realist ━━ jess mariano

16| war and peace

   SHE DIDN'T SPEAK AT FIRST. She simply stared at him, doe-eyed, her eyes urging him to elaborate instead. Rosie slowly took off her headphones, and focused on the sound of light rain as opposed to the Nevermind album tracks blasting in her ears a few seconds ago. Her headphones rested around her neck, and she stiffened the more she stared at him.

    Jake opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. And then opened it again. "Is anyone home?" He loosened his grip on the strap of his backpack, thus pushing him down with him for a second.

She chewed on her lip, deep in concentration as she observed the bruise on his under-eye and his bruised knuckles. She couldn't guess how him getting in a fight would lead him here, and wasn't sure she wanted to ask. "You look awful."

    "You should see the other guy."

    "Who is he?" She tilted her head, pensive. "Maybe I should send him a thank you card."

     Jake hesitated before answering, slumping against the brick wall at the front porch. He ignored her remark, and revealed; "Chuck."

"Chuck." She repeated bluntly.

"I know what he told you— and it's not true, by the way." Irritation hardens on his face.

She tried to keep her tone reasonably low while asking; "Why are you here, Jake?"

By then, she guessed why. Jake didn't have the most trustful relationship with his parents. He never confided in her of this, but he didn't have to, either. She knew his parents weren't oblivious to his mischievousness; in fact, they took drastic measures to show him a lesson every time they'd get a call from the school that he got into yet another fight. Which meant that if he goes home looking exactly as he did now, their threat of sending him to boarding school would become a reality.

"Just to tell you that." He grumbled. "That it's not true, what Chuck told you."

Rosie sensed the lie. She knew him well enough to know he'd never go out of his way to prove himself righteous. "Lorelai's coming back in half an hour." She lied. "You can clean yourself up and go."

She opened the door, reluctantly allowing him in. Jake, visibly frazzled, took a step in. "Thanks." He said, letting out a breath of relief.

    He slung his backpack over his shoulders, roaming to the kitchen. He set his backpack on the table, turning to her when he caught sight of the pack of cherry flavoured Cola. Jake has never stepped foot in her house before. He wasn't exactly the type of guy she'd bring home to meet her sister. Lorelai still knew him; enough to know he's a jerk, but not enough to warn Rosie to stay away from him. "Cherry flavoured?" There was a hint of judgment in his voice.

    "Want some?"

    "No, thanks." He opened his backpack, taking two drinks out of it. "Here," He handed her a can. "You look like you need a drink."

    "I don't drink." Rosie let out, placing it back on the table. "Anymore." She was only one week into breaking her habit of mindless drinking.

    "Non-alcoholic." The label was ripped off, which she guessed was in case his parents find it in his bag. Rosie held the can for a moment before popping it open, taking a sip. Jake smiled slightly. "So, where's the bathroom?"

    Rosie directed him to the bathroom, watching him step in and turning on the water. She stood outside the bathroom, not knowing what to do with herself. She wasn't sure she wanted to leave him alone. So she stood there, finishing the drink to keep herself busy. She then peeked into the bathroom to see him messily "Are you drunk?" She asked out of the blue.