Chapter 39: Great Expectations II
Haley ended up not changing into her pajamas - probably plotting a way to sneak out to the party - as if Jay hadn't seen that coming from a mile away.
We all gathered around to eat the famous Sloppy Jays.
"This is good," Summer praised the food.
I looked at her. "Told you, we have good cooks here."
"He's probably including himself," Jay joked.
Summer shot me a curious glance. "Do you know how to cook?"
"Yep," I confirmed. "And I'm even better at making drinks," I whispered to her.
After all, drinks are way easier to make since they have fewer ingredient variations - beverages are basically homogeneous.
"He makes a good eggs benedict once in a while," Manny smiled.
Haley nodded. "He made it at our house too."
"I can't just keep showing up and eating for free," I grinned. Sometimes I stop by there when I go for a run (I like running outside instead of at the gym)
"You could make it this week and give me a ride afterward," Haley proposed.
"I can do that, but you'll have to convince your mom," I reasoned. "Class at 7:30 is ridiculously early."
So far, I haven't given Haley a ride to school since I'm always running late in the morning
"That's not gonna happen," Alex commented sarcastically. "And how do you manage to go after 10 a.m. and still not get suspended? It's been a month!"
After the first day, I never made it on time again. I was defeated by my comfy bed.
"I'm special, Alex," I winked at her.
She simply rolled her eyes
"What else are you good at that I don't know?" Summer asked, intrigued.
"One could say I'm good at math," I revealed - one being basically anyone who understands math.
"You? Good at math?" Alex looked at me even more suspiciously.
"That's nerdy," Haley pulled a face of disapproval. "It doesn't suit you."
I just laughed at the absurd thing Haley remarked. If the mathematicians I meet with ever heard that, they'd probably burn her at the stake like in the medieval days.
Then the doorbell rang.
I turned to Gloria. "Are we expecting anyone else?"
"Only if it's Cam and Mitchell," Gloria responded. "But they said they'd come much later," she added defensively, almost as if hiding the baby.
I wiped my mouth with a napkin and stood up. "I'll get it."
When I opened the door, I was surprised. "Marissa? What are you doing here?"
"Come on, it's not fun without you two," she slurred slightly, clearly a bit drunk. "Let's go to the party."
"What about Luke?" I questioned.
Her face shifted to sadness and annoyance. "We fought. He cheated on me."
"Oh, Jesus," I sighed. "Come in, join Jay's Night."
I led her to the table but grabbed the spray bottle first.
"Why are you taking that spray?" Marissa inquired, watching me curiously.
That gave me an idea, so I sprayed her lightly and kept going.
"Stop it, Jake," she protested, but I started chasing her and spraying more.
Before long, we were both laughing.
"Coop?" Summer appeared, making us stop.
I approached her and explained, "She's still a bit drunk. She saw Luke cheating on her." I pointed toward Marissa. "Take her to my room and throw her in a cold shower."
And I continued, "You can grab one of my pajamas."
A cold shower doesn't reduce intoxication, since alcohol in the blood can only be metabolized by the liver.
However, cold water can trigger an adrenaline response, making a person feel more alert or awake - but it doesn't actually make them any less drunk.
I returned to the table.
"Who was it?" Gloria asked curiously.
"Marissa," I replied, pressing the spray at Manny, but it was already out of water.
I went to refill it and continued, "She saw her boyfriend cheating on her and ended up coming here after leaving the party."
I added, "She's the one organizing the fundraiser for underprivileged kids," easing Jay's disapproving look for having a drunk teenager here.
"I'll talk to her too," Haley mentioned, standing up.
"They're in my room," I informed her.
Before she left, Haley whispered, "It's not something new. I know he's been with more than one girl. I didn't say anything because I wasn't that close to her."
I nodded, not thinking much of it.
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After a while, we were playing poker, while Manny was showing his collection to Luke in his room
"How long will he stay in the garden?" I murmured to Jay.
"If he's anything like Phil, he'll wait there all night," Jay grumbled.
Gloria joined the conversation. "Who are you talking about?"
"Dylan, Haley's boyfriend. He sneaked in and is out there in the garden, but he's not the most… strategic one," I pondered.
Alex, who had been carefully listening to our conversation, snorted.
Then the girls appeared, all wearing pajamas, including Haley.
I stood up. "I'll prepare a Sloppy Jay for you, Marissa."
"I'm not hungry," she replied awkwardly, avoiding my gaze. I could see she was much more sober now, her eyes a little red.
"You don't need to be hungry to eat a Sloppy Jay," I responded, ignoring her objection while assembling one for her as the three girls settled into the chair.
Since it was just a matter of putting the meat on the bread - and adding a few ingredients - it didn't take long before I served her.
"Thanks," Marissa murmured, slightly looking away.
"If you've already decided to stay with us, Haley, I think you should let your boyfriend know," I remarked, already placing one hand on Summer's waist.
Haley looked at her grandfather with her doe eyes, and he grumbled in agreement, telling her to bring him here.
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Merry Christmas, everyone!
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