Teenage Fantasy Ch. 04

She counted the credits from his freshman year to his senior year, calculating in her head the missing numbers. The scores in his other core classes were low Ds. He seemed to struggle in every class besides the first two. What was different?

She thought of him in class today while taking the test. He had barely glanced at it. She wondered if he would have even tried if she hadn't been there. Thinking back to him in Noble's, he seemed to zone out a lot. Perhaps it was a coping mechanism. But coping for what?

"Alright, kiddo." Calvin walked up to her. He had an uneven gait from years of working in schools. His large key ring jingled loudly as a result, and she knew her time here was up. Mabel glanced at her phone and then looked out of the expansive windows. The field lights were bright against the night sky. The guys were still practicing hard. It was 8 o'clock; they'd have to finish soon.

"Thanks again, Calvin."

"You're welcome, kiddo. Take care."

She exited the library as he turned the remaining lights off behind her.

________

With the change of the months, it seemed that the nice days of fall were slowly succumbing to the dreary rain that sometimes took over the remainder of the season. The air was thick with moisture, and the humidity and residual heat from the day created a combination that stuck to your lungs with every breath.

Jake couldn't believe his eyes as he crossed the nearly deserted lot towards his car. She was leaning against his door with her arms wrapped around herself. Her breath caused long streams of vapor against the night sky.

"Mabel?"

Mabel looked up at him; she'd been staring at the asphalt as she mulled over everything and hadn't realized he was approaching until she heard his voice. He was wearing a muscle tee and basketball shorts with compression pants beneath. Sweat covered the front of the shirt, and his hair was wet. The heat from his body contrasted with the temperature of the air, causing steam to radiate off of him.

He must have been practicing hard.

It was weird how much she enjoyed seeing him like this. Hot and sweaty from a game, practice, or hard day's work. She thought back to the mechanic shop. Jake was covered in grease and glistened with sweat. Her stomach clenched from the memory.

"I wanted to see you," she replied, trying to dismiss her thoughts. "I feel absolutely awful about what happened with Prudroe and the way she spoke to you." She looked away in disgust. "Had I known that would happen, I wouldn't have forced you to go in there."

Jake watched her explain. He couldn't care less about Prudroe anymore. It was damn near 8:30 at night, and she'd been here this entire time. He'd been so nervous about what she would think of him, and here she was showing him that what happened didn't matter to her. She was here for him.

"You waited for me," he replied in disbelief.

Mabel met his gaze with a questioning expression, wondering why it meant so much. It was the least she could do after what she'd forced him to endure. She wanted him to know that she hadn't given up on their goals just because Prudroe dismissed him.

"Yeah, of course. I needed to make sure you were ok. Jake, what happened in there... I'm so sorry!"

"No," Jake shook his head, "what happened isn't on you. Don't apologize." Slowly, his lopsided smile cut his cheeks, and he moved closer. "I'm better now."

"Edwards!"

Jake suppressed an irritated grumble, pulling back as Mabel ducked her head. "What's up, Felding?"

"Oh," his friend glanced down at Mabel, "sorry, I didn't see you there. I just wanted to talk to you about those routes you were running today."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I should go," Mabel whispered, feeling like she was somehow intruding. It was probably careless of her to have stayed anyway. She moved to excuse herself, but Jake rested a hand against her hip, halting her retreat.

"No worries," Josh said politely. "I'm about to head out. I wanted to say I saw the improvement. It was harder to take you down today, but I still got you!" Felding chided him playfully.

"A couple times, barely," Jake retorted, laughing with his friend.

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna do some work too," Josh laughed. "We'll see who comes out on top."

"Just work on keeping up," Jake grinned, dapping up his friend.

"Y'all take care," Josh said, glancing at Mabel.

"Sounds like you had a good practice." Mabel smiled up at him.

"Yeah," Jake replied, furrowing his brow. "Were you by my car this whole time? You've gotta be freezing!"

"No, I was in the library until Calvin kicked me out after he finished cleaning. I've only been here for a little bit."

"Well, c'mon, let's get you home."

"I think my mom's home, so I don't know if you can stay tonight."

"That's alright; I'll drop you off." Jake threw his duffle bag in his trunk and went around to open her door.

________

For the second time today, Mabel stared out of Jake's car window at the expansive house he'd pulled up to. This time, she was certain her mom was home. Light streamed from behind closed curtains on the second floor. Her stomach tightened as she remembered how she'd left things this morning. Her eyes drifted to Jake. Flooded with translucent light, his blue eyes shimmered in the darkness.

"You having second thoughts, Mabel?" He half-joked.

"No." Shaking her head, she gave a small frown. "I just don't want you to let what happened today discourage you."

Shifting his eyes to the empty road ahead, he thought about his resolve to do what it takes for her. Still, the gnawing truth remained.

"Hey," her fingers brushed lightly against his cheek, and she gently turned his head back toward her. A smile played on her lips. "One more guess."

Lifting his eyebrows, he gave a soft laugh. "I get my prize?"

Turning in her seat, she leaned her back against the door and shifted into place. Looking down at her lap, she slowly walked her fingers down her thighs, stopping at the hem of her skirt and fiddling with the fabric like he had earlier. She gazed at him from beneath thick lashes.

"Only if you guess correctly."

She was short enough to fold her body into his passenger seat and sat with her knees to the side while facing him. She started gathering the creased fabric of her skirt and began to glide her hands up her legs inch by inch, dragging the hem of her skirt along her thighs.

His mouth watered with her promise, and he was drawn to her. Quickly forgetting his previous thoughts, he laid his hands on her soft thighs to follow the exposed path she'd created. She was so close, he could taste her. "Only one guess?"

Mabel wet her bottom lip and placed her hands over his.

"One guess." She closed the distance between them to place a kiss on his lips. "No peeking." She held his gaze and slid his calloused hands back down her thighs. His touch sparked her body, causing heat to flare through her.

"So, Jake," she said, hoping her low voice was seductive as she spoke his name. She moved his hands back to his lap and fleetingly traced her fingers over his groin as she pulled away from him. He grunted, and she smiled.

Mabel held his hard gaze, leaning back, and slowly extended her right leg, placing it across his thighs. She was careful with the army boots, but Jake didn't seem to care. His eyes released hers to travel over the exposed length of her leg, and he gripped her calf. She trailed her fingertips back over her skin.

"What color panties am I wearing for you?"

One fucking guess!

Think, Jake. The valley her thighs created looked absolutely edible. He recalled all of the times he'd taken them off. From the beginning, they'd been colorful. Green and blue polka dots, pink thongs, and lavender hip huggers. She normally wore bright underwear that beautifully cradled her pussy.

Fuck, one guess!

A thrill coursed through her as Mabel watched his tongue skim over his lips. His burning eyes rested between her thighs. He was concentrating hard, surely going through all of the possibilities in his head. She shifted in her seat to further part her legs. It still didn't reveal enough for him to see anything, but he swallowed and moved closer to her. Sitting forward, she brushed her fingertips under his chin and brought his gaze back to her.

"So, what'll it be, Jake?"

He'd been focused on the wrong thing!

He took her in, remembering her sarcastic and jesting responses to his guesses. Colors he'd seen on her and ones he hadn't. All except one. One moment when she'd contemplated his response. It's not like she knew about this little game beforehand. When he'd guessed black, she'd considered his answer. The skirt was black, but the oversized sweater wasn't. Soft and cute, like the outfit.

"...White."

Mabel tucked the corner of her bottom lip in her teeth. The certainty playing in his sapphire gaze made her smirk. Her hands moved up to the sides of her hips, barely leaving the hem of her skirt over the top of her mound. She lifted her hips from the seat and started peeling the pair of panties off.

Anticipation oozed from him. Traveling her gaze down his body, she saw he was tense and ready for the outcome. She returned her gaze to his face. He was intensely concentrating on her actions.

"Jake." She kept her voice alluring but spoke loud enough to garner his attention. "Close your eyes."

Mabel watched his protesting expression.

"What?"

"C'mon," she instructed, "close them."

Huffing a breath, Jake shook his head as he shut his eyes.

Out of her peripheral vision, she saw the porch light turn on. She looked past him as her mom opened the front door. Fuck, she didn't think she would wait for her! She glanced at Jake, who still had his eyes closed, ready for her to confirm his guess. Thankfully, the dark tint on the car windows wouldn't reveal anything.

"You wanna change your answer?" Mabel asked, wanting to hold this space with him for as long as possible.

Jake tilted his head back against the seat. He trailed his fingers over her lower leg as a slow smile unveiled his dimples. "Nah, they're white."

"You seem confident," Mabel said. Her raspy voice filled the small space of the car. "Why are you so sure?"

She watched him crumple his brow. Palming her thigh, his hand migrated up toward her pussy. "I know you, Mabel."

Mabel intercepted his hand, halting his progression. "I didn't say that you get your reward."

"Am I wrong?" Jake felt her leg pull away from his lap, and he raised his head up. "Wait, lemme see."

He heard her move around in her seat and listened to the shifting sounds. It was unexpected when her soft lips caressed his, but he languished her taste until she pulled away from him abruptly.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jake."

"What?" Jake heard her door unlatch and opened his eyes. "Mabel?"

"Mabel! Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes, Mom, I am aware of the time!" She replied, closing her door.

Jake turned to see her mom standing at the entry of the house. Fuck, he didn't think she'd be waiting for her to get home! How long had she been standing there? He watched as they interacted at the top of the walkway. Arguing as her mom gestured to his car. Mabel stormed inside, and Beth followed, slamming the door behind them.

It took a while for Mabel's bedroom light to come on. It took even longer for him to consider pulling away from the curb. He didn't want to leave her there to battle another thing by herself. His ringtone cut through the silence, and he grabbed his phone.

"Mabel? You alright?"

"I'm fine. Look up."

He turned to see her waving at the window. "Now, go home. It's late."

"I didn't mean to get you in trouble."

"My mom's just been... weird lately. I'm fine. Now, please go home. Be safe."

Jake watched her in the window for a moment. "I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Mabel."

She laughed softly. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jake."

He watched the curtain fall shut and moved to put his car in gear. The metallic surface of his gear shift felt different, and he glanced down. A cotton thong was draped over it. Jake chuckled in surprise and lifted the underwear from the stick shift. The tiny article was soaked in the middle. He was right.

They were white.

*****

Williams was hard to listen to. His voice grated on the nerves, and it remained a task of its own to focus on what he was saying in the class. Keeping one ear open, Jake tried to keep his thoughts about her to a minimum.

She'd been on his mind well into the morning hours. They'd slept together for three days. Her whistling breaths, her soft breasts against his ribs, the steady pace of her heart pulsing beneath them. He'd missed her.

When he did finally drift to sleep, it was only in time for his alarm to go off, and he'd ended up ignoring it. Running late, he missed his time with her in the morning. He thought about their interaction last night. It had reinforced something he'd been determined to do since the beginning. She was his favorite book, cover to cover, and he wanted to memorize every moment.

When the bell rang to end his torment in Williams' class, he quickly left the room and made his way to Noble's.

Grant's nose was now only red in color. The bruising and swelling from their fight had gone down enough for Jake to know that the permanent squinting when he looked at him was really just a harsh glare. It bounced off his back as he made his way to their table.

"So, I was right?"

Jake sat down, and she smiled at him, giving him a half shrug.

"This time."

Mabel felt relieved that he'd made it to class. When he hadn't shown up this morning, she thought he might be out all day. Last night was restless. His cologne clung to her sheets and left her longing for the warmth of his body throughout the night. His short blonde hair was disheveled and made her wonder how he had slept.

"I was thinking about our conversation yesterday," Jake whispered as Noble lectured the class on metaphorical references.

"Which one?" Mabel asked, resurfacing from her thoughts.

"About me walking you to your classes."

"Oh, yeah, you can."

"I know but... I was thinking. What if we just study during lunch instead? That way, we don't have to worry about people seeing us together."

Mabel recalled the passing expressions in the hallway yesterday. It had been nerve-wracking. Yet her heart dropped at his suggestion. It should be good news that they wouldn't walk together in the hallway. That's what she wanted, right?

"But, maybe I can still check on you after Williams class?"

Mabel gave a questioning look. "Why after Williams?"

"I just," he thought of the brief interaction he'd tried to shake yesterday. "I just wanna check on you. It'll be quick."

"Well, um, don't you normally eat lunch with your teammates?"

"Yeah, I do. But right now," he pressed closer, "I have a goal to hit."

"Well," she said, sucking her bottom lip, "I just..."

"Don't tell me you prefer to eat lunch alone," he said, tilting his head.

"No, I eat lunch with Maggie and Pete." She cut her gaze away. "Well, I used to. Maggie is with Drew now, and Pete... hasn't been around much."

"Then it looks like there's a spot open. You eat lunch in the library, right?"

Her eyes narrowed into a puzzled expression. "How'd you know that?"

Jake shrugged. "I figured lunch is when you steal all the books you stash in your locker."

Exuberant laughter burst from Mabel, causing a couple of classmates to glance back at them. She sealed her lips quickly before dropping her voice back to a whisper. "I told you only a couple were from the library."

"Yeah, I believe you," Jake replied sarcastically.

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "Yeah, lunch sounds great."

"Good," Jake said, leaning closer. "The same rules still apply?"

Giving him a faux-stern look, she nodded.

"I figured." Jake slumped his shoulders as a crooked smile split his cheeks.

________

It was easy for Mabel to ignore the wad of paper as it landed on the corner of her desk. Her mind was filled with Jake.

She wished she could get him to concentrate on school as hard as he concentrated on her. She couldn't hold back her smile as last night flooded her memory. His focus on her and determination as he made his final guess. He was adorable... and hot. Was that even possible? To be both cute and insanely sexy.

Another piece of paper landed in the middle of the notebook she was writing in. Breaking out of her daydream caused her to realize she'd written Jake's name instead of the Fourth Amendment. Sighing, she stared at the ball of paper before looking at the one on the corner of her desk. She didn't want to open either note and instead grabbed the papers to put them in her backpack and throw them away later.

"Passing notes, are we, Ms. Humphrey?"

Looking up at her teacher, she failed to hide the surprise on her face. She hadn't noticed his approach. Cam snickered next to her.

"No," Mabel replied, "I was just gonna throw these away."

"Let me see them." Williams impatiently held out his hand, waiting for her to place the papers in his palm. Mabel stared at his fingers and then at the notes in her hand. She had no way of knowing what they had written on them. Everyone's eyes were on her, and her heart thrummed against her chest.

"I was just throwing them away," Mabel repeated, not wanting to hand them over.

"Let's not hold up the class any longer." Williams made a give-it-here gesture. Mabel reluctantly laid the papers in his palm.

"Let's see what's so important that it couldn't wait until after class." Williams said, unfolding one of the pieces. The lump in her throat turned to stone as he made his way to the front of the room.

"First one says: What are you doing after school? Well, I don't see why that couldn't have waited."

Some people in the class snickered around her, but Mabel didn't check to see who. She focused on the notebook in front of her and held her breath.

"What's next?" Williams continued, unraveling the other paper. "Do you have change for a five?"

Some students outright laughed as it was read, and Mabel did her best not to look up at the eyes she knew were watching her. Her stomach was in her throat, and her heart had stopped its rhythmic pumping, opting for a faster pace. She wished she'd never touched those stupid notes.

"Well, Ms. Humphrey?" Williams asked pointedly. "I guess there's no better time to answer the question. So, do you?"

The class laughed, and Mabel struggled to find her voice. It came out in a hoarse whisper. "No. I don't."

"Looks like that's taken care of, and now we know what you're doing after school: detention for all three of you. Report to the lunchroom at 4:30."

The class ooed around them, and Cam and Chris gave meager protests. Mabel was quiet. She watched Williams throw the papers into the waste bin by his desk before continuing his lesson.

When the bell rang, she remained behind as the class hurried out of the room.

"I have a class coming in," Williams said, going to erase the board. Mabel looked up at him, but he refused to meet her gaze.

"Those notes weren't mine, Mr. Williams." She tried to defend herself. "I had nothing to do with them."

"It's best to keep your extracurricular activities out of the classroom." He set down the eraser and walked back to his desk without giving her a second look.

Mabel felt defeated, unable to voice a rebuttal, and absolutely humiliated. She briskly walked out of the room and pushed past the students in the hall.

"There you are," Jake said. "I thought I'd missed you."

She'd forgotten that he wanted to see her after Williams' class. "I'm not going that way," Mabel responded.

"Mabel." She avoided his gaze, and it prompted an immediate urge to protect her. He moved to lift her chin but caught himself. "What's wrong?"