Chapter 4

"So guess who asked about you this morning?"

I dipped my spoon into my yogurt container and shrugged. "Who?"

"Gabriel!" Wendy shrieked.

"Oh."

She frowned. "Oh? Is that all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say?" I asked and enjoyed my yogurt.

"Well ... he asked me if you had a prom date and naturally I said no. Then he just stayed thinking and smiled. Oh my god Sara! I think he wants to ask you! Inviting him to the concert had been such a great idea!"

I licked my lips and looked away. I stared outside of the school's cafeteria's window and thought about Jack. I still could hear those three words he said so sweetly.

"Sara?" Wendy asked. I looked at her and she was searching my face for some kind of reaction to the fact that Gabriel wanted to ask me to prom.

"Yeah sorry. I got other things on my mind."

She sighed. "Oh yeah. Jack huh?"

I sat up straight and cleared my throat. "What do you mean?" I asked nervously.

"Well you know the whole paternity test and all."

"Oh ... y-yeah. That's it," I stammered.

"How are your parents handling things?" She asked.

"I don't know. Last night my mom blew up when my dad called Jack my brother. It's got to be hard for her to accept this. I know she's trying but I can imagine how she feels."

"Well, she'll get used to it after a while ... that is if in fact Jack is your brother. You know I didn't want to tell you this but Jack makes the same facial expressions you and your dad make."

I felt my eyes widen. "What? Really? Like what?"

Wendy laughed. "Well ... like when you're in your own thoughts, you crinkle your forehead and look down. He does that. I saw him doing that while we waited in line at the concert. And also when you laugh at something really funny, you tend to throw your head back and laugh and he does too. I saw him do that that night when we went riding. Your father does the same things."

My heart melted. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed things like that. Little things that were a big deal.

"So ... do you think you'll say yes to Gabriel?"

I snapped out of my thoughts. "Huh?"

"Gabriel. Prom. Will you say yes?" Wendy sighed.

"I-I guess. I'm not sure I even want to go to prom now."

Wendy gasped. "What? You can't be serious! Marvin and I are going together and we wanted you to bring a date! You got to go to prom Sara!"

I laughed. "I'm sure you and Marvin and have fun together."

"Not really. Well I guess but you and I are best friends! You got to come along! I need you there in case Marvin starts acting up."

"Alright, whatever. I'll see if Gabriel even asks me."

Wendy smiled. "Oh he will."

Wendy had been right. That afternoon after school, Gabriel asked me to prom. I stood by my locker while he nervously asked me. A few weeks ago I would have been so nervous and thought it was incredibly adorable how Gabriel looked so scared to ask me out. But everything had changed.

"What do you say? You, me, prom?" Gabriel asked in a very nervous tone.

I felt awful for having said what I did. "Let me think about it ok? I'll let you know for sure next week."

I saw his face darken. I guess he hadn't expected that answer. He was probably thinking I would jump up at the opportunity to go with him.

"Oh ... ok ... well let me know soon ok?"

I nodded. I watched him walk off and keep turning to look at me every now and then until he was finally out of sight.

After school, I had decided to go over to Jack's house. I had a need to see him and talk to him about what I should do about Gabriel. I knew Jack wasn't too fond of Gabriel but maybe he'd encourage me to go to prom with Gabriel.

I parked my car in the driveway and was disappointed when I didn't spot Jack's Camaro in the driveway. I did however, see Debbie's SUV parked. I figured she would let me stick around for a while to wait for Jack. That way, I could get to know her a bit too.

I rang the doorbell and it took only a few seconds when Debbie answered it. Her jet black hair was in a ponytail and she wore sweat pants and a t-shirt. Even then she looked very pretty.

"Sara?" She asked and smiled.

"Yeah ... Hi Debbie. Is Jack ... well I know he's not home but do you know if he's coming home soon? I kind of needed to talk to him. I tried calling him but I only get voicemail."

"Oh he's probably out with Megan."

My heart fell. "Oh."

"But come on in. I was just finishing up cleaning. I could use a break." She smiled again and opened up the screen door to let me in.

I walked in to the smell of Pine Sol. "It smells really good here," I complimented.

"Thanks. I try to clean up when I can. Jack helps me a lot. It's not easy with me traveling so much. I wish I could be home more but I really do love my job. Come on, have a seat," she said as I followed her into the living room.

I took a seat on the couch by the window. Debbie stood by the kitchen entrance. "Would you like something to drink? Or are you hungry?"

I smiled shyly. "I'm fine but thank you."

She took a seat on the couch across from me. "So Sara, you're a senior too like Jack huh?"

I nodded.

"Yeah Jack told me. Oh and by the way thank you so much for inviting him to The Foo Fighters concert. He said he had a really great time."

"I did too. I finally got to meet Megan," I said.

Debbie raised a brow. "Oh? What did you think of her?"

I shrugged not wanting to say anything negative. After all, I couldn't judge a girl I didn't know just because she was kissing all over my possible brother.

"Well I'm going to say it very blunt. I don't like the girl," she laughed.

I had to laugh too. "I don't either. I mean I tried to talk to her and she just kind of gave me a bunch of short answers. I mean if I were trying to impress a guy I really liked I'd try to get in good with his possible sister you know."

Debbie nodded in agreement. "Of course! It's like trying to get in good with a guys mom so she will accept you. Getting along with a guys sister is very important! Megan obviously doesn't know that."

"Does she talk to you much?" I asked curiously.

Debbie scoffed. "I'm surprised I can even get her to say hi to me. She basically comes in and leaves as fast as she can with Jack. I really don't know what Jack sees in her other than the fact that she's pretty."

I gulped.

"But you know..." Debbie searched my face. "You are very pretty too Sara. You don't have a boyfriend? Jack didn't mention you having a boyfriend."

I was surprised Jack hadn't told Debbie about Gabriel. Not that Gabriel was my boyfriend or anything but I was shocked he didn't mention him to Debbie. "No boyfriend," I replied sadly.

We were silent for a few seconds. "So ... how did you meet my dad?" I asked suddenly. I saw Debbie's face light up a little.

"I met your father at a bar I was waitressing in. He was a DJ and he'd always play some of the best music ever. Naturally I was drawn to him for his personality and of course his looks." She blushed slightly and then continued. "Well one day out of the blue he dedicates a song to me and I ask him out after work. We went out to dinner at a small Chinese restaurant and afterwards..." she paused and sighed. "Well you know."

I felt myself blushing. I couldn't picture my dad having sex with anyone other than my mom. "Yeah ... I know."

Debbie laughed nervously. "You know ... Jack was pretty excited when he finally met your father and you."

My heart fluttered. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yup. He came home and told me that he told you the Mick Jagger story." She covered her face. "Oh god I can't believe he told you that."

I laughed. "Yeah I thought it was a pretty cool story actually."

"You did?" She sounded surprised.

"Yeah. I mean you must have a really great imagination to think up of a story like that. I thought it was actually kind of cute that you made up such an elaborate story just to make your son happy."

"I shouldn't have done that. I just never thought we'd run into Mick," she laughed heartily.

Just then Jack walked in the door. He saw me and Debbie conversing and smiled. "Hey sis," he said and fiddled with his car keys.

"Hey," I replied and felt somewhat nervous.

"Hi sweetie. I was just here having a delightful conversation with Sara. She was just waiting for you."

Jack looked at me and I looked at him.

Debbie stood up and stretched. "I'm going to go take a shower and then I have to get ready for a date."

Jack frowned. "A date? With who?"

"Brian Grobe. You remember? I told you about him. He's a pilot."

Jack rolled his eyes. I tried to hide my smile. "Oh yeah I forgot about him. Well just be careful."

"Yes dad," Debbie teased. "Sara, if you will excuse me," she said politely.

"Ok. It was nice talking to you," I said and meant it.

"You too sweetie. Come by anytime. I know Jack is your brother, but you and I can be friends you know."

I liked how inviting she was towards me. I could see why my dad must have fallen for her even if it was just one night.

"So what's going on sis?" Jack asked as he walked towards me. I stood up and hugged him. He hugged me back and pressed me towards him just a little. I liked that he did that.

"So were you hanging out with Megan?" I asked right away as we broke our embrace.

He scoffed. "Yeah I was. Is that ok?"

I shrugged pretending not to care when deep down I cared a lot. "That's ok bro, nothing wrong with that." I sounded like such a liar.

"So did you want to hang out?" He asked.

"Yeah kind of. I mean If you don't have something more important to do."

He nodded. "You are important Sara."

It was hard to hide my blushing. "Gabriel asked me to the prom."

Jack looked away. "Oh. And what did you say?"

"I said I'd think about it."

Jack smirked. "Good answer." He stared at me I looked away. "Hey you want to come see the t-shirt Mick signed for me?"

I looked at him and nodded eagerly.

"Come on," he said as he led me to his room. He opened his bedroom door and turned on the lights. I took a look and saw a neatly made bed, some CD's scattered on the floor, a poster of The Verve, two t-shirts that were on the floor and a stereo where I knew he played his collection of CD's.

"Nice room," I said quietly. I stepped in and he looked back.

"Close the door ok?"

I felt my eyes widen.

"I mean if you want to you can close the door," he said nervously.

I shrugged. "Why not? We're family." He closed the door.

He blushed and went into one of his chest drawers to pull out a yellow transformers t-shirt that had Mick Jaggar's signature. "Here it is," he said handing me the tiny t-shirt he once wore.

I held the piece of cotton in my hand and stared at Mick Jaggar's signature. "Wow, that's so neat! Now you have a cool story to tell your future kids."

Jack laughed. "Yeah, all five of them."

I looked at him and raised a brow. "Five?"

He nodded. "Yup. I want five children."

"Why five?"

"Ok six."

I gasped. "Six? Are you crazy?"

He laughed again. That same smooth laugh. "Don't you want a lot of kids?"

I hadn't thought about that. I knew I wanted at least one but six was way too many. Oh well, what did I care how many Jack wanted. It's not like he and I were going to make children together ... I felt my knees weaken.

"I want one or two at the most."

"Ah you're no fun sis," he teased.

I handed him his t-shirt back and while he put it away I focused my attention to his music collection. He seemed to have a good variety from Led Zeppelin, to the Ramones, to Oasis.

"Hmmm you must be my father's son. I mean look at this great music collection you have." I said scanning his CD's on his music tower.

"If you want to listen to some we can. Just pop it in the stereo."

"You know you should really get an mp3 player. You would have all of your music in one place." I picked up the few CD's that were on the floor.

"Eh ... mp3 players are ok but I like having the full CD. If I had an mp3 player I wouldn't be able to hear the entire CD. I know me already. I'd be scanning and skipping over to the next song."

"Ok ... whatever you say," I giggled. I found a CD I hadn't heard in a long time. It used to be one of my father's favorites. "Can we hear this one?"

He eyed the music CD. "The Church 'Starfish' huh? One of my favorites. You have great taste sis," he winked at me.

I laughed nervously. "It's one of my dad's favorite..." I paused. "Our dad's favorite." I corrected myself.

Jack inched closer to me. I started to feel warm. "Um shall I put it on? Or you want to put it on?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"Go ahead sis," he said sweetly.

I went over to the stereo, grabbed the remote and turned it on. I put the CD in and waited for the first song titled Destination start to play.

"This is such a great album. It's a shame that only Under The Milkyway got radio play," Jack said as he took a seat on his bed.

I stayed standing up and swaying slowly as I listened to the music. I liked Jack's room. I felt so comfortable being in there with him. "Yeah, but you got to admit it's a really great song."

"Yeah it is. One of my favorites. You think they'd play it at your prom? You think Gabriel would even know it?" He laughed.

I stopped swaying and narrowed my eyes at him. "Are you making fun of me?"

He tried to stop laughing. "No. Never."

"Yes you are!" I laughed along with him.

"I'm just wondering that's all."

"Why do you even care? I mean you're not even going to prom yourself."

"So are you saying you ARE going with Gabriel?" He asked.

I went back to swaying to the music. "I don't know yet. I told you I have to think about it."

"What's there to think about? I mean if you like him then you would have said yes right away."

"I thought you didn't like him?" I asked as I hummed to the song.

"I don't. But it's not up to me you know."

"Well ... you are my possible brother and what you think really matters to me."

"Wow! I didn't think my opinion mattered that much."

I stopped swaying again and smiled. "Your opinion matters a lot."

He stared at me again with those icy blue eyes. I started to feel warm all over again. The song slowly faded as it finished.