"HEY KIDDO," my dad ruffled my hair when he came back from work and found me in the kitchen with Bullet rubbing her body against my leg.

He now had local flights only and international flights Wednesdays, since I had told him about the twins.

He knew I hated it when he called me kiddo and ruffled my hair so he did exactly that.

"Heya Mr. Smoochy Smooch," I was referring to he and Mrs. Thompson's thing that had been going on. He asked for it.

"Well don't polish your wedding shoes yet," he slumped next to me on the couch and continued,
"She said her husband wants to work things out with her so she wants to see whether it will work out. There's nothing going on between us anymore. I really liked her but life goes on."

I knew I was supposed to be at least sympathetic but at the moment, all I could think of was Grace.
Dad's thing with her was what was keeping me from asking her out. It would have been weird if later on, whatever that was going on with our parents had turned very serious.
And he had just given me confirmation that I could ask Grace out and I was dancing on the inside.

"Dial down the enthusiasm," he murmured.

"I'm sorry," I said to him but couldn't help but smile and realized from his face that he was more serious about this than I thought. "I really am sorry Dad. I didn't know you liked Grace's mom that much."

"Life goes on buddy. Life goes on," he took the remote and changed the channel from the movie I was watching to sports news and put his head on my lap.

▃

The following day, I met David earlier at the school park because he wanted to talk about what had gone on between him and Ella.

I saw him sitting at the bleachers wearing a hoodie and his hands in his pockets.
Harmattan sucked big time.

"Hey Jade," he fist bumped me.

"Heya."

"What does heya mean? You say it a lot you know."

"Hey+you, Heya" I explained to him.

I sat beside him and looked at the park. The grass was green but there was fogginess everywhere, which was to be expected since it was December. Harmattan was on its way with full force.

"So what's up?" I asked David.

"You remember the day we met? In the hallway?"

"Yeah. Bullet almost put me in trouble that day," I laughed a little as those memories resurfaced.

"The night before, I went to a party at some guy's house. I was new here and wanted some info on...," he stopped and looked at me.

"...on me, don't worry I get it."

I did remember the party. I hadn't gone because it was during those times that I thought that no one wanted to be my friend.

The guy who threw it was Richard Crown. A sleazy guy and a senior who had the word 'rich' in his name too.

"So I asked a few guys about you but they were either too drunk or too occupied to care. Then I saw Ella. I felt this electric tension between us but she was frowning so hard I thought her face would break into two."

▃

FLASHBACK

David looked around trying to see if he would recognize from back when he lived in the town with his dad. So far, none. He spotted a dark girl facing him frowning. Initially, he thought she was frowning at him but realized that she was just frowning in general. The moment he saw her, it seemed time had stopped for him. Or rather, his testosterone had shot up ×1000. He walked over to her and said hi.

"Not interested," the girl replied.

"I wasn't actually coming to -,"

"What do you want?" the girl cut him off and asked.

He had to find something to say and fast, before he embarrassed himself. If only his heart would get the memo and stop beating so fast.

"Do you know anyone called Mensa in St. James High School?" he blurted out.

"Jade Mensa?" she arched her eyebrows.

"I think so. Yeah." he remembered his dad saying that Mr. Mensa had named his son after his wife.

That could mean that the Mensa he was looking for was the same Jade Mensa the girl knew.

Just then, Calvin Harris' Summer started blaring so loud he thought his eardrums would burst.

"Let's go upstairs and talk," the girl shouted.

"Sure!"

One moment they were in an upstairs bedroom and were introducing themselves to each other (the girl was called Ella).

The next moment, they were kissing so hard they had gasp for breath now and then. Both of them seemed inexperienced and kept fumbling with their clothes in the dark room.

Afterwards, there was awkwardness drenched in the air. The hook up had lasted for about 5 minutes. Not for lack of trying, but lack of experience.

Ella should have seen blood since it was her first time but was surprised as she didn't. She also didn't want David to think that it was something she did often. Without a word, she got up and dressed and rushed out of the room.

David shouted after her, "What about Jade Mensa?"

PRESENT DAY

"I never saw her again until the day we went to her house," David brushed his hand over face.

"You fell hard for her, d-didn't you?" I laughed and tried to diffuse any awkwardness.

"That was the only thing you got?" Dave smiled and shook his head.

"That was the only thing you g-gave," I laughed again.

"Come on, let's get going before I punch you," Dave got up and I did same.

We were walking in the hallway when I said, "Hey Dave."

"Yeah?" he turned to me.

"I am g-going to t-tease so much on this."

I dodged his punch and entered my first class, laughing so hard I thought my ribs would break.

▃

The scene between David and Ella was my first attempt ever at a hook up scene so I know it isn't so great :/
Catch you guys later!