Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:41:09 -0800 (PST)
From: Joe Parker <joejoeparkertex@yahoo.com>
Subject: I think I'm in trouble. Part 1, Chapter 8

I THINK I'M IN TROUBLE

PART 1

Chapter VIII


(Felix)

Looking at Jake's dad is like really dangerous.  Honestly I have to tell
you he's so hot.  My own jerk of a father looks like an old lizard at 42.
But not Ryan Maxson, I don't know how old he is but he looks like Jake's
slightly older brother.., just crazy!  I can see that Jake gets his cool
heavy silky dark hair from his dad and his dad don't got an ounce of grey
either.  The tall toned figure and the clear flawless skin.., it's all
there.  He's the man!

But there are three attributes that just knock you dead when you first meet
him.

And with my new found 'Gay-vision' powers there's no one better to describe
him to you.

First of all is his killer smile, when he smiles, it's like you alone exist
in the world.  Just you and him, it sends tingles down my spine.  I've been
watching him in action with Ms. Lewis the Principal, and that smile is a
knee weakening earth shattering experience for sure.  Dr. Lewis looks like
she wants to rip his clothes off and ravish him.  I feel her pain hehe.

Second of all is his gravelly water-washing-over-the-rocks voice.  It seems
to vibrate through you.  His brandy soaked voice hits you in all your most
intimate places.  This is another aspect that Jake the psycho has
inherited.

Third of all those eyes.., where Jake's awesome cornflower violet blues
come from our side - Mr Maxson's eyes are what Momma calls 'bedroom eyes'.
Huge chocolate discs of molten promises and vulnerability.

He's got these lovely - yes lovely long dark eye lashes - so that's where
Jake gets em from.

He doesn't seem to come with an 'OFF switch'.  With those warm 'I love you'
eyes Ryan Maxson, the most famous, most mysterious resident of Forkridge
and probably West Virginia.., stormed Hollywood and far beyond.

My mother (an unashamed fan) says that to look into those cocoa butter eyes
would be to see Heaven.  She met him a couple of times when he was with
Aunt Shonta, and she said that as much as she loved Aunt Shonta.., she was
soooo jealous.  She cried hateful tears of self pitying envy the day Aunt
Shonta brought her beautiful West Virginian billionaire boyfriend home.  I
remember my reply - I said..,

"Don't worry Mom coz if you went with him, you would'nt have had me!"  (And
he would'nt have had Jake)

I can't believe she actually paused and thought about that for a sec!!! -
Bitch...

Personally and honestly for me -- I can't look him in the eye too long.  He
makes feel like wetting myself...

Hehehehe sorry - TMI I guess...


I am finding it harder and harder to like, equate this guy with the evil
monster who destroyed my family so long ago.  He don't seem like a monster.
He arrived a short time ago and it was like some kind of big event.  The
office ladies were frantically reapplying their make up and all manner of
folks suddenly found reason to be in the neighborhood the moment we heard
he was coming down.

It don't take no Einstein to know that the Maxson's are one of the most
powerful familys in the whole USA so people gonna get all excited when one
of them pays a visit.

But it's more than just that.., this is RYAN MAXSON! -- 'Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!! -
the crowd goes wild!!!'

The only one who doesn't seem happy about his arrival is Jake.  Jake looks
like he's bout to throw up.

My Mom, Clarke's mother and Junior's dad are coming too.  Junior's daddy is
the Sherriff, but it ain't him everybody's freaking out over.

In the past few minutes they've had the janitor vacuum through the office
and they have been tidying and polishing.  The Principal lady has been
rushin round like some damn headless chicken a brawkin an a scratchin at
everything... damn crazy woman!

Sherriff Rivera arrives first and he don't look too impressed either.  He
gives his son an unhappy look and then accepts the offer of coffee from
Principal Lewis, they go into her office.  Junior don't look too good.

My Mom arrives at the same time as Mrs Grierson and already they seem to be
chatting.  They stop and give all of us boys searching looks like only
mothers can.  Even the big bad wolf gets treated to the same look.  Ugh! -
the power of a mothers gaze.  He shrinks down into his chair avoiding eye
contact as they pass by.

I think he's real cute an all.  His eyes keep sidling to the main entrance,
waitin on his dreaded father to appear.

Mrs Hinkle the older secretary ushers the two mothers into the principals
office.  Mrs Hinkle don't look too happy, clearly that's the job of the
younger secretary lady (Miss Robbins) but she's in open rebellion.  Her
eyes are fixed firmly on the door and to Hell with the consequences!

Five minutes later he appears and the whole atmosphere changes.  It's like
in those movies when the sun comes out.  It's the end of first period and I
can see lots of curious faces outside the window, many students and also
teachers have stopped to watch this famous, gorgeous, reclusive man as he
saunters t'wards the office.

We all know who he is, I saw lots of photographs of him outside in the
'Hall of Honor' -- state champion football photo's, valedictorian photo's,
swimming and athletic photo's, you get the 'picture' haha I'm so smahhht...

It's so easy to be filled with images of Ryan Maxson. His films are like
cult classics, all two of them.  And he's always on those 'Whatever
happened to' type tv shows.  The story of him and Aunt Shonta was adapted
into a movie a few years ago which he unsuccessfully tried to block.
Although it won no Oscars, it was a huge worldwide box office event and
served to increase the tragic mystique and iconic aura that surrounds Ryan
Maxson.

I have heard that the town gets alot of visitors all seeking Ryan.  But his
home is high up on top of a jagged cliff-walled mountain and security is
real tight.  None have ever made it to the top uninvited.

He presses a button on a key chain and his sleek racing green jaguar makes
a 'chirrup' sound.  Jake who is facing t'wards me and away from the window
leaps out of his seat and stands there in the corner like some damn prey
animal.  He surely fears the wrath of his Daddy.  I'm just glad that
there's at least SOMEONE who can spank Jake's naughty ass... I'd sure like
to hehehe.

Dr. Lewis comes charging out of her office like some damn bull in a
pantsuit.  Both Mrs Hinkle and Miss Robbins are doing last minute touch ups
with lip gloss and even Jessica whose parents were not required seems all
hot and bothered.  I'm kinda disappointed in her lol.

For some strange reason we're all standing... don't know why but we just
are.  The first thing he does when he gets through the door is look for his
son.  Their eyes lock and Mr Maxson sniffs and looks away from Jake..,
OUCH! - he ain't happy.  Jake looks down shamefacedly.

 The next eyes his gaze capture are mine.  His dreamy dark chocolate stare
widens as we consider one another.  Yes Sir, I'm a Jarrow I silently
confirm.  He nods to me and flashes me an incredible smile.., so radiant
that I sit down...

Dr. Lewis comes hurtling over to him simpering and squealin like a stuck
pig.  I can't understand a word she's saying, I'm still recovering lol.  I
shyly glance at him again and he's totally ignored Dr. Lewis.  He shakes
hands with Jessica first, then Clarke, Junior and now it's my turn.  He
deliberately ignores his son who looks half relieved and half devastated.

He stands before me and I can see why his boy is so magnetic.  The father
draws you into him like a maelstrom, a huge whirlpool of instant near fatal
attraction.

"Felix?"  he asks - his wonderful voice sending thrills through my body.  I
simper and in a high pitched voice I giddily respond..,

"Yessir that's me, Felix Drake Jarrow, coz I don't take my daddy's name coz
he's a loser"

Stupid, stupid, stupid!!! - I can't believe I just reacted like that!  I
can hear Jake snickering and I turn red.  Mr Maxson's eyebrow raises
slightly and he helps me out a lil by simply saying.

"Nice to meetchya"

I have stood up again and we shake hands and I get that same jolt up my arm
and through to my spine. The same feeling that I get with Jake.

I shake my head ridiculously, I think I'm starstruck.., I'm no better than
the people I was making fun of a few seconds ago -- sheese!

Thankfully Ms. Lewis has ushered him through to her office, her fake nailed
talons glued to his back. She glances back at the seething office ladies
with a victorious smirk.  She needs help! - or maybe it's Mr Maxson that's
gonna need help?

We will have to wait till Principal Lewis speaks to our parents before we
join them.

Junior and Clarke get up and ask if they can go out into the hall to get
water, Jessica joins them.  They ask us if we want anything but neither
Jake nor I do.

Mrs Hinkle and Miss Robbins are now arguing about who is gonna take
refreshments into the office.

This time round Miss Robbins is only too happy to go into the principals
office.  Now that he's in there.

I think back to my last view of Jake's dad as he went into the office.  Mr
Maxson's dark tailored suit does little to hide his hot body. He had taken
off his suit jacket and my what a butt!

I look over at his adorable, crazy son with an evil grin and I whisper..,

"Jake.., don't take this the wrong way dude but your Dad's HOT bro!"

The shocked look on his face is priceless.., all I needed was a mouthful of
cookies hehehe!

Paybacks a bizotch!


***


(Ryan)


Ignoring my son is the most difficult thing possible to me.  It just kills
me to have to do it but I needed to show him the gravity of his actions
today right from the outset.  I have very few defenses against my boy and
to be honest all he had to do is call my name this morning and I would have
melted into a gelatinous mass at his feet.

We have always been aware of Jake's sheer size and impressive strength.
Accordingly we have worked hard to make him aware of how he needs to take
care not to hurt the other kids who are invariably MUCH smaller than him.
Even at his current size, if Jake decided to bulk up more he would be able
to add another 50-70 pounds and still be in fine proportion for his height.
And he hasn't finished growing yet... God help us all!  I am very aware
that the answer to this whole mess can somehow be found with the Jarrow
boy, and my God is he a little beauty!  The Jarrow family have always
possessed an elf-like quality that at once captivates and transports you to
another place.  That's what my Shonta did to me and this boy Felix has that
gift in spades.

All I know about today is that Jake has had some kind of altercation with
Dina's boy and the Rivera boy and that's about it.  the presence of Felix
and even Jessica Thomas for some reason - only add to the intrigue.

One of the many mercies I received from having Shonta in my life was the
fact that she always attracted the attention away from me.  Even after my
short lived film career began she was still able to run interference for me
wherever we went.  The film career ended up being a double edged sword
because it naturally brought me to public attention and scrutiny.

Unfortunately I learned the lesson that many actors learn.  The real me is
nothing like the people I portrayed in the movies yet the public by and
large don't care about that.  They want me to be Charlie Rogers the hunky
highschool quarterback or Private Ty Brooks the rodeo-soldier-hero.  Just
because I decided that my film career was over, did not mean the public at
large agreed.  In retrospect I wish I never made those films because they
have burdened me ever since both in my own mind and through the
expectations of the public.

Going back to college was Hell.  Not a single day went by that I was not
propositioned, gushed and fawned over, groped, derided, heckled and
sometimes even attacked.  Not just by other students but often by staff.
One lecturer had to be removed because she squished my balls after I
refused to give her the baby she always dreamed of.

But most of the worst attention came by way of jealous boyfriends or
unattached males who wanted to cut me down to size or measure themselves
against me.  I ALWAYS won those contests, I knew how important it was to do
so.  The overall result was distraction from my coursework.

In the end I had to accept the assistance of campus security who would
whisk me away to my next class.  To bring my own private security team onto
campus would have bordered on overkill and most likely would have created
even more of a distraction.

The few times I have gone out in public I have made sure to be as discreet
as possible bringing no attention upon myself.  I wear caps sometimes dark
glasses where it is appropriate.  I never look people in the eye for too
long.  I have gotten good at detecting what I call 'The Look' - which is
what happens when people start to think they know you from somewhere.  As
soon as I see it, I'm out of there.

Last year I took Jake to Los Angeles to visit with some of Miss Carol's
family out there.  Stupidly I agreed to visit Venice Beach with my pesky
son who pestered me about checking the place out.  Suffice to say the whole
expedition turned into a certifiable disaster.

I was recognized almost immediately and then a virtual stampede began.
Because of Jake's size the crowd was able to easily mark us out and follow
us.  We ended up completely surrounded at the small police station there..,
that is to say the WHOLE building was surrounded.  It took extra police
officers to get us out of that mess.  There were news reporters,
helicopters flying overhead, the whole 9 yards.  Jake thought it was
'Cool', but I was severely shaken by it.

Here at home it's a little different.  It's a small town and I know
everybody and they know me.  It's still very rare for me to come down into
town.  I sneak down to watch Jake's wrestling bouts, rarely going to his
away meets for obvious reasons.

Sometimes I come down to get burgers or pizza but usually get Jake to do
that.  I don't even go to the bar.  I like to get together with some of my
old buddies and go hunting or fishing from time to time.  But apart from
that I remain at up at the Eyrie.

I have become good at ignoring the way women react to me, don't want to
think about how some men respond to me.  I am not so dense that I'm not
aware of my own attractiveness, but I do not tease them or rub in their
faces the fact that I'm not interested.  They're not Shonta, never could
be.., end of story.  Most of them don't seem to cotton on anyway.  It
doesn't seem to matter what I try, it only makes them more determined.


The unsubtle advances of Georgia Lewis are particularly annoying.  I
remember her from my high school days, we were in several classes together.
She was quiet and very unassuming in those days.  Then she went away to
college, got an education degree, worked her way up and was finally
selected to become the 11th principal of Garfield High School 2 years ago.
She has upsized from a nice shy girl into an aggressive braying donkey.

She has made it clear to me that we would be a perfect match and her hand
stroking up and down my back right now is really beginning to tick me off.
I speed up and walk away from her, straight into the lavender hued cage of
the second Jarrow gaze I have seen in many many years.  My mind goes racing
back over 20 years and I am sitting in a bar again, entranced by the voice
and the face of an angel.

She's not Shonta, her hair is darker, like walnut and red fall colors.  Her
skin is slightly darker also but her eyes are exactly the same.  I shudder,
shake my head and then march straight over to meet her.  My eyes film over
with moisture as I speak to my beloved in my mind..,

'Shonta my love, can you hear me baby?'

'Somethings happening baby, what should I do?'

The words come drifting back to me across the bridges of space and time.

"You are a miracle, but you are not mine

You are Chateau Rothschild, I'm just moonshine...

I can't come to you, I'm poor and you might decline...

Come and cross the line baby, Come and cross the line."


And I do just that,

"Hello I'm Ryan Maxson, welcome to Forkridge"

I think back to something Jake said about Felix last night.., Please Lord
don't let her tell me to go to Hell...

"Hello Ryan, my name is Kathleen Jarrow and I remember you"

Lord God she sounds just like Shonta!

"Oh really? -- you have me at a disadvantage"

My smile has increased by a million watts.

"I ain't surprised Ryan, when I met you, you were in no state to
remember..."

I frown and say,

"How drunk was I?"

"Only drunk on love honey, you were only drunk on love"

Her eyes are so soft.

"Ahhh" - I'm relieved I never made a fool of myself in front of her.

"Sorry to butt in!"  Georgia Lewis barges in between us, her back to
Kathleen - totally blocking my view of her.

She stares at me with an angry gaze before going on.

"As much as I would love to socialize the day away.., we have some serious
business to attend to"

"You must forgive me" I try to placate her.

I quickly greet Coach Morris (my old football coach), Mrs Jordan, Mike
Rivera and Dina Grierson before settling into the chair Georgia has
reserved for me right next to her and away from everybody else.

But my eyes can't be kept away from Felix Jarrow's exquisite mother, who is
blushing furiously.

I go to a place in my soul where I have dwelt for many long years...

'Shonta baby is it ok? - It's time to cross back over now isn't
ithoney... back to the world of light.'

We all stop and look out through the window as the sun darkens and a flurry
of wind whistles through the mountains bringing droplets of rain.  The
promise of later snow.

 A delicate rainbow forms over Maxson Mountain yet the only color I notice
is a strong vibrant ultra-violet band of beauty.  To my mind I have
received my answer.

I smile my best smile and abandon all my plans to castigate my wonderful
son.  I know he's done something wrong but 10 years down the road I think
I'm gonna be grateful for this day.

I look to the rainbow again but it's gone... faded into the light shower.

I love you Shonta, I love you baby.

***


(Jake)

You are looking at the newest member of the Garfield High Prospectors
football team...

Yep dad signed me up as part of the deal to save me from being suspended
and thereby be stripped of valedictorian honors at the end of the year.
This is the only chance I am gonna get so I gotta make sure not to get
caught next time someone messes with Felix...

Felix has been ignoring me ever since we all met up here at the office and
it's getting real tiring.., I hate being ignored.  Jess is ignoring me too
and I guess I'm gonna have to make it up to her somehow.  I don't know what
to do about Felix at the moment

Dad ignored me when he first arrived but has been sending me weird happy
glances ever since.  He even winked at me just before, like what's up with
that?  I thought for sure that I was headed for another dreaded silent
treatment period.

Actually Dad keeps staring at Momma Felix like a real spaz lol my Dad's
embarrasing at the best of times but this is kinda the last place I would
expect him to lose his mojo.  Something's going on between those two I can
tell.  And I'm not the only one.  Apart from my two thick-skulled buddies,
Clarke and Junior, I think everybody in the whole room can see what's goin
down.

Ms. Lewis looks like she wants to kill Felix' mother... and Felix himself
might just let her by the looks of him.

Felix is looking at his mother.., trying to give her the death stare. He
too can see something is up between my Dad and his Mom and he sure doesn't
like it.  Lol what if they hook up what would that make us? -- cousins,
brothers and potential lovers?...

It cracks me up the way people respond to my Dad.  They carry on as if he's
some kind of deity and that's just stupid.  He's just my Dad.., he's old,
outdated and seriously beginning to lose it even the other day he forgot my
name!

He kept snapping his fingers in the air as if that would recall some of his
permanently departed brain cells.

Anyway, I read somewhere that we only get a finite number of brain cells.
Well there are a number of people in this room whose brains seem severely
depleted.  Sadly my Dad seems to head the list.

I really threw a hissy that day coz I knew it would get him feeling sorry
for me and now he's gonna let me drive his ferrari whenever I like.  He has
to get it checked out first by the estate mechanics and then that baby is
mine.  I grin evilly and then strike an innocent look as Ms. Lewis glares
at me angrily.  Like as if I care what she's saying... What the Hell ever.


With all due respect Ms. Lewis is a stupid cow.  First she slobbers all
over my Dad who lame as he might be, is just too good for her.  Then when
she notices the shenanigans between Dad and Momma Felix she gets all dirty
and brings the knives out.

She's really trying hard to get me into as much trouble as she can.  Making
statements like,

'And what will you do to make sure he does not do this again Ryan?'

and..,

'I will expect your direct input on this Ryan, I want to begin meeting with
you every week so we can discuss Jakes issues'

Like WTF!!! -- my issues? -- well ok I may have some issues but the truth
is.., she just wants to get into Dad's pants and we all know it.

Lucky for Coach Morris and Mrs Jordan (she ain't so bad after all) they
have helped cut me a deal as a way of making up for,

A - 'fighting on school premises' B - 'making dangerous threats to fellow
pupils' (roll eyes here) C - 'damaging school property' D - 'behaving in
such a way that it damages the reputation of a school leader and senior'
(yeah yeah)

So for all that I gotta be good and nice, tell on people who I see picking
on on others.., and join the football team.  Ms. Lewis attempted to get me
and Dad into 'Group Counselling' with her but when Mrs Jordan pointed out
that 'GC' was her primary responsibility (she is the school guidance
counsellor after all).

Ms. Lewis backed off after that, however reluctantly.  She actually
scrapped the group counselling part -- if she can't get with my Daddy,
nobody can haha I know her game!

I will still have to see Mrs Jordan for Anger Management sessions but she
stood up for me so I don't mind that...  Go Mrs J, I promise I'll behave!

The boys came through for me.  In spite of getting beat on by me this
morning both Clarke and Junior had nothing to divulge about my part in the
incident except to say that I stopped them from messin with Felix.

If they wanted to they could have had me arrested I'm thinking!  My mind
returns sharply to what I did to Felix the other day and I cringe.

But if he wanted to, Felix could have had them arrested too coz they used
'Hate Speech' against him - as Jessica so mercilessly supplied.

However they are still my boys and I love them like crazy.  When push comes
to shove I got their backs and they got mine.  What they did to Felix was
way wrong but what I did to them was also way wrong.., kinda...

I can tell that they realize this and want to move on from it.  I do too,
I'm gonna show them some lovin after we are released.  They are the
brothers I never had.

Since there is no forthcoming accusation from them about what I did, I
ain't gonna get suspended - although if Ms. Lewis had her way I would.
They are gonna get a 1 day suspension and have to go to counselling with
Mrs Jordan like me.  Both of them already play football so no need to
recruit...  We are all grateful to Coach Morris for making sure we didn't
get stood down from our various athletic teams!

Finally things look to be all tied up and Mrs Hinkle brings refreshments
into the room - for the adults not the children, screw her.  She seems to
have won her little battle with Miss Robbins.

We sign some conduct promise forms and one glance at the clock tells me
it's lunchtime, my stomach confirms this only seconds later.  My Dad
suddenly announces he's taking me out of school for the remainder of the
day in order to further question me, I know he won't question me, he's had
enough of this scene and from what he's heard I know that he thinks I did
the right thing.., I just went a little bit overboard.

He comes over and bumps shoulders with me, I give him a pleading look and
within seconds I'm wrapped up in his arms.

"I'm sorry Dad, I messed up... again"

Thankfully I haven't burst into tears... yet.  I don't care who sees me
hugging on my father but I DO care who sees me cry.

"Son, lets go up to the olds for lunch huh? - whaddya say?"

My stomach answers for me...

"I'm famished let's go"

*** The rain has stopped and we head outside.  In the parking lot I notice
Felix talking with Jess.  Momma Felix is over by her car and Dad is itching
to go over there and chat her up.

"Dad let me just go say bye to Jess and Felix" I give him the golden
opportunity he was searching for.

"Ok son, I'll just go and ummm uhhh do something over there" he points
vaguely in the direction of Felix' Mom.

I grin at my Dad's lameness and walk over to Jess and Felix. I notice that
his eyes are on our folks and he's not happy.

"Get over it Jarrow," I smirk,

"They are allowed to chat if they wanna"

"Ewwww shut up Jake" he screws his face up.., I wanna kiss all the creases
out.

I take on a more serious tone,

"Felix about this morning, I was only trying to make sure they don't hurt
you again" he narrows his eyes at me..,

"I know I went too far and I am very sorry.  I hope we can still be
friends" I bat my eyelashes.

"Yeah friends and nothing more!"  he snaps and then goes red -- glancing
worriedly between Jess and me.

I look at Jess and she is looking straight back at me, right through me..,
she can be so scary sometimes.

Well that was rather cryptic from Felix wasn't it.  And then he's speaking
again.

"I - I - I mean that we can be friends but I don't need no bodyguard an
whatever an all!  he stutters.

I raise my eyebrow like Daddy does and he winces.

"Ok whatever you say Felix but I don't think that's what you originally..."
- I am rudely interrupted by Jess.

"Oh look the guys have all gotten together over there and are waving out to
us!"

She's clearly saving Felix' bacon.., I was just about to own him.

Junior and Clarke and their Dad and Mom have joined my Dad and Felix' Mom
and my Daddy is waving us to come over.

I look back at Felix and he gives me a most 'unfriendly' look.

"Come on you two lets go and see what they are up to" I say,

"Whatever" Felix snaps and just stands there.

"Suit yourself Felix" I reply.

I put my arm around my girl, kiss her right on the smackers and walk away
from Felix.  He can go to Hell this time.

"Hey guys I have invited everybody up to the Estate for lunch" says Dad.

"Kathleen has to drop by the childcare center and collect her kids so we'll
follow her and show her the way up top"

Dad has his arm placed possessively around Momma Felix and Wow! -- he used
her first name!  My Dad is so smooth, I've never seen him on the make
before and he's a real pro.., he gets it from me lol.

I release Jess who goes back to her car to put stuff away coz she's coming
with me in my jeep.  She's gonna be naughty and play hooky this afternoon.

My two bros come walking over and I raise my arms.  Clarke goes under my
left and Junior to my right.  I hug them both and we nudge heads jock
style.

"I'm damn sorry Clarke and you too Junior for what I did to you"

But they are sorry too and they say so.  I'm glad to be back with my
buddies as we walk arm in arm to the little group that is preparing to
lunch with us up on high.  Our folks have gotten us released for the rest
of the day - YAY!

I look over and see Felix standing near his Mom but not WITH her - if you
know what I mean.  He's looking at me and I look back.  He looks down sadly
and my heart gets this horrible stabbing pain.

"Dude what was that? - are you ok?"  Junior questions,

"Yeah dude, I just felt like someone walked over my grave or something"

I seperate from them coz I can see Jess over by my truck.  I go over to her
and wrap her up in my arms making sure to face towards where Felix is.  I
kiss and smell her beautiful hair.  It's great and the sensation I get
speaks to my senses.  But last night when I hugged Felix.., well whereas
Jess' beauty speaks to my senses.., to hold Felix in my arms just speaks to
my soul.  He's looking at me with hurt eyes.., but all I can do is look
away.


***

(Mark Fisher)

I watch the scene in the carpark one storey directly below me.  Coach
Morris just told me that Jake is gonna be playing on the football team with
us this season!  Like wow!

With his size, ball-skills and athleticism our already strong team are
going to be nigh on unstoppable if we utilize him in the right way.

There he is with Jessica again.  I was about to sigh like I usually do but
something stops me.  I look more closely and I can see that she doesn't
have that usual content look on her face.  In fact she looks downright
uncomfortable almost as if she's trying to turn around and look at what
Jake might be looking at.  And what is Jake looking at?

I follow his gaze and there is the new boy.  I haven't had time to meet him
properly yet but boy has he made a grand entrance!  He's Jake's cousin yet
he's fighting with Jake's best friends?

I take a good look and I notice that Jake and his cousin are staring at
each other.  One looks miserable and the other looks..., I can't describe
it but that's not a look that guys usually share.

Something's not right about this picture.  I don't quite know what it is,
but I sure intend on finding out.  Anything that just might give me a
chance with Jess is worth a shot at.

Even if it means getting pulverized by a rampaging Jake Maxson.

I take one more longing look at Jessica and then haul myself off to lunch.

Is there trouble in paradise?  For the first time in my life I might just
have a chance...

HOPE...


***


(Miss Carol)


Miss Carol sits near the rustic stove in the oldest part of the extensive
Eyrie kitchens.  It glows with heat, warming her old bones.

Her expert eye observes carefully as the kitchen staff rush about their
newly directed orders.  She rocks gently to the classic song playing on the
old time radio station.  She ponders this latest news.

...

Maser Ryan jez call on thems cell-o-phone thangs, he wanna have a big ole
lunch an he's a gatherin many a folks an that's jez fine.

His voice is soundin craaaazy diff-rent and Miss Carol can tell that
a-nother big change gonna happen fo sho!

Many years an he can't be free of his purdy lil wife of the firs time
roun.., but now who could it be?  No Sir Miss Carol sure don know.  But she
sure can guess...

Jake comin home too, I warned that boy an you know it!  Miss Carol telled
him and he don listen none, no ears at that age jez like my poor Cedric
bless his soul.

Maser Ryan mention that beauty-ful gal Miss Jess-kah an its been too long
since I last seen her angel face.  Be good to see her gain but Lord why don
I see her long term with Maser Jake?

She love him so much, she adore him and is good for him but somin tellin me
she don fit right!

...

Miss Carol returns to her rocking and hums along to the mourful music of a
song.

"Ever since this world began..,

There is nothing sadder than..,

A one-man woman looking for..,

The man that got away...

The man that got away."


"Ohhh Yes Lord I hear you!"  she calls out loud - the staff ignore her
being well used to Miss Carol's sudden outbursts and utterances.

"Sang it Miz Judy! -- you jez sang it girl!"

Miss Carol rocks herself to sleep.



*****************************************

Please join me again for the next chapter~

Contact the author -- joejoeparkertex@yahoo.com

***

Thankyou to all those who have e-mailed in support of this story.

To answer the most frequently asked question.  This story is usually
updated on Sunday nights (Central Standard Time)

***

-- "The man that got away"
-- From 'A Star is Born' (1956)
-- Performed by Judy Garland
-- Music by Harold Arlen
-- Lyrics by Ira Gershwin.

*****************************************