“I guess I realized how we have a lot more in common than I thought we did and found it kinda funny.”
“What do we have in common?”
“Other than the fact that we’re both incredibly hot?” He teases.
“Don’t deflect. Especially with a compliment that strokes your own ego.”
“Fine. Fine. Your comment about how it’s hard for you to ask for help.” He points at his face. “Why do you think I let my grade tank for so long? Or why I chased off so many tutors?”
I’m intentional about my eye contact. “There’s no shame in asking for help when you’re struggling in school, Jake.”
“Just like there’s no shame in letting a friend read over yourpaper so you can start relaxing on a Saturday night.” He gives me a small smirk, knowing he had me there.
“But now you’re not relaxing. Seems a bit contradictory to your stance of not working on weekends, no?” I quip.
“Well you’ve helped me with my homework, so now I’m returning the favor. As a friend. Plus I already got to have my fun tonight at the party.”
“I thought you said the party was boring.”
“It was. Because you weren’t there.”
I bite my lip trying not to break out into a smile.No need to blush like a schoolgirl over some nice words, Eliana.
“See, I am capable of giving you a compliment without it being tied to me.”
“Alright. Alright. Less chatter, more editing.” I gesture to my laptop that’s still in his hands.
“Aye, Aye Sergeant.” He gives me a mock salute, turning his attention back to my laptop as he gets to work.
Chapter 17
Jake
The familiar scent of garlic, basil, and roasted tomatoes hits my nose as I enter my parent’s house. You would think that with both myself and my younger sister Sienna going to college in Boston, we would have more time to visit home. But I honestly couldn’t remember the last time we all came together for a family dinner. This one was particularly special as we were celebrating Charlotte’s dissertation defense, we’d attended this morning. She’d spent the rest of the day celebrating with her lab mates which left the dinner plans to us. From the entrance of the house, I can hear my mom’s cackling laughter, which is followed by a groan from my dad as Sienna whines, “Mom it’s not funny.”
Among a fit of giggles, my mom manages to get out, “I don’t knooow SiSi. I think it’s pretty hilarious.”
I turn the corner into the kitchen to see my dad and Sienna dripping wet and my mom with a half-empty champagne bottle in her hands. “Damn, you guys started celebrating without me?”
If looks could kill, I’m sure I’d be dead already with the glowering look on Sienna’s face. “Don’t you start, Jake.”
I have to clamp down my lips to avoid busting out into a howling laugh, which is really difficult given how ridiculous her and my dad look right now. I’m sure I would be pissed if I was in their shoes, but they looked like two cartoon characters who just got stuck in a torrential downpour. Add the fact that my mom had either accidentally, or maybe even intentionally, doused them in champagne really made this situation ten times funnier. “Can I get you a towel or something?” I snicker. “Maybe next time you’ll learn not to stand in the splash zone.”
“Ha. Ha. You’re sooo funny.” Sienna takes the half-empty champagne bottle from my mom and stalks closer to me, like a hunter closing in on their prey.
“Whatever you’re thinking, I’d highly recommend you reconsider.” I hold my hands up above my head in mock defeat. “We don’t want a repeat of my 14th birthday now, do we?”
Sienna and Charlotte had both conspired to shove my face into my cake in front of all my teammates. Probably as payback for all the times I had forgotten to put the toilet seat down that week. Unfortunately for them, I had it spotted from the moment they stood on either side of me to sing me happy birthday. And in the end, I spent the entirety of my party clean as a whistle while they spent the rest of the night washing icing out of their hair.
“Thanks for reminding me. I owe you 7 year-old payback!” A few seconds later she’s chasing me around the living room trying to douse me with the remaining contents in the bottle while my mom yells at her not to get any of her furniture wet.
There are a few close calls but I’m able to use my height to reach over and snag the bottle from her hands in sweet victory, taking a swig from the bottle in celebration.
“You’re so annoying,” she huffs, stomping off to her old room to clean up.
My dad follows her out a few seconds later after putting me in charge of watching over the stove. While my mom was an absolute genius when it came to research, her skills in the kitchen were lacking at best and at worst, the direct result of our entire family getting food poisoning during Thanksgiving ten years ago.
When the coast is clear, I turn my attention back to my mom who is definitely a couple of glasses of wine in. “You did that on purpose, didn't you?”
