Teenage Fantasy Ch. 01

"Fine." He stood up from the chair and made his way over to his teammates. They patted his back as he sat down.

"We don't want you to get too geeked out!" Steven Grant laughed, shooting a glance Mabel's way.

"Chill, she's not bad," Jake responded.

Mabel gritted her teeth, keeping her eyes on the page but barely noticing the words. Was she such a plague that it rubbed off on people? Without asking, she stood and grabbed the bathroom pass, leaving the room.

_________

Hazel eyes stared back at her as she looked in the mirror. She removed her glasses, and immediately her vision blurred, softening the world around her. This had never been a problem before. Her isolation was out of habit, one that she worked hard to keep. Now, it felt like a curse. In three days, she went from being content with how she navigated this life to suddenly being ashamed of it. Tucking the strawberry bang behind her ear, she observed herself, tracing the freckles, the roundness of her face, and the paleness of her skin.

"Awful," she whispered. The sound of the bell echoed in the deserted restroom. Putting her glasses back on, she scurried back to Noble's class.

Mabel pushed against the swarm of bodies and into the classroom to gather her things.

"Hey." Jake was grabbing his bag, and the sound of his voice began to irritate her. If only he had left her alone.

"Where'd ya go?"

"Nowhere." The answer was as short as she could make it, and she pulled all of her books into her arms quickly.

"Am I still seeing you after school?"

"If you want to." Mabel pushed past him. Jake turned and let her pass. She kept her head low, briskly walking towards the door.

"Alright, then. See ya later, Mabel."

Mabel ignored Jake's response and looked up into Tonya's glaring blue pupils as she pushed past the other students. She could feel the malicious gaze even after ducking her head to look away. Tonya had never paid any attention to her. Why was she staring at her now?

Rosenhart's Trigonometry class was one of her last of the day, and Jake still remained on her mind. The teacher's voice was an annoying background track to her racing thoughts. She thought of Jake's words to his friends.

"Not that bad," she mumbled to herself. Still, she couldn't help but contemplate their brief conversations. He always seemed sincere when he was talking to her. It unnerved her. Why would he even bother trying? Clearly, she could do the project. In the end, they can recite a few words and hope that her thesis carries them to a passing grade. He didn't need to bother pretending to want to work, and she could afford to get a high B on the project and pass finals. The reasoning was sound and comforting, but she still had to meet him after school.

_________

It was 4:30 by the time Mabel made it to the library. She halted in front of the doors, taking a deep breath.

When she entered, she immediately spotted the couple making out at the first table. The librarian only worked until 1:00, and after that, the place was unattended. Mabel walked up to them. Tonya was straddling Jake and feverishly kissing him, her moans almost filling the entire room.

Mabel didn't want to interrupt and stood awkwardly, looking around at the towers of bookshelves. "Are we still gonna study?"

Her voice was quieter than she had intended, and the two didn't notice her presence.

"Hello?" Mabel spoke louder, and they pulled apart from each other, Tonya more reluctant to do so.

"What nerd?"

"We are suppo-"

"Babe, you know, we're working on Noble's project together. Plus, you gotta get to cheer practice." He smacked and grabbed her ass. Mabel surveyed the bookshelves, choosing to stare at literally anything else.

"You're right, baby." Tonya kissed Jake again, glaring at Mabel before sliding off his lap. "I'll see you later. I love you."

Mabel rolled her eyes, looking around the nearly deserted room.

"Later babe." He grinned and watched her as she walked away.

Finally, Mabel looked back at him and wished she hadn't. Jake had a clear bulge growing along his thigh.

"So, Macbeth..." Jake said, not mentioning the glance she took at his dick. "Great stuff, huh?"

Mabel set her books on the table and sat in the chair across from him. "Not exactly."

"Oh." Jake's face fell.

"I don't want to take up too much of your time."

Mabel replied matter-of-factly, adjusting her glasses before meeting him square in the eyes. She didn't want this to drag on; she'd already resigned herself to finishing the report as quickly as possible.

"So, what did you want to go over?"

Jake watched her for a second. He felt like he was in a business meeting. She seemed annoyed at even having to be there.

"The book, Mabel."

Mabel sighed and fumbled through her backpack, looking for her copy of Macbeth. It was gone! She started pulling notebooks and other large textbooks out of the pouch and piling them onto the table.

Jake watched as more papers and books filled the once-empty space.

"You... looking for this?"

He pulled the worn copy from his bag and landed it on the table.

"Yes! Why do you have my book?"

"The notes are helpful," he shrugged nonchalantly.

Glaring at him, she began the tedious task of putting everything back into her bag. "It's not ok to just take people's stuff without permission."

"Well, you're my partner. I figured you wouldn't mind."

"You don't know if I would or wouldn't. That's why you ask!" Mabel hissed, raising her voice.

Jake raised his eyebrows, intrigued by her new tone. "Ok, I'll ask next time."

"Why are we here?" Mabel glared at him. "I told you that I could do everything. Just focus on... kissing Tonya and football or whatever!"

"You like having everyone piggyback off of your work?" Jake leaned forward on the table. "Is that it?"

"Does it matter, Jake? You need the grade. That's why you made me your partner, right?"

He assessed the girl in front of him before running his eyes over the tower of books she'd pulled from her bag.

"Partner, Mabel. I'm not gonna make you do all the work."

Scoffing, she shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I wouldn't want you to get too geeked out."

"I never said that."

"You don't have to," Mabel replied, shaking her head. "I prefer to work alone anyway."

Jake sat back and watched her for a moment. She wasn't looking at him; her eyes were on the table as she spoke. It bothered him.

"You don't want me to do anything? Or, you think I can't?"

"I think you won't, Jake. Not that you can't. You're not dumb." Jake scoffed, but Mabel continued. "The entire school eats out of your palm, and you let them. This time it's my turn."

"You don't know me, Mabel." Jake clenched his jaw.

"I'm not sure what you wanted to accomplish here, Jake."

"I wanted to get to know you and talk about the book."

"You wanted to get to know me? Please. We're not friends."

Jake gave a humorless laugh. "I see that."

Mabel sat back, watching him shake his head at her. "Is that news to you?"

"Why are you so argumentative?"

"Oh, wow. Sorry, did I forget to bow to you in the hallway?"

"Yeah, you shoulda kissed my fucking feet when you walked in." Jake replied sarcastically. "What's wrong with you? I haven't done shit to you. We've barely spoken two words to each other."

"Maybe that's a good thing. Clearly, our conversations don't go well."

"Clearly," Jake agreed.

"So, are we done here?" Mabel hastily packed her backpack. Jake watched her clear the pile. Her plan had succeeded. She could now finish the project by herself and not have to worry about Jake. She thought about Noble's class and how she'd felt in the bathroom. The memory was a punch in the gut. Jake wasn't the problem; she was. Still, her life would be back to normal, and she'd fade into the background again. Reaching for the worn Macbeth copy, she enjoyed the small victory.

Jake snatched the book away before she could grab it.

"Hey!"

Mabel glared at him, dropping her jaw in shock. Jake returned her defiance.

"We're not done, Mabel. Tell me about this damn book."

"Why do you care so much? I told you I would do it."

Her tone had changed. Mabel was baffled. It didn't make sense for him to turn down her deal. He'd sat next to her so she could do all of the work. He was now fighting with her to be able to participate.

"I..."

Jake shifted his jaw, looking past her towards the walnut bookshelves before looking into her light hazel eyes again.

"I don't like to be counted out."

"You don't like to be counted out?"

"No, I don't. I can help with the report once you stop being so fucking stubborn."

She ran her eyes over the guy across from her. He was glaring at her, still holding her book in his hands. He was serious. Her plans burned to ash. Mabel lifted her chin in defiance, crossing her arms in front of her.

"And what if I don't wanna work with you?"

Jake couldn't help laughing at her response. She was obstinate in a way he'd never experienced before, challenging him at every turn.

"I'd be missing out on your wonderful conversation skills."

A dumbfounded smile crossed Mabel's face. He realized it was the first time he'd seen her smile. She had two deep dimples that bit into the apples of her cheeks. Perfect teeth flashed a bright grin, illuminating her golden hazel eyes. The disbelieving smile accentuated her beauty.

"Seriously?"

Mabel posed the rhetorical question, punctuated by a bewildered expression. The witty response had caught her off guard. She had expected him to give up. It was evident in his determination that he wouldn't. Jake's features softened, and a smile began to form on his lips. It felt like he was studying her. His sea-blue eyes narrowed into a perplexing expression, and she found herself wondering what he was thinking.

"Can I have my book back?" Mabel held her hand out.

"You gonna leave if I give it to you?" He gave a look of mock suspicion.

"No." She replied, sighing. "I'm going to tell you about the damn book."

A full grin revealed deep dimple lines that cut his cheeks and ended along his jaw. Gradually, Jake handed the book over to her, exaggerating his lack of trust. Mabel rolled her eyes as he gave it back to her.

"Macbeth is a tragedy," Mabel started. Opening the book and flipping through the pages "It's a tale of greed, ambition, and ultimately failure. It discusses the inevitable consequences of one's self-fulfillment. Macbeth will sacrifice anything to gain power and enlists his wife to help do his dirty work. Together, they share the burden of killing someone. The guilt sends Lady Macbeth into madness. She feels she'll never be freed from the act and can't cope with her and her husband's decision."

Jake listened to Mabel talk, noting the difference in her demeanor. She allowed herself to relax, discussing the different characters and acts in the play with him. Mabel barely even noticed Jake, flipping through her book to add context to her discussion.

"Whoa," he interrupted, "you're really smart."

She smiled again. The action was natural this time. It was small, not even a grin, but her full lips turned upward, and a pink blush filled the rounds of her cheeks.

"I just spend a lot of time reading. That's all."

"Mabel, that was the whole report right there." Jake sat forward, intrigued. "I mean, you have a thesis and supporting claims. It's like you've already written everything."

Mabel swallowed, gliding her eyes over the pages to escape his earnest gaze. Somehow, his acknowledgement felt nerve-wracking. He seemed impressed, but there was nothing impressive about it. Not compared to any of his accolades.

"Yeah, well, I've read it a couple of times."

Was that a joke? Jake laughed, and Mabel did too. "I can see that."

After a moment, she voiced the question that was gnawing at her.

"Why does this mean so much to you? I thought you just needed the grade."

"I do," Jake replied, keeping his words short. Mabel watched him look away again. He tapped his finger against the desk and shook his head. She watched his demeanor shift before drawing him back from his thoughts.

"Jake?"

She spoke softly, feeling like the subject she tiptoed along had a sharp edge.

Jake looked back at her.

"How far behind in Noble's class are you?"

He glared at the question. She watched him tense as he pulled back from her, guarding himself against the subject. Mabel knew she should let it go and not pry into his life. For a moment, it crossed her mind to change the subject, but his reaction made her want to know more.

Jake had always been placed on a pedestal within the school. Short blonde hair, deep ocean blue eyes, a sharp-cut nose, and a defined jawline—not to mention his gleaming lopsided grin. He looked like a sculpture come to life. From what she heard, he played football well. He was always the center of attention when he was in class, joking with the people around him and disobeying his teachers for fun. It was hard to imagine him struggling with school.

"Pretty far behind." Jake cleared his throat and scoffed as he thought about it. "I'm, uh, probably not gonna graduate, actually."

He didn't know why he told her that. It's not like anyone ever cared about his grades. He was damn good at football, and for a school that lived and breathed the sport, he thought that was all he needed. Now, in his senior year, he found out he was wrong.

"Why not? How many classes are you behind in?"

"Does it matter to you, Mabel?"

Jake's voice was thin with suppressed irritation. He glared at the redhead across from him. Her brow furrowed as she thought over his question. Frowning, she nodded.

"I guess that's why I'm asking."

For a moment, he felt spiteful. Mabel was a straight-A student and in the running for valedictorian. She obviously didn't think he was smart enough to work on the same project with her. Now, she wanted to bring up his other classes. Was she gloating?

"History." He watched her reaction. His voice was almost menacing. "English. Spanish. I'm barely passing science. That make you feel better?"

"What? No way! I was just-"

"I know you don't want to work with me, Mabel. You've made it clear since Monday. You wanna drive home that I'm not good enough to do the project with you; I get it."

"That is not what I'm trying to do, Jake!"

"Yeah, alright." This time, Jake started gathering his stuff. "You've made your point."

"What point? I'm just asking-"

"That I'm dumb as fuck. Which is why you don't want me to be your partner."

"Would you stop saying that?" Mabel glared at him, "I already told you, I don't think you're dumb. I want to help you!"

The words flew from Mabel's mouth before she could think to stop them. It shocked even her. Did she want to help Jake Edwards? A few minutes ago, she didn't even want to work on the project with him. Yet now, watching how hurt he seemed when talking about his academics, she realized she was wrong. He did care, even if he tried not to show it.

"You wanna help me?"

He didn't believe her, and she couldn't blame him.

"Yes, well, I mean, I can. I know I'm not someone you want to hang out with, but maybe I could help you study... so you can graduate."

Mabel's stomach was tied in knots as she made the offer. She could feel her heart racing. Was she nervous? Why would she be nervous? He would decline. She was sure of it. It would probably ruin his reputation for him to be studying with the outcast.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I think you can do it. I mean, it's the first semester, and we are a month and a half away from finals. I think if you pass them and the next two semesters, you can graduate."

Jake swallowed as she continued discussing possible study plans. His eyes remained on her, but Mabel wasn't looking at him. An unsure gaze was on the table as she pitched the idea.

"Mabel, why would you think I don't wanna hang out with you?"

"What?" Mabel finally looked at him, halting her words.

"You said, you know I don't wanna hang out with you. I never said that."

"I-You- Well, you don't. I mean, I'm not someone that you would hang out with. But it's not like anyone needs to know anything. It won't affect your reputation."

"You think that's what I'm like? That I care about that shit?"

Mabel's stomach dropped. She couldn't understand why Jake seemed upset. It was true.

"Well, yeah. Of course you do."

"You don't know shit about me, Mabel!"

Jake didn't yell. If anything, his tone was low and unabashedly angry. Getting up, he swung his bag over his shoulder.

"I'm just offering to help you, Jake!"

"You can keep it. I have to go meet up with Tonya."

He turned and left, his long legs easily crossing to the exit of the library.

She watched him leave, then gathered her stuff as well, quickly exiting and going home.

*****

"Morning, Mabel."

Jake's voice startled her as she swapped textbooks from her locker to her book bag. Mabel finished, closing her locker to look at him. He was leaning against the one next to hers, his clear blue eyes burning her skin.

"You scared me!"

His mouth twitched into a small smile at the wide-eyed expression on the redhead's face. She pushed up her glasses and hugged a book to her chest.

"I just wanted to say... " Jake shifted his jaw, glancing around them before peering at her. "I, uh, I'm sorry about yesterday. I want to... take you up on your offer."

Mabel raised her eyebrows at the football player. His eyes fell from her to the beige tile floor. She had stayed up last night replaying the interaction.

"Jake, what I said yesterday, I shouldn't have judged you."

He returned his gaze to her. "I haven't given you much reason to think differently. Mabel, I wanna pass. I need to. You still don't mind helping me, right?"

He was sincere, maybe even a little nervous. He tried to hide it with a sarcastic smile, but Mabel could still see the intent behind it. He needed this, and she could help him. Taking a deep breath, she slowly nodded.

"If you're serious about graduating, then I'll help you. But you have to be serious, Jake."

He couldn't help releasing a breath of relief; he hadn't realized how anxious he was about her saying no until she'd agreed.

"I'll show you that I am."

Smiling, she nodded, "Good. Then we can-"

"Jaake!"

Tonya linked her arms around his waist, popping up behind him. "Hey baby, you didn't come to see me this morning?"

"Oh. Hey, babe." Jake lifted his arm, tucking the girl along his side as he embraced her. Craning her head up, she kissed him deeply.

"Well, ok then," Mabel said before moving around the couple. Jake broke off the kiss as she passed them, watching her walk away.

"I'll see you in Noble's class, Mabel."

She gave a half-wave without looking back and disappeared up the stairs.

_________

"So, I don't get it." Jake sat down next to Mabel, tossing Macbeth on the table. "Are the witches real or not?"

"It depends on who you ask." Mabel looked up. "Have you been reading it?"

"Yeah, but I'm confused. Why would they say all that stuff? How can a battle be lost and won?"

"Well," Mabel pondered, "it's like football. The quarters are battles, and the game is the war. During those quarters, a team could have a great defense, make excellent offensive plays, but not score any touchdowns. In one way, they win by ensuring the other team doesn't score, but on the other hand, they also don't get any points. They've lost and won."

Jake thought over her response and nodded. "I didn't think of it like that. So what are they? Some sort of psychics or something?"

"The weird sisters are prophets in a way." Mabel nodded. "I guess they do see Macbeth's future."

"So, he'll get what he wants then?"

"Yes and no."

Jake tilted his head, waiting for elaboration.