Hope | ✔

Chapter 24: Enjoying The Little Things

"I think a really nice feeling is when you're laughing with someone and you realize half-way through how much you just enjoy their existence."

Jaime-mae found a certain tall, brown eyed, ruffled dark haired boy, kept popping up into her mind at random times. And her friends had caught her smiling to herself at random times also. The two moments were related, obviously. And she didn't mind much. Not much at all.

When she was walking home from school, a car rolled up beside her and beeped loudly. She almost dropped her backpack out of panic. When she looked over, she noticed Fabian laughing at her from inside the car.

Jaimie-mae glared at him and Fabian just continued laughing as he swung the car door open.

"Well aren't you a little ray of sunshine today," he said cheerily.

She continued glaring at him. "Shut up."

He gasped. "Is little miss sunshine being rude?"

"Why are you doing that?" Jaimie-mae asked suspiciously.

"Doing what? Just get in the car. My brother can't wait to see you."

Jaimie-mae smiled. "I think i'm starting to like him more than you."

Fabian frowned and to Jaimie-mae he looked genuinely upset. 

"Sorry, i d-"

He laughed loudly. "You are just too sweet. Get in Jaimie."

Jaimie-mae rolled her eyes but ran around to the passenger side and hopped in after throwing in her backpack. 

"Put your seatbelt on," Fabian said as he put his on.

She did so without arguing then relaxed back into her seat.

After about five minutes of silence, Fabian looked at Jaimie-mae out of the corner of his eye.

"You're not mad at me. Are you?"

Jaimie-mae turned her head to look at him. "No, why would i be?"

"Well. I kinda told you i liked you and then i showed up at the restaurant lip wrestling with another girl."

Jaimie-mae cringed. "Right. Um. No i'm not mad, just a little disappointed i guess. I mean... i know why you did it."

Fabian looked surprised and his grip on the wheel visibly tightened. "You did?"

"Yeah. Of course. I'm childish and still in high school. The girl you were with was more... grown up and developed, i guess. And you don't want to be with someone with PTSD, i get it. I understand."

Fabian cursed under his breath and forcefully hit the wheel with one hand. He took a deep breath than reached over towards Jaimie-mae. She wondered if he was going to try to hold her hand but at last minute he snapped his hand back to the wheel and her face fell.

"You couldn't be more wrong," he said strongly.

"Huh?"

"You may be a little childish, but i think that's cute. And also, you are a lot more sophisticated in certain situations than most of my college friends. And i don't care about your PTSD, it just shows how determined you are to not let it take over. I mean you have a job and everything," he said with a grin.

Jaimie-mae laughed as her cheeks flushed. "You sound like a proud parent."

"Okay wow. That's new. But i am proud Jaimie-baby."

Jaimie-mae's cheeks flushed an even stronger strawberry color and Fabian playfully cooed at her and tried to reach over and pinch her cheeks. She smacked his hand away quickly and he scowled.

"You've got a really strong hit for such a small girl."

"I don't know whether i should thank you or not."

He shrugged. "Yeah, i don't know either."

Jaimie-mae narrowed her eyes at him and he chuckled. "You never did tell me why you went out with that girl other than she was a distraction."

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly as he turned to the right using one hand. "Oh right. Um, my Dad said that i shouldn't be more than friends with you."

Jaimie-mae's face fell and she began to get nervous. "O-oh. Did he not like me?"

Fabian shot her a quick look that said 'are you freakin kidding me'. "What! Of course he did. He just thinks that it would be better if i didn't do anything with an underaged girl."

Jaimie-mae coughed awkwardly. "Oh, i guess that kinda makes sense. Is he gonna be okay with me coming over then?"

He furrowed his brows "Yeah, of course."

"It's not nice to lie."

"Are you using my own words against me?"

"Yes," Jaimie-mae said plainly.

He chuckled. "Fine. I didn't ask, but i'm sure he will be once i explain im helping you with your homework."

"Okay," she said unsurely.

Jaimie-mae's heart pounded as she noticed the familiar street that led to the Sharp's house. She wasn't so excited to be there anymore. It was more like she wanted to evaporate and go live with the clouds until the next time it rained.

"Hey Jaimie, stop overthinking it," Fabian said as he pulled into their driveway. "If it makes you feel any better, my dad doesn't get home til' like seven thirty."

Jaimie-mae nodded and hopped out of the car after he put the car in park. She grabbed her backpack and then walked beside Fabian up to the front door.

After letting themselves in, Jaimie-mae was tackled to the wooden floor by an excited Mason. She landed backwards with a soft oomf and Mason nuzzled his head into her flat stomach.

After catching her breath, she laughed softly. "Hey Mason."

Mason mumbled something like a 'your back' and continued to nuzzle his head into her stomach.

After a few seconds of Fabian getting restless, he pulled Mason up off of Jaimie-mae and then gently threw him onto a small couch in the corner. He then helped Jaimie-mae off of the floor.

"Sorry about that. He hasn't been getting much attention from mom this week."

Jaimie-mae frowned. "It's fine."

"Come on." He guestered for her to follow him up the stairs.

When Jaimie-mae got into his room, she felt a lot more comfortable this time. She rushed over and face-planted into his big bed with the cool comforters.

"I'm starting to think my bed was your only motivation for coming here today." He wiggled his eyebrows.

She blushed. "No. I also came here for Mason."

He put his hand to his heart. "That hurt. What about me?"

"I don't know? What about you?"

He gaped at her, but didn't hesitate to tackle her into the bed, poking her playfully in her sides and ruffling her wavy hair.

Her light giggles floated around the room and then through the house. They seemed to light the house up like fairy lights with this kind of happy glow; which was very much needed at the moment.

She began wheezing with laughter. "Wait stop! Please! I need to pee!" She was blushing furiously now.

Fabian immediately pulled back and laughed loudly. "Go ahead then. Right through there. When you come back, we'll start on your homework."

"Okay. Be right back."