Chapter 7: Jason

I am so fucked, Jason thought as he drank half his glass of sweet tea as soon as the waitress sat it down. At some point while shopping with Di, his brain had been stolen and replaced with pudding. It was like the girl he'd known for a month had magically grown up overnight and now he could only see the woman she'd become. And to his horror she was amazing.

"Y'all gonna get the buffet?" the waitress asked as she put Di's sweet tea down in front of her.

"Yeah," Jason said.

"Help yerselves whenever y'all want. I'll check on ya in a bit."

There was a twinkle in Di's eyes as she sipped the straw without taking her eyes off of his face. Her lips were still stained with the red lipstick from the cosmetic counter and left a bit of color on the straw. "What?"

"What?" he whispered back.

"You're staring at me." Her lips twitched into a smile that she quickly suppressed.

"Sorry," he said and tore his eyes away from her. He forced his brain into gear to steer the conversation away from his illicit impulses. "School starts in four weeks. We'll have to get you registered soon."

"I've never gone to school up here." Her voice had lost its sparkle. "I only moved up here at the beginning of summer."

"I went to Swain County High School. I bet you'll like it."

"I bet I won't," she whispered and got up from the table.

Jason followed her to the buffet and loaded up a plate of pizza slices. Di got some pizza and salad.

There were four high school girls at a table watching them and whispering to each other. Jason instantly dismissed them before heading back to the table where Di was already seated. She had an irritated look on her face as she stabbed her salad.

"I didn't mean to piss you off by bringing up school," Jason said as he guessed at the cause of her shifting mood. He avoided her eyes by focusing on eating a piece of pizza.

"It's not you, it's them." Her eyes flickered over her shoulder to direct his attention to the now laughing girls. She ate her salad while he considered what she said.

"I guess I missed somethin'," Jason said as he took another bite of pizza.

Di looked up and searched his face. "They think we're on a date. The blonde wondered what you could possibly see in me, loud enough for me to hear. Then she critiqued my outfit and shoes."

Jason paused before he put his foot in his mouth. Rather than point out they weren't actually on a date he asked, "Is what they think that important to you?"

"No," she whispered. "You just don't understand."

"Then explain it to me," Jason said.

"You've never been a foster kid going to public school. You've always been a local kid with family around. You had your pawpaw, sisters, and friends to look out for you."

"And so you dress like a boy and keep your head down," Jason guessed.

"Exactly," Di said with a hard glint in her eye. "Don't attract attention. Just eat your baloney sandwich and never raise your hand in class."

"Damn." Jason had never felt privileged before. At least his grandfather had kept them all focused on school and supported their extracurricular activities. "Well, maybe it's not much, but you've got me. And after I introduce you to Lauren and Michelle, I know my sisters will love you, too." Di looked up with wide eyes and Jason panicked as he realized what he'd just said. "I mean, like I do." He swallowed hard. "Like a kid sister."

Her face softened as she chuckled at his discomfort. "Thanks, Dad. I love you, too." Then she shook her head and sighed.

Jason felt like he had to say something to explain what he meant. "I want you to know that the last few weeks have been really great. When Tammy brought up doing the foster thing she made it sound so simple."

"It is when you do it like she does," Di said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "She fed us baloney sandwiches for every meal, kept the state's money, and made us work like slaves."

Jason frowned. "She didn't tell me that."

Di shrugged. "It was worse in Florida. The last family I was with there were crazy religious. Like snake kissing and stuff like that. This last month has been a dream for me and today has been the cherry on top."

She kept up a shy front most of the time, but Jason had glimpsed her steely core at times, like that first day when she told him you ain't gonna mess with me. He never expected just getting to know her would mess with him so much. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm glad you're in my life."

"Even after last night with Carrie?" she asked with a little tremble in her voice.

"She was no great loss," Jason said with a wry tone. "I'll find the right person someday."

"I know you will," Di said with a suppressed grin.

"And you will, too." They were leaning over the table towards each other when Carrie walked in with a guy wearing pants that hung low, a basketball jersey, and a sideways ball cap. "Would you look at that."