Ch 66: Make me happy

Wes found Janet in the courtyard at lunch time shivering and hopping from foot to foot with her arms hugging herself and like an idiot he said, “Are you cold?”

She glowered. “No, this is the newest dance craze I’m practicing for the McIntyre wedding,” she snapped. “Great idea of yours, having lunch out here.”

“Sorry,” he said as he pulled off his sweater and wrapped it about her like a blanket. “That better?”

“Won’t you get cold?” she asked, watching him shake his head, sending his curls bouncing.

“I’m used to it. We play in colder weather than this just wearing shorts and a t-shirt,” he replied, frowning as he brushed his hair out of his eyes. “I need a haircut.”

“Oh, no, Wes, don’t,” she said, reaching up to fix his curls. “I like your hair like this.”

“You do? Okay,” he said chuckling. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Warm yet?”

She nodded. “Are you hungry?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, and he went to kiss her again, but she pulled away.

“I mean for lunch,” she said, pushing away from him.

“Yeah, that too,” he said, following her to the nearly-bare cherry tree and the food laden blanket which lay underneath it. “Wow, what is all this?”

“My mom’s idea of lunch for two,” Janet replied kneeling down. “She must think you eat twice as much as Troy and my brother combined.”

Wes laughed and spread his long frame out across the blanket and took a sandwich. “You don’t know, maybe I do.”

“Make yourself at home, why don’t you,” Janet said, astonished that he would lay down on the cold ground with only a thin blanket between.

“Thought I did,” he said, taking a huge bite and moaning with pleasure. “Mmm, good stuff. Love your mom. She’s so much like mine was.”

She stared at him, her expression suddenly sad. 

Wes shook his head. “Janet, don’t keep doing that, okay?”

“What? I didn’t do anything,” she protested.

“You always get that guilty-feeling-sorry-for-me look whenever I talk about my mom, but it’s okay. It’s a long time ago and I’m fine.”

“I know,” she said. “Eat.”

He laughed and did eat. He was starved! When done with his sandwich, he looked up at her and frowned. “What?”

“I didn’t say anything,” she said, taking a bottle of water and twisting the cap off.

“You’re not eating and your face is telling me something’s wrong. You mad at me?”

“No,” she said, taking a small container and opening it up. “Want some?”

He shook his head. “Why aren’t you eating?”

“Not hungry.”

A small smile came to him as he stared at her.

“What?” she said.

“I didn’t say anything,” he replied.

“But you’re thinking of something. What?”

“Just something my mom told me a long time ago,” he said taking the container out of her hand and grabbing a fork.

“What did she say?” she asked watching him eat the pasta salad.

“Only that you can tell when a girl’s in love cuz she stops eating,” he said, spearing a piece of broccoli and popping it into his mouth. "You barely ate dinner last night and I saw you give half your breakfast to you brother and now you're saying you're not hungry." He smirked and added, "You wanna tell me something?"

Janet’s eyes widened and she grabbed the nearest container and started chowing down. Wes tried not to laugh.

“Excuse me, are you the yenta?”

They both looked up to see a small, dorky looking boy who didn’t seem old enough to be in high school.

“Um, yeah, that’s me,” Janet said, after she swallowed. “Can I help you?”

“Uh…are you busy?” the boy asked, looking from Wes to the picnic.

“What does it look like?” Wes said, obviously annoyed.

“Wes,” Janet warned, then turning back to the boy, she smiled. “We can talk after school. I’ll be at the soccer game today and…”

“Janet, you’re supposed to be with my dad and I want you to watch the game,” Wes said.

“There is half time, Wes, and games never start on time so there’s plenty of time for me to talk to…what’s your name?” Janet said, turning back to the boy.

“Kenny Harris,” he said nervously watching Wes, but looking determined nonetheless. “I’ll find you at the soccer field then. Thanks, Yenta.”

Janet laughed. “You can call me Janet, Kenny, okay?”

He nodded and ran off.

Her smile faded and she glared at Wes. “You better stop being mean to my customers!”

“He was bothering us. He interrupted our…”

“Sparkling conversation?” she said, sarcastically. “Give me a break! I’ve never been rude to your clients and I’ll expect you to not be rude to mine.”

Wes had been about to retort, until he realized she was right. “No, you haven’t. I’m sorry.”

She glared at him. “Are you being condescending? Cuz I don’t like that either.”

“No, Janet! You were right and I won’t do it anymore. I promise…well, I promise to try,” he said sitting up and moving close to her. “Don’t be mad at me. I just …I wanted you all to myself right now. We don’t see each other all day.”

“What was English class?”

“I look at the back of your head for forty minutes while pretending to listen to the teacher. That doesn’t count. While you have very pretty hair, I’d much rather see your beautiful face and talk to you and kiss you.”

She narrowed her eyes. “That’s another thing. What the heck were you thinking, kissing me in front of Mr. Steadman and the whole class?”

“What? You don’t think they’ve ever seen a guy kiss a girl in this school? Jason Hellerman’s caught making out with a different girl every day, several times a day!”

“Oh, so you want to be another Hellerman, do you?” she said, in a snippy voice. “Then should I find you two or three girls for each day?”

Wes laughed and pulled her closer. “I see what you're doing. You're trying to pick a fight with me. Well, it won't work. I only need one girl, the one that makes me happy, even when she drives me insane.” He kissed her slowly and thoroughly, until they were both quite out of breath. 

“I just wish I could make you as happy as you make me,” Wes said. He kissed her again then smiled. “Now eat before I start thinking…”

Janet took the container and ate every last bit of the pasta salad even though she really didn’t want it. She had to, lest Wes think she was in love….which she wasn’t!

When the bell rang, they hurriedly tossed everything into the lunch sack and they rushed out of the courtyard, each ready to go in different directions. 

“See you at the game,” he said.

“Wes,” she said, grabbing his arm before he ran off.

“What?” he said.

“Uh…good luck at the game,” she said, knowing full well how lame she sounded…just like Jenny and Gracie, in fact. 

But Wes didn’t care. He smiled and gave her one last kiss. “Love my Janet,” he whispered. “She makes me happy.” And then he bolted down the hall.

Janet’s heart jumped about madly as she walked down the science corridor. She would like to say Wes made her happy, if it wasn’t for the other thing.