The Virgin and the Girl. Open for one female. PM me before posting.

The Virgin and the Girl. Co-authored by Gaeliclover & Niceandbrutal.

"God damn it!"

Jeremy all but wept in frustration as he angrily jammed his cellphone back in his pocket. He'd been stood up by Gloria, with whom he'd been friends since high school.

They were an unlikely couple of friends. She, the cheerleader and partygirl with a heart of gold, he, the bookish fellow with no interest in sports. They'd been assigned as lab partners in science class the day they were to dissect frogs. She'd wept openly for the poor frog and Jeremy had to console her even as he dissected it. He won her over after telling her that frogs didn't feel anything after they croaked. She giggled at that despite herself. The next free period she came over to hang out with him, much to his surprise.

The friendship had been beneficial for both of them. Her grades improved with his help and she did wonders for his social life by dragging him away from his books to meet and greet with their fellow students. After one year, Jeremy was considered "a cool guy" by most of the student body while Gloria's parents were pleasantly surprised by their daughter's improvement in all things academic.

He'd overstepped his bounds once. Thinking they had a romantic chemistry he leaned forward and tried to kiss her at a party she'd dragged him to. She leaned backwards and stopped him, but she took the embarassing little incident with good grace. She made it perfectly clear that she liked him because of his goofy humor and his sensitivity, but she didn't want to lose him as a friend.

And so he silently pined after her. She had a weakness for "bad boys", wanting to reform them. Time and again she learned why the bad boys were considered bad boys and time and again she would come weeping to Jeremy, wondering why all men were such jerks. Except him of course. He was a super guy and she only hoped he would find a girl worthy of his love.

As they graduated from high school and started at the local college, they drifted apart a little. Jeremy took up bicycling to get in shape and he started grooming and looking after his wardrobe. He went on a few dates that led nowhere. Jeremy was painfully shy and he'd only tried to kiss Gloria that one time because he'd been drinking. He was too polite to proposition sex and was still a virgin after two years in college.

Gloria had phoned him the other night, weeping. Her latest bad boy project had crashed, as they used to. He invited her over and prepared for a late night of weeping, recriminations, and cursing of men. (Except Jeremy of course, he was a SUPER guy etc.) The night ended on an optimistic note, however. Gloria had casually asked if they shouldn't hang out more, and was he free the following friday? Jeremy had planned a wild evening of staying at home reading, he told her, but he could maybe squeeze her in in his busy schedule. She giggled at that and gave him a slight peck on his cheek, sending his heart over the moon and back. "F-friday then!" He stuttered as she left.

Friday night came and Jeremy was waiting outside the movie theater when the text message came: I'm so sorry Jeremy, but Chad and I have made up and he wants to see me tonight. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Chad was the man she'd wept over less than a week ago.

Not wanting to go on a date with himself he gave the tickets away to an overjoyed couple that were too late at the box office. He than started wandering aimlessly around the city.

"How do I get out of this funk?" he wondered.

Jessica Flynn sat quietly in the corner of the student commons, nestled in her favorite chair, her bright auburn hair falling down around her face in wild curls. Irritated, she brushed it behind her ear for the seventh time in the past hour. She glanced up as someone entered the room, walking slowly, almost aimlessly. Oh…she buried her face deeper into her book, her emerald green eyes peering over the top of the physics book curiously as the man walked by. She hid the blush on her cheeks with the textbook and drew her knees up to her chest, biting her bottom lip. She’d had a crush on him for the longest time but damn it, she couldn’t muster up the courage to talk to him. She’d managed a garbled hello a few days ago, but he’d barely glanced up.

Jeremy walked by, a morose expression on his face, kicking his feet a little, hands in his pockets. There was something eating at him, something decidedly horrible. Jess wanted to ask him what was wrong but it would be terribly awkward to have a stranger pry into your life. Besides…he wasn’t the least bit interested in her. Jess had seen the girls he’d been interested in, that all guys were interested in: the blond bimbos with slender bodies, nice hips and a nice rack who wore tight clothes and forty pounds of makeup. Letting out her held breath as he crossed through the room and disappeared around the corner to the dorms, she let her head fall back with a groan, dropping the textbook in her lap and covering her hands with her face.

She was definitely not a blond bimbo…her hair was an unruly Scottish red; her skin was milky white and covered in freckles. And to perfectly complete her stereotype, her eyes were that incredible Irish green that made people stare. And her hair! She tried to brush it through with her fingers and while there were no knots and she’d spent nearly an hour this morning trying to tame it, it refused to listen!

And she was smart…embarrassingly so. While many of the popular girls around read magazines in their spare time about makeup and fashion or the latest celebrity scandal, Jess spent her time buried in a several hundred page novel or a physics textbook. She was a nerdy person, she enjoyed gaming, she enjoyed school, and her only saving grace was the fact she was a dancer. She loved ballet, ballroom, anything she could get her hands on and really feel… but no one knew her for a dancer here. They knew her as the double major, the perfect student, and the one to cheat off during tests.

With a forlorn sigh Jess gathered up her bag, filled with textbooks and papers, and made her way towards the dorms. She didn’t know why she couldn’t muck up the courage to talk to Jeremy…he was a really nice guy but she just folded every time she even tried. Sighing and crippling under the fifty pound backpack over one shoulder and the mountain of books in her hands, Jess quickly walked around the corner and collided with something hard. In a flurry of books and red hair, she fell to the ground, a little dazed and thankful her bag hadn’t landed on her. Initially she thought she ran into the wall, it wouldn’t have been the first time…

Oh no…no it was much worse, she realized when she brushed her hair out of her face. She’d run into Jeremy! Jess’s cheeks were aflame as she gaped up at him. It looked as if he was just as surprised to be run into as she was to run into him. Her mind raced as she thought of something witty to say, something that wouldn’t sound absolutely stupid or…or…oh god…Jess didn’t know what to say.

They stared at each other for a while before Jeremy bent down and helped her pick up her papers. Jess scrambled to her knees and bent over at the same time. They collided again and both of them clutched their heads, wincing and withdrawing to look at each other again. Jess felt like crying, any chances she’d have with him had absolutely gone out the window now…guess there was no harm now…

“I’m really sorry…I’m such a clutz!” Jess sighed, looking down at the ground dejectedly, brushing her unruly hair back and aligning it on one side of her neck so it looked a little better. “Sorry to run into you…and you know.” She gestured to his forehead, grimacing.

Jeremy had taken the long way home after being snubbed by Gloria yet again. He'd wanted no human contact, so he'd sought refuge in a park as darkness fell. He'd been sitting on a bench in the park for a long time, pondering why he was so unattractive to all women. As he listed everything he thought wrong with him he quietly started weeping, partially out of self pity and partially out of frustration. It wouldn't be easier as he got older to admit that he'd never had a girlfriend or slept with a girl.

Maybe he was gay? He'd not given that a thought before, but he gave it a chance in his mind. Could he...? With men? No. He had no hate for gays, he'd even lost a good friend who couldn't face up to what he was, choosing instead to end his life. Jeremy missed him still. But being with a man as a lover or boyfriend? No, the thought didn't appeal to him.

Maybe he should at least get rid of his virginity with a 'professional'? No. That didn't appeal to him either. He'd seen special reports and read about what drove most prostitutes to sell their own bodies. He couldn't have looked himself in the mirror if he'd done something like that.

The other option was decidedly unethical as well as illegal and something he'd never seriously contemplate. This left him with the momentous task of overcoming his shyness and talking to a girl. Any girl, he decided, casting the image of Gloria from his mind. He rose, suddenly noticing how dark it had become. It was getting late.

As he walked back to his dorm he had a moment of elation as he went over in his mind what he'd pondered in the park. But as he got closer to the dorm his mood darkened, Gloria still haunting him. As he opened the door to the common room he was in a decidedly foul mood.

He registered that someone was sitting beind a book, a shock of red hair and a pair of eyes visible, and not much else. Oh. It was that girl Jenny or Jess or something like that. They'd barely exchanged two words together, and Jeremy didn't want to disturb her now, so he went straight for his room. He was halfway there when he remembered he'd have to check if there was any mail or messages for him. He turned to go back and was nearing the corner when a pile of hair and books crashed into him.

Ow! The impact had been worse for her than it had been for him. Yep, it was Jess... ica! Jessica, that was her name. She looked almost afraid. He felt hurt at that. True, he wasn't mister Dreamboat but he certainly wasn't dangerous! He felt it unfair of her to be afraid of him when he'd done nothing to her. But hey, that was just the effect repulsive ol' Jeremy had on girls. Oh well, he'd better help her with her books before she mistook his staring at her for something more sinister. As he leaned down there was a flurry of movement as she scrambled to collect her books as well and suddenly stars flashed before his eyes as he felt the impact of her forehead on his.

Damn it! He needed this like he needed a root canal. She muttered a half hearted apology in his direction as she again scrambled to her feet, gathering her books. He helped as best he could. She seemed really afraid of him, for some reason. She didn't think he'd done this on purpose, did she? Maybe that was why she was so afraid of him? She thought he was a bully, or worse!

"Look, um, I hope you're okay and everything. I'll- I'll just go over here so I'm not in your way or anything." There! That would show her he meant no harm. As he looked back at her she was sitting there still, looking at him. Now what!?

With a hint of irritation in his voice he said "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened, okay!?" Why couldn't she let it go!? He gave up trying to understand women and stomped off, quietly fuming. He called it a night, thanking whatever power was in charge that it was Saturday tomorrow.

He woke up early, a bump on his forehead. Great he thought.

Well...that could have gone better. Jessica had picked up her books and still sat there where she had fallen, watching the direction Jeremy had stormed off. Giving her backpack an aggravated kick, she growled and picked it up, cursing at herself silently. What had gotten into him? She'd never seen him so aggrieved, and he hardly ever barked at people... Jess sighed and opened the door to her dorm room. She dropped the heavy backpack by the foot of her bed, hardly even glancing over at Erica's bed; she wouldn't be there. Her dorm mate was probably over at some frat house again; it was a Friday night and unless Erica had a term paper or huge test in which she needed her "nerdy roommate" to help her with...she wasn't here.

Jess wanted to kick something, or maybe even shed a few tears. It had been all her fault; she'd tried to say something and probably messed it up completely. She grabbed her iPod and clicked through her playlists morosely. It was probably pathetic she had a playlist for this kind of thing, and that it was one of the most frequently played on her iPod...aptly titled "Grab a Spoon" to go with the hidden pint of ice cream she kept for particularly crushing moments of self-destruction with the male species... She groaned and put her hands over her face. She needed to stop these mental ramblings, they were going to be the death of her.

She put her earbuds in and turned up the music.

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Jess had never had a headache this bad before - not even the morning after her 21st birthday. As she brought a hand to her forehead, she felt the goose-egg and her eyes flew open. Oh no...! No, no, no... She ran to the bathroom and groaned when she saw it, raised and red, glaring at her. After staring at it contemplatively, Jess shook her head and walked out of the room. The drunken slam into the door before it opened told her that Erica was back.

"Heeeyyyy girrrlll...!" Erica stumbled into the room in three inch heels, a stupid grin on her face. Jessica looked over at her in envy; even coming back a drunken mess at nine am, Erica still looked beautiful.

"Hi." Jess muttered and grabbed some jeans and a t-shirt. Thankfully it was chilly enough in early autumn around here that no one would think any different if she wore a small black beret. She dug it out of the bin under her small bed and turned to face a gawking Erica.

"Dayum...what happened to your head?" Erica slurred, a crooked grin curving her lips.

Yes...see me at my worse, miss perfect. Jess scowled at her. "I hit my head."

"Clearly." Erica laughed and sat on the bed to take her shoes off. Jessica got dressed quickly and grabbing her black pea coat, she slipped out the door before the drunken inquiry continued. Sticking her hands in her pockets, she pulled the beret down over her forehead and walked down to the cafeteria for a coffee. She ended up with hot chocolate instead and took it for a walk through the park.

Autumn was her favorite time of the year, when all the leaves were changing colors and the smell of Halloween was wafting through the air, disguised as pumpkin pies and apple cinnamon candles, candy corn and sweets lined shop bins and ghoulish and scary delights seemed to be around every corner. Jess passed a frat house on the way to the park that was already decorated for Halloween. They had a few nasty, bloody zombies digging out of the ground. Feeling silly, Jess made a face back at them before giggling and walking away quickly.

The park was pretty quiet, but it was morning on a Saturday and most of her classmates were still blissfully asleep. Jess didn't mind; she liked the quiet and while the sounds of the city could still be heard, she had gotten so used to it over the years. Boston was a beautiful city and you could find anything you needed there; and the food! Jess grinned: the food was incredible! Quincy Market was her favorite and she took the T frequently to get there when she had longer breaks during her classes. She toyed with the idea for a moment and decided against it. It was too early for food yet, and she had her hot chocolate.

Grabbing a bench and smiling, she looked out at the park, a few joggers on the paths, plugged into their mp3 players as they fought the daily workout. Jess grimaced - she hated running, she was a dancer, not a runner.

After a few more moments of silence, she looked down the path and was shocked to see Jeremy sitting on the next bench. Contemplating her decisions, she narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Getting up off the bench, she walked quietly over to him and stood there a moment before smiling shyly.

"Hi. I um, wanted to apologize again for the addition to your forehead." She blushed and lifted the front of her beret with a grin, "If it makes you feel any better, I have a matching one."

Jeremy Paice stared at the bump on his forehead. Then sighed. Smashing his head had been the perfect end to a perfect evening, he thought. He sent a silent thanks to his mother who'd insisted he should wear contacts instead of glasses. If he'd worn glasses last night they would have shattered. He considered taking off to visit his parents, but he'd resolved to get out of his rut with the girls. Hanging around his parents' house wouldn't help him there. He had to have a plan. He had to DO something.

He'd been through these thoughts before. They led nowhere. He decided he couldn't bear being with his parents in the mood he was in now. His mother read him like an open book and she'd know something was up. They were both concerned about his lack of success with girls, and they'd taken it on themselves to talk to him about it. Both separately and together. They'd blathered on, not realising that getting advice regarding one's love life from one's parents didn't do wonders for the self esteem. No, visiting them was definitely out of the question.

He stood up and ran his hands through his dirty blonde hair forlornly. A pair of blue eyes from a thin face stared back at him as he set about showering, shaving, brushing and dressing. He'd lost some weight after he started riding his bicycle, much to his mother's delight. He'd shed most of his puppy fat, and he'd had to renew his wardrobe. He was towed through several clothing shops by his mother as she treated him to a new wardrobe. Her only stipulations were that he should choose clothing of good quality and that he should get proper 'grown up' clothes. She had been eager, and he suspected that she wanted him to look good. And she was right. He did look and feel better with grown up clothes and a higher standard of grooming.

Jeremy dressed conservatively. It was a cold and crisp autumn morning and he dressed accordingly. Black leather gloves and walking shoes, a dark brown coat reaching down past his posterior, a black t-shirt underneath and a pair of dark gray pants now adorned his 5'10" frame. He didn't like too bright and gaudy colors on himself, although there were some people that could get away with it. As an afterthought he pulled a grey sixpence over the bump on his head.

As it was the weekend he decided to treat himself. He went to his favourite diner and ordered some sandwiches and juice to go. He then sauntered over to the park, taking his time and relishing the fact that the streets were almost deserted. The smells of autumn brought a smile to his face for the first time since yesterday. The sun warmed but the shadows were still cold enough to make him shiver. On a day like this, life wasn't so bad after all, he decided.

He went to his favourite bench in the park and sat down to enjoy his brunch. He spent some time watching birds and squirrels flit through the branches, and he watched joggers huff and puff past his bench. As he ate in silence he took in more of his surroundings, and his heart started. There was Jessica! If she saw him, would she think he was stalking her? OhGodohnoohGod! He looked away, very pointedly NOT looking her way in case she thought he was ogling her. His heart had just about slowed down when he heard light footsteps approaching at a walk, and a light voice talking. It took a moment for him to register that someone was talking to him.

It was Jessica. She was apologizing for last night. She'd come over to talk to him and she wasn't mad at him! She even smiled. She smiled at him! She had a cute smile, all the more so because she seemed a bit shy herself. Could it be that she...? In him? He thought it absurd that a cute girl like her (he'd just noticed her demeanor and unruly and lovely red hair and green eyes and lithe build) would have the least bit of interest in him.

The pause after she spoke grew pregnant until he blurted out much too fast "Oh-it-was-as-much-my-fault-don't-give-it-another-thought-now-we-both-look-like-unicorns-isn't-it-a-lovely-day!?" Followed by a loud and nervous laugh. Oh yes. Very smooth. She'd run away now and tell all of her equally hot friends about the dork she'd bumped into and then met again in the park making an ass of himself. Great. Just great. He groaned inwardly, his good mood spent. He started blushing, not wanting to look her in the eyes, to see her laugh at him.

Jessica couldn't help it, she giggled. She'd been so nervous talking to him that she never realized that his extreme reaction last night could have been because he was just as nervous as she was. She pulled her hat back down over her "unicorn" bump and, rather ungracefully, plopped down on the bench next to him. Pulling her gloves on a little tighter, she sat on the edge of the bench looking out at the park. She’d been amazed she had gotten this far already. He was actually talking to her! And he was nervous…but why? She wasn’t much of a looker, okay, so she was a pretty plain girl in her own eyes. The red hair and freckles marked her as Celtic, and some people thought that was cute. Ugh, she was getting carried away in her lack of stunning features. She kicked a pebble across the pathway, almost tripping a jogger by accident. She let out a hurried apology with her hands over her mouth so the glaring jogger probably hadn’t heard a word of it. But hey, Jeremy laughed. That was good, right?

It was worth a try to ramble, find out if he was from the city or some town a little further away, because then perhaps if he did know the city they could find some common ground to talk about. Just to her luck, he wasn’t from Boston, but that was okay! I know Boston! Jessica was almost giddy; she could actually make an attempt at an outing with him.

Jeremy was sweet, offering her a sandwich from the brown paper sack as his feet. Jess didn’t really mean to turn up her nose at it, but she couldn’t help it. He hadn’t gone to the best deli; that was for sure. She grinned, the diner made it’s living off of out-of-town college students looking for a cheap bite. It wasn’t a god-awful sandwich either, Jess had a few of them throughout her years in the city, but her favorite place, in the ENTIRE city, was Faneuil Hall in Quincy Market. She stood up and couldn’t help but smile at the startled and almost panicked look on Jeremy’s face.

Narrowing her eyes, Jess held out her hand, “Let’s get you some real food, I know the best place for food in the city when you don’t know what you want.”

He seemed a little suspicious at first, staring at her offered hand like it was a snake that might reach out and bite him. Jess kept her face calm - perhaps that was what ate at him. It was obvious he held some slight animosity towards the female race, but it was out of hurt - she’d seen that look before on her brother’s face. She hated that look. Just another reason she didn’t have many girlfriends; she couldn’t stand how they treated guys. Men weren’t toys to be passed around and talked about. Hell, Jess hadn’t had a boyfriend since high school and even then, it wasn’t much of a relationship. She mostly watched him sit in front of his computer and play video games all day. She’d never been out on a date and she was surprised she was initiating this outing in the first place.

“Please, I promise it will be fun. Besides, I can’t stand here like this much longer; I might lose my nerve.” Jess blushed nervously, hoping some genuine nerves would ease his own uncertainty.

Finally, blissfully, he took her hand and she dragged him quickly behind her as they headed towards the subway entrance. If they hurried, they could catch the train in the next ten minutes. She ushered them through the turnstiles, swiping her pass for them both, and they ran to the train slipping in right before the doors closed. Jess laughed, a huge grin on her face. This was exciting and it looked like Jeremy was enjoying himself too! Hey…I’m not doing too bad…

It was a short trip, they didn’t have to hop lines and took the green line from Boston College to Government Center. They shared idle conversation for the trip, their words emphasized with lively and sometimes erratic gestures as they got caught up in the moment. Jess was absorbed into the story Jeremy was telling she almost missed their stop. Luckily, she pulled them off before the doors shut them in and led him up the steps and into Government Center. It was about a four block jog, and an nice walk with the sun shining. This was an older part of the city, full of history and Jess loved it. Millions of memories took over the conversation as she told him about funny times as a kid, watching all the tourists get conned into pictures with a Benjamin Franklin actor who often stood outside the street entrance to Faneuil Hall.

She warned him as they walked inside that he was about to be bombarded with the most interesting smell; 55 different restaurants inside and outside the hall in the marketplace. He didn’t look like he believed her at first but as soon as they came within a block of the Market, the smells started to waft in the air. And they smelled good.

Jess stopped him just outside the hall where a pudgy, stately looking gentleman dressed as Benjamin Franklin posed enigmatically for families and children. She grinned at him, “Well, what do you think?”

She giggled. This was not the scornful laugh he'd expected. No, this was an altogether different sound that warmed him in a way he hadn't felt before. She was laughing at his lame joke, laughing WITH him! A shy smile appeared as Jeremy ventured a short "heh-heh" himself, a smidgen more relaxed.

And then she sat down next to him. He almost panicked. He honestly didn't know what to do. A pretty girl had initiated contact with him, not fled after his lame joke AND she was sitting next to him. He sneaked a glance at her. She was so cute with that unruly red hair jammed under that beret. And best of all, she seemed just about as nervous as he was. And she managed to break the tension when she almost made that jogger trip. As the jogger glared at her Jeremy glared right back at him. It was an accident! Let it go! Jeremy thought, willing the jogger away.

And then she started talking. Jeremy was caught completely off guard as she talked to him like it was the most natural thing in the world to do. Caught off guard, Jeremy answered before his brain registered for him to be shy. And wasn't that a wonderful feeling? A warmth had started to glow deep inside him and he found himself offering her a sandwich. A little dejected when she said "No thanks" he was completely unprepared for what followed. She stood up and held out her hand, a smile spreading slowly across her face.

“Let’s get you some real food, I know the best place for food in the city when you don’t know what you want.”

But did he dare? Was this some elaborate cruel joke after all?

“Please, I promise it will be fun. Besides, I can’t stand here like this much longer; I might lose my nerve.”

She seemed sincere. Not only that, she was actually blushing. Almost despite himself he took her hand and he was suddenly rushed along by a red-haired whirlwind telling him to hurry up. They had a train to catch! He ran along, his lunch from the deli forgotten. He hadn't ventured far into Boston, his forlorn walk last night being his most adventurous outing. Her love for the city was apparent, though.

He suddenly remembered a short incident a few weeks ago he'd written off as a fluke. She had come up to him and said hello once. Before he could fully register what had happened she had walked on. Jeremy had assumed she'd mistaken him for someone else, that being the cause of her blushing as she hurriedly walked away. Now he wasn't so sure.

As he again started to notice his surroundings they had just passed a turnstile. She was a bundle of nervous happy energy as she told him to hurry! They jumped on the train and she looked up at him and laughed. She had a cute infectious laugh, and he realised suddenly that she'd done all the talking, her nervousness disappearing as she warmed to the subject of her favourite city. Jeremy found it easier to talk to her now. Sudenly realising she'd held his hand ever since they'd left the bench he was all tingly and euphoric as he realised that this girl actually, truly wanted to spend the day with him. He was so happy he almost welled up, but he checked himself. No crying.

The train ride passed as a happy blur and Jeremy again felt himself pulled along by this eager girl wanting to show him, well, everything! Then the smell of food hit him and he realised that he was still hungry and that she'd been right. This WAS an interesting place! He couldn't wait to dive into Faneuil Hall and start perusing menus and sampling the food.

At her question he could only smile: "This place is great!" Feeling uncharacteristically bold, he took her hand and looked into her eyes, blushing profusely as he did so, half expecting her to draw her hand away. She didn't. He said simply "show me!" And he was off again, pulled along by what he now thought of as Hurricane Jessica. They spent the next 20 minutes sampling food as they compared notes on favourite dishes and food they'd never touch with a ten-foot pole.

As they tried to decide where to sit and get a meal, Jeremy suddenly heard an all too familiar voice. "Jeremy! Hiiii!!!" It was Gloria. He cringed as he turned around. Yep. There she was, all provocative dress and bouncing breasts, pulling what he assumed to be Chad along with her. She came over and hugged Jeremy, not picking up on his icy demeanor. She introduced Jeremy and Chad. Chad didn't seem to be too happy to see Jeremy, Jeremy felt he couldn't care less all of a sudden. Gloria babbled away, assuming she was the center of everyone's attention: "I'm SO sorry I stood you up last night Jeremy! But Chad and I made up and, well, you must always follow your heart. Isn't that right, Jeremy?" Jeremy just wished for her to disappear along with Chad. Right. Now.

Then Gloria seemed to notice Jessica for the first time. "Why haven't you introduced us to your friend, Jeremy. Hi! I'm Gloria! Jeremy's friend!" She put out her hand for Jessica to shake, which she dutifully did, muttering her name.
An awkward silence followed as Jeremy stood there wondering what he'd ever seen in that vapid bimbo. Gloria dragged the sullen Chad away with a wave and a "be seeing ya!" as they disappeared into the crowd again.

He turned toward Jessica. "Yeah. That was Gloria. A friend." The hurt and anger in his voice was obvious. Not only had Gloria stood him up, now she'd come along and punctured his mood on what had promised to be a fine day. Not wanting to ruin it for Jessica he said with forced gaiety: "So! Food?"

Gloria... Jess scowled a little, chewing on the inside of her lip as she watched the beautiful girl flounce off, towing Chad confidently behind her. Jess was quick, she hadn't missed the haunted look in Jeremy's eyes, or the way he was looking at her now with a bit of panic. Jess tried to lift her spirits again, even with Jeremy's obvious attempt at distracting her with the subject of food. But her stomach was in knots. Was that the type of girl he was used to...?

"Uh...yeah. Sure." Jess cleared her throat and readjusted her beret, pulling it down, trying to make herself disappear. She wandered a little, looking at the shops without an appetite but Jeremy wasn't having it. He started talking about silly things and before long, Jess was laughing again. She let him tow her to one of the shops they'd sampled at before and she was ordering before she even knew it.

She knew how to eat - perhaps it was another reason she didn't get along with many girls. Jess just didn't see the point in starving herself. Maybe it was her fast metabolism, or her routine of dancing every day, but Jess could shame the most fearsome football player when it came to eating. She'd forgotten about it until she sat down and saw she'd ordered just as much as Jeremy had.

Oh god...oh no...what's he going to think? I...I can't eat this. Well I can but... Jess's cheeks were on fire and she cleared her throat and realized the only thing she could do was be herself. She couldn't and she wouldn't change herself just to make a lie stronger. She wouldn't make herself like those other girls - she wouldn't make herself a lie. So with a deep breath and a, I'm going to hell anyway, Jess picked up her fork and dug in.

Jessica seemed a bit put off by Gloria. Not that he blamed her. She could be a bit much at times, especially when she was 'in love', or 'in lust' as Jeremy coined it. She always went on about minute details on her latest catches, from dimples to eye colour to the way they dressed to, well, everything about their appearance and nothing about their personalities. Except that they were bad boys in dire need of rescuing, of course. It was as if Jeremy had been slapped awake from an unfulfilling dream. To Hell with Gloria and her serial monogamy. If she wanted to flit from one flower to the next, never to be satisfied, she was welcome to it.

As he came out of his reverie he noticed Jessica again, as if for the first time. She was a sweet girl, passionate about her interests and her love for her hometown. She did not seem overly vain, but dressed sensibly yet elegant. He loved her shyness, being overcome only when she forgot about herself and started talking about a subject that really truly mattered to her. She had an infectious smile and laughter, and she was pretty in an unselfconscious way. Jeremy felt a tenderness towards her, very unlike what he'd felt when he thought about Gloria. To his shame he realized he'd been just as superficial as Gloria was, lusting after her body and not much else. Well that would stop right now. He wanted to really get to know Jessica, he decided. Worst case scenario, he hoped they ended up as friends. Best case scenario? He didn't dare hope.

Wanting more than anything to see her laugh and smile again, he launched into a little monologue about some of his favourite comedy shows, even going so far as impersonating some of the characters and making an ass of himself in the process. He drew some derisive stares from people around them, he noticed. He didn't care. She smiled and even laughed again. Jeremy's heart sang with joy.

One of the stalls sold platters of game meat, something Jeremy had always wanted to try. He ordered a little bit of everything, wanting to sample it all. His dish ended up with an embarassingly large pile. He'd have to work this off later, he decided. But he was hungry and in good company. He hoped she wouldn't be put off by the amount of food he'd ordered.

He had nothing to worry about, it seemed. With an embarassed look she sat down with a plate as full as his. She was as thin as a rail, and Jeremy guessed that she worked out vigorously or she had a very active metabolism. Or both. Jeremy decided he didn't really care. She had a healthy apetite and she did not put on airs about 'eating too much' or 'she really shouldn't' or anything like that. No, she tucked in and matched him bite for bite as they savoured their food in a comfortable silence only punctuated by their appreciative nods and grunts.

When they were finished they leaned back, content and happy like only a good meal in good company can make you. Jeremy sighed happily. "This place is awesome, Jessica! I- I hope we can return here some other time we're hungry!" He blushed then. He usually wasn't this forward. He was afraid she'd be put off by him if he seemed too eager. "That is, only if you want to. I'd understand if..." (If you wouldn't want to be seen with me ever again.) his thoughts finished for him, his lack of confidence rearing its ugly head.

He got a grip and looked at her, finding that she was looking at him curiously. With a surge of courage he'd never felt before he pretended that didn't just happen and he soldiered on, intent on at least gaining her friendship. (But hopefully more!) That was the optimist in him chiming in.

Blushing still he said "You say you know this city well. I'd be very delighted if you would show me more. Your enthusiasm for Boston is contagious and you are a very pr- fine guide!" He'd almost stumbled there, he realized. His blush ran deeper, but despite himself he didn't look away.

Jess was a bit shocked. She'd figured the food had been the final nail in the coffin, but here he was, suggesting on going out again. Or even...she sneaked a glance at her cell phone to check the time. It was still early yet, she could show him the aquarium and science museum. Maybe...just maybe he would want to grab dinner. She didn't have any plans...but...

"Well, I mean, I've lived here my whole life practically." Jess blushed and chased her napkin across her now empty plate with her fork, nibbling on the inside of her lip. "It's a little hard not to be a good guide. But um...if you aren't busy, we could always continue today? I mean, I don't have anything to do. And there is always the science museum and the aquarium and maybe dinner..."

Jess trailed off, blushing madly, hidden under freckles, but not in her eyes. She gave a nervous laugh and fiddled with her hands in her lap. She glanced up demurely and gave a shy smile.

"I can understand if you don't want to but..." She grinned, "I'm kind of having fun...But if you have better things to do, I can totally understand."

Oh lord... She was making a complete fool of herself, but he seemed to be more amazed at her admission than anything and for a moment, Jess wondered how many times he'd been turned down. She couldn't understand it. He was a really good looking guy! Jess had fallen over her own feet trying to talk to him all those countless times before, hastily retreating before she could make an utter fool of herself. But now, she seemed to be okay. Maybe the knock to her head had made her a bit braver? Whatever the case was, she was thankful for it.

"I know of a great place for dinner by the aquarium." Jess murmured, still hardly believing she was talking about morphing this outing into a date. Dinners were reserved for dates, right? Jess shook it off, maybe, just maybe he would say yes. "It's good food. And well...if you liked this place...you'll definitely love La Dolce Vita. It's in the North End and it's really, really good Italian food."

She held her breath, looking up at him with a little brave uncertainty. She knew she wasn't anything like Gloria, but she still held onto the hope that he would be interested in her. He'd made a fool of himself just to make her laugh, she knew he'd done it on purpose and...that had to mean something...right?

Jeremy suddenly realized they were sitting there, saying the exact same thing. I'd love to... but only if you... I'd understand if... He almost burst out laughing with joy then, but he managed to avoid scaring her off by clamping down hard on his cheek with his teeth. He'd pointed out such things on dates before (was that what this was? A date?) and been rewarded with icy stares and realizations of how late it had gotten.

"A-Aquarium and Science museum both sound great! Could- could we manage both maybe? And-and-and then dinner? I-I-I'm available all day if you want me. To. Want me to!"

First the nervous stuttering and then the Freudian slip? Oh yeah. Reeeal smooth going there, Jeremy! Keep this up and you'll be riding the train back to campus alone before long. At this point he usually admitted defeat and left, hoping to salvage a shred of dignity. But there was something about her that told him it was different this time.

"La Dolce Vita? Doesn't that mean 'The Sweet Life' in italian?" he ventured, trying to steer the conversation into 'safer' territory. There was something about this girl that made him take risks he'd never taken before. This was uncharacteristically bold of him. "I've only eaten lasagna and spaghetti and pizza before, but a friend of mine says there's a heck of a lot more to italian cuisine than that. And he wouldn't shut up about the italian ice cream either."

He managed those sentences without blushing TOO hard.

"I'm having a very good time with you" he all but muttered, blushing furiously again.

Jessica beamed, amazed and excited that he was still interested. She giggled once, composing herself quickly before she went into a fit of hysterics altogether. With a grin she grabbed their plates, stuffed it into a nearby trash receptacle, and danced back to Jeremy. She held out her hands with an excited grin.

"Of course we have time for both! W-We can hit the Science Museum first, and then after we've exhausted ourselves there behaving like children, we can go to the aquarium!" She bubbled over with excitement, "You have no idea how awesome it is there! I used to go all the time! They have this massive tank in the middle and it's right on the harbor...and...and...well I should just let you see it!"

Jess captured his hands and pulled him after her, rushing to the train. She hoped she wasn't tiring him out - she knew she had a tendency to move fast but that was from living on the train schedule. She'd never had a car; she didn't need one. She had the schedule engraved in her mind and knew that they had a good twenty minutes to catch the next train but she liked running around with him and as she glanced behind, blushing a little with a small smile, she was relieved to see the grin on his face as well.

She hurried them through the turnstiles again and when they reached the platform, she leaned up against a pillar, watching him as they both caught their breath. She giggled a little, so much for not liking to run, but this was different than jogging. She felt more like she was dancing, her heart racing so quickly when she was around him. She was so much braver! She never had felt this confident.

"So we have to take the green line a bit further to the science museum and then from the Science Center stop, we'll hop back on the green line and take it back here where we'll hop onto the blue line to the Aquarium." Jess could tell by the look on his face Jeremy was trying to keep up and she grinned, "It can be a bit confusing, but there are MBTA maps everywhere. All those lines with the circles and whatnots on the walls."

He laughed at her vague description, but she didn't care. At least they were talking about something she knew and not some strange subject she had no idea about. This was her hometown and she was so excited to show someone else the magic of Boston.

They hopped onto the train, chatting casually and soon they were climbing off into the Science Center. Once on the surface, she led them to a large building where kids were coming and going, school buses and tour groups milled about the entrance and after a few minutes, they filed in, waiting in line for their wristbands and hand stamps.

"This place caters more to kids but..." Jess shrugged, blushing, "I still love it."

She took off her gloves and scarf, stuffing them into her pockets, the scarf hanging out casually and carelessly. She was too busy deciding what way to lead him first. She saw the events directory and saw that in ten minutes the electricity show was starting and she decided it would be as good a place as any to start; they could just wind around the museum afterwards. Besides, her first time here that had been where she started.

She led Jeremy into the dark, circular theater. The workers were still setting up for the next show, but she figured they could get a good seat now before the school kids filed in. With quiet footsteps, she slipped down to the front row and patted the bench next to her, watching the giant tesla coils in the center stage. The seats were raised, the stage set lower into the ground, and there was a large metal safety cage surrounding the stage. Grinning, she leaned back, feeling at ease and comfortable here. Her heart beat a little quicker as Jeremy sat down next to her.

"I know it's not much, but...this is my childhood. I feel like I practically grew up in this place - my parents could hardly ever get me out of here." Jess blushed, thankful that the lights were very muted in here. She sat up a little and looked at him with a shy smile.

They were off again. The benign force that was Hurricane Jessica pulled him along, so eager to show him the city she loved. As she moved, Jeremy couldn't help but notice an unselfconscious grace as she hopped and skipped and pulled him along. He'd have to remember to ask her if she danced or something like that. His mother had been on his case about that as well. If you learned to dance, maybe you'd meet a nice girl in the bargain! Thinking himself too much of a klutz, he'd never given that a second thought. But if she was a dancer, maybe he could ask her to teach him? The thought alone made him blush. But it would be a good way to maybe be with her some more. (And maybe touch her?)

Her excitement was infectious and he couldn't help but smile as she went on about the science museum and the aquarium. Jeremy had wanted to see both as a kid, but his parents had always put it off. And when he'd grown older he'd thought of those places as kids stuff, then he'd more or less forgotten about them. Along came Jessica and rekindled his want to see these places with her enthusiasm for them. Of course, being with her was an important part of him wanting to go there, but he found himself looking forward to seeing the museum and aquarium as well.

She obviously knew the city and train lines well. Jeremy felt a short pang of envy. He'd been secluded in the little town he grew up in, the only outings for holidays being the family cabin, books the only escape for his imagination. He'd worn out the librarians in his hometown, asking for ever more books to dive into, and he was on a first name basis with the employees of the local bookstore. He'd even worked there a couple of summers, mostly stocking shelves and ringing up sales. Jessica though, she'd had the run of this great city since she was small, it seemed. She was lucky to have had that. And now he was the lucky one to be guided with such joyful enthusiasm.

As they arrived at the Science Center he could only laugh at her admission that it was mostly for kids. He smiled at her, enthusiasm beginning to manifest in him as well. "I don't care if it's for kids. I've always wanted to go here!" he admitted then, managing not to blush too much as he looked at her. He trusted her completely and he let her decide where to start.

As they entered the theatre Jeremy was filled with a kind of hushed awe as he took in his surroundings. This place looked and felt like magic. Not actual hocus-pocus of course, but the magic of learning and demonstrations of science, making it available to everyone. He couldn't contain himself, he grinned and let out a laugh of expectant joy. He'd never have managed to drag Gloria to a place like this. Her loss, he decided, shoving the image of her out of his mind as Jessica patted the bench for him to sit next to her.

"I know it's not much, but...this is my childhood. I feel like I practically grew up in this place - my parents could hardly ever get me out of here."

His fondness for her grew as she admitted her love for this place. As he turned towards her he was struck by her smile. He loved the way she smiled. He looked at her for what seemed an eternity. Say something, you idiot! He kicked himself mentally. Then wonder of wonders, he actually managed to talk:

"You know Jessica, this is great. Being here, with you. I think it's very sweet of you to show me your favourite places and I'm having the best time ever and I like that you're so fond of these places and I like that you want to share your favourite haunts with me and- well..."

He blushed then, but he couldn't contain an eager smile. As he looked at her again he was afraid he'd spoiled everything.

Nervously biting her bottom lip, Jess sneaked a peak at his hand. Would it seem to childish if she held it? Was she supposed to wait for him to initiate contact? She nibbled on the inside of her lip, uncertain about what she wanted to do. It was quiet, a bit intimate in the theatre, and the only sounds that could be heard were the workers setting up, dropping tools every now and then on the stage. She started to slide her hand over to his, trying not to look too interested in what she was doing - she focused on the worker suspended up of the largest tesla coil, fiddling on something at the top.

The door leading inside the theatre opened and giggles and squeals and teenagers babbling filled the room. Jess was a bit startled at first, retracting her hand immediately like a teenager caught with her hand in the cookie jar, but she relaxed as they started filing into the bench seats, the little kids pushing down to the front, the teenagers sulking to the back. Jess shook her head with a grin, they didn’t know what they were missing; the front row was the best.

As soon as the theatre was filled, the babble of people talking in the space echoed off the rounded walls and domed ceiling. She watched, entertained, as Jeremy took it all in. She was surprised it was his first time, but she was happy to be the one to show him. After all, it was something everyone should see and if it was something she could give him, it would be worth it. She just hoped it wouldn’t end here.

She was happy to see that the same guide was in charge of the show, he was fantastic, a bit like a magician or ringmaster at a circus. He always made it fun for everyone, even the kids who didn’t enjoy science. He was already drawing laughs from the kids and Jess was happy to see a small grin on Jeremy’s face.

It was now or never… Jess swallowed nervously and bit her bottom lip again, looking at Jeremy’s hand.

She took a deep breath and very slowly, as if approaching a snake, she slid her hand just barely over his, her pinkie and ring finger the only ones touching.

Jeremy watched the show, feeling like a kid discovering the wonders of science for the first time. This was really great. The guide on stage was a middle aged man that joked and taught with an easy confidence born of practice. It was obvious he'd done this before. It was equally obvious he loved his job and knew what he was doing. He reminded Jeremy of his first science teacher, actually. He'd been as eager as this guide was in sharing his- what? Something brushed his hand.

Jeremy looked down and saw her hand on his. She had small delicate hands, freckled like her face. She was warm and soft to the touch, and Jeremy's heart raced as he lifted his head and looked at her. There was an unspoken question in her eyes, it seemed, and Jeremy was unsure how to answer her. She blushed and chewed on her lower lip and looked away as she withdrew her hand.

Jeremy's heart sank until his mind registered that the look on her face was disappointment. She'd wanted to hold his hand! She... oh my! He grinned at her and blushed furiously as he took her hand and held it, expecting at any moment to be told he'd misinterpreted her and would he please let go of her!
She didn't do any such thing.

Jess's heart sunk as he looked at her with an almost blank look, then down at her hand, and back at her face. Oh no...retreat...retreat!

Jess snatched her hand away quickly, cheeks flaming red, wishing the world would swallow her up. She looked away, towards the guide who was walking into the cage and closing the doors. Maybe an arc of electricity would come through the cage and vaporize her so she wouldn't have to deal with the agonizing embarrassment of...

Jeremy took her hand from her lap and entwined his fingers with hers with a grin, holding on with a strong and sure grip. Jess felt like her face was going to crack; her smile was so large it was almost painful. So out of it, when the first arc flashed through the theatre she yelped a little and jumped, laughing mirthfully at her own foolishness. She inched a little closer, feeling like a barrier had been shattered between them and hoping, nay, praying, that the day would continue going this well. The lightning flashed and cracked across the top of the domed cage, above their heads and suddenly, this trip, this time seeing the show, seemed as good as the first time. Heart racing the entire time, Jess stole small glances at Jeremy under her lashes and when the show was over, everyone clapped but Jessica - she didn't want to give up her claim on his hand. It had taken enough courage to get it the first time, she didn't want to chance it. Jeremy clapped on his leg, a silly grin on his face.

Jess watched as everyone filed out of the theatre and bit her bottom lip. She almost wanted to stay here, but knew that if she lost her momentum now, she would never get it back again. So she stood, a little reluctantly, and pulled him slowly after her. She smiled as they exited, blocking her sensitive green eyes from the bright light that poured through the large window in the atrium. She let Jeremy take the lead for a minute as she staggered blindly, laughing. When she adjusted, she saw that he had followed the signs for the bird exhibit. Grinning, she let him take the lead, having already seen it. She was more than happy to let him tow her along, excited he was still holding her hand and every now and then would brush a thumb over her knuckles.

They were quiet as they read the plaques and information under the birds of prey case. Jess had always thought that while the taxidermy birds had been creepy, it was really neat to see how large they really were, especially how large the Ravens were in comparison to crows. They rounded the corner and Jess's grin grew larger.

"Come on, you have to try this." Jess giggled, pulling him in line behind a bunch of little kids. They stood at the entrance of a false forest, and there were small television screens of pictures of birds. The birds were making peaceful noises and chirping happily as a little kid started creeping into the forest. Not two steps in, the sounds changed and the wren alerted the rest of the birds that someone was in the forest. The kid ran to the end and giggling, ran back in line to try again.

She explained quickly to Jeremy, "I used to spend hours here perfecting my skills at bird creeping." She winked.

"You have to walk all the way to the end of the forest and if you make it without alerting the birds, you'd get the biggest bragging rights in the school." Jess shrugged, a little embarrassed, "I know you don't get anything but...it's still really fun."

Soon, it was her turn and after reluctantly slipping her hand from his, she stood at the entrance with her eyes glancing at the monitors. Taking a careful step forward, she eased into the gait calmly; confidence shining in her eyes. The birds continued to chirp happily and she felt like she was a kid again, showing off to her classmates, one of the few things that she got praise for as a nerdy little kid, and when she reached the end she gave a little twirl and curtsy to the clapping kids and parents.

Crossing her legs were she stood, she smiled encouragingly at Jeremy, who was staring at her. Her hands wrapped around the bottom hem of her jacket, pulling it down at little, she bit her bottom lip and waited for him to join her. She pushed the button to reset the forest, even though she hadn't triggered it, and grinned at him.

Jeremy's mind was jubilant. They were holding hands! It felt better than he'd dare to hope. Their fingers intertwined, he was acutely aware of her warmth and the softness of her skin. He carefully moved and flexed his fingers, enjoying how she didn't relinquish her hold of his hand but adjusted her grip to his movements. As the lightning started cracking Jeremy jumped and laughed, feeling electrified himself by their mutual boldness.

From time to time he couldn't help but give her hand a light tentative squeeze with his own. And although he loved the show unfolding before them he was only half paying attention to it, his mind being engulfed with thoughts of Jessica by his side. She'd moved closer to him, almost touching him, and he thought he could feel the heat radiating from her lithe body. He stole several glances her way during the show, and he caught her doing the same a couple of times. His grin widened as he started to realize that maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of something wonderful.

The show came to an end and Jeremy didn't dare to let go of her hand, afraid that the spell would be broken. He applauded with one hand on his thigh, willing her in his thoughts not to let go. They stayed seated after the show, as if standing up and moving on would destroy the frail breakthrough they'd achieved. Jessica stood up, pulling him along, still not letting go of his hand. Jeremy was overjoyed by this, and he grew bolder still, stroking her knuckles with his thumb. The feel of her fine small knuckles thrilled him, and he hoped this would never end, ever.

They stumbled out of the theatre and they were almost blinded by the light. Jeremy gained some semblance of vision back first, it seemed. "My turn to choose now." he said with a playful laugh, taking the lead for once as he pulled her towards the bird exhibit. The stuffed birds were impressive, but what fascinated Jeremy the most was the interactive exhibit where you were supposed to sneak through the forest. Jessica's admission of her love for this display only warmed him to it further. They watched a couple of kids fail, and then it was Jessica's turn. He hated letting go of her hand, but she was eager to do this, being a relished part of her childhood.

Jeremy stood back, his mind screaming for him to go forward and seize her hand again. But he controlled himself, and he was soon enraptured by how Jessica smoothly and fluently glided through the display without causing a hitch or upset from the birds, confidence radiating from her. As she came to the end, she gave a twirl and curtsy so effortlessly, it removed any doubt from Jeremy's mind. She was a dancer. Then it was his turn.

He gulped as he looked at her standing on the far side, smiling expectantly at him. Jeremy gave it his best shot, trying to control his every move, his breath and his equilibrium. The key to stealth was to be slow and deliberate, or so he'd read somewhere. He inched slowly forward, each move slow and deliberate, his eyes fixed on Jessica who watched him with that cute smile of hers. Slowly, ever so slowly, he neared the middle of the display. He moved with a grace he wasn't aware he posessed as he slowly passed the middle of the display and neared Jessica. His confidence soared as he got closer and closer to her. And then he stumbled. At once, a cacaphony of warnings emitted from the birds and Jeremy started waving his arms as if fending off attacking birds as he laughed and yelled "Oh noes! The birds are out to get me!"

A bit disappointed he went to Jessica and took her hands in his, a new jolt of electricity hitting him as he did so. He looked at her face, blushing. As did she. "Um, points for effort?" he stammered out, feeling like the worlds biggest fool all of a sudden. A voice from the other end of the display carried over to them, a child's voice. "He was good, but his girlfriend made it all the way across!"

He blushed again, turning bright red this time, almost letting go of her hands.

Girlfriend?

Jessica's mouth dropped open for a brief moment when the little kid claimed her as Jeremy's girlfriend. With an uneasy, but excited, look Jessica nibbled on the inside of her lip while blushing. Was that...was that what they were? She didn't dare hope, but as much as she tried to fight it, she couldn't escape the bubbling joy rising up inside her. Could they be...? This hadn't even started out as a date but as the moments passed by, she started to think that perhaps it was.

She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and cleared her throat.

"Um..sh-shall we?" Jess stammered, mortified that she was stumbling over herself over a simple word. But it wasn't a simple word to her; not as much as she was hoping that it was true. She tried her best to absorb herself into the museum around her, but admittedly not much had changed over the many years she'd spent here and try as she might, she couldn't avoid touching Jeremy. She didn't know if it was her or him, but their hands kept touching as they walked, causing her to flush to the roots of her red hair.

She saw him looking just about as nervous as she was and felt a pang of guilt; he probably thought that she was embarrassed to be called his girlfriend. With a sudden surge of possessiveness, she stopped in her tracks, looked at Jeremy in the eyes and took his hand again. She wanted him to know, without words, that she was willing to be that but she also didn't want to seem too forthcoming.

With a smile, stuffing her insecurities away, she pulled her hair around to one side of her neck and started forward again, leading him through the museum where a lady had a giant walking stick bug that she let kids hold. Jessica loved all animals, but that giant thing always scared her. She skirted around it, letting Jeremy know he could hold it if he wanted to, after all this was the last stop before the gift shop. The museum itself wasn't very massive, but the gift shop was cute and quite extensive. She always made a stop there before leaving.

His girfriend made it... his girlfriend... his girlfriend... girlfriend

The words from that one innocent remark kept bouncing around his head, distilling into that all-important word. Were they...? But that was crazy, they'd just met! But they'd held hands, surely that meant something? Jeremy wracked his brain for an answer, cursing his own insecurities and inexperience. And all the while, Jessica stood there. Her mouth had fallen at that comment, and she looked ill at ease. Oh no! She thinks that I think that we're... and now she is upset! He did let go of her hands then.

She cleared her throat then, leading them on through the museum. Jeremy was hyper-aware of where his hands were at all times now. He sometimes "accidentally" sent his hand her way as they walked, meeting her hand. And sometimes her hand ventured near his, touching his. Each time their hands met, it gave Jeremy a new delicious jolt. He couldn't get over how soft and delicate her hands were, so warm and strong.

She suddenly stopped and looked him square in the eyes with those beautiful green eyes of hers. He gave an inward sigh. Here it comes. She wants to leave and for us to go our separate ways. Damn it! Why did that kid have to open his mouth and spoil- She took his hand again. Jeremy's heart gave a big lurch as he looked at her, dumbstruck. Then a smile started spreading on his face, mirroring hers.

The rest of the museum went by in a blur as he just relished holding and being held by her again. Maybe we are! Maybe she wants us to be a couple! The determined way in which she grabbed his hand and the smile across her face as she did so had suggested that she at least wasn't averse to his company or his touch. And that was a good start, better than he'd dared to hope.

He noticed how she avoided the stick insect. Large insects could be intimidating, though Jeremy wasn't really afraid of them. Both his mom and Gloria went into hysterics when they saw insects, big or small. Jessica didn't act hysterical, she just went by in a wide arc. He let go of her hand to go over there, but checked himself. Jeremy decided that handling the giant insect could wait until another time. Jessica was what was important now. He boldly grabbed her hand again, almost certain now she wouldn't let go. She didn't. His heart sang.

She steered them towards the gift shop. Jeremy hoped she would give him a hint of what she liked. He'd at least give her a little something for showing him the sights, he decided.

Finally he spoke again: "If the aquarium is anything like this place, I'm really looking forward to it, Jessica. I'm having a great time with you." Speaking to her still wasn't easy after the turmoil his mind had been through. But he wanted to know he enjoyed her company and that he liked being around her. Then, hurriedly and with a silly grin: "I'm-really-glad-we-bumped-into-each-other!" Followed by that silly "eh-heh-heh" that came out when he was nervous.

Jess had never been so jubilant in her life. Jeremy seemed so happy to be around her and even holding her hand seemed to make him smile. With an emboldened grin, Jess led him into the gift shops curious expression on her face as she looked at some of the new merchandize and some of the things that had been there for years.

She let go of Jeremy's hand with a smile and ran over to the animal hats hanging on a wall rack. Picking up a panda hat, she whipped off her beret and slid it on. Turning around to face Jeremy she put a scary growl on her face and held up her hands like claws.

"Rawr...!" Jess giggled, flushing with an embarrassed grin, quickly taking the hat off and putting it back. Good lord that was idiotic...good going Jess... Jessica stuffed her beret back on and busied herself looking at random things.

"Have you um...ever had rock candy? It's really good and they always have some here." Jess smiled, holding her elbows as she but he bottom lip. Her face felt warm: she was sure it was bright red. Jeremy however seemed to have a large grin on his face. Jess hoped it wasn't because he though she was an idiot.

Just then, Jess was tackled by a young child, no more than seven, who was laughing and giggling calling out Jessica's name. With a yelp, Jess caught her awkwardly and knelt down with a laugh.

"Jessie!" The girl squealed. It was Jessica's little cousin Amanda. Jess hadn't known they were in town but sure enough as she looked up, she saw her aunt and uncle walking over.

"How are you Amanda?" Jess grinned, and with an apologetic glance up at Jeremy she mouthed 'sorry' and focused back on the little girl who was pulling on her coat sleeve. The six year old giggled, a joyful bundle of blonde hair, And Jess played with her; hugging her and tickling her in the middle of the shop. Eventually she stood and hugged her aunt and uncle, Amanda dancing around them.

"I didn't know you were back in town." Jess smiled and glanced over her shoulder to Jeremy and with a large smile, she began to introduce them. Reaching back to grab his hand, Jess pulled Jeremy forward.

"Jeremy this is my aunt Beth and uncle John. This is Amanda, a little bundle of limitless energy we need to farm out to the government for study..."

Amanda squealed playfully and ran to hide behind her mother's legs at their common joke. She grinned up at Jeremy from behind her mother and waved.

"Uncle John, aunt Beth, this is Jeremy, my..." Jessica froze, mouth open. She'd just been about to say boyfriend but...that really wasn't her call. Was it? She looked pleadingly at Jeremy, open panic in her wide green eyes. She hoped against hope, but couldn't be sure...

Jessica was so cute! Jeremy couldn't stop smiling at her enthusiasm as she led him into the store. She definitely was in a playful mood as she put on the panda hat, before growing all selfconscious and blushing. He decided there and then to purchase that exact hat for her. As a goofy memento, if nothing else. He couldn't stop smiling even when she tried to compose herself, clearly embarassed.

He was about to answer her question about rock candy when a blonde small tornado rammed into her, shouting her name. He shrugged with a smile when she mouthed 'sorry' at him. This was family and family is important. He felt a pang of longing when he saw Jessica fool around with her little cousin, wanting to join in and tickle both Jess and Amanda. While she was engaged in horseplay with her cousin, Jeremy snuck around and got the panda hat she'd just worn.

Beth and John seemed like nice people, Jeremy decided. Anyone who'd raised such a free spirited bundle of energy as Amanda couldn't be bad people, and Jessica seemed fond of them. Jeremy had always loved kids. They often brought him out of his protective shell with their uncompromising charm and directness. He smiled at Amanda, now behind her mother's leg. He waved back at her and was about to speak to her when Jessie introduced him to her aunt and uncle.

And then Jessica stopped, mid-sentence. "Uncle John, aunt Beth, this is Jeremy, my..." My? My what? Had she almost said 'boyfriend' just now? The thought made him blush furiously. He stuttered an answer.

"Um... yeah we.. she... we study at the same college and she... we.. well, she's showing me Boston." he said as smooth-talking suave Jeremy definitely left the building. He continued "That is.. we're friends and... well... um". He just wanted to sink into a hole in the ground and disappear, especially when he saw John and Beth exchange meaningful smiles and glances as if they were in on some secret about him and Jessie.

Yeah, great going there, smoothie! his mind chimed in as he stood his ground, blushing furiously and nervously fidgeting with his hands. Beth and John seemed to sense his embarassment and launched into long talks of the latest goings-on in Jessica's family. As soon as the shared embarassment subsided, Jessica and Jeremy started participating in the conversation. Jeremy caught a few looks from both John and Beth, catching a warm smile from them, making him blush again.

He directed his attention at Amanda, still hanging at her mother's leg. She seemed to be a bit sceptical to Jeremy at first, but Jeremy prided himself in one thing: he got through to children. Soon she was smiling back at him, twitching playfully. He bent down at his knees and put out his hand: "We haven't been properly introduced, Amanda. I'm Jeremy." She put her tiny hand in his with a shy smile.

He suddenly realized someone had directed a remark at him. He looked up. "Um, sorry, what?"

"So you two have many classes together?" Beth asked with a knowing smile. Jess blushed. Truth was, Jeremy was in almost every single one of her classes, but he'd probably never noticed her. Jess nodded.

"He's not in my physics class, but the others...yeah." Jess crossed her arms. "I was just showing him Boston like I was raised."

"Ohh!! I can help!" Amanda squealed. "I know Boston! And the market with the big old town hall and and and...and I know the museum with the bird wings and funny hats..."

The six year old trailed off, a bubble of excitement. She'd had sugar today. Jess could tell by the small cellophane back sticking just barely out of her pocket that Beth had gotten her some Jordan almonds at Faneuil Hall. Knowing Amanda, they were already all gone. John calmed her down by handing her a puzzle box sitting on a nearby shelf. Amanda lost herself in the puzzle and allowed them all a few more moments.

"So where are you two headed after here?" John asked with a tone that suggested there was a right answer. Jess opened her mouth, knowing whatever she said would get back to her parents. Their family was close like that.

"Well um, I'm taking him to the aquarium." Jess smiled. "I have to, it's a city treasure."

Beth and John laughed, knowing their niece's love for the aquarium. It wasn't large, but it was almost cozy and the center tank was incredible. Jess smiled as they discussed a few more things and then her Uncle John looked directly at Jeremy who was shaking Amanda's hand as she crouched behind Beth again.

"So, Jeremy, what are your plans for after the aquarium?" John asked, a protective tone to his voice. Jess rolled her eyes and tried to bury her burning face. Like she didn't get this enough from her own father...

"Um, sorry, what?" Jeremy smiled and stood back up.

"Do you have any plans with Jess after the aquarium?" John asked again, a patient smile on his face. Jess wanted to die; she was in college for pity's sake! But family will be family. She put a hand over her face and peered at Jeremy from between her fingers.

Jeremy almost looked indignant at the question. Composing himself, he stood up.

"As a matter of fact I'm taking her to a restaurant she's recommended called 'La Dolce Vita'. And then I guess it's pretty much back to campus? We haven't really decided yet. Maybe we'll take in a movie or a performance of some sort. But I want to assure you that she will be safe with me, sir"

For some reason, John's question had irked him. It was as if he didn't trust Jeremy. And he saw that Jessica clearly was embarassed by the questioning. John just smiled at him, as did Beth. Jeremy wasn't sure if he'd passed some test, but they did not seem hostile. And that was good, right?

As he thought about it, he was happy that she had her family looking after her. He found he cared very much about her well being himself, and it was reassuring to know he wasn't the only one.

As for him suggesting they do something after the restaurant, that was a mixture of defiant boldness against their scrutiny and a plea to Jessica. He really didn't want the day with her to end.

He suddenly became self conscious. He hadn't snapped or sounded angry in any way, but it had been unusually bold of him to answer like he'd done. He wondered if it was Jessica that had brought it out in him. He looked at her again. He just wanted to be alone with her. They got along great on their own, but he couldn't very well just pull her away from her family. He would just have to endure their questioning, hoping he would pass muster.

He found himself being subjected to questions about where he was from and what his parents did and about his plans after college. It was embarassing in the extreme, but Jeremy soldiered on, stuttering and blushing, his little outburst of defiant confidence forgotten.

All the while he kept an eye on Jessica, gauging her reactions to the questioning of him.

Listening to Jeremy boldly take the lead with her uncle was surprising, and it only made Jess like him more. She bit her bottom lip, horribly holding in a smile until she didn't bother to hold it back any longer. She grinned, trying not to bounce up and down with excitement at his suggestion for after dinner. Jess had thought that they would part ways, however sad the idea seemed, after dinner and she would retreat back to her room with her nosy roommate. Jess grimaced; Erica wasn't a blight she wanted to think about. Jess was far to happy with her current lot to even be bothered.

Feeling bold by Jeremy's assertion, Jess very sneakily entwined her fingers with his, smiling up at him. She didn't care if her Aunt and Uncle saw; she already knew they would be reporting back to her parents, but she was an adult; she could do what she wanted. And if she wanted to be with Jeremy, to claim him in the gift shop of her favorite childhood haunt by holding his hand, she was going to do it.

"It seems you're in good hands." John smiled and gave Jess a warm hug, quickly followed by her Aunt. John shook Jeremy's hand and with a brief nod, they left the gift shop. Jess's heart started to race, knowing that grabbing his hand had seemed bold, but she'd desperately tried to make a point.

"So, uh, if you're ready? We can catch the train to the Aquarium?" Jess smiled sweetly, tucking a strand of flaming hair behind her ear and walked backwards slowly, pulling Jeremy after her. Once assured he was following her, still holding her hand (a thought that sent butterflies through her stomach), she turned around and with a small smile, trying her best to contain her excitement, she looked down at her watch.

"Ah!" She exclaimed with a laugh and turned to look at him, "We've only got five minutes to catch the train!"

Jeremy laughed as she took off, dragging him behind her as they crossed the street, feeling very much like frogger, and whipped them down the stairwell to the subway. As fast as they were, they watched as the train pulled out of the station without them. With a small laugh, Jess shrugged and snapped her fingers.

"Just missed it." Jess smiled, blushing a little. "I'm really sorry about my family back there...they can be...well we're just all really close. It's great but...sometimes it's smothering. They're probably just ecstatic to see me out with a guy...I don't um...I don't get out much with people..."

Jess stopped, realizing she was rambling.

"So we've got about fifteen minutes for the next train." She cleared her throat and sat down on the bench, pulling him down next to her. "Any suggestions?"

"It seems you're in good hands." Jeremy deflated a little at that remark. He was almost embarassed by his show of defiance just now, but gauging by their reaction he'd caused no offence, it seemed. He felt Jessica sneaking her hand into his and he saw Amanda's eyes widen, a little squeal of delight escaping her tiny frame.

They said their farewells and Jessica was off with Jeremy in tow again. He discreetly waved the panda hat to the girl in the till and tossed money to her as he again was dragged along by Hurricane Jessica to new destinations. They negotiated traffic and a flight of stairs in vain, it seemed. Or was it? As she pulled him down next to her, he thought maybe he detected a hint of, well, something in her demeanor that made his stomach flutter.

He turned and looked at her. He could finally now look her in the eyes without looking like a ripe tomato, although the thought of what she'd just asked him and what that could imply covered that pretty well. He cleared his throat: "D-don't worry, your aunt and uncle seemed nice and I loved your little cousin. I mean, they're family, right? If they don't get to worry about you, who will?"

He was acutely aware of how close they were, and his mind fought a fierce battle with itself. A part of him, the old shy part, wanted to pull away from her. His mind made up a thousand reasons for him to do so, but he didn't. Jeremy had an epiphany just then as he realised that the hardest person to defy was himself and that he was actually winning that struggle. He was close enough now to smell her, a discrete perfumed smell reminding him of flowers and freshly washed clothes, a smell he'd always relished.

He gazed into her eyes, getting lost, never wanting to be found. "Suggestions?" he echoed her, his voice trailing off. A strand of her hair had come loose again and without thinking he brushed it back and tried absentmindedly to fasten it behind her ear before he realized what he was doing. His hand froze. He was torn between pulling his hand away and cupping her head in his hand. He settled on a compromise as he gently stroked her cheek and slowly retracted his hand.

The die was cast now, as far as Jeremy was concerned. The wait for her reaction was agony.