Ch: 32-40
Chapter 32: First Day of School II
"Hey, baby!" A typical jock football player walked up and kissed Marissa - the same guy I'd seen behind the wheel of the truck that night.
"Hello, Luke!" Summer greeted, still clinging on me.
"Hi, dude!" I raised a hand - the one around Haley's shoulder - while my other arm stayed firm around Summer's waist.
"Wow, man, already took the second and third best girls?" Luke teased.
"Yep. Got a sun and a little comet for myself. And I prefer brunettes, so I already have #1 and #2." I grinned.
Marissa just rolled her eyes.
"Okay, before this turns into gossip," Haley pulled away from me. "He's my cousin," she clarified loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
The bell rang, cutting the tension and sending everyone back to class.
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When the bell rang again, students poured out of the building. I walked toward the parking lot with Summer and Marissa on either side, Haley trailing close behind.
"Luke can't come. He has practice -coach said if he skips, he's benched," Marissa explained, sounding mildly annoyed.
I shrugged. "His loss."
Marissa gave me a sideways look
Haley linked arms with Summer. "So it's just us girls. You're so lucky, Jake."
"Or maybe you're the lucky ones."
"Not even you believe that," Summer smirked.
"So, ladies," I asked, "which one of you has a car?"
The Ferrari only had two seats - worst case, I'd grab a cab for them.
"My car's in the shop. Dad gave me a ride," Summer mentioned.
"I can drive all of us," Marissa offered with a smile.
"No, he has a-" Before Haley could finish, a familiar voice called her name.
She turned to see the family minivan. "Mom, can you not embarrass me?" she groaned.
I approached. "Hey, Aunt Claire. I invited Haley to the beach - we're going to my dad's house."
Claire's eyes narrowed between Haley and me
"It's just the four of us," I said smoothly, pointing at the girls waiting nearby.
She hesitated, then finally relented. "I want you back by eight, Haley."
Before Haley could argue, I added, "She will be. I'll bring her home myself."
Claire sighed and drove off to pick up Luke and Alex.
I turned back to the girls. "Marissa, I'll go first - just follow my lead."
"Alright. Where's your car?" she asked.
"Right around the corner," I gestured for them to come along.
When the Ferrari came into view, Summer froze.
"You have a Ferrari??? she exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief
"Want the passenger seat?" I smirked at her
Haley pouted and followed Marissa toward her car.
-----------------------------
As we pulled out of the lot, Summer told me to drive slowly - just enough for everyone to notice.
"Thought you'd try to play hard again," I joked.
She leaned in and pressed her lips to mine.
I deepened it, savoring the moment until Marissa started honking behind us.
I drove us to Malibu's house
-----------------------------
We arrived at the house and parked in the garage. Inside, Dad was already waiting.
"Hey, Francis - looks like you brought some good company for your first day of school," Charlie greeted, his trademark smirk firmly in place.
"Marissa, Summer - this is my dad, Charlie Harper."
"Francis?" Marissa repeated, arching an eyebrow.
"My name is Francis Jacob Pritchett Harper. I prefer to be called Jake, but in the Harper family, we already have my little cousin named that. So, to avoid confusion, here I'm called Francis." I explained while leading them to the deck.
"Nice place!" Summer commented, taking a look around.
Then Berta appeared, carrying a tray of drinks and serving us on the deck. "White Wine Spritzer for the princess, Piña Coladas for the two troublemakers, and Old Fashioned for Gatsby."
"Always loved your humor, Berta," I smiled, slipping her a few bills. "And you nailed it perfectly."
Berta nailed each girl's taste and stereotype perfectly.
She shot me a knowing look. "I've worked for your father long enough." Then simply asked "Which one? Or more than one?"
"That one's my cousin, and the other one has a boyfriend," I replied, nodding toward Haley and Marissa.
Berta kept waiting. "Neither's a dealbreaker in this house, and I've seen worse."
I sighed. "The other brunette."
"Your room is all clean, with fresh sheets and new towels," she murmured to me.
"I don't think that'll happen today… but thanks." I nodded at her.
"I can't believe your dad lets you drink just like this," Haley complained, but seeing the other girls' faces, she exclaimed, "Wait, am I the only one who can't drink anything without being grounded?"
"I sneak a drink or two, and they don't say anything," Marissa said, already getting comfortable in the recliner.
"Same here," Summer nodded, as I went to sit next to her.
"This is so unfair," Haley whined.
"You're the only fifteen-year-old here, cutie," I teased her. Not that Claire will let her drink even when she turns sixteen.
It's a bit odd that Marissa and Summer are sixteen too, considering they didn't repeat a grade (and are sophomore)
We talked for a while and then decided to go down and sit on the beach.
-----------------------------
"Next time we should bring bikinis," Summer remarked, as we all sat on the beach chairs, barefoot on the sand but still fully dressed.
The ocean breeze carried a hint of salt and laughter from somewhere down the shore.
Then two girls jogging along the waterline waved at me. "Hey, Francis!"
I waved back with a grin.
And it happened another time too, making Summer cross her arms.
"What? You didn't expect me not to be popular, huh?" I pulled her into a kiss, and we only stopped when Haley separated us with her hands
"We are still here, cousin" she complained
Chapter 33: First Day of School III
For the third time, someone called me at the beach.
"Hi, Francis!" the woman waved while jogging.
"Hello, Cindy," I waved back, and when I turned around, the three girls were glaring at me.
"Oh, come on, she's too old for me. She was one of my dad's friends," I explained.
"Well, if I wanted a virgin, I'd stick with Coop's cousin, not Haley's," Summer teased.
"Hey!" Marissa exclaimed, though without much offense in her tone.
"Who are you talking about?" Haley asked curiously.
"His name's Sheldon Cooper," Summer revealed, "the weirdest guy I've ever met, eww"
"Sheldon Cooper?" I raised an eyebrow.
Marissa looked at me surprised. "You know him?"
"Read about him," I clarified. "PhD at sixteen. At twenty-three, he's considered one of the most promising physicists alive."
Gerald once told me how relieved he was that I wasn't another Sheldon - an arrogant genius with zero social skills.
"He's really smart, but a hard person to talk to," Marissa said. "But his twin, Missy, she's amazing."
"How can such a beautiful and funny girl be related to that?" Summer laughed. "Oh, I remember last year when Missy came to visit you and snuck drinks for us."
"The first time we got totally wasted," Marissa laughed.
We talked until around six in the evening, when the sun was already low, and I said it was time to wrap up the day. Marissa gave Summer a ride since they both lived in Pacific Palisades.
-----------------------------
I was driving Haley home.
"You could give me some driving lessons, Jake. Mom and Dad always freak out when they're instructing," Haley said, sitting sideways and looking at me.
"I can do that, but not in the Ferrari. This car's too fast - we'll use the minivan, it's safer," I agreed with some restrictions. "Besides, one of the adults will definitely want to ride in the back."
"And another thing," I added, "don't drink before you drive. There are plenty of irresponsible things you can do, but that's not one of them," I spoke seriously.
"You drank before," she accused.
"More than five hours ago. Given my body composition, it would take about an hour and a half to two hours for the alcohol to be fully metabolized. So even if the police stopped me right now, I'd be fine," I explained.
We hadn't drunk much anyway. I made sure Marissa didn't drink much since she was the one driving.
Haley snorted and laughed. "Sometimes you're such a nerd, cousin," she teased, "and other times you're flirting with the prettiest girls in school on your first day of school"
She gave me a mischievous smile. "Marissa told us how you two met and about the cigarette."
I shrugged. "You weren't really friends with them, were you?" I asked.
"No, we were just acquaintances. I'm closer to Taylor (Townsend). She and Summer have a bit of a rivalry," Haley explained. "Actually, she's the one I was going to introduce you to - or maybe Holly."
After a few minutes, I parked and dropped Haley off at her house an hour earlier than planned, then headed to Jay's place.
When I walked in, I saw Jay and Gloria having dinner, each with a glass of wine, while Manny was performing - he was wearing his poncho, playing a flute, and doing some strange dance.
"So, when does the rain start?" I murmured beside Gloria, earning a nudge from her and a suppressed laugh from Jay.
I grabbed a plate and joined the small audience.
-----------------------------
A few days passed. By Friday, I was back home early.
"Already back from school?" Jay glanced at me and then at the clock.
"Yep. That's enough for this week," I said, grabbing coffee. "But high school's been great so far."
"You show up whenever you want, leave whenever you want - and I'm pretty sure you do whatever you want in class, too," Jay scoffed. "No consequences, no discipline -must be nice." He added the last line with sarcasm.
"Exactly what you do at your company," I replied cheekily, "I'm just a faster learner."
I never shy about the privileges I'd earned. After all, I usually give back in return.
I changed the subject before Jay could retort. "Is there a problem with my friends coming over for dinner?" I asked him. "At least they'll give Haley a ride, since they're going shopping first and will come here afterward."
"Already found a girl during the first week?" Jay raised an eyebrow.
"First week? I did on the first day," I smirked
Jay just shook his head without saying a word.
"Jay!" Gloria shouted from the living room as she appeared holding the house phone. "Manny got into a fight at school!"
Seeing them heading for the car, I followed. "I'm going too."
-----------------------------
"Calm down, Gloria," Jay said as we walked through the school hallway toward the principal's office, trying to reassure her.
"Boys fight all the time," he downplayed when we reached the corridor. Then, noticing I was scanning the area, he asked, "And what are you looking at?"
"Looking for a few kids I could pay, just in case Manny's opponent needs a little lesson," I replied casually.
"Jake!" Gloria scolded me, but then stepped closer and whispered, "Find a big one."
I smiled. Gloria also had her own way of handling things by street rules.
We arrived at the principal's office door, and Gloria promptly opened it -but when we saw who was inside, all of us were surprised.
Besides Manny, there was Luke sitting next to him, and in the following chairs were Claire and Phil.
"What are you doing here?" Jay asked, frowning at Phil and Claire.
"These two were fighting each other," Claire explained.
Chapter 34: Coal Digger
"So what happened?" I asked, standing behind Manny and Luke since only two chairs were left for the parents.
The principal explained, "Apparently there was some name-calling and pushing on the playground," then added, "By the time a teacher separated them, Luke was sitting on Manny's chest."
"Luke, that's not like you," Jay scolded.
Noticing Jay's familiarity with the other boy, the principal intervened. "Wait a minute, you're Luke's father?"
"Grandfather," Jay corrected.
"So Manny's father is-" the principal tried to piece it together.
"Javier. Crazy guy. That's where he gets his spark," Gloria replied, settling beside Manny.
"Alright, and you're-" the principal looked at Luke.
"He's our son," Claire pointed to herself and Phil. "I'm his daughter," she clarified, nodding toward Jay.
The man blinked, now staring at Manny. "So you're-"
"His uncle," Manny answered, facing Luke.
"Stop saying that, or I'll sit on your chest again," Luke grumbled, annoyed.
Claire looked incredulous and pulled Luke closer. "Wait a second! Is that what this was all about?"
"He keeps calling me his nephew!" Luke complained.
"You are my nephew!" Manny shot back immediately.
Before Luke could argue again, I smacked both their heads. "Alright, you two dunderheads, enough. Stop fighting over silly things," I continued. "Now make peace, and we can go to that new ice cream shop that just opened - everything's on me."
They exchanged quick glances before smiling and shaking hands.
"Niiice! There's a flavor I really wanted-" Phil blurted, halfway out of his seat.
"Phil! Jake!" Claire barked.
"Come on, Aunt Claire, they already made up," I replied, crouching next to the boys and whispering, "Now, remember what I taught you."
Both turned toward the principal. "We're sorry and won't do it again," they spoke in unison.
As someone who used to visit home group (orphanage) frequently - and still do every week at West LA - I knew how to handle children.
The principal looked taken aback, then smiled faintly. "Alright, you can go, but I still need to talk to the parents."
I nodded and turned to Jay. "Pass me your key, Jay," I asked as I handed him the Ferrari key -since it only had two seats.
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After taking the boys out for ice cream and driving around the city, I went back home.
When I walked in, everyone had already arrived. "Hi, Alex."
"Hello, Jake," she greeted with a small wave.
I hadn't interacted with her much yet. Along with Cam and Mitchell, Alex was one of the few family members I'd barely spoken to.
She'd probably be the most shocked when she found out how smart I actually am.
"First and goal to go for the Illini," the TV announcer called as the game was going on.
I sat down in the armchair while Alex sat beside Jay, saying, "I like football. Haley hates it, which is weird because it's all boys… and there's no reading required."
She kept going, "Do you know she spends at least forty-five minutes every morning doing her hair? And sometimes-" until Jay finally covered her mouth to shut her up.
Then Cam came in singing, "♪ Let's go, Illini! Let's go! Right now! ♪" His face was painted half blue and half orange.
"Oh, looks like I gotta watch the game with Dick Butkus," Jay remarked.
"Dad! Dad, come on," Mitchell protested, offended. "That's offensive!"
"Mitchell, he's one of the greatest linebackers to ever play for Illinois," I turned to him. "His parents, though… not a great name choice."
"And one of my personal heroes," Cam added proudly, pointing at himself.
"And his name is Butt-kiss?" Mitchell exclaimed, astonished. "All right. Dad, I thought you were being homophobic. I'm sorry," he murmured awkwardly.
"We've got all night," Jay replied unfazed. "You are joining us here?" he added, raising a brow.
"He's been studying up," Cam revealed.
"I gotta tell ya, I'm a little worried about C.J. Hightower," Mitchell began. "Right? With the bad ankle? I'm wondering how he's gonna run his corner routes."
"Hightower's out," Jay informed.
"What?" Cam blinked.
"Oh. Then who's gonna run the corner routes?" Mitchell questioned, trying to keep the talk going.
"Certainly not Billings," I quipped, making Cam and Jay laugh.
"That's low, Jake," Cam said, still laughing, then turned to explain to Mitchell, "Billings is in jail."
"I put 500 dollars on the Illini to make the next touchdown," I mentioned, glancing at my phone.
"Oh, Jesus, Jake. You bet on Illinois?" Jay asked, exasperated.
"I didn't hear you complain when I used the prize from the last game to buy that Glenfiddich 30-Year - and that was against a rival team too," I retorted.
I only bet for fun since the results were different from what I remembered. My accuracy rate hovered around sixty percent - not bad at all.
"Good call!" Cam exclaimed, and explained the team's next moves "Double tight end -it's gonna be a quarterback roll-out to the left."
Jay shook his head. "They're gonna run it."
"Trust me, he's got the slot," Cam predicted.
"In the end zone! Touchdown!" the announcer shouted from the TV, with Cam echoing his excitement.
"Yes!" I shouted, slapping Cam's palm in a high five. "Hey, Cam, pick a place for the family to eat next week - I just made two grand on that bet."
"Lucky guess," Jay grumbled.
Mitchell, sitting beside Jay, murmured, "Maybe they, uh, should've considered blitzing."
"Blitzing wouldn't have helped them. Get outta here," Jay muttered again.
Mitchell ended up standing and leaving, and I did the same since the girls had just arrived.
Chapter 35: Coal Digger II
I went to answer the door, where Haley, Marissa, and Summer were waiting.
"Wow, another nice house," Summer looked around. "No wonder you spend more time here than in class during school hours," she added sarcastically.
"Hmm, one week with me and you already learned sarcasm, Sunny girl," I noted, giving her a quick peck on the lips.
"Yeah, one week and you're already introducing me to your family?" she smirked.
I was about to greet Marissa, but after hearing what Summer commented, I turned back to her again. "You tease me again, and what you'll be introduced to will be my bedroom," I said with a grin wider than hers.
She paused for a moment, trying to find a retort.
"And what are you staring at, Marissa? Want to be introduced too?" I saw Marissa looking at me differently.
"No!" she replied flustered.
"To my family," I continued evenly, pretending innocence. "What's wrong with you?"
"Forget it, Coop, we can't win against him on this one," Summer whispered to her. "But I'll get back at him," she promised, narrowing her eyes at me.
I pulled Summer closer and kissed her
"Can you stop doing that in front of us?" Haley complained.
"You're just jealous that Dylan isn't here," I said, giving her a light hug
I went to present them to the family, and while we were in the kitchen, we saw Claire, Gloria at the counter, and Phil in the corner having what seemed like a serious conversation.
"Sometimes when you see me, you make that face," Gloria spoke to Claire.
"What face?" she asked.
Gloria tilted her head slightly, "Like this," and pouted her lips.
"I don't-" Claire began, but I interrupted her.
"That is so Claire," I laughed, stepping beside her.
"Jake!" she snapped, but her expression shifted as she noticed the newcomers. "Oh, hi," she greeted, then whispered to me out of the corner of her mouth, "Which one?"
"That one," I pointed at Haley, earning a slap on my hand and a glare from Claire.
"I thought you asked which one I liked the most, and it's still Haley. Family means everything to me," I said mockingly.
Then I introduced, "Claire, Gloria - meet Summer and Marissa", and the four exchanged polite smiles
"Gloria's like a second mom to me," I spoke affectionately. "And Claire too -especially when she runs out of people at home to yell at and needs a fresh victim."
Gloria, Phil and Haley burst out laughing, while Claire was also smiling lightly, though with a look that said she'd give me a lecture later.
Then, Manny, seeing the two girls, stepped forward. "My name is Manny Delgado."
I cut him off, "Save it, champs. Everyone here has a boyfriend."
"Do I?" Summer whispered, taking my hand.
I just ignored her and turned to Gloria and Claire. "You can keep doing whatever it was you were doing," I said casually.
I pulled the girls along and introduced them to the rest of the family until the four of us sat down on the chairs in front of the pool.
I was resting my head on Summer's body as she gently ran her hand through my hair
"Wait, you've been dating Luke since fifth grade?" I asked, surprised when Marissa revealed how long they had been together.
"Yeah, since a visit to the Museum of Tolerance," she confirmed. "You are not a big fan of him, right?"
I thought for a moment. "I don't like his pompous attitude."
Especially because he has nothing to back his arrogance
"In that regard, I'm much more of a Dylan fan," I added.
Dylan has a big heart... the complete opposite of his brain.
"You were hanging out yesterday with that geek Seth, ew," Summer made a face at me, "...and Ryan."
"You just don't like Ryan because he's friends with Taylor," Haley joined the conversation.
Then Marissa changed the subject before the bickering could start, "Next month will be my fashion show fundraiser in Pacific Palisades. Are you all going?"
"Yep," I agreed. "Grandmother invited me and summoned my dad and uncle."
"I really want to," Haley said, "but I don't know if my mother will let me." She turned to me. "Help me, cousin." She pleaded
"I can help you, Haley. But not with Dylan." Then I got an idea. "Marissa, why don't you have Haley help organize the fashion event, and I'll invite someone I know who can help with donations?"
She looked at me. "Hmm, sure," she agreed without thinking much.
"Really?" Haley exclaimed excitedly.
My cousin might have some talent for working in the fashion world.
We kept talking for a while until we went back into the kitchen. Everyone was already gathered there.
"Oh, we can learn so much from the children," Phil said, resting his hand on Luke and Manny's shoulders, who had already made up since we went for ice cream.
"Bet it seems kind of silly now what you were even fighting about, huh?" he continued.
"I made fun of his accent," Luke confessed.
"What accent?" Gloria intentionally thickened hers.
I smiled; I had gotten used to her accent (Manny has much less of it). I think part of Gloria's charm comes from it.
This time, it was Manny who spoke up. "I made fun of him for having the same thing for lunch every day."
"Eegh!" Gloria lightly mocked.
"I made fun of him because his mom used to dig coal," Luke went on.
I frowned.
"What?" Gloria asked.
"He said you were a coal digger," Manny explained to his mother.
"Okay, I think we can move on," I tried to intervene, but Gloria had already understood and pressed further.
"Who said I was a coal digger?" she asked again.
"That's what my mom told me," Luke said
Alex turned to her dad. "What's a coal digger?"
"Sweetheart, he heard it wrong. It's 'gold digger,'" Phil explained a little too loudly.
"I really don't think I remember ever saying that," Claire tried to defend herself.
"Well, you said it in the car. You said it at Christmas. You said it in the Mexican restaurant-" Luke started listing.
Claire cut him off with a stern face. "Okay, Mr. 'Leaves His Sweatshirts at School Every Day... Suddenly Remembers Everything,' thank you."
"And it was all in my head, huh?" Gloria looked sarcastically at Claire and walked out of the kitchen.
"Oh, listen, Gloria, it was... like, a year ago, before I knew you," Claire tried, but Gloria had already left.
Chapter 36: Coal Digger III
I sighed.
"I'll talk to her," I murmured, heading toward Gloria's room. After a quick knock and hearing her soft "okay," I stepped inside.
"Hey, Gloria," I said, taking a seat across from her.
She started, "From the beginning, I feel like Manny and I are not welcome in this family."
"How come? I was very welcome; I even let you take me in at your house," I joked, trying to ease the tension. That earned a small smile.
"And that's not fair, Gloria. Phil, Cam, and even Alex - in her own way - were welcoming. The problem is us Pritchetts," I went on gently. "Claire, Mitchell, Jay, and I… we're too judgmental. I bet Mitch had doubts about Cam at first, and Claire definitely did about Phil."
"When I first saw you at the hospital, I thought the same thing Claire did. But maybe because I'm a genius, I didn't blurt it out loud to a ten-year-old loudmouth," I quipped, making Gloria chuckle.
"It didn't take long for me to realize how wrong I was," I continued, taking her hand. "You welcomed me with open arms, and I saw how you and Jay made an incredible couple."
"I have a theory," I added with a faint grin. "Some divine providence must've seen that after thirty-five years with that witch, Jay deserved a break - and sent him the best woman possible."
"Ay, mi niño lindo," she cooed, hugging me before giving a deadpan look. "You smooth talker, you're going to make me a grandmother soon."
"Hey, don't jinx it! I'm trying to comfort you, and you're throwing curses," I complained, pretending to be offended.
She smacked my arm playfully. "What curse? Children are the best thing in the world!"
Then someone knocked on the door - it was Claire.
"Okay, I'll let you two talks," I muttered, standing up and heading back to the living room.
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I sat down to watch the last minutes of the game while Marissa, Summer, and Haley chatted in the corner - not very interested in the match, though they sometimes laughed in my direction.
"Oh great, now we have two more Haleys," Alex remarked sarcastically from her seat.
I ignored her and kept my eyes on the TV until Claire and Gloria came down the stairs.
"Hey, you two work that out?" Jay asked, giving them a quick glance.
"Almost," Claire answered. "Gloria just wants me to jump in the pool."
"Okay then," Jay replied casually, turning back to the game.
"What?" Phil exclaimed, wide-eyed.
"Wait, wait, wait," I interrupted, standing up.
Claire looked half surprised, half wary.
I smirked, "Let me grab my camera first." She just shot me a murderous glare.
Claire walked outside toward the pool, and of course, we all followed.
"This is so awesome!" Luke shouted.
"I know," Haley added. "Mom does not look good wet."
"Is she really gonna jump?" Marissa asked curiously.
"Of course," I nodded confidently.
Jay groaned, "Gloria, is this really necessary?", as Claire stood at the pool's edge.
"It's fine, Dad. If I have to jump into this water to prove how sorry I am, I'll do it," Claire declared. "I'm fine."
But she hesitated, then turned to Gloria, "You're serious? You're not gonna stop me?"
"Why would I do that?" Gloria asked innocently.
"Because I'm showing my willingness to-" Claire stopped, realizing Gloria wasn't budging. "No? Okay then." She sighed and jumped.
"Yeaay!!", we all burst out laughing and cheering.
"Are you happy now?" Claire called from the pool.
"Yes! I forgive you!" Gloria shouted back, smiling.
"Then give me your hand," Claire offered, swimming closer.
"Oh, that's the oldest trick in the book. She's gonna pull you in," Jay warned.
Claire denied, "No, I won't!"
"And that's my job," Jay declared, pushing Gloria straight into the pool.
"AY Jaaay!" she screamed mid-fall.
Phil chuckled, and decided to speak up. "This is funny, but this is also a teaching moment. Think about-" He didn't finish; Jay shoved him in too.
Luke and Manny raced to push Jay next, followed by Mitchell dragging Alex along for the ride.
"Cannonball!" Cam bellowed, leaping dramatically into the water.
I was laughing by the edge when I heard, "Payback time!" Summer tackled me like a football player.
We crashed into the pool, laughing
I pulled her into a hug with one arm, while the other hand wiped the water from my face.
Summer brushed a strand of wet hair from her face and whispered, "Hey, Jake," glancing toward the two who were still dry.
"Leave it to me," I grinned, already reading her mind.
I got out of the pool casually and ran, scooping up Haley and Marissa - one on each shoulder - as they screamed.
"No, no, no!" Haley struggled, Marissa's laugh turned into a squeal as she kicked weakly, but it was too late.
I jumped in, dragging both of them with me, splashing everyone in sight.
In the pool, I was wiping my face when two people leaned on me, pushing my head back underwater. (I could've avoided it, but I let the girls counterattack.)
"I'm all wet," Haley complained lightly, and I bit back an improper innuendo.
"At least we have the new clothes we bought today," Summer remarked.
I kissed her cheek. "Little Sunny has everything planned."
After a while, we decided to get out of the pool. I said I'd grab towels for everyone.
I took off my shirt, so I wouldn't soak the house too much, making four girls stare at me. I wasn't bulky, but my body was very well-defined.
"Wow, not bad," Summer looked eagerly without a hint of shame.
Alex turned away quickly, frustrated, and Marissa also looked aside.
Haley said nothing but was still staring at me
Chapter 37: Tattoo
A few days after the 'pool party', I was having breakfast in Malibu.
"Can we play Vampire Hunter, Francis?" Jake inquired while munching on his cereal.
"Sure, kiddo. After your classes, we can play for a bit," I agreed.
Manny wasn't into video games, so I only played when I visited Phil's house or on Thursdays with the kids from the group home (orphanage).
"Do you want to join too?" he asked the girl standing in the kitchen.
"Sorry, I don't know how to play," she responded.
Noticing her scanning the room, I questioned, "Looking for something, Cindy?"
"Do you know where your dad keeps the paper towels?" she wondered.
I pointed toward the upper shelf. "There, top right corner."
She reached up, but her shirt lifted slightly, revealing a butterfly tattoo on the right side of her butt.
Jake breathed out a quiet, "Whoa," his eyes glued to the scene.
I smirked and returned to my coffee, but soon Uncle Alan appeared too, wearing a goofy face and echoing the same, "Whoa," after spotting the tattoo.
"Hi, you must be Alan. I'm Cindy," she introduced herself while holding the paper towels, noticing him entering the kitchen.
Alan greeted her and then gave his son's shoulder a few pats. "Hey, Jake, it's time to get dressed."
Jake motioned for him to wait. "Hold on a second," he muttered. "Can you grab me a bowl from that shelf?" Said pointing to another upper cabinet.
Huh, the kid can use his brain when something interests him.
Alan patted him again, harder this time, exasperated. "Come on, let's move."
"So, how are things with the girls, Francis?" Cindy teased after Jake and Alan left the kitchen, probably remembering the three girls she'd seen that day.
"I'm dating one of them - the brunette who was by my side," I revealed with a grin. "And I could ask you the same question."
I was pretty sure Cindy was also into chicks.
She playfully tapped my shoulder but didn't comment further.
"Hi, Cindy, Francis," Charlie strode into the kitchen.
"Hello, Charlie," Cindy greeted warmly, and I nodded in return.
"How you doing?" she added.
"Not bad. How about you?"
"Pretty good." She kissed his cheek lightly. "Thanks again. I'll see you soon."
"Anytime," Charlie replied smoothly.
Alan, who had returned to the kitchen, raised a brow at the interaction. "'How you doing'? 'Thanks again'? Charlie, casual sex is one thing, but this is just lazy."
Charlie countered, "What are you talking about? I didn't sleep with her. She just surfs at the Point, uses my shower, and heads to work."
"So you're not sleeping with her?" Alan asked
Charlie groaned, "Jeez, Alan, I don't sleep with every buff surfer chick that uses my shower."
Alan snorted. "Yeah, I know some was with Francis before he started dating."
Charlie laughed and clinked his cup against mine.
"But I don't think you'll have much luck with Cindy, Dad. I have a feeling she's into girls too," I remarked.
"What?" He looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. "No!" Then paused, reconsidering. "No?"
"Alright, I'm heading out too. See you later," I murmured, grabbing my bag and heading off to UCLA for another meeting with the mathematicians.
-----------------------------
That afternoon, I returned to Malibu and was admiring the drawing my cousin had made. It was a sketch of Cindy's back and butt, with the butterfly tattoo on the right cheek.
"Kid's an artist," I chuckled softly.
Alan scoffed, "That's not funny, Francis," but changed the subject when Dad appeared,
"Hey. Where have you been?" he asked
"I just had lunch with my mother and my stalker," Charlie grumbled.
Rose is such a weird girl...
Alan picked up the drawing I'd left on the table. "Anyway, look, can we talk about this picture Jake drew?"
"What's to talk about? He's a boy. He saw a woman's ass. He liked it. Thank your lucky stars it wasn't the cable guy's ass, and move on" Charlie dismissed
Before Alan could continue, Jake appeared holding a magazine and asked him, "Hey, Dad. Where's Cancun?"
Alan gave a puzzled look but replied, "It's in Mexico. Why?"
"We should go there for Christmas instead of Aunt Betty's," Jake suggested.
"What are you reading, Jake?" Alan questioned, noticing the magazine in his hand.
"Sports Illustrated. But it's mostly ladies in bathing suits," Jake answered, already heading back toward his room.
"Wait," Uncle Alan stopped him. "It's perfectly natural for you to be interested in women's bodies, but it's important that you understand what they mean."
Charlie mocked, "Uhh, I want to hear this too."
"Okay, first of all, real women don't look like this." Alan pointed to a page filled with women. "These pictures have been retouched and airbrushed to make them look perfect, but they're really not," he explained.
"Excuse me, but I met that one -and she was perfect," Charlie remarked, pointing to one of the models.
"Yeah, and my girl looks a lot like this one," I added in agreement.
Alan glared at us before continuing, "What I'm trying to explain to Jake is that this is not what regular women look like."
"Then why don't they use regular women?" Jake asked.
"Because the only way regular women can sell magazines is door-to-door," Charlie quipped.
I told Jake, "If you want, you could become a doctor and make one of these yourself."
"That alone costs 10 grand," Charlie agreed.
Alan snapped at us, "Francis! Charlie!"
"What? You know a doctor like that makes around fifty to sixty percent of the total -five to six grand per surgery isn't bad," I argued.
I met Summer's dad, and he's one of those surgeons who make a fortune
Alan paused for a moment, thinking about what I'd said, but then turned back to teaching Jake. "Some women choose to make their breasts larger with what's called surgical implants."
"Why?" Jake wondered.
"They think bigger is better."
"I can see that," Jake replied innocently (or maybe not so innocently) looking at the magazine, making Charlie and me laugh, while Alan grew exasperated.
Chapter 38: Great Expectations
After the talk with Jake, the next day, Judith and Cindy appeared very close to each other, driving Uncle Alan completely insane.
Dad was not happy either, but at least he was satisfied knowing why Cindy had never gotten involved with him.
I ignored it and headed back to Brentwood since it was Jay's Night - a family tradition.
-----------------------------
When I arrived, I went straight to the kitchen. Gloria was on the phone.
"Of course, we would love to have the baby. All the other cousins are sleeping over tonight. Okay, see you tonight. Bye-bye."
"We got Lily too?" I asked, reaching for a cup of coffee.
"Si, mi bebesita," Gloria said cheerfully.
Manny, who was reading a newspaper, asked, "Is Haley still coming?"
"You're related," Jay scolded. "I'll spray you with the hose," he warned.
"But is she really coming? There's a party at Andrew Adler's nearby," I commented.
I got invited but ended up declining because of Jay's Night
"She will. She promised," Jay said firmly, almost as if it was a jab at me.
"Hey, I love the family tradition - the Sloppy Jays, the P.J.s…" I began.
"…and the fact your girl will be part of it too," Jay added.
"I told her she could go to the party without me. What can I do if she prefers to be here? And you all agreed with it," I replied, unfazed.
Yep, I told Summer she could go, but she insisted on coming here
Jay and Gloria are much more open about me having a girl over here (as long as I keep things discreet), since I could easily go to Dad's house without any restrictions.
Brenda was a different case because she always behaved like a well-mannered girl, and she was going to Yale, which impressed the family (though she wasn't exactly well-mannered when she was alone with me, though).
Manny looked at me hopefully. "Will Marissa come?"
I ignored him and turned to Jay. "I think we need a bigger spray."
Manny frowned, shaking his head, and went back to reading his paper.
I headed to my room to read a book and continue working on some papers.
-----------------------------
At night, I came downstairs since it was almost time for everyone to arrive and saw Gloria singing loudly in Spanish to Lily, who she held in her arms.
I frowned and moved closer to Jay, whispering, "I'm pretty sure there must be a few dead birds outside."
"Lily is probably deaf," he agreed quietly. We both stared at the baby in silence as Gloria kept singing horrendously.
"But we're not, so we better make sure no karaoke microphones ever enter this house," I continued, earning a dry chuckle and a nod from Jay.
A message popped up on my phone, and I went to answer the door.
"Hi, Sun. Nice P.J.s," I greeted as I opened it and saw her wearing a pink pajama with a tiny sun on it.
She kissed me. "I had to buy one. The others I have aren't exactly... family-friendly," she winked.
I ignored her provocation, because I want a normal family night. But later this night, I would make sure to punish her insolence.
I gave her a playful pinch on her bum, making her jump and slap my hand.
We walked to the kitchen and chatted normally with Jay.
-----------------------------
The doorbell rang, and we went to answer it.
Jay opened the door while I saw Manny giving himself one last check in the mirror. I just shook my head.
"There are my little stinkers!" Jay greeted as Haley, Alex, and Luke walked in.
"Howdy," Alex said casually.
"Hi, Grandpa," Haley smiled.
"Well, hello there, Haley," Manny tried saying in a seductive tone, running his fingers along his glass of Coca-Cola.
"Take it down a notch, Jethro," Jay stopped him.
Haley gave him a weird look but turned to me and Summer. "I can't believe you guys aren't going and you're staying here."
"Your cousin can be very persuasive," Summer shrugged.
"So, you guys ready for some fun?" Jay opened his arms happily. "What?" he exclaimed after noticing Luke's expression.
"I love you, Grandpa, and I'm never gonna forget you," Luke said, hugging Jay tightly.
"Okay, okay. Back at ya, champ," Jay replied, confused. Then he turned to Haley. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. This is a pajama party. Where are your P.J.s?"
"Yeah, they're in my bag. I need to talk to you about something," Haley began.
But Alex cut her off right away. "She wants to go to a party with Dylan, Grandpa."
"Shut up, Alex!" Haley snapped and turned back to her grandfather. "It's at my friend Andrew Adler's. He lives three blocks from here."
"Oh, Jake told me. Walking distance," Jay noted.
"Right." Haley tried again, "So I wouldn't ask you this because I love coming to your house, but it's kind of an important party, and I-"
"Somebody invites you over, the last thing you wanna do is insult them," Jay completed
"Exactly," she agreed.
Jay put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad we agree," he said and walked away.
"Haley, if I were you, I'd lose that smile," I warned her, realizing she hadn't understood what had just happened.
She was turning toward me when Jay shouted, "P.J.s on, Haley!"
"What?" Haley exclaimed.
"Um, I would be happy to let her change in my room," Manny stepped forward.
Jay came back with a spray bottle and used it on Manny, and I grabbed one too, doing the same right after him.
Manny wiped his face and threw his arms open indignantly in our direction.
I used the spray once more just to be sure.
Chapter 39: Great Expectations II
Haley ended up not changing into her pajamas -probably plotting a way to sneak out to the party -as if Jay hadn't seen that coming from a mile away. We all gathered around to eat the famous Sloppy Jays.
"This is good," Summer praised the food.
I looked at her. "Told you, we have good cooks here."
"He's probably including himself," Jay joked.
Summer shot me a curious glance. "Do you know how to cook?"
"Yep," I confirmed. "And I'm even better at making drinks," I whispered to her.
After all, drinks are way easier to make since they have fewer ingredient variations -beverages are basically homogeneous.
"He makes a good eggs benedict once in a while," Manny smiled.
Haley nodded. "He made it at our house too."
"I can't just keep showing up and eating for free," I grinned. Sometimes I stop by there when I go for a run (I like running outside instead of at the gym)
"You could make it this week and give me a ride afterward," Haley proposed.
"I can do that, but you'll have to convince your mom," I reasoned. "Class at 7:30 is ridiculously early."
So far, I haven't given Haley a ride to school since I'm always running late in the morning
"That's not gonna happen," Alex commented sarcastically. "And how do you manage to go after 10 a.m. and still not get suspended? It's been a month!"
After the first day, I never made it on time again. I was defeated by my comfy bed.
"I'm special, Alex," I winked at her.
She simply rolled her eyes
"What else are you good at that I don't know?" Summer asked, intrigued.
"One could say I'm good at math," I revealed -one being basically anyone who understands math.
"You? Good at math?" Alex looked at me even more suspiciously.
"That's nerdy," Haley pulled a face of disapproval. "It doesn't suit you."
I just laughed at the absurd thing Haley remarked. If the mathematicians I meet with ever heard that, they'd probably burn her at the stake like in the medieval days.
Then the doorbell rang.
I turned to Gloria. "Are we expecting anyone else?"
"Only if it's Cam and Mitchell," Gloria responded. "But they said they'd come much later," she added defensively, almost as if hiding the baby.
I wiped my mouth with a napkin and stood up. "I'll get it."
When I opened the door, I was surprised. "Marissa? What are you doing here?"
"Come on, it's not fun without you two," she slurred slightly, clearly a bit drunk. "Let's go to the party."
"What about Luke?" I questioned.
Her face shifted to sadness and annoyance. "We fought. He cheated on me."
"Oh, Jesus," I sighed. "Come in, join Jay's Night."
I led her to the table but grabbed the spray bottle first.
"Why are you taking that spray?" Marissa inquired, watching me curiously.
That gave me an idea, so I sprayed her lightly and kept going.
"Stop it, Jake," she protested, but I started chasing her and spraying more.
Before long, we were both laughing.
"Coop?" Summer appeared, making us stop.
I approached her and explained, "She's still a bit drunk. She saw Luke cheating on her." I pointed toward Marissa. "Take her to my room and throw her in a cold shower."
And I continued, "You can grab one of my pajamas."
A cold shower doesn't reduce intoxication, since alcohol in the blood can only be metabolized by the liver.
However, cold water can trigger an adrenaline response, making a person feel more alert or awake - but it doesn't actually make them any less drunk.I returned to the table.
"Who was it?" Gloria asked curiously.
"Marissa," I replied, pressing the spray at Manny, but it was already out of water.
I went to refill it and continued, "She saw her boyfriend cheating on her and ended up coming here after leaving the party."
I added, "She's the one organizing the fundraiser for underprivileged kids," easing Jay's disapproving look for having a drunk teenager here.
"I'll talk to her too," Haley mentioned, standing up.
"They're in my room," I informed her.
Before she left, Haley whispered, "It's not something new. I know he's been with more than one girl. I didn't say anything because I wasn't that close to her."
I nodded, not thinking much of it.
-----------------------------
After a while, we were playing poker, while Manny was showing his collection to Luke in his room
"How long will he stay in the garden?" I murmured to Jay.
"If he's anything like Phil, he'll wait there all night," Jay grumbled.
Gloria joined the conversation. "Who are you talking about?"
"Dylan, Haley's boyfriend. He sneaked in and is out there in the garden, but he's not the most… strategic one," I pondered.
Alex, who had been carefully listening to our conversation, snorted.
Then the girls appeared, all wearing pajamas, including Haley.
I stood up. "I'll prepare a Sloppy Jay for you, Marissa."
"I'm not hungry," she replied awkwardly, avoiding my gaze. I could see she was much more sober now, her eyes a little red.
"You don't need to be hungry to eat a Sloppy Jay," I responded, ignoring her objection while assembling one for her as the three girls settled into the chair.
Since it was just a matter of putting the meat on the bread -and adding a few ingredients -it didn't take long before I served her.
"Thanks," Marissa murmured, slightly looking away.
"If you've already decided to stay with us, Haley, I think you should let your boyfriend know," I remarked, already placing one hand on Summer's waist.
Haley looked at her grandfather with her doe eyes, and he grumbled in agreement, telling her to bring him here.
Chapter 40: Night
After Dylan came in, we grabbed more chairs and everyone sat down, with Manny and Luke joining us to play poker too.
I had to spray him after he stared at Marissa, and I gave her one too -just for fun.
"I got nothing," Jay declared, tossing his cards.
Gloria revealed her two pairs of Aces. "I think I have a very good pair."
"You sure do, honey," Jay murmured, not exactly referring to Gloria's cards.
"Better than mine - I have a pair of grumpy 'Jays'," I joked, showing my Jacks, making everyone laugh
Haley lifted her hand, "I don't think I have anything either."
"Are you kidding me? That's a straight!" Jay exclaimed, staring at Haley's cards, "You win!"
"Really?" Haley spoke excitedly, sitting next to Dylan, pulling all the chips toward herself
Then the doorbell rang again.
"That must be Cam and Mitchell," Jay muttered
"I give you time, you take the baby and run," I teased Gloria, who let out a soft chuckle
I headed to the door, with Marissa and Summer following behind, and opened it.
"Wow, you are cute!" a drunk blonde blurted out, giving me a look.
"Sal!" Mitchell hissed, pulling her closer to him. "He's underage and already has a girl," he remarked, glancing at Summer, who grabbed my hand.
"...Or two," he added under his breath when he noticed that Marissa was wearing my pajamas
I pretended not to hear and told them to come in.
We all ended up on the couch, watching a Western movie Jay had rented. Dylan was lying against Haley while she fed him popcorn.
Mitchell stayed with Lily while Cam took care of Sal.
I was stretched out on the sofa, Summer lying on top of me and Marissa half over her.
Manny looked at me with a trace of envy and muttered something like, "I can't believe she's into this guy," while glancing at Haley with Dylan.
-----------------------------
Once the movie was over, Dylan left - Jay didn't allow him to stay over, despite Haley's protests.
I was helping set up a mattress in my room since Haley, Summer, and Marissa were going to sleep here.
"It's so incredible that three beautiful girls are having a sleepover in my room, but why am I not invited?" I pretended to look pitiful.
The girls just rolled their eyes.
"Your room is so clean in both houses," Haley commented. "It doesn't even look like a boy's room."
Both rooms are minimalist, without much clutter - just what I actually use - but everything in them is high-quality.
I gestured toward the bathroom. "Alright, chicas, there are new toothbrushes in the cabinet and plenty of products if you want to use them. Have fun."
"Aren't you even worried we might snoop around, maybe find some magazines?" Summer smirked.
"Nope, I don't have any. Feel free to look - I've got nothing to hide," I replied, unfazed.
There's nothing in my room I'd be embarrassed about. The worst they'd find is a big pack of condoms.
"You're no fun," Summer pouted, giving me a goodnight kiss before I shut the door.
When I went downstairs, I noticed Alex still in the living room, reading a book.
"I'll let you sleep," she murmured, getting up to leave.
"Wait -are you enjoying it?" I asked.
She nodded. "The Book Thief is amazing. Francis Falkener writes beautifully," she replied before heading to the guest room.
Right after I received the cash prize, I sent The Book Thief and Twilight to different publishers under different pen names.
Since I'd invested more money to speed up the process, they were released earlier than the one Jay helped me publish.
-----------------------------
After a while, I was stretched out on the couch, reading, when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs.
I turned. "Can't sleep, Marissa?"
"I just came to get some water," she said, pointing toward the kitchen.
"I'll make some tea," I offered, getting up.
"No need," she replied softly.
I ignored her and started cutting a lemon, heating water. The room stayed quiet until the kettle whistled. I poured it into two cups and handed her one, "Here"
She took it and sipped. "It's good."
"Good thing about having a little brother with an old man's spirit -we've got all the good teas here," I remarked, taking a sip of mine as well.
Marissa smiled faintly.
She looked at me and said, "Sometimes I wish I were like you."
"You're in my bed, wearing my pajamas... sleeping with Summer. I think you're doing better than me," I replied plainly.
That made her laugh.
"You treat her well, she's my best friend," Marissa warned, then softened again. "You always seem in control, always with an answer…"
I just nodded.
We talked for a while, me keeping a respectful distance (already knowing that a vulnerable girl could be easily impressed). Then we went to sleep.
...Or, so I thought. Summer quietly came downstairs and snuck onto the couch with me. Seeing the mischievous look in her eyes, I stopped her hand from wandering into inappropriate places and scolded her, "Summer, not here!"
I stood up, pulling her along. I could see the conflicted expression on her face, maybe thinking I was rejecting her
"Let's go to the bathroom," I whispered to her. "I don't want to get caught with everyone here - Jay would kill me."
-----------------------------
In the bathroom, we started making out intensely.
"Jake, I don't want our first time to be in a bathroom," Summer said, though her hands were roaming all over my body
"Okay," I agreed, "but that doesn't mean we can't move a base forward," I smirked at her.
I turned her to face the mirror, one hand covering her mouth while the other slid under her shirt. It was incredibly alluring to see all the action reflected in the mirror
Summer's hands tangled in my hair, until one of them trailed down toward my bulge while the other guided mine, still on her chest, to slide lower.
It took just one release for Summer to change her mind. But I held firm - we'd save the goal for a better field.