Stolen Innocence

4- Wait... he wants to take me to a dance?

Jesse grins smugly at me, and I accept his hand and he helps me up. I wipe off my clothing and turn to face him. "Fine, you caught me. What do you want to discuss?" I roll my eyes at him, bracing myself for the worst.

"Well, I'm really not sure what to say, but I wanted to know what it is you have against me?" He smiles, still holding onto my hand. I tried to pull it away from him as I realized that, but he tightened his grip on it instead of not letting me get away again.

"You scare me!" I left it simple, refusing to look into his face instead I look down the street. "Can I please have my hand back?"

"I'm not going to hurt you Makena, I have no intention of doing anything to cause you harm. Instead, I was kinda hoping you'd consider going with me to the homecoming dance!" He spoke softly like he was trying really hard to not be threatening.

"What?" I was in total shock, I watch as he kicks at a wood chip that had come out of it's a flower bed. Why on earth would he be asking me, of all girls to the first Dance of our Senior year? And why on earth was he acting so nervous, besides the school year hadn't even started yet. But I did have a good excuse to give him. "I can't, I'm sorry!"

I watch as he jerks his head up and glared at me, "What? Why not?"

"Well, I'm actually kind of grounded until Christmas!" I spoke softly, my hand was so warm in his. I didn't understand the feeling I was feeling holding his hand like this. I hated being grounded, but it seemed to be helping me with this little situation.

"Really, wow! Whatever did you do to get grounded for so long?" He sounded surprised.

"Does it really matter? Plus, I really don't have a dress!"

"Well, honestly I could and would buy you a dress. But I don't think I could help you get ungrounded, even just for the one night. This really sucks, I was sure hoping to take you." I could see anger cloud his eyes.

"Can I ask you a question?" I ask as he glares at me, but he shrugs his shoulders.

"Sure..."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want me to go to some dance with you? Don't you hate me or something like that?" I tried to speak as clearly as I could, even though I felt my body start to tremble as I yet again was doing something out of my comfort zone. I knew he could probably feel it too and was a little surprised when he didn't mention it at all.

"No, I don't hate you Makena, I could never hate you! Why would you even think something like that?" He sounded so shocked, maybe a little hurt.

"Well, because of how you treat me!" I mumble out softly, I again trying to pull my hand out of his. He releases it this time, and I look up into his eyes.

"Makena, I don't hate you! It's actually the complete opposite." I glare at him, daring him to say anything else. But he didn't seem to want to say anything else, so turning his attention towards Ruben he growls out... "Let's go, I did what I came to do. I got my answer, there's nothing else for me here."

I flinch at his last statement, but I stood there and held my breath until they got inside their car and drove away in the opposite direction from me. I let out the breath I was holding upon realizing I had just survived another weird run-in with Jesse Campbell.

After about five minutes, I began walking again. I knew I had to get home soon or I would be grounded for longer. Every time I saw that guy it's been a terrifying or horrible experience, but today everything felt totally different and that's why I'm confused to no end.

When I walked in the door, I noticed my mom was already home from work and cooking dinner. Dropping my bag next to her, I explain everything I learned during my camping adventure with the youth group from church. I learned a lot and had a great time. I was so thankful my mom let me go even though I was supposed to be grounded.

"That's awesome honey, I'm glad you had fun!" she says turning to the stove, her back to me.

"So what's for dinner? Where's Morgan?" I inquire.

"Oh you know Morgan, she's over at Ambers playing. She'll be home in time for dinner, go ahead and unpack! Don't forget to take a shower though, you smell like a campfire!" She chuckles a bit. "Oh, and I'm making spaghetti for dinner, your favorite." She sends me a smile over her shoulder.

"Ok, thanks, Mom!" I mumble as I walk toward my room. My older sister recently moved out with a few of her friends, because she's attending college. My mom gave me her room, I was super excited to finally have my own room after sharing it with one of my sisters. Setting my backpack down on my bed I let out a long sigh. I really didn't understand boys, what could cause Jesse to be so rude in the beginning and then ask me to a high school dance not long after? I had no idea what was happening at all.

I throw my clothes in the hamper, pull out some clean pajamas, and head to the only bathroom to take a shower. While I jumped into the shower to wash the camp smell away, I realized the mystery of Jesse was going to confuse me for quite a while. I didn't know what to do about him, and do I tell my mom about what happened today?

After showering, I brushed out my hair and put on my comfy grey cotton PJs, topped with a light pink tank. Tossing my long hair back into a high ponytail to tame my flyaways, I walk out into the living room, humming quietly to myself. I stopped in my tracks when I raised my head to find Jesse talking with my mother. They were both laughing. I blush as I realize that I was standing there bra-less in my pajamas in front of him!

"Hello, gorgeous. It's nice of you finally to join us!" He smiles up at me, at which point I frown awkwardly. He hands me a small bouquet of white daisies - how in the world did he know what my favorite flower was?

"What are you doing here?" I snap at him, trying to hide the fact that I am braless by folding my arms in front of my chest.

"Well, actually I came to ask you again to the homecoming dance. I am hoping that you'll rethink your answer. So I came to talk to your mother to see if she would let you go to the dance!" He sounded so hopeful, it confused me even more. I looked at my Mom, wondering if she even knew who he was.

"And did she?"

"Did she what?" He asks.

"Say I could go with you?" I ask, tapping my foot in annoyance.

"She did!" He smiled at me smugly.

"Oh, she did, didn't she?" I announce straightening my back, we'll see about that one. Focusing on her, I very carefully state what I was going to say. "Did he tell who he was? This is the guy who threatened me and then showed up here with a loaded gun in his car trunk!"

Seeing her eyes flash with anger, I knew the Mama Bear was about to come out to play. She looks towards him, "How dare you, how dare you do that to my daughter and then come here asking her to some stupid dance. You have no right to even come close to my daughter! She is off-limits to you, do you hear me? If I ever hear of you talking to her again, we'll I'm warning you now I have ways to make you disappear. Your body would never be found, am I making myself clear?" She ripped into him, jamming her finger into his chest repeatedly as she spoke inching him towards the door. "Get out of my house, and don't you ever come back here again!"

Watching his face very carefully, shock spread across it like wildfire. He was so surprised that she knew about what had happened. He probably figured I wouldn't tell her anything, but guess what? I actually tell my mother everything!

As I watched him leave the house, closing the door behind him, I looked over at my mother, and a wave of respect washed over me. I mean God, I knew she could be mean, but I've never experienced it for myself quite like that. I've never seen my mother lose her temper so much, so I reminded myself not to irritate her. I never want to get on her bad side.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry Makena! I didn't know who he was, he never told me his name. I just thought he was cute, I'm so stupid!" she says, turning back towards me.

"Your not stupid Mom, he is handsome, but he is a downright ass!" I say as she gives me a hug.

"I suggest you stay away from that boy right now," she says, shifting away. I watch her smile at me and hug me. "Now, let's eat some food!"

After dinner, I decided to call Suri and tell her everything that happened after I dropped her off. I reassured Suri that my mother had put him in his place.

"That's so awesome! I wish I could have seen her put him in his place. What was he thinking when he came over there in the first place?" She says and I agree, before rolling my eyes and changing the subject.

"So anything interesting happened at your house?" I inquire.

"Not unless you count Jake asking me out!" She shrieked. I imagined her jumping up and down in my head.

"Wow, that's awesome!" I say before wishing her goodnight. As the day ended, I went to bed and started tossing and turning to get to sleep. I couldn't seem to get the event of the day out of my mind.

Closing my eyes, I finally allow myself to sleep. After all, tomorrow was Sunday and then school would start the next day. My senior year of high school was really not something I was looking forward to. I wonder what the year will hold for me?