Chapter 1b Introducing

It's Thursday, which means that Drew doesn't have to work until 6:00. That gives us two hours after I'm done school to spend time together. I never know where to meet him, sometimes he would come over to the house or meet me part of the way home from school. Today, he is waiting by the back doors when school ends. I give him a big hug and a long kiss when I see him. He is tall and since I'm shorter, he has to bend down to hug me. He lifts me off my feet. He looks thin, but he's really strong and lifts me like I weigh nothing. He has light brown hair that turns almost blonde in the summer time and is a shaggy length, some of it falling in his eyes. He does that cool head flip to throw it back. His voice is deep and his Adam's apple bobs a little sometimes when he talks.

“How was school?”

“Good-Mommy.” I joked.

We hold hands as we walk home.

“How was work?”

Drew just laughed, as he knew I didn't care.

“So, Beth got a new job.”

“That's good.”

“For like three months long. It's full-time.”

“Nice.”

“Yeah, she says that everything is going to be easier with this job.”
“Jemma, you shouldn't have to worry about that.”

I roll my eyes. “Right. I can wait until I'm eighteen like you and then I'll think about money.”

“You should just think about school.”

“Oh... yeah. I got this stupid paper that Beth has to sign to show that I did my homework every night. I'll just forge it. I always sign her name on school papers, they don't even know what her signature is.”

“What paper?”

“Because I haven't been doing my homework, my counselor gave me this paper for Beth to sign to show that I'm doing my homework. He says that if I don't improve, all of my teachers have to start doing something.”

“Why haven't you been doing your homework?” Drew sounded really concerned.

“Because I'm lazy.”

“You're the opposite of lazy, Jemma.”
Why won't people believe me when I say I'm lazy?

“Well, he also suggested that you were distracting me and we should spend less time together.” I joke, smiling up at Drew.

“Really, why haven't you been doing it?” He wouldn't let me lighten this up, but stuck to it so seriously.

I 'tsk' but don't answer. I already have Randy on me about this, I don't need anyone else.

“Fine. But I won't kiss you until you're done all your homework.” Drew put his index finger against my lips and gave me a stern look.

“I don't believe you!” I jump up, trying to reach him, but he straightened up and my meager jump came only to his shoulder. "Since when are you Mr. Responsible? I guess I forgot about your perfect grades."

“Really.” He looks at me. “You need to do your school. It's early in the school year, you can't be sick of it already.”

“Whatever.” If he didn't drop it I was going to bring out my major ammunition- that his job didn't require any more than a high school education. That ought to win it.

Rae and Ben are waiting on the porch steps when I come home.

“I'm gonna tell Mom that you're late again!” Rae dared.

“Fine.” I said, unlocking the door. "Want to be even later? I can walk around the block."
Rae stuck out her tongue at me and marched past, stomping her feet. I had come home right after school today. The elementary school is just closer.

I make a snack for the kids, crackers and cheese and juice. I clean up the dishes and sort the mail. It was mostly flyers, which I throw away.

“What should we have for dinner?” I ask Drew, hoping that he would offer to cook, since he is better at it than me. Drew peered in the freezer and decided on chicken nuggets. I could have baked those in the oven myself.

“Homework.” Drew pointed to the table, while he started making a salad.

Rae had some homework, simple math. I help her with that.

I don't want to start on my own, because I have homework from previous days that I have to make-up, in addition to my homework from today. Finally, while Rae colors and Ben watches cartoons, I start on my own homework. I finish the assignments from Tuesday by the time Beth comes home and just as Drew was about to leave.

Beth greets Drew and thanks him for preparing dinner. She shoots me a look which says, “weren't you supposed to do that?” Did it matter? Dinner was made.

“This sucks. I didn't get any time with you!” I whine as Drew leaves. I walk with him outside.

“It's okay, I'll see you on Saturday.”

I lean in to kiss him. He shakes his head. “Homework's not done.”

“Jerk!” I punch him in the arm. “Well, now I don't even want to kiss you.”

Beth likes her new job and says her first day went well. The only thing is, she might not be home most days until around 5:30 or later, which means that I have to be home from school right away every day to watch Rae and Ben.

I wash the dishes and go back to my pile of homework. I've completed everything through Wednesday when I start to get sleepy.

6:00 am, awake again. Same morning routine. I arrive at school with ten minutes and rush through my homework. I manage to get all but my math homework done by the time homeroom ends.

I forge Beth's initials on the form and go to Randy's office on my way to my first class.

“That was easy.” Randy says, accepting the form.

“Surprised?”

“Actually, yes. But glad you proved me wrong.” Randy responded. I wonder if he suspected that either it wasn't Beth's signature, or if I had fooled Beth into thinking I really did my homework. But he didn't ask further, so I didn't say anything.

Steph and I have English class together and we sit next to each other whenever the teacher doesn't demand that we separate. Steph is boy-crazy and always talking about who is hot and who she wants to date next. She didn't actually have that many boyfriends, she just imagines them. If a boy talks to her on the phone, she imagines they are a couple. But even she knows this, she admits it.

Today Steph likes Ethan Merris. She's hoping he'll ask her to the Fall dance.

“You don't need a date.” I remind her. Dances were more fun when you just went with your friends, anyway.

“I need Ethan to be my date.” She corrected. “I just need to get him to ask me. Let's sit across from his table at lunch, okay?”

I don't care. I'm interested in any of the guys. Steph always makes fun of me, that I like older men. And I always correct her: just Drew.

“Are you going to go with Drew?”

“I don't think so. He usually has to work on Friday nights.” Lame. Friday night was every one's date night, but my boyfriend always has to work.

“Boo.” Was Steph's only response.

School ends with a loud ring and a stampede out the doors. It is Friday, everyone wants to be home as soon as possible, including the teachers.

Rae and Ben are again waiting on the steps.

“Late.” Rae greets me, with far too much attitude for someone eight years old.

“Brat.” I reply.

She sticks her tongue at me.

Ben shows me the picture he drew in school- a green scribble with glitter and some shape stickers in random places. “Oh, how sweet. I'll put in on the refrigerator.”

“No. It's for you.”

“Okay, then I'll hang it on the wall in my room.” Ben seems satisfied with this.

I listen while Rae reads a small book to me, helping her with some of the words. I sign off on the parent sheet to show that she read it and turn the television to cartoons for her.

I dump some soup from a can into a pot on the stove for dinner.

Beth comes home just before 6:00 pm, bringing with her some burgers. We all eat dinner together. Beth is in a good mood, James is supposed to be coming this evening. She gets all dressed up, I help with her hair.

James arrives to take Beth on a date. I stay at the house with the kids.

Drew calls. “Hey sweetie.”

“Who is this?”

“Jemma.” Drew says, irritated.

“Sorry. It's just that you said 'sweetie.'”

“Get used to it.”

“But it's weird for me.”

Drew sighs. “Most people refer to people they care about with affectionate names.”

“La-dee-da.”

“Hey Jemma.” Drew does his thing where he just re-starts the whole conversation.

“Well hello, Drew.”

“So, did you finish your homework?”

“What is with you!” I got a little too defensive. But I did find it annoying.

“I just want you to do good in school, that's all. What's your dad say- 'stay straight'? That's part of it.”
“Stick straight.” I mumble, correcting him.

“Exactly. And you didn't answer my question.”
“Not yet.” I whisper.

“Hmm?”

“Not yet.” I say louder, irritated. “Not due until Monday.”
“Tell you what.”

I wait.

“If you finish it tonight, I'll come by after work and we can have a midnight date.”
“Really!” I feel silly to be this excited.

“Sure. I should by by around 12 or 12:30.”

Drew knew I couldn't lie to him, he would know if I had completed my homework or not.

I watch television with Ben and Rae, get them ready and in bed by 9:30. I read Ben a story to help him fall asleep- something about a horse and a cow who were friends. Rae is already asleep when I check on her and turn off the lights.

I really do want to see Drew, so I start on my homework and finish everything by 11:30. Maybe I didn't do my best effort, but everything was done.

Drew calls at 12:00, saying he is on his way over. Too bad Beth isn't back yet.

I change for my date, putting on a little make-up and changing into a nicer top.

Drew comes at 12:20, smiling when he sees me. He gives me a kiss right away. “I wanted to do that.”

“Hey! You're the one with the new rule.” I remind him. He hugs me and kisses me again.

“Ready?” He asks.

“No. Beth's not back yet.”

“So?”
"So, I can't just leave the kids."
"But they aren't your kids." He sounded a little whiny.

Drew lived with his parents until he turned 18. His parents had a rule that after he graduated he either had to go to college or move out. He didn't go to college, so he moved out. But he had lived with his parents his whole life before then, he didn't know what it was like to live with a relative, to have responsibilities like babysitting.

Beth comes back around 1:00 am. She is giddy and laughing loudly. She was a little surprised to see me still awake. James greets me with a hug and we have small talk about where James had driven to this week.

I introduce James to Drew.

“Well, we're going to go out now.” I tell Beth.

“Have fun!” She says happily as we head out.

I hear James ask Beth “You let her bring boys in here at night?” just as we leave. I don't hear Beth's reply, but I hope she defended me. It wasn't like a different guy was here each week.

We go to just about the only place still open at 1:30 in the morning and within walking distance. We have hot chocolate and then go to Drew's apartment. It is a short walk to the subway and Drew's place is only two blocks from a subway station.

“Do you like living with Beth?” He asks, casually, I think.

No one has ever asked me that before.

I huff, breathing air out my nose. “We've been together for a year, you've never asked me that before.”

Drew shrugged.
“Well, yeah.”

“Yeah you like living with her?”

“Sure. She's cool. Where else would I live?” I don't mean to sound that casual, Beth is actually wonderful to live with; she doesn't move every three months, she has furniture and there is always food. And, even better, Beth isn't all strict or like other adults. She lets me do what I like.

It is a quiet Friday night, a few cars, mostly taxis, rushing by. A drunk or two slumped in a corner. A girl working the street; half in the shadow, half under the street lights. A group of girls, all dressed up with heels and too much make-up giggle as they walk past- tipsy.

I feel safe with Drew. If I walked here by myself, I would have walked quickly and stayed in the light as much as possible. But he is tall and holds my hand while we walk and I don't have to hurry.

We cuddle on the couch and watch a movie on TV. Some action movie that Drew wanted to see. The last thing I remember was the lead role jumping out of a car just before the car exploded with bright orange flames flying everywhere.