New Girl in Town Pt. 15

"Thank you, sweetie." Mrs. Keifer tells her.

"Thank Jake. He got them all for us. Well, him and Jess. They're a good team and I'm a great matchmaker." Sarah states.

"Matchmaker?" Mrs. Keifer asks. "How are you a matchmaker, Sarah?"

"I shampooed Jake and Jessica's first date!" Sarah giggles.

"Chaperoned, Sar-bear." Jake chuckles.

"We saw a meteor shower, I got to sit with their teacher and Jess said they kissed that night too!" Sarah gleefully overshares. "Now they're boyfriend and girlfriend cause of me."

"It sounds like it was a big night all around." Mrs. Keifer says sounding dubious as she puts Sarah down to greet her daughter with a hug. "Hey, sweetheart. I've missed you."

I've missed you too, mom." Dr. Golden says with a smile.

"Tim, how is my favorite son in law?" Mrs. Keifer asks.

"I'll call Jason and find out for you," Tim says while pulling out his cell phone.

She playfully smacks his arm. "You know that you're still my favorite despite taking my grand-babies and my baby away, Tim." She admonishes him.

"We had to move, Grammy," Sarah tells her. "If we hadn't Jess wouldn't have found Jake."

"Of course, dear." Mrs. Keifer states then gestures towards the ticket booth. "Shall we head inside?"

****

Jessica leans forward in her seat as she watches her former team getting ready to serve for match point. The match was a lopsided affair with South Palisades putting on a dominant performance over the four seeded Grove Vale Griffins.

"Damn, they're good." Caitlyn murmurs.

"No kidding."

Tonya nods her head.

On the court, Madison Thorne, team captain of South Palisades, jumps up and spikes down the winning shot.

The Paladins begin to celebrate as Jessica looks over the worried faces of her Wildcat teammates.

"They don't have anything we don't have ourselves," Jessica says to the team. "They play off your fear of them being the vaunted Paladins. The five-time state champs that will run you into the ground just for laughs. You guys know that I was there so I know what I'm talking about. I was part of that and I'm telling you guys that we are a better team."

"Better? Come on, Jessica, be realistic." Tabitha says.

"I am. We have a better backcourt than they do and a pair of the best set up hitters that I've ever had the privilege of taking the court with." She says. "We can beat them."

"We have to beat Harris first, Jessica." Coach Morrison reminds her. "Play this game and don't look ahead until it's done."

"Yes, coach." Jessica nods. Beating Harris is a foregone conclusion in her mind but she knows that her coach is right.

The team gets up, ready to take the court for warm-ups as the Paladin players walk by.

"Hey there, Fish. This is one cute looking little team you've got here." Madison says to Jessica as she stops. "Wild Kitties or some such right?"

"Wildcats. Learn to read." Tonya replies snarkily.

"Why are you calling Jessica Fish ?" Caitlyn asks.

"Don't worry, she gets it." Madison smiles at Jessica. "You get it don't you, Fish?"

"Yeah, I got it, Madison. It's still as funny as it was back before I left." Jessica answers as her face flushes with anger. She wants to slug the bottle blonde in her smug face but a fight would get her tossed from the tournament.

Madison grins wickedly and leans into her. "I'm the one getting it now and I don't just lay there like a dead fish for him. Shame you did."

"Walk away, Madison." Cassandra Wescott, a teammate of Madison, says as she walks up to the group. "Leave Jessica alone. Anything you want to say, say it on the court tomorrow."

"I doubt that she and her little team here are going to make it to tomorrow's game against us." Madison declares.

"That's right, Madison. Keep underestimating us like that and we'll make you pay." Jessica tells her.

Madison glares at Jessica for a moment then turns and walks away.

"Thanks, Cass. I appreciate that." Jessica says thanking her former teammate.

"You were always nice to me, Jess. I figured that I owe you a few." Cassandra says giving her a smile. "That and Madison is still an intolerable bitch of course."

"Of course." Jessica laughs then hugs the tall, lanky brunette to her. "I've missed you, Cass."

"Missed you too, Jess." Cassandra laughs.

Jessica then turns and introduces her to her Wildcat teammates. "Guys, this is Cass. She's cool."

"Jess is the one that's cool. She really helped me out when I was moved up from JV to varsity last year. The rest of the team couldn't be bothered to help bring a sophomore up to speed but Jess stayed late with me and helped me work on drills and better my game. She's one of the best." Cass tells the group.

"We're playing against one of Jess's proteges. Just what we needed to hear." Caitlyn shakes her head. "Hi, Cass, I'm Caitlyn."

"Nice to meet you, Caitlyn. Don't worry, I am not on par with Jess here. She's still killing it from what we've read and been told about." Cassandra shares.

Jessica introduces Cass to the team before she tells them that she needs to hit the showers.

"I don't want to miss watching you guys play. Gotta study the competition and all that. Good luck, you guys! It was great meeting you all." She tells them before heading towards the locker room.

"And yet another sweetheart that Jessica knows." Tonya quips as they take the court. "What was that other bitch's problem?"

"That's Madison and she's had it out for me from way back when I started dating my ex. I thought she would have gotten over it since they're apparently together now, but I guess that she hasn't." Jessica sighs picking up a ball and bouncing it a couple of times.

"What was that fish nonsense?" Tonya asks.

Jessica tosses the ball high into the air, jumps then slams a hard spike down. The resounding smack causes everyone to look over to see what is going on. Caitlyn sets another and Jessica slams it in much the same way.

"Save some of that for the game, Jessica." Coach Morrison calls out.

Jessica nods and turns back to her waiting teammates. After Jessica explains the circumstances surrounding her nickname Caitlyn slaps the ball that she's been holding.

"That fucking asshole." She snarls. "I cannot believe him!"

"Or her for that matter!" Tonya expresses. "Where did that bitch go? I'm kicking her ass!"

"Tonya, we beat her by beating her on the court," Jessica tells her. "Nothing matters more than that. We are a team. If we lose you because of fighting, our team isn't the same. We need you on the court. I need you there, okay?"

Tonya reluctantly nods her head. "All right but God save these poor Harris Hawks because I am taking it out on them first and tomorrow we kick some Paladin ass and get Jess some revenge! Who's with me?"

"We are!" The others shout loudly causing the Hawks team to look over and see what's going on.

****

A few minutes into the Wildcats warm up, the buses from Carter arrive and the students pour into the gymnasium. Staci begins scanning the stands looking for Jake and the Golden's.

"There," Roxie says to her while pointing towards the bleachers about midway up and just behind the Wildcat bench. "I see Sarah."

Staci looks and nods. "Let's start moving people then. They are clearly in our seats." She laughs as the group begins walking towards them.

"Here comes two busloads of trouble." Mr. Golden chuckles as he sees Staci and company walking over.

"What are you talking about, Tim?" Mrs. Keifer asks looking towards the doors to the gymnasium. Thirty or so teens enter and each of them in the same t-shirt that Jake and Sarah are wearing. Even the cheerleaders that come bouncing in clad in their cheer skirts and pom poms are wearing them over their usual cheer tops.

"There's my Sar-Bear!" Roxie says as she takes a seat beside Mrs. Keifer.

Sarah looks over and jumps from her grandma's lap and into Roxie's. Wrapping her in a huge hug as she does.

"Roxie!" She shouts gleefully.

Mrs. Keifer is shocked by Roxie's appearance. The nose and multiple ear piercings along with Roxie's medium length hair that's been dyed blue with orange streaks and its unlike anything she's ever seen.

Roxie hugs her back before Shelly moves in.

"Pass the Sar-bear around, Rox. We all need our hugs from our sweetie!" Shelly tells her.

"Shelly!" Sarah shouts just as she did Roxie's name.

The hugs are repeated for each member of the Misfits and even Staci's fellow cheerleaders get in on the action before all of them take seats surrounding Jake and the Golden family.

"Val, who are all these kids?" Mrs. Keifer asks as she's confused that her once shy little Sarah is hugging every one of them and chatting away like she's known them her whole life.

"These are most of Jessica and Jake's friends. I say most because their friends on the football team have practice and a couple are stuck working." Dr. Golden explains. "Jake, would you do the honors of introducing them all?"

"I'll do it!" Sarah volunteers. While she excitedly goes through the introductions, Coach Morrison waves Jake down to the bench area. He excuses himself and heads down.

"Is everything all right, Coach?" He asks upon arrival.

"Jake, would it possible for you to sit here on the bench with the team?" She asks him. "I can list up to two trainers and I have a spot open if you want it. With what happened during our last game, I would like to have you available just in case."

"Uh, I guess?" He answers then looks back to where the family is seated. "Let me tell Jess's family so they don't wonder what's going on and I'll be right back."

As Sarah is still in the midst of her introductions Mrs. Keifer doesn't notice Jake telling Jessica's parents what he was doing and why he would be on the bench.

"Sarah, want to go do your hair up before the game?" Roxie asks. "I bought my quick color kit if you want to show your school pride."

Sarah nods and jumps to her feet but Roxie stops her.

"Slow down there, little one. Ask your mom if it's all right for us to go first." Roxie reminds her.

Mrs. Keifer looks surprised and Roxie smiles at her.

"She gets a bit over anxious but it's so cute," Roxie tells her.

Mrs. Keifer nods. "Thank you for being so thoughtful with her."

"She's become a little sister to all of us, ma'am," Roxie says with a smile. "We all look out for our little Sar-Bear."

"I'm glad that she and Jessica have found such thoughtful and caring friends." Mrs. Keifer returns her smile.

"You can blame Jake for all this." Roxie smiles. "We've been his friends forever. Jessica just got dragged into all of this but she fits right in with us misfits."

"Mom, can Roxie take me and color my hair? Please, mom? Please?" Sarah begs after bounding over to her mother.

Dr. Golden laughs and shakes her head before looking down the bleacher to Roxie. "Are you sure that you want to try that with this little bundle of bounciness, Rox?"

"I'm not bouncy! That's Jess when Jake is coming over. Where is Jake anyway?" Sarah asks as she looks around.

Mr. Golden points towards the bench. "Down there, Sarah. Coach Morrison wanted him to be on the bench in case he needs to help out."

"Like he helps out by rubbing Jess?" Sarah asks shocking her grandmother again.

"Something like that." Dr. Golden answers as she notices the look on her mother's face. "Go ahead with Roxie and let her color your hair before the match starts."

Staci turns to Sarah. "If you're good for Roxie, you can sit between Michelle

and me and we'll teach you our cheers for Jess."

"Cool!" Sarah exclaims, hugs them both then snags Roxie by the hand. "Let's go Wildcats!"

All the students surrounding the Golden's shout out the same much to Sarah's delight.

****

"You okay, Mom?" Dr. Golden asks.

"Seeing Sarah so outgoing is a tad shocking, I admit but what is this business about rubbing going on? I brought you up better than that, Valerie." Mrs. Keifer warns.

"Mom, relax." Dr. Golden says. "Jake rubs Jessica's hands, arms, shoulders and sometimes her feet, ankles, and legs after her games. She claims they are a lot better than the ice baths that she used to use after them. I've watched them together so nothing indecent is going on."

"She is at that age where some simple massage can lead to more, Valerie." Mrs. Keifer comments.

"Mom, they are both eighteen and mature enough to make that decision on their own." Dr. Golden says knowing now is not the best time to tell her that she knows that Jessica and Jake are sexually active. "Jake was very nearly the first friend she made at her new school and they have been pretty much inseparable since day one. It took them a little while to start dating but Jake's a great young man. Just give him a chance to show you that."

Mrs. Keifer doesn't look pleased but she shrugs. "Well, Sarah certainly seems to be taken with him as well. Nearly as much as Jessica is, by the way, they both talk about him over the phone."

"And my girls are usually pretty particular when it comes to the people they like." Dr. Golden states.

"We'll see, Val." Mrs. Keifer says. "We'll see."

****

The Wildcats jumped out to a big lead over the Harris Hawks in their first game. Their strategy seems to be to stop Jessica at all costs leaving Tabitha and Kenyetta open to score, seemingly at will. When the lead reaches double digits, the Harris coach calls for a timeout.

The team huddles with Coach Morrison as Jake hands out water bottles.

"You all are playing great out there. Way to come together and make them regret targeting Jessica with their defense. Jess, be ready if they switch it up coming out of this time out." She tells the team.

"I will be, coach." Jessica nods and gives Jake a smile.

He nods at her as Coach Morrison continues.

"If they let up on Jess, we're going to feed her as much as we can until they change it up again." She tells them. "We keep playing our game and we don't let up. Wildcats on three."

The team shouts Wildcats as the timeout ends then heads back onto the court. The Hawks do switch their defense up and the team follows Coach Morrison's plan of feeding Jessica the ball. She reels off seven more points before Harris's coach calls her second timeout to regroup.

"Great play, ladies." Coach Morrison says in the huddle. "You all have brought your A game tonight. Jess, you are laying into your spikes pretty heavily just like warm-ups. Everything all right?"

"I'm just a little excited to be back home, Coach." Jessica answers.

"She's going to need your magic hands tonight for sure, Jake." Tonya teases.

"Reel it in, Tonya." Coach Morrison tells her then turns to the others. "Keep playing our game. Eight more points and the first game is ours. Go out there and get them!"

They do just that, with Caitlyn putting a dink shot over a pair of Hawk defenders for the winning point.

"That's the first one out of the way." Coach Morrison tells them as they take a seat on the bench. "Great game all around but let's not let up. Except you, Jess. You need to let up on hitting the snot out of the ball with every spike. If we keep up this pace, I'll need those hands tomorrow against the Paladins."

"Jake will take care of that, Coach." Caitlyn giggles.

Jessica shakes her head but then holds out her hands towards Jake. "Rub?" She asks garnering giggles from her teammates.

Jake glances up at the packed stands and swears that he can feel Jessica's grandmother's eyes boring into him but he nods anyway. He pulls her hands into his and begins to rub the sting and soreness out of them.

"Can we clone you somehow, Jake?" Tabitha asks.

"Yeah, we all need our own personal hand masseuse after our games." Kenyetta agrees.

"It's been suggested that I become the first masseuse architect." Jake laughs.

"My masseuse architect, Jake." Jessica comments. "Or masseuse whatever you end up doing as long as you're still mine."

Jake nods and Jessica leans in and gives him a quick kiss much to the delight of her teammates. Her grandmother is another matter, however.

****

"Really, Valerie?" Mrs. Keifer asks nodding towards the bench.

"Try and relax, Mom. They are dating after all." Dr. Golden points out.

Shelly hears them and looks at Roxie who also overheard them.

She mouths Uh oh at Shelly who shrugs back as if to say, What can you do? .

Roxie tries to think of something to say to distract Mrs. Keifer but Sarah jumps in instead.

"Jake's taking care of my sissy, Grammy. He does a great job of that." Sarah announces. "He even had her at his house for a whole weekend and she was fine when she got back. Better than fine. She was all happy and..."

"New cheer time, Sarah!" Staci says quickly pulling the pint-sized troublemaker into her lap.

"He did what now?" Mrs. Keifer asks as she looks at her daughter who is shaking her head at her daughter spilling those particular beans. "What is Sarah talking about, Val?"

"I'm going for drinks. Who's coming with?" Mr. Golden asks as he hops to his feet knowing that now is a good time to let his wife handle her mother.

"Me!" Jody answers jumping to her feet and dragging Javier with her as he's holding her hand.

"Me, too I suppose." Javier answers.

"Not me, I want to see how bad this gets," Roxie says with a grin.

"Rox!" Shelly scolds.

"What? This promises to be better than the volleyball match!" Roxie argues.

"Mom now is not the time and place to discuss this." Dr. Golden remarks.

"So it did happen! Valerie, how could you allow such a thing?" Mrs. Keifer asks.

"Mother, there are a lot of things that we need to discuss but now is neither the time nor the place." Dr. Golden tells her.

"Did I do something wrong?" Sarah whispers to Staci after hearing her grandmother sound upset.

"No, sweetie, you didn't," Staci assures her. "Your grandma just doesn't know Jake yet. When she gets to know him, it'll all be fine."

Sarah turns towards her grandmother as if to say something but Staci steers her back around.

"Sarah, the next game is starting. Ready to lead a cheer for us?" She asks.

Sarah nods excitedly and Michelle, who is sitting on the other side of Sarah, mouths Good Job to Staci as she raises her one pom pom. Sarah raises both hers which she had been given, one by Staci and one by Michelle, and begins the Wildcat Roar cheer that they taught her.

Down on the court, Jessica hears Sarah leading the cheers and smiles. She looks up at the group and gives them a wave before taking the court for the second game of the set.

****

After the Wildcats win the first game of the match, Tabitha feels a twinge flare across her lower back as they take the court for the second set. She rubs at it with her hand for a moment and it fades so she resumes warming up for the next game. The Wildcat team picks up right where they left off and appear to score at will against the Hawks. With the Wildcats up by five points, Jessica and Kenyetta jump to block a spike. The ball makes it through and is headed out of bounds.

"Touch!" Kenyetta shouts.

Tabitha turns and dives for the ball. She manages to knock it back into play but when she hits the ground she screams out in pain. Coach Morrison and Jake are instantly on their feet but can't run to check on her with the ball still in play. Tonya freezes on the court, seemingly feeling the same pain as her sister. Wendy moves over and plays the ball towards Jess who swats it over the net. Tabitha tries to get to her feet but ends up collapsing back to the ground when the pain from her back flares again. As the Hawks play the ball, Jessica gives a worried glance at her before turning back to the play. As the Hawks put the ball over the net, Jessica jumps at it and slams down a quick cross-body shot that catches them off guard for the point.