The Deal With The Bad Boy

Chapter Ten

Heading out of the front door, I locked it carefully behind us before allowing Jay to grab my hand and lead me down our path to his car. Opening the door, I slipped inside, curling into the chair as my best friend ran around the car and jumped in behind the wheel.

‘Seat b . . ‘ Jay started before looking over at me surprised as I clicked the belt into place, ‘OK who are you and what have you done with Cassidy ‘I don’t need a seatbelt’ Reynolds? He asked as he placed his hand on my forehead.

Swatting his hand away from me I scowled at him, ‘there is nothing wrong with me, I thought you’d be pleased that I was listening to your incessant safety lectures’ I retorted.

Jay shook his head, ‘don’t give me that baby girl, I’ve been complaining about your seatbelt since I got my licence, this is the first time I haven’t had to remind you’ he replied accusingly.

Sighing in exasperation I rolled my eyes, ‘fine’ I huffed, ‘Wade drives like a maniac and I never want to be in a vehicle without being restrained again.’

Raising his eyebrows at me, I watched as his incredulous look split into one of mirth as he roared with laughter, clutching his stomach as he took big gulping breaths between, ‘if I had known that was all it would take, I would have asked him to take you in his car a year ago’ he managed to splutter out through his chuckles.

Sticking my tongue out at him, I turned my back and glared out of the window, scowling as I listened to his occasional snorts of laughter as he put the car in gear and set off into the receding light.

Twenty minutes later we pulled up outside one of the small diners that were frequented by the students of Ridgemont High. Jumping out, Jay tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for me to climb out before grabbing my elbow and steering me inside toward one of the small tables that didn’t have teenagers sat around them.

Sliding into a booth in the corner, Jay grabbed a menu, concentrating on it as I took my own and perused the milkshakes on offer.

‘What are you having baby girl?’ Jay asked as his eyes scanned the list.

Sighing I shut mine and muttered, ‘a cookies and cream milkshake’

Raising his eyes, he narrowed them slightly, ‘with what else?’

Gazing around the room I shrugged, ‘nothing, I already ate.’

I hear a derisive scoff that draws my gaze back to my annoying best friend who is smirking at me knowingly, ‘you had a microwave meal didn’t you?’ he accused me.

‘Noooo’ I started evasively, ‘I had something very nutritious.’

Tipping his head to the side, Jay’s smile widened, ‘of course you did Cass, and what was this culinary delight that you created for yourself in the what . . . thirty minutes between you getting home from tutoring and me being outside your door?’

My mouth dropping open, I stared at the amused face across from me, ‘how did you know I was only home half an hour?’ I demanded.

Jay shrugged as he held my gaze, ‘I may or may not have been parked down the road from your house waiting for you to get home so I could convince you to come out with me’ he replied with a wink.

Rolling my eyes I groaned as I muttered, ‘fine, I had mac and cheese.’

Jay wrinkled his nose, ‘oh baby girl, you didn’t! do you even know what is in that? It’s like wood shavings topped with plastic cheese, that is NOT food! I apologise on your behalf to your stomach.’

Raising his hand, he waved over one of the waitresses who clip clopped her way toward us in her four inch heels. Seriously, who wears that kind of thing in a job like hospitality? Her feet must be in a constant state of wishing to be severed from her body.

Smiling brightly she fished out her order pad and pulled a pencil from the red hair that was tied up in a bun on top of her head. ‘Hey guys, I’m Katienne and I’ll be serving you today, what can I get you.’

Before I can open my mouth, Jay gushes, ‘Hey Katienne, what a pretty name, can we get two burgers with the works, a large fries to share, some onion rings, a cookie and cream milkshake for her and a plain vanilla milkshake for me please?’

Katienne smiles brightly at my nerdy friend, leaning forward slightly as she reaches out to take his menu, giving him a eyeful of what the good Lord gave her. ‘Sure thing cutie, I’ll get those into the kitchen and bring them out as soon as I can, you just give me a shout if you or your girlfriend. . ‘ she flicks her eye to me curiously, ‘need anything, OK?’

Jay’s eyes widened, ‘oh, we are not dating, she’s my best friend’ he hastily replies, earning himself a wider smile and a sexy wink that I think completely passed him by.

Walking away, her hips swaying in such a way I wonder how the heck she doesn’t knock one of the tables, she disappears through the kitchen door as I turn back to Jay giggling.

Looking up at me, he frowns, ‘what? What did I miss?’

Stuffing my fist in my mouth I tried to stifle my giggles before blurting out, ‘she was flirting with you, idiot.’

Now here’s the thing, my bestie, he is cool and funny and well liked, damn if we hadn’t been friends for years and I got the pleasure of holding his coat as he puked the first time he got drunk, I’d probably fancy him. The problem is, he is OBLIVIOUS! I’m talking, the ‘I’m flirting with you’ truck could drive over him, reverse and take a second run at his body and he would still not realise it.

Jay shakes his head in disbelief, ‘nuh uh, she was just being nice, it’s her job.’

I laugh harder, ‘sorry boyfriend, but that girl was interested, I bet you get a supersized shake or extra fries when she comes back with our food’ I retort.

Frowning slightly, Jay looks over to the kitchen door just as Katienne steps out, our milkshakes in her hands, Jay’s significantly larger than mine.

Smirking I give Captain oblivious a look as he glares at me, mouthing ‘don’t say it.’

Sashaying her way back to us, she places mine in front of me with a small smile before turning to Jay and giving him a wide, flirtatious grin, resting her hands on our table as she pushes the glass that’s resting on a napkin, across the top with her fingers.

‘Enjoy cutie’ she purrs before retracting her fingers slowly and straightening up. Turning around she peeks over her shoulder at him and adds, ‘and if you want something sweeter, my phone number is underneath.’

Lifting up his drink, Jay pulls out the napkin, unfolding it and staring at it before looking back up at me mutely.

Taking a sip of my drink I shrug smugly, ‘I told you, can’t wait for those extra fries to come’ my laughter bubbling at his beetroot red face.

Folding the napkin, he placed it in the pocket of his shirt before picking his drink up and taking a sip.

‘Sooooo?’ I prodded after a few moments, ‘are you going to call her?’

Jay fidgets with his straw as he shrugs, ‘I don’t know, maybe she was just trying to make me feel good about myself, girl’s like her don’t go for guys like me’ he muttered.

Putting my drink down I grab his hand in mine, squeezing it tightly as I growl in annoyance, ‘umm excuse me, ANY girl would be lucky to have you interested in her.’

Jay sighed, ‘come on Cass, I’m a maths geek, hot girls don’t want to hang out with the maths geek’ he mumbled.

Gasping, I lifted my hand and slapped the back of his smartly, causing him to whip his hand away with a wince.

‘Ouch baby girl, what was that about?’ he whined as he rubbed the back of his hand.

‘That was for calling me ugly’ I replied in mock hurt.

Jay’s mouth opened in horror, ‘I didn’t! I never said that, you know I think you're beautiful’ he defended immediately.

‘You just said that no hot girl would want to hang out with you . . to me! . . who is here, hanging out with you right now!’ I mock raged, making my eyes become teary.

Reaching out for me, Jay’s face crumbled, ‘Cass, I never meant it like that, you are totally hot, but not my type of hot. Not that you couldn’t be my kind of hot, but, I’ve seen you eating popcorn with a face pack on whilst wearing bunny pyjamas and your mum’s housecoat which kind of ruins the image’ he flustered in panic.

Sniffing, I gazed up at him, ‘you think I’m pretty?’ I asked in a quivery voice.

‘Of course I do, no-one is more beautiful that my baby girl’ he replied vehemently.

‘Though you think that waitress comes a close second don’t you’ I pushed as I wiped my eyes with my own napkin, peeking up at him through my lashes.

Jay nodded emphatically, ‘yes she’s very pretty but doesn’t hold a candle to you baby girl’ he soothed.

Sitting up straight I smiled wide, ‘good so you can ask her out when she brings our food’ I replied happily, quickly grabbing my bag and pulling out a pen and a notepad, ‘actually here’ I added, scrawling a note, ‘give her this after you ask her and she says yes.’

Jay stared at me in shock, ‘you were faking? I can’t believe you did that!’

Giggling, I carried on writing, ignoring his glares of annoyance.

Craning over the table, Jay tried to see what I was doing, ‘what is that?’ he asked doubtfully.

Ripping the page out, I folded it in half as I grinned excitedly, ‘it’s your phone number so she can text you’ I replied.

Five minutes later, Katienne returned with our food and as I predicted, the fries had been sized up as had the onion rings.

Looking up at her, I smiled widely as she paced everything on the table, ‘thank you katienne, this looks amazing, doesn’t it Jay’ I added, kicking him under the table.

‘What? Yeah, yes, it looks great’ Jay replied, colour rising in his cheeks as he coughed nervously.

Rolling my eyes, I held out the piece of paper to the waitress who took it surprised, ‘it’s my friend’s phone number, he’d love to take you out some time, but as you can see, he’s a bit shy, so maybe you could give him a text this week sometime?’ I suggested.

Her confusion turning to delight, Katienne tucked the scrap of paper in her apron, giving me a grateful look before returning her gaze to Jay, ‘I’ll send you a message tomorrow cutie’ before walking away again with a wave.

Jay gaped at me as I popped a fry into my mouth, ‘baby girl, have I told you how much I love you today?’ he muttered as his gaze wandered back to our waitress who was now serving an older couple but kept sending looks our way.

‘Not since this morning Jay’ I teased, ‘I was beginning to worry’

Grabbing my hand, my best friend held it tightly as he replied, ‘Cassidy Reynolds, I have always, will always and forever more love you’ I declared exuberantly, making me laugh harder.