Chapter 6

"Princess you need to get up," my dad
whispered as I rolled over in bed.

"5 minutes!" I whined.

"You can't get ready by then, come on sweetheart,
wake up," he said gently brushing my hair as I smiled.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"I'm up now dad, thanks," I said with a smile. He kissed
my forehead and got up, shutting the door behind him.

I took a shower and blow-dried my hair, hoping A.J. would
come. I changed into a short sunflower dress and put
my hair up in a ponytail. I wasn't really in the mood
to fix myself up, even if A.J. was there.

"I'm ready dad," I said coming down the stairs
as putting on my white keds.

"Denise can't make it so we're on our own okay?"
He said as my smile got even wider.

"Okay! Can I drive?" I asked as he shrugged.

"Sure princess, I don't see why not," he said as
I hugged him and ran out the door.
A day out with my dad, alone, I was so happy!

When we got to the travel agency, we sat down and
looked through brochures and booklets. I had to pick
some dorky spot that Denise would hate…
or any normal person would hate.

"Daddy how about here?" I asked pointing
to a cruse to Alaska.

"Hmm…you think she'd like that?" He asked.

"Well if I were her I'd LOVE it!" I said enthusiastically.

"Maybe…what about here?" He asked showing
me a cruse to the Bahamas.

"Nah, too old fashioned," I said as he looked puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

"Well everyone does that, don't you want to do
something especially different for her?" I asked
as he grinned.

"I'm so lucky to have you," he said hugging
me as I sighed.

"I know."

"I'd like to go here," my dad said handing the
travel agent my Alaska brochure.

I had so much fun with my dad that day. We went
shopping and out to eat and then came home.

"Daddy this was so much fun," I said dropping my
stuff on the couch.

"I miss doing this, but I have to go," he said as
I looked at him with a frown.

"Why?"

"My job is never done," he said kissing my forehead.
"Thanks for coming Princess, see you later," he
said shutting the door as I sighed and fell on the couch.

"My job is never done," I said mimicking my dad
and rolling my eyes. I got up and went to my room,
dumping my bags of new clothes on my bed.
As I started folding them and hanging some,
the phone rung.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hey Jess! How are you?" Belle asked as I grinned.

"Did you know A.J. beat up Nick
before?" I asked as Belle laughed.

"I could see him doing that!" She said as I laughed.

"A.J. looks tough, and probably is tough but
I've never seen it," I said putting my new dress in
my closet.

"I'm so bored," she said sighing heavily.

"Want to come swimming over here? The pool guy
came yesterday so it's cleaned," I said suggesting
a great idea.

"Yeah sure!" She said excitedly.

"I'll come pick you up in 5 minutes okay?"

"Yeah okay, see ya then! Bye!" She said as
I hung up. I picked up the phone and dialed
my best friend Tiffany.

"Hey Tiff!" I said as she happily greeted me.

"Hey Jess! I haven't heard from you since
graduation, how are you?" She asked as I pulled
out my bathing suit.

"I'm going to Yale soon, where are
you going for college?" I asked as she sighed.

"Probably some local pre-college.
What's up?" She asked.

"Want to come over? I'm going
swimming with Belle," I said.

"Is you boyfriend going to be there?" She asked
agitated. Her and A.J. HATED each other;
they never liked each other.

"No he's not, that's why I'm
inviting you!" I said with a grin.

"Okay, I'll be there in about 20 minutes!" She said
hanging up. I quickly changed into my baby blue string
bikini, put on some sandals, put my hair up and put
some shades on. I put on a pair of shorts and hopped in
my car, driving over to Belle's house. I honked the
horn and waited for Belle to come out as I watched
Nick and the guys come back from wherever they were.

"Hey guys!" I yelled as they waved, A.J. wasn't there…

"Hey Jessie, where are you going?" Kevin asked as
they all walked over to my car.

"Going swimming at my house, you're
welcome to come," I said as they shrugged.

"We got some other stuff to do first," Brian
said as Belle came out.

"Have you guys seen A.J. today?" I asked as
they shook their heads.

"All we know is that he's out with his friends,
what were their names?" Howie asked the guys.

"John and…" Nick said thinking hard.

"John and Bobby!" Brian said as they all nodded.

"Okay, um, if you see him tell him to call
me okay?" I asked as Belle hopped into the car.

"Bye guys," Belle and I both said as I
sped off to the highway.

When we got home we went straight
into the back as Tiffany came around.

"Hey girls!" Tiffany said diving into the pool. I laid
down on the diving board as Belle and Tiffany
played in the water.

"Belle have you told Nick you like him yet?"
I asked as Tiffany giggled.

"You like Nick!?!?!" She said as Belle shrugged.

"No I haven't, I know he doesn't like me,
so there's no reason to," she said as I sat up.

"How do you know unless you tell him? I mean what if
he's doing the same thing you are about not telling?
Did you see him when you came outside? The boy was
practically drooling B," I said as she
splashed me with water.

"Was not!" She said as I laughed.

"Was too!" I said as she shook her head.

"Hey didn't you go to that travel agency today?"
Belle asked changing the subject.

"Yeah, guess where they're going? ALASKA!" I said
laughing hard and jumping in the
water, swimming over to them.

"Why are they going there?" Tiffany asked.

"I told him it would be the perfect
spot to go," I said still laughing.

"Why? I haven't heard from you in a long time
I don't understand," Tiffany said confused
out of her mind.

"A.J. and I are splitting them up, they got engaged
on grad day," I said as Tiffany's mouth dropped.

"They did? Cool no more tattooed
freak!" She said as I shook my head.

"Shut up!" I said as we splashed each other.

"Did I miss something?" A.J. asked as I turned
to see him.

"Hey! We were just talking about
you!" I said jumping out of the pool.

"Very bad things I might add," Tiffany
said as A.J. nodded.

"From you? I bet," he said.

"Where have you been? The guys said
you were out with some friends," I said
as Tiffany laughed.

"Friends," she said rolling her eyes.

"Shush she-devil," he said as Belle and I laughed.

"We'll go in there," I said opening the
door to the kitchen.

"How did the travel agency go?" He asked as
I jumped onto the counter.

"I feel so bad," I said grabbing my water bottle.

"What did you do?" He asked standing in front of me.

"I sent them to Alaska," I said as A.J.
busted out laughing.

"You did! You're great!" He said as I smiled.

"You think?"

"I know it!" He said lifting me up and
spinning me as I laughed.

"What are you two doing in there?" Tiffany
yelled as A.J. out me down.

"Shut your yap Tiffany!" A.J. yelled as I grinned.

"So kind," I said as he shrugged.

"I thought that was kind!"

"Are you staying?" I asked as he shook his head.

"My friends are waiting for me in the car, want to
meet them?" He asked as I nodded.
He took my hand as I limped over to his car.

"Guys, this is Jessie, Jessie, this is John and Bobby,
and that is Macho Bobby's dog," A.J. said as I
shook their hands and pet the dog's head.

"So you're what A.J. never stops talking
about?" Bobby asked.

"I can see why," John said as I looked at A.J.

"Um…yeah," I said as A.J. grinned and
dragged me over to my car.

"I gotta go, we're going out for a while, I'll come back
later…alone without these droolers," he said
pointing to his friends.

"Okay, can't wait, we have to start
planning you know," I said as he nodded.

"Tonight…I want to see my mom's reaction when she
finds out about Alaska! Plus I have a little extra
to piss off my mom," He said as we both laughed.

"I'll see you later," I said kissing him
one more time before both of us ran off.

That night, I was ready for the showdown between my
dad and Denise. Denise seemed like a cranky old
hag, and that was perfect for this Alaska stunt that I
pulled. I mean sure I felt awful for my dad,
but seeing Denise storm off forever was so much better!
I heard the doorbell ring as I ran down the stairs.

"I GOT IT!" I yelled as I jumped off the
last step and opened the door.

"Jessica! So happy to see us?" Denise
asked as her and A.J. came in.

"You have no idea how happy Denise!" I said as
A.J. grinned. "Go on in the living room,
my dad is on a business call," I said as Denise
walked by.

"This is exciting," A.J. whispered as I nodded happily.

"Yep!" I said with a giggle. We checked to
see if Denise or my dad was coming, then
hugged each other with happiness, kissing lightly.

"Jessie are they here?" My dad yelled from upstairs.

"Yeah dad!" I yelled as my dad came down the stairs.

"Hey Alex, do you want me to call you that
or A.J.?" He asked as I smiled. I knew he was
nervous around him, it was actually kinda cute!

"Alex, A.J., I answer to both sir," A.J. said
as I smiled wider at A.J.'s nervousness.

"You guys should spend some time together to get
to know each other," I said to them as they
both gave me the 'HELL NO' look.

"They should shouldn't they? We should too,"
Denise said as I turned to see her leaning on the
doorway to the living room.

"Yeah, that's a great idea," I mumbled as A.J.
held in his laughter.

"Well, then it's settled! Johnny tell me what happened
today at the travel agency!" Denise said as Johnny,
A.J., and I walked into the living room.
A.J. and I looked at each other and grinned.

"Well, I wanted to go somewhere special,
somewhere couples go for adventure on honeymoons!"
My dad said as Denise nodded. "I chose Alaska," he said
as we waited for Denise's face to frown. We sat in
silence, waiting for a word to come out of her mouth…
anything!

"YOU DID? I've always wanted to go to Alaska!"
She yelled hugging him happily. Seeing that sight and
hearing what A.J. and I heard, we freaked.

"Um…I left my bath water running," I said
backing away.

"You were going to take a bath?" My dad asked as
A.J. started backing away with me.

"Yeah, I forgot they were coming," I said taking wider
steps.

"I don't hear any water Jessica," Denise
said as I nodded.

"I know, it's low bath water, but of course you
know me, save the environment. Excuse me!" I
panicked, as A.J. and I ran up the stairs and
slammed my door. "Holy shit," I said as soon
as I caught my breath.

"My mom never ever wanted to go there in her
life!" He explained.

"My dad made it sound too glamorous!" I said with
anger in my voice. I sat down on the floor and
leaned my head against the door.

"Well…there's always plan B," A.J. said sitting
next to me.

"I hate plan B though baby!" I whined.

"Believe me I don't want to do it either, but what if we
find something that will help?" He asked as
I sighed and took his hand.

"You know what's weird?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"I feel…feel…dangerous!" I laughed. "I mean,
this is actually kinda fun!" I said as he laughed with me.

"I feel the same way! I didn't want to say anything
cause you know, destroying a marriage isn't something
worth laughing about! But now that you think
so too…" he said as we both laughed.

"A.J.?" I asked, both still laughed.

"Yeah babe?"

"We're going insane," I said as we laughed harder.

"We are aren't we?" He said as we laughed.
"Oh boy," he said catching his breath as we
stopped laughing.

"You know, when we grow old and shriveled and we
look back on this we're going to laugh at how stupid
we are," I said as he nodded, he hit his head
on the door as I held in my laughter.

"OW!" He yelled as I spit it out, laughing as hard
as I could and lying down on the floor.
"It's not funny that hurt!" He said as I laughed harder.

"Kids?" My dad asked opening the door and hitting
A.J. harder in the head as I lost it! I started crying
I was laughing so hard.

"OW!" He yelled again as my dad freaked.

"Oh wow! A.J. I'm sorry I didn't know you
were by the door!" He said as A.J. nodded.

"It's okay Johnny, I'm fine," he said rubbing his
head as I wiped my eyes from my tears.

"Jess I just wanted to thank you for the trip
idea," my dad said as I nodded.

"No problem dad," I said sticking my thumb up
with a smile.

"See you guys later, sorry again," my dad said shutting
the door. I sat up and smiled.

"Baby?" I asked him.

"Yeah?"

"I think it's time for MAJOR plan B," I said nodding.

Index

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