A new sidebar

I labeled all my Jenny and Troy posts. If you click on Jenny and Troy under "the full story," you'll get just that.

I thought that was a pretty cool feature and so I just figured out how I can have categories of photos on Sprinkle's blog. Yay!

So, I caved...

I wrote the next intallment. Because I started it before my last post, it's below the "darn shame" post.

It's called, "Another tomorrow."

And it's long. Like ridiculously long. Sorry if it bores you to tears.

It's just a shame...

I mean my PJ's are so comfy...and, gosh, the buttered pecan ice cream is going to be so dang good. Catch and Release or Becoming Jane?

It's just a shame you couldn't be here with me. A darn shame...

I guess I'll have nothing better to do than finish the evening up with another chapter.

Wait a minute! That was the master plan, wasn't it? You girls knew I couldn't write if you were here...

Perhaps I will just withhold the next chapter, which by the way, is the whole reason I started the whole thing. It's good, this one night that I am about to describe with painfully sappy detail. Gosh. You must be so bummed I foiled your perfect little plan.

No story for you! Ha!

:)

Another Tomorrow.

School was worse than expected. Not only did everyone know about the break-up, everyone had a very strong opinion about it. Opinions varied from "He's such a jerk. I can't believe you dated him as long as you did....You know he went to parties without you and did stuff...You were always way too good for that pig." to "You're gonna work it out, right? You're so cute together. And Parker still totally loves you...Give him another chance." But that wasn't the worst part.

Parker's best friend had been at the movie theater the night before. He saw Jenny with Richard and Troy and that kind of thing can definitely get the gossip wheel turning. But, Jenny didn't even care. Parker, the idiot, as Troy so eloquently put it, did, ultimately end the relationship. She was free to do what she wanted with whomever she wanted. She was shocked at how much she didn't care about the rumors. She knew the truth and that's all that mattered.


What she was unprepared for was the sudden attention she got from a different crowd all together. For some reason, suddenly she was the hottest thing to hit the market. Guys, the popular, could-have-any-girl-in-the-school guys were suddenly very talkative. But Jenny didn't care. She really didn't. She knew what they saw and she definitely knew what they wanted. she was not interested one bit.

All she cared about was going to that basketball game.

The school day was long and exhausting. She was sick of explaining and answering questions. She saw Parker a few times and he would make some stupid jerk remark to a friend as she walked by. The only good thing about the unending day was seeing Troy at lunch and around school. He, Richard and Adam did as they said they would. They met her, ate with her and made her laugh harder than she had in a long time. She felt so good with them. The layers of self doubt and self-consciousness built up by the past two relationships were peeling away. And Troy, she could tell, wanted to be near her. There was hope and, a great deal of it, in his actions. She just couldn't wait to be alone with him, if even for a moment.

Finally, finally, she was walking into the MFHS gym to watch Troy play. She spotted Richard in the crowd, off by himself, alone. She headed up to him with a big grin. Richard was a good guy and spending the evening next to his one-liners wouldn't be so bad.

"Hey!" She said plopping down beside him.
"Hey. What's up?" He responded.
"Nothing, just glad to be here." She answered.
"I bet." He said with a knowing grin.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She teased back, slapping his arm with the back of her hand.
"Oh, you know what it means. It's so obvious. You two.." He stopped, but Jenny didn't know why. Then she saw Spencer Chase two steps away from her, smiling that too-cool smile of his.
Great. Last year, Spencer, you would have had me at hello. Your timing's a little off...
"Hey, Jenny. Man, sorry to hear about you and Parker." He said in a genuinely fake voice. "He's an idiot to let you go."
"Yeah." She said flatly, trying to sound cool, nice, but uninterested. Even though she didn't like him, his good looks and bold confidence was unsettling. She felt so insignificant talking to guys like him.
"Well, this weekend a big group of us are hanging out at Ryan's. You should come out, get your mind off things. His house is awesome." He was sitting very close to her now, one arm leaned against the bleacher behind her back. His perfect blond hair combed to immaculate perfection accented his cool blue eyes and he leaned in closer, smiling, as his cologne swept over Jenny. It was at that moment that the team filed out of the locker room and onto the court. Her eyes searched and then found Troy and the butterflies in her stomach whirled rapidly. She looked right at Spencer, smiled coyly, then looked out at the court as she replied, "Yeah, I don't think so. I kind of have some plans, but, you know, if I get desperate, maybe."

The shock on his face was mild compared to Jenny's shock at her own words. Slowly, he took his arm down, leaned both elbows on his knees and said, "Well, if you change your mind, give me a call."
Looking at the court, Jenny replied through a smile oozing with charm, "Thanks, Spencer, really. But I think I'm good."
Ruffled, he got up and said with forced casualness, "Cool."

"You just turned down Spencer Chase. Yeah -You and Troy -I knew it was just a matter of time." said Richard as he watched Spencer go back to his posse of jocks.

"What are you talking about? I just don't want to go to some stupid party." Jenny replied, praying he would say more.

"Oh, come on. Last night at the movie, you, all giggly and flirty. Then coming to his game, and at lunch. You're all over him!"

"Whatever! I was not flirty last night! We hardly even talked and Troy's my friend. I just want to watch him play..." Jenny took a deep breath. "Plus, it's not like he's interested...right?"

"Um, yeah, I am pretty sure...Oh, great here we go again."

"Huh?" She said following Richard's eyes. Coming up towards her in long easy strides was Spencer's right hand man, Steven. Oh, for crying out loud.

"Hey, Jenny." Steven began.
"Hey," she sighed.
"You gotta give my boy a chance. He's really into you. And he's a good guy. Just hang out with him for a while."

"Into me? Really?" She questioned with sarcasm, "He doesn't even know me, Steven. And I'm just not interested. I just...want to be left alone for a while. No guys for a while."

"Oh, naw, he's not into anything serious. He just wants to hang out, get to know you." Steven argued.

Jenny wasn't good at being rude, or saying no or any form of confrontation, especially with people who were so confident in their every word.

"I'll think about it, okay. But I'm just really not...interested...right now. He's a nice guy, but..."

"Just come sit with us."

"No."

"Come on. What's the harm in sitting with us?"

Jenny took a deep breath and looked at that crowd. Spencer was smiling at her, but then glanced away when another guy play punched him in the arm. They were the popular kids, the group she had always secretly wanted to be a part of. They were so cool and now they wanted her to join them. She could just be nice and sit with them. What would be the harm in just sitting with them? She didn't like Spencer in any way, but that didn't mean she had to shun him. She glanced out at the court and saw Troy watching her from the bench. When he saw her looking at him, he quickly glanced away.

"No. I can't leave Richard all alone and, no. No thanks. I'm fine where I am." She stated firmly.

"Cool. Whatever. That's cool." Finally, he turned and left.


Jenny let out a deep breath and looked at Richard, "What's the deal there? Seriously!"
"You're fresh meat." He stated with a straight face. Then laughed.
"I cannot believe you just said that to me. Fresh meat. Jerk." Jenny laughed at Richard's teasing insult. "Fresh meat. I'm the same me, but apparently, somehow I am the new and improved version."


She had to somehow get the conversation back to she and Troy. But before she could creatively do that, Richard started on some tirade about Jocks and girls and that transformed into basketball conversation. She couldn't exactly just say, "So, yeah, I want to profess my love to your best friend. How do you think he's gonna respond to that?"

During the fourth quarter, the game began to unravel. Even Jenny, who knew next to nothing about sports, could sense the disaster happening on the court. And Coach Berkman looked mad. Real mad. A worry crept into her heart. Those words she had rehearsed all day wouldn't sound the same if they fell on defeated ears. Especially after one of Coach Berkman's famous rants. She glanced at Troy sitting on the bench. He no longer even looked towards the stands, but just sat edged on his seat, brows furrowed in frustration. He was far from happy.



When the final buzzer sounded, MFHS was three points shy of victory. Players sulked and slammed their way into the locker room, followed by an even angrier coach. This was not good. She should just leave. It was already late and Troy was mad and she had to be home before 11. Maybe tonight wasn't right.

But she had to at least see him. And talk to him. She couldn't leave without at least saying hi. She had to see him. When she got to her car, she sat on her hood and waited.

And waited.

And waited still. I should just leave. I've been sitting here for half an hour. He's going to think that's weird. And he may not even want to see me. He's probably still ticked from the game. But I can't leave. I just have to at least see him for a second. She couldn't peel herself away,
so she waited still.

Finally, she heard the gym door slam against the concrete wall as Troy's tall frame stormed out, silhouetted against the bright gym lights.

For the rest of her life, the way he looked in that moment would forever send a tingle down her spine.

Looking out at the parking lot, he took quick angry strides. His hair, still wet and tousled from the shower, allowed little droplets of water to run down his cheeks. His eyes were burning with frustration under a brow wrinkled in defeat. He frown was furious. His shirt, blowing against his chest from the wind, clung to the remaining wetness from his shower. He was, in that moment, indescribably sexy. There was no other word for it.

He stormed towards Adam's car, in the row before her own, and slammed his bag on the hood. Jenny knew instantly she shouldn't have stayed for so long. She would be the last person he wanted to see. She wished she could escape unseen somehow, but she was in plain sight. Quickly she scooted off her hood, and went to open her door.
"Jenny?" Her heart stopped, then beat with new vigor.
"Yeah, hey, I just - was waiting - hey." She stammered.
"For an hour?" Troy asked with a bit of annoyance.
"Yeah, um, I just wanted to, you know, say hi and...hi. But I have to go."
His voice softened as he said, "Really?"

Hope.

"Um, well, I need to be home by 11, but I kept thinking you, ya'll, would come out and so I just kept waiting, but I don't think you look like talking."
He came toward her, his blue eyes steady and hot, as beads of sweat mingled with the water running down his face. Jenny's hands began to shake as a cold burning sensation flared in her chest.
"No, I can talk. I'd love to talk. About anything but that stupid game."
"Well, good, because you know I am pretty much an idiot when it comes to basketball, so I certainly wouldn't help."
He laughed. He laughed. She loved his laugh.
As he got closer to his car, he sat on her hood, arms resting on his knees and looked at the gym. She joined him.
"That sucked. I screwed up that game, big time."
You said we weren't going to talk about basketball.
"And Coach was ticked. He just kept yelling at us. I mean, we know we screwed up, don't beat us to death with it." He continued.
He leaned back on his hand, placing it just inches away from Jenny's and looked at her.
"I can't believe you stayed this long."
His blue eyes held hers for a moment. He was right there, inches from her, and they were alone under the perfect night sky.
She ached to rest her hand on his, lean into him and slide her hand gently around his neck, into his wet hair, and kiss him. She was sick with excitement, but sat frozen next to him.
He looked away.
Jenny finally spoke. "Well, I just wanted to see you."
"Yeah, and apparently every guy in the school wanted to see you tonight." Teased Troy.
She giggled, "That was ridiculous. The thought of going out with any of them...yeah, right. I am just so sick of stupid guys that don't matter." Her eyes found his.
Just say it or just do it. Just kiss him and end with "I love you and I always will."
"Really? No guys for a while, huh?"
"No, just no stupid idiot guys who just like my blond hair, blue eyes, and long legs...I can't believe I just said that! That was so conceited. Sorry!"
"It's true though." He said with a grin.
"I don't know if I should be insulted or flattered by that remark!" Exclaimed Jenny.
"Complimented." He said looking straight into her eyes.
Her heart beat impossibly faster. He did like her. He did.
"Whatever." She replied, never one to take a compliment well, "The attention was nice. I mean, Spencer Chase...remember my huge crush on him last year? But I -"
"Then go for it, " he interrupted. "He's obviously into you. You should go for it."
What was he saying? Go for it. He wanted her to date someone else?
"No, way, I don't want any of those guys. I am sick of dating. I want to be done with the whole thing."
"Sure", he said, his voice falling as he turned away.
No, that's not what I meant. I just want you, Troy. I just want you, forever.
"I didn't mean no dating. It's just..."
"What?" He looked at her, his eyes burning straight into her soul, sending new sensations down to her toes. "And don't say, I don't know."
"It's just," She began. "It's just..."
It was finally happening, but she didn't know where to begin. Suddenly, the rehearsed words she had gone over a thousand times were gone, lost in him. She didn't know what to say first.
Just kiss him.
She was inches from him, could feel the heat radiating from his body. She ached to feel him, to hold his hand, to lean in and kiss the man she wanted to be with forever. He held her gaze for a moment, waiting for her to finish her sentence. She picked up her hand to place on his when suddenly, a door slammed in front of them and a few players came filing out. Adam being one of them.
"Hey, Jenny? What are you still doing here" He asked. Then, instantly his face changed...then he smiled."Yeah, um, I forgot my bag. I'll leave you two alone."
Troy looked at Jenny quickly, then stood up.
The moment was completely over.
There were several other people in the parking lot now and Troy was standing up, obviously embarrassed by the "leave you two alone" comment.

Jenny was crushed. She wanted to pummel Adam.

"Hey, Jenny," Adam said, his glance going from Troy's to hers, trying to find a way to help his buddy out, "Tomorrow night we're watching movies at my house and hanging out. You should come. We'll, Troy and a few others, will be there."

She had always adored Adam.

"Really, you sure?" She grinned at him with absolute gratefulness.
She looked at Troy to see his reaction. He was looking at Adam as though he wanted to hug him.
"Definitely." Troy began, grinning. "You should come."
"I'll be there." Jenny smiled at Troy, then Adam, "but I don't know how to get to your house."
Before Troy or Jenny could offer a suggestion, Adam said, "Drive to HEB, wait for Troy to get off at 7, and then ya'll can drive together to my house."
Jenny and Troy both smiled at Adam and then looked at each other.
"I'll be there. 7. Tomorrow. The HEB parking lot." She said.
Troy smiled, and her heart skipped a beat.

There was no doubt about it. They were going to get back together. Tomorrow night.

Everything would happen tomorrow night.

Just putting this out there...

Tonight, at about 9 pm, for the third night in a row, I will be watching a girly chick flick in my PJ's with a bowl of ice cream.

Perhaps, you would like to join me?

I know it's short notice and therefore fully expect a lot of no's, but if you wanna come...

But if you are interested in coming - the house will be far from clean. I've been living in single parent world for three days and have also chosen to write a rather melodramatic love saga instead of completing even the simplest of tasks at home. Enter at your own risk.

Call or comment if you're interested. And of course, no hurt feelings if I get no responses. I'll be happily enjoying my evening of Ice Cream and love stories either way. I just might be happier sharing it with a few gals...

And everyone is invited. Well, no boys. We have to talk about the boys... ;)

I am psycho

It's 1:33 am and I just finished that last entry in the Jenny/Troy saga.
I have school tomorrow.

That's why I stopped writing it. It consumes me.

But, now that my eyelids are deadweights willing me to sleep, sleep i must.

Good night and happy readshnerglemorfing....zzzz...xerglesnorf...zzz....

Something there.

Jenny climbed out of her rusted-out car ironically named "Ruby," as she was anything but a precious gem. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and saw him walking towards her car.

There's nothing quite like it - A tingly feeling that races through your body, it shakes you. The heart does not simply race, but beats in a whole new way. Every beat bolder, harder, deeper than the one before it. At the first sight of him, a shot of energy, from some unknown force, courses through the veins. As eyes catch, if even for just a moment, a cool heat tingles down your spine and settles into the swarm of butterflies whirling within you. Its an unmatched emotion, new love.

She couldn't help but smile. He smiled back and Richard looked out of place. But, of course, he was most oblivious to the fact that he was in an awkward position. Instead of noticing that he was the most obtrusive third wheel in existence, he spoke first.
"Geez, Jenny. What the heck is up with your shoes? They're like four inch heels but boots...They make your feet look tiny."
"They are not Richard. Whatever." Jenny joked back. "They're just shoes like everyone else wears."
She glanced at Troy, who, was, of course, now looking at her shoes. Not exactly the focal point she had hoped for.
"You're right man. Good grief. You're almost as tall as me...and where did your feet go?" Troy commented, still looking at her very normal black boots, peeking from beneath her jeans.
All Jenny could do was laugh, toss her curly blond hair nervously and start walking across the street towards the theater. The boys followed still mocking her shoes and, now, how she walked. This wasn't exactly going how she planned.

Waterboy was the only movie option because their small hometown had one theater and that one theater had one screen and that one screen only showed one movie for a week at a time. They bought their tickets and headed in. As they made their way down the dark aisle, Jenny followed Troy. She watched him take those long easy strides, unhurried, confident. Her stomach felt all tied up inside. The boys chose an aisle. Troy went first, Jenny second, and, of course, the third wheel with his giant drink and giant popcorn filed in after Jenny.

As soon as they sat down, Richard began talking. And just wouldn't stop. He just rambled on and on. Fortunately, he was, indeed, funny...and entertaining, she had to admit. So she sat and laughed at him as she settled in quite comfortably to watch a movie that she had no desire to see.

That feeling of uncontrollable excitement was eating her alive. He was gorgeous and his smile, his lips, his eyes...she wanted to tell him everything. Everything wrong with every other guy and everything so very right with him. She wanted him to know that, even while feeling so jittery from all these renewed feelings, he put her completely at ease. Completely. But she didn't and couldn't. This wasn't the time or place and, she realized, as she watched him from the corner of his eye, he may not feel the same way.

That realization came as a crushing blow. She had thought about that a dozen times before, but that was before he nonchalantly sat beside her, and before he let his friend talk her ear off while he watched the previews, before he let Richard pay her way in.

He may not want her back.

Why would he? She had broken up with him twice. She had dated other complete jerks and dragged him through the ups and downs of each relationship. She had shunned him when told. Hadn't even called when he broke up with Crystal. And had to find out from another friend that he had joined the Army Reserves.

He didn't want her back.

She had called him. Practically forced him into the movie invitation...the butterflies swirling within her collided into a heap at the bottom of her gut. And then she got it. Richard. He...liked her. Troy was doing this for him.

She felt positively ill. She wanted Troy and only Troy. And now. Immediately. Forever.

The movie ended and while crammed in the small aisle on the way out, Troy asked, "Hey, you okay? I mean, you're not gonna like go home and cry all night or anything?" He said it with a teasing smile, but there was an undercurrent of concern.
"No." Jenny replied as she glanced up at him. She loved that she had to glance up at him. Even in silly boots. It made her feel...like a girl. "No, I'm good. Not great, but I'll make it. Its just..."
They caught eyes as her sentence cut off.
Holding her eyes in a deep stare, he questioned, "just what?"
"It's just, I don't know." She replied, dropping her gaze to the ground quickly, her heart rate quickening.
"God, I hate it when you do that." As he moved in front of her.
"What?" jenny demanded, a little shocked at the sudden change in his voice.
" 'It's just, I don't know.' " He mimicked. "Just say what you were going to say. You never do that. Just say what you want to say."
It's just that I love you. That I want to call you mine, feel you wrap your arms around me forever, go to school every day knowing that I get to sit with you at lunch, have you walk me to class. That I want to kiss you for the first time. I want to kiss you and love you and forget about what the world would do if we were together the day after Parker and I broke up. It's just that I love you. You really want me to say that here?

"It's just that I don't want to go to school tomorrow and be alone." She finally said, looking out at the empty street. They were outside by this time.
"Alone? You're never alone. You've got friends." He said quickly, still sounding a shade under annoyed.
"Yeah, but you know...it's weird. Who do I sit with at lunch or hang out with before school and all the stupid questions..."
He softened a bit. "We'll find you. Richard, Adam and I. And you can eat lunch with us."
"Really? Thanks. You know most of my friends now are his friends...so...it's just gonna be weird..."
"Yeah, well, they can get over it. It's not like you did anything wrong. The idiot broke up with you, so no one should treat you weird."
Jenny grinned. The idiot broke up with you. There was some major hope in that.
"You're right!" She agreed. There was a chance...
"And," Richard interrupted. She had forgotten he was even there. "Tomorrow's Troy's Basketball game, if you need something to do tomorrow. I'm going...so we could sit together and I'd protect you from all the idiot jerks."
Yep, something was definitely up with Richard. But watching Troy play basketball was a beyond brilliant idea.
Jenny smiled at Richard and as charming as Miss O'hara herself, she said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

She turned to say goodbye to Troy, but he was already heading to the car. He tossed out a smiling bye and climbed in the car. She knew her face fell for a moment before forcing a cheery goodbye. Troy seemed so nonchalant...so painfully friendly. That's all she was to him anymore. A friend. And why not? He knew the details of every relationship. How could he let that go? She was his best friend, and that's all.

As Jenny climbed into her car, she wanted to cry. But she was sick of crying. She was sick of crying and giving up. She was going to fight for this. There had to be something there. There was. There had to be. It was in his eyes. His smile. There had to be something there...

She'd just tell him how she felt. She'd just do it. Tomorrow. After the game. She'd tell him and he'd smile that grin and she would feel his hand lace through hers and she could be Jenny once again. Tomorrow...