Heart Attack

15

Lennox

Jesse was sitting across from me again on the train back to Manningtree. He was reading in my book that he asked for when we got on. It's funny watching him read. He looked so focussed but relaxed at the same time. I turned back on my own book that I was making at a record speed. I got from seven chapter to fourteen and I was just starting chapter fifteen when a notification pinged on Jesse's phone. He placed the book open on his chest as he fished out his phone from his pocket. He scowled at first before clicking on the notification. Then I saw the last tension in his shoulders disappear like snow before the summer sun. He leaned his head against the window and let out a long breath. I focussed back on my tablet before he saw me looking. I didn't know what it was that made him relax completely but as long as the tension for the disastrous lunch with his father is gone, I was happy. The whole train ride we sat in a comfortable silence. Him reading and me writing. Sometimes my eyes shifted to him, taking in his beautiful, relax face. I really didn't understand the pull towards him. A kind of pull I never had before.

Tonight was the New Year's Eve party. Dad and Eline left a few hours ago and the team and some of Jake and Bryn's old high school friends should arrive soon. I choose a little red dress, the V-neck cut low enough to tease any man. I put on mum's rose-gold necklace before I styled my hair a little. I could hear the boys playing a game downstairs. And when I arrived, I blinked a few times since Jesse was playing with them. They were all dressed up. Nice clean jeans with a button-down shirt on top. Jake wore a green shirt, that matched his eyes perfectly, making them pop up even more. Bryn wore a white one, with a breast pocket in rainbow colours. Then there was Jesse. Just looking at him made my heart beat faster. He wore a navy-blue shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing off is firm forearms. He had the first few buttons undone.

"Stop ogling us, Lenni." Jake grinned, not taking his eyes off the TV.

"Why should I? I can appreciate a good looking man." I smiled before I turned and walked to the kitchen to get the ice tub ready for the beers. Dad was okay with the party as long that there was no hard liquor. I placed to tin tubs on the kitchen island before grabbing the ice bags from the freezer. In the corner of my I saw Jesse toss his controller to Jake before heading towards me.

"Let me help." He said, taking the bags from me. A collective 'aaaaw' came from the couch, a thing Jesse and I both ignored. I opened my mouth to reply but he was faster than me. "I know, you are strong independent woman, who doesn't need any help, especially from a man."

I was going to say that but I said something else, curious to see his reaction. "I was going to say... thank you."

His baffled face, his rapidly blinking eyes almost made me burst out laughing. He gave me my favourite crooked smile before he ripped the bags open and poured the ice in the tin tubs. In the mean time, Jake and Bryn stopped gaming as they put on the music and just in case, stored away anything valuable. The doors to all our rooms were locked, only the upstairs bathroom was free to use. Just as we placed the last beer in the tub, the doorbell rang.

A few hours into the party, and most of them were already pretty drunk and it wasn't even twelve o'clock yet. I wasn't drinking because, well at least one should keep an eye out on all the drunk frat guys. So, it was the whole football team that came over, except for Daniel. He chose to spend new years with his girlfriend. But they weren't the only ones here. Jake and Bryn's old high school friends were there too. Both girls and boys, which the football team didn't mind in the least to see some fresh faces. Jake was already so wasted; I wasn't sure he was going to make it to new year's. Bryn wasn't as drunk as he wanted to keep an eye on everything too. Jesse was a little tipsy about an our ago, but it certainly leaning towards drunk now.