John and Jill

They finished their classes for the rest of the day in silence to each other. When John left the school he found Mel waiting by his truck.

"John I'm so sorry, I don't know what got into me."

"I know damn well what got into you, your stupid jealousy. And I've had enough of it, we're done. When I can't have a conversation with a nice girl that's helping me through a class and is just a friend without you blowing a gasket and hurting somebody, that's it. We're done, it's time you go your own way. I can't stand this anymore."

Mel started violently sobbing and gasping out, "Oh God no John, don't do this to me, I love you. You can't just drop me after the year we've had. I have to be with you."

"No Mel, you don't HAVE to be with me, you WANT to be with me. I thought I wanted to be with you, but there's no trust. You have to let someone that you're in a relationship with have freedom to make their own choices and trust that they'll stick by you. I have that trust in you when every guy in this place has hit on you at one time or another, even some of the male teachers. But you're not affording me the same respect and trust in judgment. I can't live with someone like that."

John left her crying by her Volkswagen Beetle that was parked beside his vehicle. Although she tried several times to make up with him, he wouldn't see her anymore.

Lydia ended up having a concussion and missed three days at school, while Mel was working her campaign to win John back. Nothing she did would work and they handed up graduating as an ex-couple. John ran into Mel a few times during that summer after graduation, but nothing ever came of it.

John never found himself lonely having plenty of dates and plenty of sex. Some of the parties he attended got rather wild and he would see Mel there was this guy or that guy, without any concern from him. She seemed to almost cry every time she saw him was another girl.

Marissa Farnsworth, Mel's best friend, stopped John to talk to him one night when he was coming out of the local Burger King.

"Hello John how are you?"

"I'm fine Marissa, you're looking fantastic as usual."

"Now you see John Trainor, that's why every woman I know is always after you."

"Well thank you Marissa; as you can see I almost have to carry a ball bat to protect myself from the supermodels trying to attack me," John said tongue-in-cheek as he and Marissa start laughing.

"On a serious note John, can't you give Mel another chance? The girl was heartbroken and she loves you so much."

"I noticed parties that she is at she has no shortage of male companionship. She doesn't look like she's suffering that bad."

"Now you know those are just dates John. You can't blame the girl for not wanting to sit home crying her eyes out. She misses you dearly and those guys are nothing to her."

"I hear she's dating frat boys from Culver State. I hear she hangs out at Simon Says most weekends."

"Those are just some of the guys that come over from state that are in summer classes. It's just somebody to have fun with. Can't you see that?"

"Well, I might see her some time there."

"Oh John, just give her a call and ask her out. It would make her entire summer."

"If I run into her, I run into her. I'm not going to pursue her like I'm courting her something. She is the one that screwed up things with her jealousy, not me."

"Guys are so stupid sometimes," as she turned and walked away, "See you sometime John."

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

This was how John ended up at Simon Says one Friday night with his buddies.

"You really think that your ex-girlfriend will come here John?" Chip said as he sipped his Miller Lite. "Are you really thinking of getting back with the redheaded witch?"

John looked at him and just raised an eyebrow and Chip put his arms out to the side and said, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry Bud. I just don't think she's the right girl for you. That damn jealousy of hers is to quasar proportions."

John knew that Chip really never liked MEL because of her jealousy and possessiveness. She used to get angry whenever John and Chip would plan on doing something together because she felt it was robbing time from her.

"I don't know Chip, we'll have to see what happens."

Then a few university students walked in and John's world was changed forever. A beautiful blonde caught his eye and he was forever smitten. It was an instantaneous feeling almost like with MEL earlier in his junior year of high school. But this was real world and not some high school student.

She was a tall blonde about 5' 9" tall with about 34C breasts and an ass to die for. She was with Ellen Crenshaw a cute little mousey girl that we graduated with. Chip had always had an immense crush on Ellen, but was always afraid to make a move.

"My God Chip, look at that blonde that's with Ellie. Boy she's breathtaking; I just found my future wife."

"I guess she's okay for a sexy blonde, but your future wife?"

What John didn't know was that the blonde noticed him as well.

"Who's that hunk over sitting at that table with all the people around him?" She asked her new best friend Ellen.

"That's John Trainor from my old high school and the little guy is his best male friend Chip Monk."

Ellen Crenshaw and Jillian Sinclair were roommates in the freshman dorm. They took to one another immediately, becoming close friends, despite their economical and social differences. Jillian was the daughter of Prescott Sinclair of Culver, a wealthy industrialist. Ellen Crenshaw was a mechanic's daughter from Fullmer who was very small in stature but feisty impersonality. Were Jillian was taller, Ellen was barely 5 foot. She wore cute wire-rimmed glasses that accentuated her facial features and made her look cute. Jillian wouldn't be caught dead with glasses and preferred to wear contacts which allowed her facial features to present in their natural form. She had soft, almost cherubic features that made her gorgeous.

Jill began to notice both John and Chip glancing their ways several times. She made a comment Ellen.

"What is he some Neanderthal football player?"

"You're too quick to judge by looks Jill. John Trainor and Chip Monk are two of the good guys. There wasn't a girl in our high school that didn't lust after John all through high school. And he was a good football player but had no desire to go to college. Chip is his best friend and they would do anything for each other."

Meanwhile John was trying to do a solid freeze good friend Chip. He noticed the longing look that Chip gave to Ellie as he was glancing at her.

"Chip, why don't you go over there and ask Ellie to dance?" John said as he was nudging his friend off of his stool.

"John you know I don't like to ask girls to dance."

John just looked at his friend like he had two heads and said, "Chip you're a good dancer and this isn't high school. Ellie always treated us well and was always very friendly. The least you can do is give it a shot, this is real life now. You've always had a thing for her, so go do it."

Chip finally got up the nerve and went over to Jill and Ellie's table to ask Ellie to dance. John felt very accomplished that he was able to get his friend to man up and do the deed. He was sure Ellie would dance with him.

Ellie saw Chip approaching in her heart started to flutter. Secretly she had always had a thing for Chip as well, she just didn't know how to act on it. Unfortunately Jillian saw him approaching as well. She had been used to several dweebs asking her to dance at clubs and it was irritating. She decides she was going to nip this in the bud when he walked up to their table.

"Just turn around and go back your table with the other rodents chipmunk. We're not interested in anything you're selling you insignificant little runt."

The look on Ellie's face was pure horror and Chip just turned around dejectedly going back to his table.

"Goddamnit Jillian, I can't believe you said that to him and treated him that way. He's a nice guy and you treated him like shit. I'll never come with you again to one of these things. I refuse to treat people like that."

John asked Chip what was said and he recounted the episode it to him. John Trainor had not been that angry since a fight he had on the football field in his senior year. He was not going to let this go without some vengeance. He drank his beer and started over to the table. This time Jillian was the one with the fluttering heart. She instantly had a hankering for this young man. Her anticipation or possibly dancing with him was slightly showing on her face.

As John approached the table Jill leaned forward in acceptance to John's supposed request. John leaned over and whispered in to Jill's ear, "You fucking bitch, you know how long it took me to get my friend to summon the courage it took to ask Ellie to dance? You could've at least been nicer. You can turn someone down without making them feel like shit."

Jill reached over and whispered into John's ear that she was sorry and she misunderstood.

All the sudden John leaned back tilted his head up and screamed to the ceiling, "$500; are you crazy? You must think an awful lot to yourself to command that type of money." Everyone in the place looked at her like she was something lower than a snail.

Jill was mortified as she watched John turn and walk away. Everybody looked at her like she was some kind of a whore trying to trick for money. Simon came over and asked her whole table to leave.

"I don't know whether you are pro-or not. I do know that you created enough excitement for one night. Head back over to Culver and enjoy your weekend."

Jill asked him if she was banded and being pragmatic Simon told her no, but she just couldn't come back tonight.

Jill was blessed with a dazzling wit and could cut someone to the quick with surgical precision. She was not used to being on the other end of that and John Trainor had definitely made his mark. She had to admit on her drive back to the dorm that what he did was pure animalistic revenge. She admired him because he had done well. She also hated it because she really felt a tie to this man. She felt vibes from him that were unmistakably protective even though she felt his wrath as well. This was a man she had to get to know one way or another.

Ellie was allowed back in and went over to apologize to Chip and John.

Ellie said to John, "Wow John you sure knocked her down the size. I've never seen any guy treat her that way and get away with it."

"Well she must be used to some real wimps because I don't put up with that shit from anybody; I don't care if she's hot or not. Who is she anyway?"

"She's Jillian Sinclair from Culver."

"One of the Culver Sinclair's of money? That would definitely explain her bitchy attitude."

"You really don't understand John she's really a nice person once you get to her insides. She's a wonderful person and a good friend. The incident was just a misunderstanding."

"She sure is bitchy and I'm not a miner; I don't have time to go searching her insides to find a good person."

Ellie ended up dancing with Chip the whole evening and he gave him her phone number so he could call and ask her for a date. When John and Chip left they offered to drive Ellie back to her house so her sister could take her back to the dorm; she had ridden with Jillian.

It turns out that Mel never did show up at Simon Says, but John was not disappointed all that much. He was the type of person that could enjoy good things happening to a friend and Chip knew he was blessed for the evening in his interactions with Ellie. He became even more enamored with her and was definitely going to call her. John realized Chip had been stomped on early by Jillian Sinclair, but was picked up by Ellie Crenshaw. John had high hopes for his buddy.

During her drive home Jillian took stock of her actions in her life. To say the episode at the bar unsettled her would be an understatement. There was something about John Trainor that she just couldn't get over. She never really worried about slamming down some poor guy, but John had actually made her feel bad for the first time in her life. She just noticed his charisma at the bar and realized how popular and well thought of he was by all the patrons there. Ellie talked of him as if he was some kind of a God. Jillian knew at that moment that she was quite taken with the man and wanted him to think better of her. She really had to get the scoop on him from Ellie. "Oh my God -- Ellie," she thought as she realized she was her roommate's ride. She immediately pulled over and called her friend on her cell phone.

"This is Ellie."

"Ellie this is Jill baby, I'll turn around come back to pick you up."

"Don't worry about it Jill, John and Chip took me home to Donna's and she will give me a ride back to the dorm."

"Are you sure honey, I'm so sorry I left you; I just didn't think."

"It actually ended up good for me; Chip and I danced the whole night away. By the way, it was me he was coming to asked to dance. He built up his courage thanks to John and you cut his legs out from under him."

"That's okay Ellie, don't worry about making me feel worse than I already do."

"Well Jill, you do kind of deserve it and we both know it."

Jill realized she was reaping what she sowed. She realized at that moment she was going to change the way she treated people.

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

Jill's campaign of redemption began the following weekend at Simon's. She found out from Ellie by way of Chip that John would be there that Friday night. Ellie relented and allowed Jill to accompany her to the bar only Ellie insisted on driving this week. She decided to eat crow and get to know John the way she wanted to. Ellie knew that once Jill made up her mind about something she was tenacious.

Although she sometimes thought poorly of the way her friend acted, Ellie actually thought that Jill and John could be a good match. Ellie hoped Jillian didn't screw this up because she thought John would be good for her, helping Jill to become a better person.

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

When they got to the bar, John, Chip, and assorted other friends were already there, sans Mac, who was away at art school. John was holding court as usual, hosting several friends and acquaintances around his table. John noticed when Ellie and Jill came in and went to find a table.

Simon went over and warned her to behave herself this week. Her embarrassment showed as she assured him she would. John couldn't seem to take his eyes off her, wondering how anybody so beautiful to be so bitchy. Of course he knew she was from money so that probably explained it.

When a nice slow ballad began playing, Jill made her move. Chip got up to dance with Ellie and his empty chair stood there staring at her. She got up and walked over, sitting down beside John.

"Just sit right down, just like you were invited."

"Don't be mean John Trainor; I'm just here to apologize."

"So you know my name, how astute of you."

"I know a lot about you; Ellie speaks highly of you. Please let me tell you how sorry I was for last week; I behaved abominably. I didn't know your friend was there asking Ellie to dance. I'm so sorry."

"You see, that's where you beautiful women think the world is all about you. He's had a thing for Ellie since high school and I finally got to go up to her. Chip's a shy guy and what if he was asking you to dance. Do you always treat people like that?"

"Why don't we dance and you can find out?"

"Sounds like a plan."

John had no realization of how much a plan it was. When Jill took his hands on the dance floor and laid her head on his shoulder she felt a shudder of electricity goes through her. She somehow knew this man was for her. John felt the same way, realizing they felt as one. Somehow he knew this was the girl he was to marry; out of his league or not.

"Would you like to take a drive with me?"

"You're not going to run out of gas are you?"

"Got a full tank and no agenda."

She told Ellie that she was gone for a drive with John and Ellie just looked at her and whispered, "Don't fuck this up Jill."

After both getting in his truck, John drove her over to a nice little neighborhood with older houses and nice lawns. Jill felt it was a quaint area.

As they pulled into to a driveway of a nice little house on the hillside, Jill looked at him warily and said, "Think you're about to get lucky or something?"

"Lady you are much too cynical for such a young age. I just want you to see where you're going to live once we're married."

"I'll look at your little house, but you must be crazy."

"It's not crazy to know what you want and go after it. I knew what I saw you last week I was going to marry you, I'll just have to convince you."

He walked her into the house after he unlocked the door and she was mystified of the beauty of this small house. To her was small, to him it was home. She was studying interior design at the University and was amazed that an seemingly uncomplicated man could decorate the house like this. His furniture was beautiful and the pictures and knickknacks they had around the shelves were beautiful. Everything he had in this house fit perfectly with the decor.

"Are you buying this house?"

"Nope, already own it. I know it's not what you're used to, but it will do after were married."

"You sound like being married is already a done deal."

"No ma'am Miss Jill, I just have confidence in my ability to accomplish my fate."

"You are a strange man John Trainor, but I like you. I hear nothing but good things about you."

"Thank you Jill," as John put his arm around her shoulder and reached down to kiss her on the cheek."

Jill felt his lips on her cheek and got an electric shock from that as well. She turned to face him putting her arms around his neck and reaching up to kiss him on the mouth. It was a soft loving kiss at first, that became immediately long, full, and passionate. Eventually she probed his lips with her tongue and they began their jousting of love. John led her over to a loveseat and they sat down, continuing to make out close to an hour.

Finally he stopped, leaned back, and looked at his watch, reminding her that it was time to go back to the club. When they got back to the club, she took out a small notebook from her purse and wrote her cell phone number down, tore it out, and gave it to him, saying, "Don't lose that it's your gateway to matrimony," giggling as she ran back into the club.

John took his time almost walking on air back into the club. Chip was smirking as he walked back to the table asking him, "Where'd you get too big John?"

"I took her on an educational tour, over to the house."

"If you look at the look on her face, you must have traveled by flying carpet. She has a just got fucked look on her face, but knowing you I doubt that. First of all you didn't have that kind of time. At least she's smiling better than the scowl she had her face last week."

"Ellie was right Chip; she is nice once you get past the façade. I'm going to marry that girl buddy."

"Right, right big John. I think we should be seeing a supersonic pig flyby about now."

"Better be ready for a bacon feast buddy; it'll just take a little convincing on my part."

"You never know big John, you never know." Chip said as he was laughing pretty hard.

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

So began the courtship of John and Jill. John called her on Monday to set up a date for the following weekend. He picked her up at the dorm to take her out to dinner and a movie. They went to a nice Mexican restaurant and then went to the cineplex see a movie of Jill's choosing. It was a sappy love story that John didn't much care for; but you wouldn't have known of by the way he acted. They went to a park and sat on a bench, while discussing the movie. When they got back in John's truck, Jill slid over and kissed him passionately. John succumbed to the intensity and it went on for quite a while, steaming up the windows. John drove her back to her dorm, and she told him to call her again. As soon as she got in her room, John called her on her cell phone.