was Friday and tonight was the Valentines Day dance. I had my ticket but no date. Jake unfortunately was going with his stupid girlfriend Bailey. I have no dang idea how he tolerates her. Gross… Anyways, between third and fourth period, Ian visited me at my locker before I went to Biology class.

“Hi, Ian,” I smiled. “What’s up?”

“Aedan, you wanna go to the dance with me?”

“Ooh that sounds fun,” I smiled and blushed. “But, wait, what about Hayden?”

“Oh, uh, we broke up over the weekend,” Ian blushed a little bit.

“Oh shit, bro… I’m sorry…” I muttered.

“Yeah, so will you go with me?” Ian pointed his fingers together.

“Sure,” I shrugged. I did have a crush on Ian in the past. Maybe if I go to the dance with him, I can stop obsessing over Jakey!

That night, I showed up with Violet and her girlfriend in a plaid collared shirt and khaki slacks; for shoes I had my favorite pair of converse on. I looked around the gym and soon found Ian. He was in a dress shirt and a bowtie and jeans that highlighted his tall lean figure. “Hi Ian,” I smirked at his strange attire.

“Sup, Aedan,” he hugged me.

I hung out with Ian all evening, but several times, my eyes wandered over to Jake and Bailey.

Why is he still with that little skunk?? Ian also had his eyes on Hayden, who seemed distant and quiet.

“Aedan, you want some punch?” Ian asked while I was staring at Jake. He was dancing with Bailey, but he didn’t seem happy.

“Yes!” I muttered, absentmindedly.

“Okay, I’ll go grab us some punch,” Ian said. When I muttered that, it was more about Bailey than Ian’s question. I shouldn’t be happy that my best friend isn’t happy with his girlfriend, but she’s just a gross person in general, and Jake deserves better.

At the end of the dance, Ian and I waited outside to be picked up by his mom and we were going to grab some sodas from the Soda Pop Shop in town. It was a cold breezy night, and the sky was clear to where I could see all the stars. “It’s a bit cold out here,” I said rubbing my arms before I put on my jacket that I had stored in my locker during the dance.

“D-did you have a nice time?” Ian shivered.

“Mhm... you?” Ian nodded silently.

“You know, you don’t have to lie to make me feel better. You seemed distant tonight.”

“Pfft… that’s crazy. I had a great time.”

“You were looking over at Bailey all night!”

“Ew gross! I was looking at Jake!” I accidentally blurted out.

“Aha! So you do like him!” Ian laughed.

“Shhh! Not so loudly!” I whispered. “Jake can’t know… for his own protection. He’s straight and taken and I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”

“Straight? You think he’s straight??” Ian laughed. “You’d have to be blind to not see that he likes you!” Ian scoffed.

No way… Jake doesn’t think of me romantically?? Does he????? Nah probably not. I leaned my head back to look at the stars. I noticed a few constellations that Jake had pointed out to me. Dangit... this evening is going all wrong! I’m supposed to like Ian but all I can think about is Jake!!

“Speaking of obvious, you were staring at Hayden all night.”

“Okay, you caught me,” he put his hands up. I guess we both faked this date. “I’m trying to get over Hayden, but I guess I’m not ready to date someone else. He’s just so cuuutttee…”

“Well, I’ll keep your secret if you’ll keep mine.”

Ian seemed to like this agreement and we shook hands. At the Soda Pop Shop, we ran into Chase and his girlfriend Erika.

“Erika, this is my friend slash future stepbro Aedan. And his, I guess, boyfriend Ian!”

“We’re not boyfriends. It’s just one date. And hi, Erika,” I blushed, feeling awkward.

“We’ve met,” Erika crossed her arms. “This player hit on me in eighth grade.”

Shit… every girl has to bring that one up...

“Apparently Aedan’s gay now. Probably because no girl would date him,” she scoffed.

“Wow…” I scoffed. “I’ve always been bi, you little skunk!” All my guy friends are either gay, single, or dating a bitch, it seems. Chase, you deserve better too.

Chase silently mouthed “I’m sorry,” before quickly changing the topic to talk about basketball. Girls are the worst… I thought to myself