The Writer
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 02
The movie turned out to be the latest romantic comedy which had both of us snickering and making rude comments all the way through. Good thing we sat in the very back of the theater. Of course, Jake is massive enough to shut down anyone's complaints once they get a good look at him, so I guess it wouldn't matter anyway.
We made our way to a fast food joint after the show because Jake was starving again. I had no clue where the boy was putting all that food. The boy ate like a fucking horse. I know my eyes were huge as I watched him consume an entire tray of food. I think there was something like six burgers and three large orders of fries, but to his credit, there wasn't an ounce of fat on his body. Plenty of muscle, but no fat. If I didn't know better, I'd say he spent his days bench pressing that car instead of working on it.
I was just finishing up my happy meal when I figured it was safe to have a conversation since Jake was now playing with the toy that he stole from me instead of devouring food with single-minded determination.
"So, what do you wanna do tomorrow in this thriving metropolis that we call home?"
He chuckled. "Shit if I know. What do you feel like doing? This is your break after all."
I sighed and took a long pull from my soda. "Not a whole lot to do." I shrugged a shoulder. "How about a hike and a picnic?
Jake started laughing and I chuckled along with him at first but then he kept laughing and before I knew it, he was wiping tears from his eyes and struggling to stay in his chair. Yeah, I wasn't chuckling any more.
I sat back, scowling at him. "Oh fuck you. Get a hold of yourself. Is the idea of me hiking that funny? Really?"
He just nodded and kept laughing. Fucker.
"All right, fine. I'm gonna go see John the plumber about a leak and when I come back, you better be all through with your little giggle fest."
I got up and made my way to the bathroom, went in, found a stall that wasn't too disgusting, performed a feat of fucking magic by taking a leak without touching anything, flushed with my foot and made my way to the sink.
Looking at myself in the mirror as I washed my hands, I couldn't help but think that I was beginning to resemble one of my fictional characters. Undead indeed. See asshole? Vampires are real. I'm looking at one right now. I smirked at my self-deprecating humor. That's what I get for spending so much fucking time within my own mind.
Grabbing a wad of paper towels, I use a few to shut off the tap and grab the door handle. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who use the can and never wash up afterward. So I'm a bit of a germaphobe. What can I say?
I get back to the table and a smirking Jake. At least he's quiet now. I can deal with the smirk.
He leans back in his seat, crossing his massive arms over his chest. "So you wanna go on a hike?"
I take a pull of my soda and gesture to him. "You forgot the picnic part, but yeah, that's the idea. You're carrying the food though. With the amount that I'll have to pack just to feed your big ass, it'll weigh a metric fuck ton, so yeah, you carry that shit."
He nods. "Fine, I'm good with that. I just hope I don't have to wind up carrying your clumsy ass too."
I'm affronted and I'm sure that it shows. "I haven't tripped over anything in fucking ages, I'll have you know."
"Yeah, because you sit in front of a fucking computer all day every day. How hazardous can that be?"
I shrug giving him a flat look. "Carpal tunnel?"
He laughs, calmly this time. "Yeah, okay, I'll give you that. So, speaking of that, how's the column going? I mean, I read it, and it's outstanding every time, but are they going to give you any more to write on or what? I'm sure it's tough to survive on what they pay you for just one column."
I shrug. "It's not so bad now." I grin. "It's been syndicated!"
I watch as that sinks in and his eyes widen. "Fuck! Why didn't you tell me?"
I'm still smiling. "Because I just found out. Can you believe it Jake? I mean, yeah, it's just a tiny column, but it's been syndicated! I can't fucking believe it myself."
"Shit Bella, that's still a huge deal. You're on your way. Congratulations. I'm psyched for you."
I feel myself blushing for the first time in a long fucking time. I hate blushing. "Thanks Jake. That means a lot 'cause I know you really mean it."
"Hell yeah I do. I knew you could do it Bella. Now you're just steps away from that best seller. I know you'll do that too. And I don't wanna hear any self-deprecating bullshit either. You getting syndicated just proves that the talent is there. Just keep your head down and keep reaching for it."
I feel my eyes tearing up and I look away, choking on the emotion that he has stirred within me. Jake has always encouraged me. I mean, yeah, he may give me shit about the subject matter of my fiction, but he's always encouraged me.
I look at him and give him a watery smile. "You've always been there for me Jake and I can't tell you what that means to me. Thanks."
He smiles his toothy smile. "It's always been easy to be there for you. You just need to be there for yourself. The hardest thing for me was always getting you to believe in yourself and if I helped you there, then I feel like I've done something big, because you are meant for big things Bella. Not this little shit town, but big cities kinda things."
God, I was really getting teary now. "Okay Jake. Jesus. I'm getting all girly with the crying. Stop before I really disgrace myself."
He leaned forward stealing some fries from my place mat. "Okay, no more mushy shit. Another movie?"
I laughed in relief. "Yeah, but this time I choose." I nudge his arm on the way out of the restaurant. "You and your romantic comedies."
"Hey, I'm a very sensitive guy."
~o0o~
We walked out of the next movie laughing our asses off while everyone around us looked either sick or disgusted.
Yeah, so it was a slasher/horror movie. Frankly, I didn't see why everyone didn't laugh at that shit. It's not as though people were really getting killed after all. Jesus, some of these people looked like they just saw Aunt Marge being gutted live and in person.
I shrugged mentally.
It was all in the mindset I guess and admittedly, mine was just a tad fucked up.
Jake opened the passenger door of the turd. "Your limousine madame" He bowed next to the door like the ass he is and I took a swipe at the back of his head. I missed of course, 'cause he ducked, but I tried. I hadn't been able to get a good hit on him in months. It was like the fucker had spidey sense.
He was still laughing when he got in the car and I marveled as I watched him do so. "How the fuck do you fold yourself into this tiny turd?"
He scowled at me.
I held up both hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry! But really how do you manage?" I looked him over carefully. "I mean, seems like you'd be cuttin' off blood flow somewhere vital."
He flipped me off as he pulled into traffic.
"You know Bella, all the shit you give me over my baby here really cuts deep."
I giggle/snort at that and he grins. "Yeah well, I think we're pretty even for all the shit you give me about the subject matter of my fiction."
He scoffs. "Not the same. I love my car. I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this car."
"Yeah well, I love my stories. I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into my stories, so we're even."
I may have stuck my tongue out at him at that point, but I would deny it even in a court of law.
"Mature Bella. Very mature and an excellent way to end an argument."
I nod. "Thank you. I thought so too."
He rolled his eyes while shaking his head slowly.
"You love me anyway Jake. You know ya do."
He shot me a flat look. "I'll be fucked if I know why, but I do."
He pulled into the drive and waved at Charlie who was just getting home from work. I opened my door and got out.
"I'll see you at ten tomorrow?"
"Yeah, ten sounds good. I'll be sure to pack the first aid kit."
I smirked and shot him the finger. "See you tomorrow."
I was just about to close the passenger door when Jake looked really pissed off all of the sudden.
"Stop Bella! Stay where you are. As a matter of fact, get back in the car."
I was totally lost now. What the fuck was wrong with him. Then he yelled at me. "Get back in the fucking car now Bella!" He leaned over, a pleading look in his eyes. "Please Bella, just do it."
I nodded and got back in the car just as he got out. "Stay right here. I mean it."
I didn't even get an answer out and he was gone. I watched as he hauled ass into my house and sat there, twiddling my thumbs for minutes until he finally came back.
He opened his door and I was on him. "What the fuck Jake? What was that all about?"
The look on his face was like night and day when compared with how he'd been earlier. At this moment, he looked cold and ready to kill and I can't say I liked it.
He shrugged. "I just thought that someone had broken in to your house and I wanted to check it out before letting you go in."
I raised one brow at his obvious bullshit. "Charlie was already in the house Jake. You know, my Dad, the Chief of Police?"
He scowled. "Yeah, but someone could have knocked him out. It's unlikely, but possible. I wanted to make sure."
I sighed. "Okay Jake. Whatever you say. Look, it's late and we both need sleep. I'll still see you at ten?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I'll be here."
"Okay." I got out again and leaned down. "See ya."
I closed the door and stood there, watching him drive off. I wasn't sure what just happened, but I knew that his story was at least partial bullshit. I just didn't know which part.
Sighing to myself, I went inside. "Hey Dad."
He turned down the volume. "Hey Bells, how was your day?"
I shrugged. "It was okay. Got tired of staring at the computer screen so I called Jake and we went to a couple of movies. Other than that, nothing different than any other day."
He nodded, already focused back on the TV.
"Hey Charlie? Did you see Jake come through here just a few minutes ago?"
He didn't look away from the TV. "Yep. He went straight to your room and came back down. That was it."
My mind went into overdrive. So it would seem that whatever got his undies in a bunch had to do with my room only. Weird.
Shrugging to myself, I turned and began climbing the stairs, calling a goodnight to Charlie over my shoulder. I'm not even sure he heard me. He'd already turned the volume back up on the TV.
Checking email as soon as I got back to my desk, I sighed in relief. It seemed that the fuckwad was done screwing with my head for the day. No more PM's from VAR.
I changed and went to bed, continuing plots and story lines running a non-stop loop in my head until I finally drifted off.
The movie turned out to be the latest romantic comedy which had both of us snickering and making rude comments all the way through. Good thing we sat in the very back of the theater. Of course, Jake is massive enough to shut down anyone's complaints once they get a good look at him, so I guess it wouldn't matter anyway.
We made our way to a fast food joint after the show because Jake was starving again. I had no clue where the boy was putting all that food. The boy ate like a fucking horse. I know my eyes were huge as I watched him consume an entire tray of food. I think there was something like six burgers and three large orders of fries, but to his credit, there wasn't an ounce of fat on his body. Plenty of muscle, but no fat. If I didn't know better, I'd say he spent his days bench pressing that car instead of working on it.
I was just finishing up my happy meal when I figured it was safe to have a conversation since Jake was now playing with the toy that he stole from me instead of devouring food with single-minded determination.
"So, what do you wanna do tomorrow in this thriving metropolis that we call home?"
He chuckled. "Shit if I know. What do you feel like doing? This is your break after all."
I sighed and took a long pull from my soda. "Not a whole lot to do." I shrugged a shoulder. "How about a hike and a picnic?
Jake started laughing and I chuckled along with him at first but then he kept laughing and before I knew it, he was wiping tears from his eyes and struggling to stay in his chair. Yeah, I wasn't chuckling any more.
I sat back, scowling at him. "Oh fuck you. Get a hold of yourself. Is the idea of me hiking that funny? Really?"
He just nodded and kept laughing. Fucker.
"All right, fine. I'm gonna go see John the plumber about a leak and when I come back, you better be all through with your little giggle fest."
I got up and made my way to the bathroom, went in, found a stall that wasn't too disgusting, performed a feat of fucking magic by taking a leak without touching anything, flushed with my foot and made my way to the sink.
Looking at myself in the mirror as I washed my hands, I couldn't help but think that I was beginning to resemble one of my fictional characters. Undead indeed. See asshole? Vampires are real. I'm looking at one right now. I smirked at my self-deprecating humor. That's what I get for spending so much fucking time within my own mind.
Grabbing a wad of paper towels, I use a few to shut off the tap and grab the door handle. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who use the can and never wash up afterward. So I'm a bit of a germaphobe. What can I say?
I get back to the table and a smirking Jake. At least he's quiet now. I can deal with the smirk.
He leans back in his seat, crossing his massive arms over his chest. "So you wanna go on a hike?"
I take a pull of my soda and gesture to him. "You forgot the picnic part, but yeah, that's the idea. You're carrying the food though. With the amount that I'll have to pack just to feed your big ass, it'll weigh a metric fuck ton, so yeah, you carry that shit."
He nods. "Fine, I'm good with that. I just hope I don't have to wind up carrying your clumsy ass too."
I'm affronted and I'm sure that it shows. "I haven't tripped over anything in fucking ages, I'll have you know."
"Yeah, because you sit in front of a fucking computer all day every day. How hazardous can that be?"
I shrug giving him a flat look. "Carpal tunnel?"
He laughs, calmly this time. "Yeah, okay, I'll give you that. So, speaking of that, how's the column going? I mean, I read it, and it's outstanding every time, but are they going to give you any more to write on or what? I'm sure it's tough to survive on what they pay you for just one column."
I shrug. "It's not so bad now." I grin. "It's been syndicated!"
I watch as that sinks in and his eyes widen. "Fuck! Why didn't you tell me?"
I'm still smiling. "Because I just found out. Can you believe it Jake? I mean, yeah, it's just a tiny column, but it's been syndicated! I can't fucking believe it myself."
"Shit Bella, that's still a huge deal. You're on your way. Congratulations. I'm psyched for you."
I feel myself blushing for the first time in a long fucking time. I hate blushing. "Thanks Jake. That means a lot 'cause I know you really mean it."
"Hell yeah I do. I knew you could do it Bella. Now you're just steps away from that best seller. I know you'll do that too. And I don't wanna hear any self-deprecating bullshit either. You getting syndicated just proves that the talent is there. Just keep your head down and keep reaching for it."
I feel my eyes tearing up and I look away, choking on the emotion that he has stirred within me. Jake has always encouraged me. I mean, yeah, he may give me shit about the subject matter of my fiction, but he's always encouraged me.
I look at him and give him a watery smile. "You've always been there for me Jake and I can't tell you what that means to me. Thanks."
He smiles his toothy smile. "It's always been easy to be there for you. You just need to be there for yourself. The hardest thing for me was always getting you to believe in yourself and if I helped you there, then I feel like I've done something big, because you are meant for big things Bella. Not this little shit town, but big cities kinda things."
God, I was really getting teary now. "Okay Jake. Jesus. I'm getting all girly with the crying. Stop before I really disgrace myself."
He leaned forward stealing some fries from my place mat. "Okay, no more mushy shit. Another movie?"
I laughed in relief. "Yeah, but this time I choose." I nudge his arm on the way out of the restaurant. "You and your romantic comedies."
"Hey, I'm a very sensitive guy."
~o0o~
We walked out of the next movie laughing our asses off while everyone around us looked either sick or disgusted.
Yeah, so it was a slasher/horror movie. Frankly, I didn't see why everyone didn't laugh at that shit. It's not as though people were really getting killed after all. Jesus, some of these people looked like they just saw Aunt Marge being gutted live and in person.
I shrugged mentally.
It was all in the mindset I guess and admittedly, mine was just a tad fucked up.
Jake opened the passenger door of the turd. "Your limousine madame" He bowed next to the door like the ass he is and I took a swipe at the back of his head. I missed of course, 'cause he ducked, but I tried. I hadn't been able to get a good hit on him in months. It was like the fucker had spidey sense.
He was still laughing when he got in the car and I marveled as I watched him do so. "How the fuck do you fold yourself into this tiny turd?"
He scowled at me.
I held up both hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry! But really how do you manage?" I looked him over carefully. "I mean, seems like you'd be cuttin' off blood flow somewhere vital."
He flipped me off as he pulled into traffic.
"You know Bella, all the shit you give me over my baby here really cuts deep."
I giggle/snort at that and he grins. "Yeah well, I think we're pretty even for all the shit you give me about the subject matter of my fiction."
He scoffs. "Not the same. I love my car. I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this car."
"Yeah well, I love my stories. I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into my stories, so we're even."
I may have stuck my tongue out at him at that point, but I would deny it even in a court of law.
"Mature Bella. Very mature and an excellent way to end an argument."
I nod. "Thank you. I thought so too."
He rolled his eyes while shaking his head slowly.
"You love me anyway Jake. You know ya do."
He shot me a flat look. "I'll be fucked if I know why, but I do."
He pulled into the drive and waved at Charlie who was just getting home from work. I opened my door and got out.
"I'll see you at ten tomorrow?"
"Yeah, ten sounds good. I'll be sure to pack the first aid kit."
I smirked and shot him the finger. "See you tomorrow."
I was just about to close the passenger door when Jake looked really pissed off all of the sudden.
"Stop Bella! Stay where you are. As a matter of fact, get back in the car."
I was totally lost now. What the fuck was wrong with him. Then he yelled at me. "Get back in the fucking car now Bella!" He leaned over, a pleading look in his eyes. "Please Bella, just do it."
I nodded and got back in the car just as he got out. "Stay right here. I mean it."
I didn't even get an answer out and he was gone. I watched as he hauled ass into my house and sat there, twiddling my thumbs for minutes until he finally came back.
He opened his door and I was on him. "What the fuck Jake? What was that all about?"
The look on his face was like night and day when compared with how he'd been earlier. At this moment, he looked cold and ready to kill and I can't say I liked it.
He shrugged. "I just thought that someone had broken in to your house and I wanted to check it out before letting you go in."
I raised one brow at his obvious bullshit. "Charlie was already in the house Jake. You know, my Dad, the Chief of Police?"
He scowled. "Yeah, but someone could have knocked him out. It's unlikely, but possible. I wanted to make sure."
I sighed. "Okay Jake. Whatever you say. Look, it's late and we both need sleep. I'll still see you at ten?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I'll be here."
"Okay." I got out again and leaned down. "See ya."
I closed the door and stood there, watching him drive off. I wasn't sure what just happened, but I knew that his story was at least partial bullshit. I just didn't know which part.
Sighing to myself, I went inside. "Hey Dad."
He turned down the volume. "Hey Bells, how was your day?"
I shrugged. "It was okay. Got tired of staring at the computer screen so I called Jake and we went to a couple of movies. Other than that, nothing different than any other day."
He nodded, already focused back on the TV.
"Hey Charlie? Did you see Jake come through here just a few minutes ago?"
He didn't look away from the TV. "Yep. He went straight to your room and came back down. That was it."
My mind went into overdrive. So it would seem that whatever got his undies in a bunch had to do with my room only. Weird.
Shrugging to myself, I turned and began climbing the stairs, calling a goodnight to Charlie over my shoulder. I'm not even sure he heard me. He'd already turned the volume back up on the TV.
Checking email as soon as I got back to my desk, I sighed in relief. It seemed that the fuckwad was done screwing with my head for the day. No more PM's from VAR.
I changed and went to bed, continuing plots and story lines running a non-stop loop in my head until I finally drifted off.
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.