Teenage Fantasy Ch. 01

"What?"

"Does he become a Thane?"

"I'm not telling you!" Mabel smiled briefly, her eyes lighting up.

"What? Why not?"

"You have to read the play."

Jake smacked his teeth. "Or, you could just tell me."

"I won't just tell you!" She beamed, shaking her head. Twice, Jake counted to himself. She smiled twice. He wondered why it mattered to him.

"Fine then. I'll just read the stupid book."

"Good, that will help you pick a scene."

"Oh, I get to pick the scene now? I thought you were doing it, Mabel."

"Well, you're the actor, so... I guess you would be better at it."

"Well, I don't like to brag, but... "

"Oh, really?" She laughed, "Just pick a scene."

Jake nodded, listening to her laugh. It was a surprisingly jubilant explosion, filling the space around them. He grinned at the purity of the sound and scanned his gaze over her.

"You have a nice laugh." The words escaped before he could think, and he watched her surprised expression.

Mabel couldn't understand the flutter of nerves that filled her at the compliment. Her laugh had never been anything special. She wondered why he'd care to notice. Yesterday in the library flashed through her mind, and she chided herself. Once again, she was judging him. It felt like everything she'd assumed about the guy next to her was wrong.

"Um, thanks," she replied, ducking her head.

Nodding, he returned his eyes to the book but couldn't concentrate enough to read it. Instead, he looked back at her. She twirled the bottom of a pen between her lips as she read over the pages.

"About our agreement?" His voice was lowered so he couldn't be heard.

"Yeah?" Mabel pulled away from her thoughts.

"When do you want to study?"

"I study all the time," Mabel replied, her tone tinged with sarcasm, "so when do you want to study?"

"I'm free Wednesdays and Saturdays. I have work and football on other days."

"You work?" She hadn't pictured him having a job.

"Yeah, part-time."

"Well, we can meet on Wednesdays after school. In the library."

"Yeah, Wednesday's got it."

For a while, they were quiet, a stark contrast to the rest of the class. Both of them contemplated each other, trapped in their own thoughts while pretending to read the books they held.

"Hey, Jake?" Mabel broke the silence with a whisper of her own, looking up at the guy beside her. He glanced down at her.

"Yeah?"

"I don't think you're dumb." Mabel wanted him to know that. He seemed put off by her words. He furrowed his brow momentarily before nodding.

"I know, Mabel."

It was weird that she had brought it up as if she wanted to really clear the air. He tried not to think about it. He had struggled with grades his entire life but excelled athletically, and as a result, teachers passed him. No one ever talked about his academics, and he didn't bring them up.

"Thanks," he said after a minute, "for helping me."

"You're welcome."

The bell rang, and Jake got up first. "See ya, Miss Mabel."

"Bye, Jake." She couldn't help but smile.

_________

"You're blushing!" Maggie intercepted her in the hallway. Mabel hadn't even noticed her best friend's approach.

"Am I?" Mabel asked, snapping back from her thoughts.

"Yeah," Maggie said, nodding, "I mean your cheeks are re-. Wait!" She cut herself off. "You just had English, right?"

"Yeah, so?" Mabel shrugged.

"Jake!" Maggie's eyes lit up. "That's why you're blushing."

"No!" Mabel protested, "I'm just... hot. The heat flushes my cheeks."

"Jake's heat does!" Maggie teased, nudging Mabel's arm.

"No, it doesn't! I don't even think of Jake like that at all."

"Yeah, right? What girl doesn't think of Jake like that?"

She had a point. Mabel thought of Tonya and how protective she was of him. The menacing glares that she'd been giving Mabel lately bothered her. A vivid recollection of Jake in the library flooded through her brain. His bulge was clearly visible in his jeans and laid down his thigh. Why had she thought of that? Mabel shook her head as Maggie elbowed her.

"Put your cheeks away before they get caught!" Maggie nodded toward Tonya, who was headed in their direction.

When Tonya wasn't hanging off Jake, she had two girls flanking her. Sabrina and Michaela were both as beautiful and bitchy as she was. Sabrina had deep olive skin, thick black hair, and piercing green eyes. Michaela had mocha skin the color of lightly creamed coffee, hazel eyes, and a perfect curly afro that never seemed to lose shape. They were the prettiest girls in school, hands down, and they knew it. Their bodies were toned and shapely from cheering. The men's eyes followed every movement they made.

Mabel and Maggie put their heads down and began walking in order to avoid them. Tonya intercepted Mabel, pushing her against a locker.

"Hey!" Maggie protested. Sabrina stepped between Mabel and Maggie, separating them and smirking at Maggie.

Mabel didn't know what to say, instead choosing to look Tonya in the eye.

"Look, nerd," Tonya started, "I see that you have a cute little crush on Jake." She said the words in a condescending voice.

"No, I—"

"But he doesn't want you! He never will. I don't want to see you staring at him or talking to him. I don't even want to see you within five feet of him after class, or I will make your life a living hell! Got it?" Tonya pressed closer, almost nose-to-nose with Mabel.

Mabel had been invisible most of her life, shrinking to the background and being ignored by all, but she had never been bullied before. She nodded, not knowing what to say.

"Speak, nerd!"

"Yes, I got it!" Mabel stammered out.

"Good," Tonya said, as she slowly released her grip on Mabel's shoulders, using her eyes to skim over her body. "Gross."

With that, she turned to leave, and Mabel stood upright again, looking around as people dropped their stares and quickly resumed their conversations.

"Are you ok?" Maggie seemed shaken herself.

Mabel nodded. "I, uh, have to get to class."

"Mabel, wait!"

Mabel didn't pause; she lowered her head and pushed past her peers to her next class.

_________

How have things changed so much? Mabel thought to herself, listening to Mr. Williams drone on about the foundations of American democracy. It was just four days of talking with Jake, and her life seemed to have flipped upside down. Tonya had never even acknowledged Mabel before. Now, somehow, Mabel had become her enemy. She racked her brain, trying to understand where it had come from.

The agreement she and Jake had made earlier crossed her mind. If Tonya was this upset that they were working on a report, she'd be irate to find out they were studying together. She thought of her conversation with him this morning. He needed the help, and she'd made the offer. She wouldn't go back on her word, but she had to guard her actions.

*****

Mabel resolved to ignore Jake on Friday. He pulled his chair out with a screech and plopped down.

"Hey, this shit gets pretty intense."

"Yeah," Mabel said halfheartedly before scooting away.

Jake glanced at her. "Lady Macbeth is kind of a bitch."

Mabel's jaw clenched, but she didn't say anything.

"I mean, you made it sound like Macbeth was power-crazed, but she kinda drove him there."

Mabel scowled. "I told you it was a story of greed."

"Yes, but you made it seem like Macbeth was the greedy one."

"He is."

"What?" He laughed. "No, she's the reason all of this happened. At least so far."

"You're missing the point. There has to be a driving force behind someone's ambitions and actions. Someone who sees potential and nurtures it. Lady Macbeth just played the game better."

Jake watched her while smiling at her explanation. "Wouldn't that be the witches then? Didn't they see it first?"

"Well, yes." Mabel nodded. "But they were more prophetic than manipulative."

"They were manipulative! They told him he would be Thane after he got high on shrooms."

"That was speculative. There's no way of proving that they were high on mushrooms."

"That's some high shit."

They both laughed, and Mabel nodded her agreement. "Yeah, it is. But then it happened! He became Thane."

"And then his wife started fucking with his head and bustin' his balls." Jake shook his head.

"For what reason?"

"She wants him to kill Duncan."

"Why?"

"So he can be King. I know."

"Precisely. She's the manipulator. The driving force."

Jake thought about it for a while, returning his eyes to the book. Mabel watched him read. It dawned on her that she enjoyed his presence. The thought was ridiculous, but the feeling remained. Turning her eyes back to her notebook, she continued writing their report outline.

He finally broke the silence. "You think Macbeth would have had the same prophecy if Lady Macbeth weren't there? Maybe work his way up to be a King?"

Mabel shook her head, chuckling. "No."

"Why not?"

"He wouldn't have crossed the boundary he did if Lady Macbeth hadn't forced him to."

"You're saying there's no other way. I think there might have been."

"Duncan had to die for Macbeth to become King. Without Lady Macbeth, there wouldn't be a story to tell."

"Is that our theme? There needs to be a driving force behind an ambition for it to be accomplished."

"Yeah, that sounds good." Mabel nodded thoughtfully. "I hadn't thought of that."

Jake's eyebrows rose. "Reeeally?"

Rolling her eyes, she smiled. "It hadn't crossed my mind, yet."

"Being as you've only read this play a couple times, you might've missed it if I weren't here."

Jake leaned forward on the table. His large build overwhelmed Mabel's space. She found herself drowning in his eyes as he flashed a playful grin. For a moment, her breath was caught in her chest, though her heart beat faster. Mabel had a sudden and inexplicable urge to kiss him. The desire caught her entirely off guard. Jake's eyes briefly narrowed curiously. She took a shallow breath, pondering the thought. What would it be like to kiss Jake? He seemed passionate every time he kissed Tonya. Mabel's eyes widened as she recalled his girlfriend. Tonya! She wasn't even supposed to look at him, let alone daydream about kissing him!

Pulling back, she realized how close he was. Only inches away. Had she moved closer, or did he? Suddenly, she felt convinced someone was watching them. Scooting away, she glanced at the faces of her peers. No one was noticeably watching her, but it didn't ease her anxiety. Someone would tell Tonya.

"Oh, my bad."

Jake forced himself to scoot away from Mabel. His mind swam, and for a moment, he wondered what had just happened. She had looked at him in a way he'd never seen before. Those hazel pupils burned with a compelling intensity, holding his gaze. He'd been drawn to her, wanting to know what she was contemplating.

He watched her eyes glide over the class before returning to the notebook, noticeably ignoring him. Still, he couldn't take his gaze off of her. Mabel's plush mouth turned down as if she were agitated or worried about something, and she shook her head. Only then did he notice how far back she had moved from him, pushing her chair to the edge of the table and angling her body away. It was a drastic change from the way she had been.

"I do something wrong, Mabel?"

Finally, her eyes met his again, and the frustration softened into confusion.

"No, not at all."

That reply was honest.

It wasn't him; it was her! Why had she even considered kissing Jake? It's not like he'd want to kiss her! Would he? More importantly, he has a girlfriend! She scolded herself internally, pulling a lie from the tangled mess of twisted thoughts.

"I just can't believe I didn't think of that theme first."

He didn't believe her, and the thought gnawed at him, but he relented.

"Maybe I am getting geeked out. I think you might be making me smarter."

Mabel feigned offense, trying to disguise a smile by dropping her jaw in shock.

"No, you're not! You're just smarter than you give yourself credit for. I had nothing to do with it."

Jake glanced down at the book he wouldn't be reading if it weren't for her. He hated that she had counted him out so easily. It made him determined to prove that he wouldn't be deadweight on this project. The bell rang, intruding on his thoughts.

Mabel willed her blush to go away, not wanting Tonya to see her red cheeks. Jake stood up.

"See ya later, Miss Mabel."

Mabel nodded but didn't move.

"Jaaake!" Tonya's voice came from the other side of the room. He looked up from the frozen girl.

"Hey, babe." Jake turned back to her. "You alright, Mabel?"

"Mhmm. Yes, I'm fine."

Jake, once again, didn't believe her.

"Baaabe!" Tonya called from the door.

"You should get going," Mabel suggested, her voice tight as she zipped up her bag. "I'm fine, really."

She looked up at him, giving her best reassuring smile. He just narrowed his eyes before shaking his head.

"Yeah, alright."

He turned and walked toward Tonya.

Mabel chose not to move until she was sure they left.

"Are you ok, Miss Humphrey?" Mr. Noble asked after everyone had left.

She gathered her books and nodded, quickly leaving the class.

*****

The weekend allowed her to reflect on the prior week. In the short time she'd been working with Jake, her world had flipped one hundred and eighty degrees. Their acquaintance had created many new tribulations in such a short span. One of the largest concerns, of course, was Tonya.

His girlfriend had made it clear that Mabel needed to distance herself from Jake. Yet, the reasoning perplexed her. She couldn't be the only girl in the school who had a crush on him. Besides, they were just talking about a book! Why was that wrong? Why did her being his English partner piss Tonya off?

She hadn't expected him to enjoy Macbeth so much. His points were helpful, and it was nice to talk with someone about a play she cherished. Yet, it wasn't just the play. The thought of tutoring Jake caused her to have confounding emotions. On the one hand, she could have a meaningful impact on him. Even though it seemed like he'd given up on completing school, she could help him graduate. On the other hand, her feelings for him were starting to spiral.

Maybe Tonya noticed it, though Mabel couldn't comprehend how, besides her devastating blush. Truthfully, her daydreams had become fantasies about Jake. Not to mention she'd had a strong urge to kiss him in class! She needed to regain control of her thoughts and keep a tight rein on her actions. Otherwise, Tonya would kill her, and she would surely lose Jake's friendship. She paced as she recited Tonya's threat.

"I can't talk with him, stare at him, or be within five feet of him."

Mabel's phone chimed, and she went to her bed to look at it. Her messenger icon popped up with Jake's face, smiling, and his arm around Tonya. She opened the message.

Hey

She stared at the screen. Why was he messaging her? She wanted to respond, but her fingers refrained. What if it was Tonya? A trick to prove that she was guilty of talking to Jake?

Miss Mabel

Relief rushed through her at the nickname.

Hey

...

Wyd?

...

Nothing

...

Wanna go for a drive?

Mabel stared at the message. A drive? Do I? With Jake?

Why??

...

Talk

...

About??

For a minute, the ellipses played across the screen.

Macbeth

Mabel glanced at her alarm clock. It was 6:30 at night. Macbeth?

Yeah sure

...

What's your address?

Mabel sent her location. After a brief shower, she searched for an outfit. She didn't want to look too formal since it wasn't a date. They were just hanging out.

"Talking about Macbeth," she grumbled, pulling clothes from her dresser. Nothing too fancy, but the jean shorts hugged her hips, squeezing around her thighs and lifting her butt. A white tank top accentuated her slender waist, dipping down to reveal cleavage. She shook her hair out of a messy bun and ran her fingers through it.

Mabel turned toward her mirror, examining her reflection. She was surprised by how good she looked. "What am I doing?" Mabel blurted out, realizing she wasn't supposed to look good. Turning towards her closet, she gave a frustrated groan. A loud knock rapped against the front door, and her heart skipped. She glanced at the mirror again before making her way downstairs.

Jake was leaning against the threshold when she opened the door. He was wearing a black Metallica shirt that clung to his broad chest just enough to see the muscles beneath and stonewashed blue jeans. Burning eyes traveled up Mabel's body, taking in the curves of her hips and slender waist. The shirt exposed the milky white crests of her full breasts, drawing Jake's gaze.

Finally, his eyes met hers.

"Um, hey," Mabel said, crossing one arm over her stomach and tucking her upper lip between her teeth.

"Hey." Jake swallowed, unable to take his eyes off her. "You look nice, Mabel."

"I wasn't trying to." Mabel stepped back, inviting him in. "Do you want a coke or something to eat?"

"A coke, thanks."

Jake walked in, looking around. The area had an expansive open floor plan. Dark cherry wood flooring reflected the light from the large windows that spanned the front of the house. A white kitchen with gray marble countertops sat to the far right of the room. An L-shaped island served as the divider between that space and the area around the kitchen.

A long glass table with six chairs sat in a dining room nook by the window. To his left was the spacious living room. A plush couch and recliner framed a crystal glass table. Against the wall was a mantel with a flat-screen hung above an electric fireplace. At the center of the room was a nondescript staircase that blended into the area with thin cherry wood planks and a black railing.

"This is nice. Your parents must be rich."

"My mom does well, but one of her exes helped her buy it." Mabel made her way to the kitchen and got some sodas from the fridge.

"Your mom's boyfriend bought her a house?"

"Well, kinda. She was just starting out in her career, and he had a lot of money in the bank." Mabel slid the drink over to him. "So, he helped finance it with a loan."

"Wow, that's impressive."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Is she here? Should I meet her before taking you out?"

"Oh, she's at work," she shrugged. "So, why did you want to see me?"

Jake opened his soda, taking a couple of gulps. "I'm taking you for a drive. You ready, Mabel?"

"Yeah. Sure."

_________

Houses and street lights passed by, creating a hypnotic effect as Mabel stared out the window. The roads began to get longer, winding beneath canopies of old oaks. Mabel watched the city fade behind them. Street lines, blurred by their passage, were illuminated by low headlights that didn't reveal much of the world around them. It crossed her mind that she should have questioned their whereabouts, but the thought only remained for a fleeting moment. Instead, she chose to hum along to Another Brick in the Wall.

Glancing toward Jake, she wondered why he had picked her up tonight. Considering she wasn't supposed to be within five feet of him, according to Tonya.

Gliding his eyes over Mabel, Jake turned the radio down. "You gonna ask where we're going, Mabel?"

Mabel shrugged. "Are you going to take me somewhere I haven't been before?"