New Girl in Town Pt. 15

The woman smiles at that and extends her hand. "You're going to fit right in with our team, Jess." She laughs as Jessica shakes her hand then introduces herself. "I'm a Jessica too by the way. Jessica Langston and I'm here to make you an informal offer."

"Offer?" Jessica asks.

"You've known since you made the All American team your sophomore year that we wanted you at UCLA and we wanted you to know that we are serious. We're offering you a full ride." the other Jessica explains. "You'll be sent a detailed package in a week or so but I wanted to come out, see you play and meet you in person. You have exceeded all of our expectations on the court and off. I hope that we're close to the top of your list of schools to attend."

"Yes, ma'am, you certainly are! I am so ready to come out there and tour the campus!" Jessica answers excitedly.

"I am very glad to hear that. We are definitely ready to arrange to have you come out and see what we can offer you." She answers with a smile then adds. "Our team has a masseuse on staff but from the look of things you'll be looking to bring your own along."

Jessica looks over at where Jake, his family, her family and all of their friends are waiting on her. She swallows past the sudden lump that's in her throat and nods as a tear rolls down her cheek.

"I certainly hope that I can, Ms. Langston," she states when the idea of her leaving Jake looks like a real possibility. "I'd be so lost without him."

"He looks pretty fit." Ms. Langston notes. "I can't promise anything but I'm owed a few favors in the athletic offices that I can call in if he happens to play a sport."

"He plays football," Jessica answers excitedly at first but then sadly adds. "Well, he is or was the backup but he'll miss the next game because he came to support me."

"Our football coach isn't known to take on backups." Ms. Langston answers. "He could try and walk on but that wouldn't get him a scholarship up front. Does he play any other sports or how is he academically?"

That perks Jessica up. "He and I are vying for the top spot in our class academically! We go back and forth from month to month for the top of our class!" She answers excitedly.

Ms. Langston's smile grows larger. "That's something that I might be able to work with. No promises mind you but if he is interested we might be able to work something out. Let me get your email and I'll be in touch when I know more."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Jessica tells her then surprises her with a hug.

Jessica Langston laughs and hugs her back. "You are totally going to fit in with our girls. I can't wait until you can come out and meet them. You are going to love California and I have a good feeling that we're going to love you."

****

Mr. Golden offers to get the car for the family while Jessica seems to be hugging everyone in the gymnasium. He was told by Coach Morrison that the team is going to a local restaurant for a celebratory dinner once they could get all the kids and their families that came down. Even some of the students that came down on the buses to support the team were coming because their parents also drove down.

"If I may make a suggestion, Coach Morrison?" Mr. Golden asks.

"Instead of a fancy sit down restaurant, how do you think the team would feel about pizza instead?"

"They will always eat pizza." She laughs. "Where do you have in mind?"

"There's a place that's not too far from here called Henry's Pizzeria. Jess and the family love the place and we know the owner. He'd love to have your team celebrate there." He tells her.

"That sounds perfect, Mr. Golden. Thank you so much for the suggestion." Coach Morrison tells him.

"I'll grab our car and the bus can follow us there." He says.

"We'll follow you too, Mr. Golden," Staci chimed in while standing with her mother and Ray.

"Wait until you get home and we throw your team a celebration party!" Mrs. Daniels stated enthusiastically. She had driven down after leaving work early, telling her boss that her adoptive daughter was in the tournament.

"Hey! Hey Golden! I want a word!" A voice calls out as he walks across the parking lot.

Mr. Golden turns and isn't surprised that the owner of the voice is Sean's dad, Fred Durant.

"What do you need, Fred?" He asks.

"I need to talk to you about what your daughter's boyfriend did to my son's nose!" Fred states with his hands on his hips.

"You mean what my daughter's boyfriend did to defend himself against your son who sucker punched him while his two friends grabbed Jake so he couldn't fight back! Is that what you want to discuss, Fred?" Mr. Golden asks.

"He broke Sean's nose!" Mr. Durant complains. "I'll sue him for damages!"

Mr. Golden's face goes red with anger. "You try and I will use every penny I can get my hands on and counter sue for what your son did to him and to my daughter!" He threatens the much shorter man. "I will rain hellfire down on you and your family if you come after Jake in any way, shape or form! Now get the hell away from me before your son isn't the only one in your family with a broken nose!"

Fred's normally tanned face pales at the vehemence in Jessica's dad's words. He opens his mouth as if to speak but no words come out. Instead, he turns and retreats as quickly as he approached.

That isn't the only confrontation happening at that moment.

Jake is taking his turn congratulating Jessica with a hug and kiss.

"Here you are again, Jake. The last one to congratulate me but the one I want to see the most." She tells him while looking into his eyes.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder" Jake chuckles then kisses her again.

"Are you going to lay down like a dead fish for your boyfriend right here on the court, slut?" Madison asks as she walks up with Sean and his two pals from earlier.

"Wouldn't be much of a show if she did," Sean says. "She'll just lay there and he doesn't look like anything special."

"Looks can be deceiving," Staci answers as she walks up and plants a kiss on Jake's lips.

Seeing the hot little cheerleader kissing Jake stuns Sean's group. They stand there dumbfounded until Staci pulls back and smiles at him and Jessica.

"That's for breaking this assholes nose." She explains then hugs Jessica. "You know that I owed him that one, Jess."

"You say that every time you kiss him, Staci," Jessica states shaking her head.

"And I owe him every time." Staci counters then turns to Sean. "I promised my best friend that I would castrate your sorry ass if I ever saw you for the shit you did to her. Then I found out that you don't have any balls for me to cut off so consider yourself lucky."

"Sweetie, I got more balls than Jess's guy here." Sean boasts.

"If that was true then you wouldn't have felt the need to sucker punch him when he wasn't looking at you," Ray says as he, Bobby, Antoine, Javier, and Mitch walk up to them.

"That's not what happened. He's lying." Sean argues.

"Really? Because he had witnesses on his side and all you had were your two little bitches here that backed up your story." Staci glares at him. "Why don't you try throwing a punch at him now, with him facing you this time and his back up here unlike earlier when you and your pals jumped him?"

"Yeah show us these giant balls of yours." Antoine challenges him. "We'll just stand here to make sure that this time it's a fair fight."

Sean looks from Antoine to Jake, to Jessica and finally Madison to whom he speaks.

"I already beat him down once. No sense in doing it again in front of his friends." He tells her. "Let's get out of here and leave them to each other. Him and Jess deserve each other."

"You could never beat him in anything," Jessica tells him with a smile. "But there's something we can absolutely agree on, Sean. Jake is the guy I deserve and the one that deserves me. It was never you."

She pulls Jake's mouth to hers intending a light peck but Jake pulls her body to his and gives her a passionate kiss that seemingly sucks the soul from her body. Sean and company stare open-mouthed for a moment before he grabs Madison's hand and they all walk away.

Jess pulls away to the cheering of their friends and blushes slightly as she catches her breath.

"Wow," She manages to gasp out. "That was... wow!"

"It was either I kiss you like that or I punch that asshat out. I thought this was the smarter option." Jake remarks with a grin.

Jessica smiles devilishly at him and answers. "You just wait until tonight, Jake. I'm ready to really show you just what all these smart decisions you've made this year have won you!"

****

After the celebratory dinner at Henry's Pizzeria, Jake's parents walk him, the Golden's and Grammy to their car.

Before they reach it a familiar voice calls out to them.

"Jake, Jess!" Coach Pennington says as he walks up to where the pair of teens has stopped.

"Coach?" Jake asks confused. "What are you doing here?"

"There was no way I was going to miss seeing Jess here play in her championship game." He tells them.

"Thank you for coming, Mr. Pennington. I'm flattered that you came all the way here." Jessica tells him.

"Of course, Jess. It wasn't like we could have practice today. It seems that half the team were mysteriously going out of town for the holiday." He chuckles then notices the bandage on Jake's face and the bruise.

"What happened to you, Jake?" He asks.

"This?" Jake asks pointing to his face. "I was born with it, Coach."

"Smartass." Pennington shakes his head then looks at Jessica. "You're dating a smartass."

"That I am." Jessica laughs. "Jake will explain that while I run over and say bye to my team. Thanks again for coming, Mr. Pennington!"

"You're welcome, Jessica." He says as she jogs over to the team bus. "She said that you'd explain this."

"I got into a fight today. It's nothing." Jake answers.

"I haven't ever heard about you getting into a fight over anything. I'm assuming that Jessica was the cause of this fight. How was she with it?" He asks nodding towards her.

"It was with her ex and it wasn't much of a fight. He sucker punched me but I managed to bust his nose. We're kind of even and Jess was much better with that than I thought she would have been with it." He answers.

"His nose, huh? You didn't punch with your throwing hand did you?" Pennington asks glancing at Jake's hand.

"My elbow." Jake answers. "My dad taught me not to punch with my throwing hand."

"I'm glad you listened because we'll need you for this playoff run." He tells him. "No more fights."

"I didn't try to get into this one!" Jake laughs. "You don't have to worry about me getting into any more fights, Coach. I promised Jess and I'm not breaking any promises I make her."

"There you go showing those smarts you're supposed to have." He laughs.

"How mad is Coach Yates?" Jake asks worriedly for his teammates that skipped practice to see Jessica play.

"Marginally." He answers. "He can't sit everyone so you don't worry about a thing, Jake. They are all good to go for Friday's game. I even tried to get him to reconsider not allowing you to play but..."

"But I knew the rules and still chose to come down. It's fine as long as Patrick can get back to his old self." Jake tells him.

"Lord help us all if that happens." Jessica giggles.

"Amen to that." Coach Pennington laughs. "I'll let you two get back to celebrating. I just wanted to say congratulations to you, Jessica. The whole school is proud of you and your team. I'll see you at the game Friday."

They thank him and return to their families as he heads towards his car.

"Was that Mr. Pennington?" Mr. Golden asks.

"Yes. He came down to watch the game and wanted to congratulate me. He's so nice!" Jessica comments then hugs Jake. "Just like my Jake here."

"Speaking of Jake, we can take him off your hands if he's been too much trouble, Val." Mrs. Gibson suggests. "Getting into a fight and..."

"A fight that he didn't start Pam, remember that." Dr. Golden says. "He only defended himself after the first punch was thrown though truth be known, had he punched Sean, I wouldn't hold it against him."

"I'm just glad that you used your elbow and not your throwing hand to hit that kid. I taught you well, son." Mr. Gibson proudly states.

"That you did, Wes." Mr. Golden says. "You both can be very proud of how he handled that situation. The ladies in the park were very impressed by him."

"I know I am!" Sarah announces mid-yawn.

"We all are, Sarah," Grammy states patting Jake's shoulder.

"We'll see you at the game Friday in Raleigh, right?" Mr. Gibson asks.

Mr. Golden nods. "We'll have him there in time for warm-ups before the game." He assures him.

The families all hug and Jake's parents give Jessica extra hugs while congratulating her again on winning the state championship. She doesn't tell them about the possibility of an academic scholarship that was floated by the woman from UCLA. She decides that if it happens, it can be a nice surprise and if it doesn't then no one gets hurt.

With the goodbye's said they pile into the SUV and start

back towards Grammy's house.

"If you say that it's just over the river and through the woods, Jake, I will punch you," Jessica remarks.

"No punching, Jake. He's been punched enough today, sissy!" Sarah chimes in.

"Don't worry, she can't punch me if I'm massaging her hands, Sar-bear," Jake tells her as he takes Jessica's hands in his and begins to rub them.

"Don't make me separate you two." Dr. Golden playfully warns them.

"Never!" Jessica shouts then laughs.

They pull into Grammy's driveway just behind her and Sarah is the first one out of the SUV.

"I'm gonna go look at the stars!" She announces just before Jessica scoops her up.

"No stars tonight, Sar-bear," Jessica tells her. "You need a shower to wash out that hair dye of Roxie's, then brush your teeth and get into bed. It's already past your bedtime."

"You've got to get up early so you can watch the parade on television," Jake adds.

"The one with all the big balloons?" Sarah asks.

"The very one," Jessica answers her.

Sarah smiles, grabs Jessica's hand and tugs her towards the stairs.

"Come on and help me with my hair, sissy. I gotta see the big balloons tomorrow!" She announces.

Jake and the family laugh as Jessica allows herself to be lead up the stairs.

"Well, I for one am going to start getting stuff ready for tomorrow's dinner," Grammy announces.

"I'll help you out, Mom." Dr. Golden states. "Jake, what are you going to do?"

"I need to look over the script and make some notes on lighting changes and that sort of stuff." He answers. "Unless you need me for something else."

"You do what you need to do, Jake," Grammy tells him. "We have the kitchen covered."

"Thank you, ma'am. I'll do that in my room then go to sleep if that's all right." He says.

"That sounds perfectly fine, Jake. Sweet dreams." Dr. Golden states.

"If you need anything you come and get it, Jake," Grammy tells him.

"I'm going to check my emails. Goodnight, Jake." Mr. Golden tells them then disappears into the living room.

Jake heads upstairs and pauses at his door. He considers saying goodnight to Sarah but he hears the shower running and decides that Jessica will bring her in to say goodnight before bed so he steps into his room. He pulls the play from his bag then stretches out on the bed to read. About halfway through there's a single knock at his door then Sarah bounds into his room and onto his bed.

"You don't have your jammies on, Jake." Sarah points out.

"I still have to brush my teeth, Sar-bear," Jake tells her. "Are you off to bed now?"

"I have to read her a story first and no, Jake can't join in. He's looking over the play we're working on then he has to get ready for bed himself." Jessica tells her.

"So kiss me goodnight and I'll see you in the morning," Jake tells Sarah.

She gives Jake a hug then kisses his unblemished cheek but looks at the other.

"Does it still hurt, Jake?" She asks him.

"Only a little. Your kisses make it better." He answers her.

Jessica smiles and leans in close, kissing him just under the bandages.

"How is it now, Jake?" Jessica asks.

He smiles back at her. "So much better." He answers.

"You look out for me, I look out for you." Jessica giggles.

"That's just what Jess and Jake do!" Sarah laughs.

****

After reading Sarah to sleep, Jessica quietly slips out the door and heads towards the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. She finds her mom just finishing up in there.

"How are you feeling, Jess?" She asks. "Your shoulder still okay?"

Jessica nods. "It feels pretty good. I was thinking of having Jake rub on it some more before bed but now that he's in good with Grammy, I don't want her to get upset with him again."

"She's already gone to bed. It'll be fine." She tells her.

"Cool, I'll get him to come down to the living room and give me a rub down." Jessica smiles.

"You could just go to his room." Dr. Golden suggests.

"His... room?" Jessica asks not sure she heard her mother correctly.

Dr. Golden nods her head. "He has earned some quiet time with you, Jess. Especially with what happened this afternoon. You understand what I mean when I say quiet don't you?"

Jessica slowly nods her head, unable to find the words to answer her.

"Very quiet and be back in your own bed before Sarah wakes up. We don't want her asking any questions over breakfast now do we?" She asks.

"No?" Jessica answers but it comes out as a question. "Mom, we have a rule, nothing under our roof. What exactly are you telling me to do here?"

"Jess, you need your rub down and whatever else happens in there, I don't need to know about. As long as you're back in your own bed before Sarah wakes up you have my permission for tonight." Dr. Golden tells her then turns and walks away leaving her daughter too stunned to speak.

Jessica manages to go through the motions of brushing her teeth and washing her face while her mind whirls. She looks at herself in the mirror for a long moment then makes a decision. With a nod, she turns and heads towards Jake's room.

****

Jake is jotting down a note on his script about a music cue and lighting change when his door opens. A nervous-looking Jessica comes in then closes the door behind her.

"Heading off to bed?" He asks as he sits his script aside.

"In a way." She answers as she walks towards him biting her bottom lip.

He notices that her nipples are prominently poking out in her thin tank top causing his mouth to water imagining taking them into his mouth. He shakes the thought from his head but a part of him is becoming more prominent itself.

Jessica leans in and gives him what he thinks is a goodnight kiss but when she climbs onto the bed and slips her tongue into his mouth he begins to realize it's more. He knows he should stop this but Jessica's hot tongue sliding along his own and the heat of her body so close to his makes him pull her closer. The bed springs under them creak under the added pressure and movement but they barely notice the noise. After several moments of hot, wet kissing Jessica pulls back, breathless, but with a smile on her face.

"That... that was some goodnight kiss, Jess." Jake gasps as he catches his breath.

"The goodnight kiss comes later, baby." She whispers to him.

She kisses him again and begins to work the buttons on his shirt. Jake tries to object but Jess starts kissing her way down his neck causing his protests to die without being voiced. Her kisses descend from his neck to his chest then to his abs where she notices the bruises from the punches Sean threw.

"Do these hurt?" She asks, looking up at him.

"They're just a little sore." He answers.

She nods then tenderly kisses her way around the purple discoloration before sitting back up and grabbing his belt.