GENERAL NOTES: Kitty tries to appeal to Jake's sensible side.
Jake Jake was pretty certain this was a trap of some sort. An elaborate plan of Kitty to possibly humiliate both him and Marley. Except he wasn't really. He knew her, knew the real Kitty. The girl that laid beneath all that high-school hierarchy bullshit, and raging bitch facade she put up for everyone else. She was a scared, vulnerable girl trying to survive this place just like everyone else. One who could be sweet and adorable when she wasn't under the scrutiny of her peers. And that had been the girl Jake had been captivated by. But then, she caved into the pressure and without hesitation ended things between them. Yeah, that had stung and though he hadn't say it out loud, it had hurt. But now, without meaning too, he had hurt her back and had caused Marley to be the target for the UHT and TPC's wrath. That was the last thing he wanted, to hurt either girl so now Jake didn't know what to do, all he knew was that he needed to talk this shit over with Kitty and put an end to it all. Her soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and Jake walked into the living room where he found her sitting. Ignoring the familiarity of the scene, Jake took a seat on the couch. On the other end. "Kitty, what the hell are you planning?" He blurted, not in a mood to beat around the bush or whatever.
Kitty "Nothing!" she insisted. "I just want to be with you, you know that. I made the biggest mistake of my life when I broke up with you. And yesterday Quinn told me that she wouldn't have dropped me even if I hadn't broken up with you. So I did it for nothing. I lost the one person I cared about, who cared about me for absolutely NOTHING." she spat out. "And now I want it back. I want you back, even if I have to share you."
Jake listened to her speak quietly, letting her go though her outburst. Surprised at the raw emotion he heard in her voice. Till this point, Jake had thought Kitty was just being a bitch who was sore that someone else had gotten with him, but seeing her there on his couch. Hazel eyes fiery with emotion as she opened up to him, it took him by complete surprise. "Kitty..." He began, scooting closer to her as he gazed into hazel eyes that once made his insides quiver in the most ridiculous and pleasant way. "Are you hearing yourself? You deserve a guy who will be with you, just you. And I'm not gonna deny I wanted to be him before, but...we're just not good for each other now." He said softly, resisting the urge to grasp her hand. He couldn't help it, it was instinctual, he saw Kitty in distress and he wanted to reach out and comfort her. He was fucking pathetic.
Kitty "Yes we are," she said, looking up into his big brown eyes. Even though they'd been apart for months, gazing into his eyes still made her feel exactly the same. Like she was worth something, like she was more than just the head bitch. "The only reason you don't think that we are is because I hurt you. But I don't want to do that anymore. I want the chance to prove to you that we can still be good for each other."
Jake visibly recoiled when Kitty mentioned hurting him. A scowl creasing his features as they hardened. "Please, don't give yourself that much credit." He said gruffly, trying to cover up the truth. Because acting all hurt and like a bitch in front of Kitty was the last thing Jake wanted to do. "We were good when we were together, but now we're not. Shit happens, people move on. I suggest you do the same."
Kitty rolled her eyes. "You forget that I know you, Puckerman. The douche act doesn't work on me, just like my bitch act doesn't work on you. Look at me," she said, cupping his chin and turning his face toward hers. "Can you honestly say that you don't still want this?" she asked softly, biting her lip. Part of her was terrified he would say he didn't want it anymore, that he truly didn't want /her/ anymore, but another part of her was hopeful that he still had some glimmer of feeling for her.
Jake jaw clenched, nostrils flaring as her warm, soft hand took a hold of his chin and gently turned his head so that he had no choice but too look into hazel orbs. Jake couldn't even concentrate of what she was saying, the words falling from her lips sounded like a distant echo, he was too enraptured in the sensation of having her so close. The way her lips moved, how enticing they looked and how easy it would be for him to lean forward and kiss them. In that moment everything else faded away, there was nothing but the girl before him and the sudden, overpowering urge to kiss her. Which is exactly what he did, closing the remaining distance between them, Jake captured her lips.
Kitty hadn't been expecting the kiss, not like this anyway. If anything, she'd expected that she would have to initiate their first kiss in several months. But as his lips brushed hers, she melted, tangling a hand in his short hair. She had missed this, being with Jake, feeling his lips on hers. She immediately deepened the kiss, lifting herself off the couch to straddle his hips. She wasn't even thinking about Marley at this point, just focusing on the boy she had missed so very much.
Jake groaned approvingly as in one swift move, Kitty deepened the kiss and straddled him. His lips parting to grant her probing tongue access, welcoming it with his own as his lips slanted over hers. Taking command of the kiss, Jake pulled her closer. Needing to feel more of her, to make sure she was real, not just a memory. His hands slid down her sides, tracing her gentle curves, and slipping underneath her Cheerios jacket and shirt. His calloused fingers coming in contact with her satiny, warm skin.
Kitty "Jake," she moaned, pushing herself against him as much as she could. Even with all her scheming she hadn't imagined they'd end up like this. She'd thought he'd put up more of a fight, which was always fun, but this was a million times better than she'd hoped. She was equal parts happy and terrified because she knew at any second the spell could be broken. Then again, he'd already cheated on Marley and if it came down to it she could use that against him.
Jake became lost in her. In the familiarity of her body, of how good it felt having her pressed against him. Her lips moving with equal desire agains his. Of how unbelievably amazing it was to once again, be able to kiss her. Though the moment their lips parted and a devastatingly sexy moan escaped from her mouth Jake's eyes, which had fallen shut as he had been kissing Kitty, snapped open. This was his ex, the girl who had dumped him without second thought. Not his girlfriend, his beautiful, sweet, gentle girlfriend whom had helped him move past all the drama and heart-ache. Unknowingly perhaps, but Marley had helped him. And how was he repaying her? By making out with Kitty barely an hour after she had left his house. With that sobering realization, Jake broke away. Gently disentangling himself from Kitty as he rose to his feet and turned his back on her. Not wanting her to see just how much of an effect she still had on him. "This was just my way of accepting your plan. I'll go to prom with you, and you'll back off Marley." He said, running a hand through his face, trying to erase all evidence of just how much he had enjoyed that. Even if his husky voice was proof enough. It was all it was after all, Jake would be Kitty's date to prom, be the perfect guy and then she would leave him and Marley alone. That's what he told himself, trying to excuse what had just happened between them.
Kitty shook her head as he stood up, trying to shake off the slight daze that kissing him had left her in. "That was only half the plan, Puckerman," she reminded him. "And judging by that kiss, I'm sure you'll be fine with the other half of it." Standing up, she wrapped her arms around his waist, tilting her head to whisper in his ear. "I'm sure you remember how flexible I can be."
Jake swallowed thickly as her warm breath washed over the sensitive skin of his ear, making a slight shiver to run down his back. Memories of seeing her in Cheerios practice, as well as flashes of her showing him some of his moves in her bedroom filled his mind. It was almost impossible for him not to imagine what she would be like in the sack. "That's not..." His voice came out huskier than he wanted, and Jake had to clear his throat as he took her hands and unwrapped them from him. "I can only take you to prom, that's it. This, what happened right now, can't happen again Kitty. I'm not a cheater." Except he had totally just made out with a girl that wasn't his girlfriend and had enjoyed every last second of it.
Kitty "Except that you are. You've already cheated, Jake. Not only that, you enjoyed it. You enjoyed /me/. Just like you always did. I don't see why you're continuously denying it. Or why you're so resistant to this. Everybody gets what they want. I get what I want, Marley gets what she wants, and you get the best of both worlds."
Jake stopped listening to her the moment he realized she was right. He was a cheater, a good for nothing two timing ass. Like father like son. It made him sick to his stomach to think that, yet how could he deny it? Letting out an exasperated breath he reached to the back of his neck and began rubbing it. A sign that he was frustrated. "And how exactly do you expect this to work? You think Marley's just gonna be fine with all of this? Cause I can't lie to her." He said, trying to reason with Kitty even if he wasn't making much sense. His mind was too busy trying to process the conflicting feelings he was having.
Kitty "You're not lying, exactly. Not unless she asks straight out if you're seeing me. All she has to know is that you are going to prom with me in exchange for me letting her back into The Pretty Committee. The rest is just semantics," she shrugged. "The two of you aren't having sex, are you?" she asked, though she knew the answer.
Jake shook his head, a disbelieving laugh emanating from deep within his throat. "You're fuckin' unbelievable yunno that?" Was all he said, feeling incredibly douchey for what he was about to do. But she was right, this was the way to help Marley out. Besides, Kitty would hopefully grow tired of him soon and things could go back like they were. With her ignoring his existence and Jake trying to move on with Marley. "Fine. But you will not only back off Marley, you'll let her in your little rah-rah group again. I mean, just like before. No one touches her, she's off limits... Promise me that, and I'll go along with this." He said, before her question made him make a double take. "I'm not talking about my sex life with you Kitty!" He said gruffly, scowling at the smug looking girl.
Kitty shook her head, looking up at him. "I'm not the unbelievable one, Jake. I have told you exactly what I want, exactly how I feel about you. And you haven't given me anything. I don't know how you feel about any of this. And how am I supposed to know how you feel when you make out with me and then deny you felt anything. Marley won't be harmed, because believe it or not, I miss my friend. It sucks what you two did, but I see the way the Unholy Trinity is tearing each other apart and I don't want that for Sugar, Marley and I." Her face softened and she bit her lip. "Why can't you see that I'm doing this for us?"
Jake wanted to believe her. He wanted so badly to pull her into his arms and kiss her again, but he had fallen for Kitty's charms once before, and he ended up with a broken heart. There was no way he was leaving himself open like that again. And with the same girl no less. God he was so pathetic he wanted to kick his own ass. "Whatever you say Kitty. You give me your word that Marley will be part of TPC again, and you won't drop little hints about us and taunt her, and I'll be your toy for however long I can keep your attention." Because that was exactly what Kitty wanted, of that Jake was convincing himself. It was far too dangerous to believe the other possibility, that perhaps she had missed him as much as he had once missed her.
Kitty 's face fell as he spoke. Of course this is what he thought of her, why wouldn't he? Especially after what she'd done to him. What he didn't seem to realize was that he had hurt her too. Finding out about him and Marley the night before had felt like a knife to the heart. She'd spent the night crying her eyes out, but nobody could know about that. It was too humiliating. "Marley will be one of us again, and she never has to know about any of this. Except that we're going to prom together. But this isn't some game I'm playing with you, Jake. You know me better than that. I'm only doing this because I l- I mean, you know how I feel about you."
Jake could see the pain swirling in her eyes, the vulnerability and it took every ounce of strength in him not to reach out and comfort her. Not because he didn't want to, but because the boy was certain that if he so much as brushed his fingers against her, he would pull her in for another kiss. And this time he wasn't so sure he'd be able to stop himself. Jake wanted her, he could no longer lie to himself. His head snapped up at her stammering, and he wondered if it was just his mind playing tricks on him. There was no way she was going to say the L word. Not having the strength to keep butting heads with her, he relented. "Fine. Then, I'll tell her about prom and... Yeah." Was all he could say, averting his eyes as he looked at the clock. It was late, but it wasn't as if Kitty's parents would be worried, they were always either MIA or simply not caring about her.
Kitty bit her lip again, looking down at the floor. "Can I stay here tonight? I hate sleeping in that house alone. We don't have to do anything, just lie together. Like we used to?"
Jake 's breath hitched in his throat, making have to swallow with difficulty to make the sudden dry sensation pass. He should've said no. He should've told her good night and send her on her way. Jake should've done many things, but simple ended up nodding his acceptance. Reaching out for her hand and leading her up to his bedroom. How could he say no when she looked so hopeful and had a legit reason for not wanting to be alone. Jake knew her house freaked her out at night. It was huge, and she was almost always left alone in it. "You can wear this, imma go lock the doors and yeah..." He said, handing her one of his t-shirts before walking out of his room. Sure he was doing what he said, but it was mainly not to be there when Kitty changed out of her clothes and into his own. "Fucking hell."
Kitty smiled softly when he agreed to let her stay. If she were to go home she'd just end up tossing and turning for hours thinking over tonight's new developments. At least here she might have a chance of sleeping, hopefully nestled in Jake's arms. Her heart skipped a beat as his hand reached for hers, leading her up to the familiar bedroom. She quickly changed into his t-shirt and climbed into bed, waiting for him to return. She'd have to wear her clothes from the night before to school tomorrow, at least until she could change into her spare Cheerio uniform.
Jake came back minutes later, with a glass of water in hand cause he remembered how Kitty used to get thirsty but refused to get up and leave the warmth of the bed. Setting the glass on the nightstand by her side, Jake turned off the lights and quietly climbed into bed with her. Feeling his heart thundering within his chest as he felt her shifting in bed. "Goodnight Kitty." He called out, hesitantly reaching for her hand and holding it in his large one.
Kitty felt her stomach flutter as Jake set a glass of water down on the bedside table. She couldn't believe he remembered how thirsty she got in the middle of the night. Kitty curled into his chest as soon as he laid down next to her, inhaling deeply. "Goodnight Jake."
Jake tensed up and refused to even so much as breathe once Kitty snuggled up to him. His body didn't losen up until he felt her melting against him as she drifted off to sleep. A small smile curving his lips as her warm breath washed against his neck with every little snore she let out. It wasn't really a snore, more like and adorable sound that made Jake press a small kiss on the crown of her head. "Good night you infuriating girl." He whispered, affection clear in his voice before he followed suit and fell asleep. His arms wrapped around Kitty.
It didn't matter, nothing did. That was what kept running through Mandy's mind as she bit her lower lip, her chin lifted as she looked out the windscreen of her car, driving down the street where apartments lined the street. They were familiar, but not something she had personal experience with aside from driving by them during her college days. They were nice, she noted as she slowed her car down, craning her neck as she glanced at the brick building with its hedge lined entrance and blue awning over the door. They were in a good part of town, kept up nicely, and the cars that lined against the curb were nice letting her know that the inside had to have been maintained appropriately. Mandy wasn't so sure why it mattered, Robert was an adult and inspected the place himself, and she knew he wouldn't have moved into a place that was falling apart and downright shitty. Swallowing, she brought her attention back to the street, turning the wheel to hug her car up next to the curb directly across from the place. As she put it in park, she glanced around, making sure there weren't any signs that indicated she couldn't leave her car there. In her mind she wasn't going to be there for long anyhow, she had other plans in mind, which was why she ended up going to Rob's apartment complex.
Pulling they keys out of the ignition, she pushed open the door, gripping the top as she looked both ways down the road, the warm air tugging at her hair as it swept down the crowded street. Rolling her shoulders, trying to somehow release the tension and anxiety she felt, she stepped out from behind the door and closed it with a harsh push, hearing her car alarm engage as she pressed the automatic lock on her key chain. Jogging across the road, she jumped up onto the curb, grinning at a few nameless people who walked by her from the complex. For some reason, Mandy was judging everything, wanting to make sure that this place was suitable in a way, that this was a decent place for where her husband was to live. Walking briskly, she reached the glass door, taking it in her hand as a man held it open for her, not even knowing she didn't live there. Stepping into the lobby, she was struck with the eerie silence as she glanced around, noting the elevators on the left and the stairs directly in front of her, along with a wall of mailboxes. Clearing her throat, she stepped over to them, her eyes scanning the last names that indicated what apartment number they lived in.
This was practically stalking, she thought to herself as she gripped the opening of her dark rust colored jacket, hoping that nobody would walk down and notice how creepy she seemed. Muttering to herself, she scanned the first four floors, grumbling to herself in agitation at how many apartments were on each level, and the amount of stupid last names that people had. By the time she reached the fifth floor row of mailboxes, she saw his name scribbled on a piece of paper, slightly askew in the little label. A grin swept across her face as she noticed it was his handwriting, slightly sloppy and rushed. Shaking her head, Mandy rolled her eyes and took in the apartment number and she nodded, turning on her foot and gripped the rail of the stairs, skipping steps as she ascended them in a rush. Her heart pounded lively in her chest from the exercise it was giving her, as well as the dizziness of having continuously swing herself in a circle. Sighing out by the time she made it to the fourth floor, she shook her head.
"Gotta quit bloody fucking smoking," she scolded herself, glancing up the last section of stairs until she would find the door that would lead her to his apartment. When she was faced with the door, she squeezed her car keys tightly in her hand, feeling as the teeth of the keys dug into the skin of her palm. As if giving herself a peptalk, she mumbled and stepped forward, grabbing the door and pushing it open, stepping into the long hall that was bright, yet typical for an apartment. Slowly she took a right, walking very slowly and unsure, her eyes scanning the doors as she saw 5D and 5E. Drawing in a shaky breath, she saw the letter of his door and she almost feared it wasn't right, that she was going to knock and it be someone she didn't know and feel embarrassed for having interrupted someone's night. What if they answered the door in their underwear? That had happened to her before she recalled with a shudder, hopefully nothing would happen like that.
Mandy squared her shoulders up with the door frame, the number and letter burning itself into her memory as she tried to think of what she was going to say. She was guided by Florence's talk the other day, telling her to go see him, invite him out, then talk about the divorce. Her stomach churned at the idea and she felt anxious and nauseated at the idea. But he knew already, her lawyer had told told her that he had called Robert to relay the message. Biting her lower lip and taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself and wipe the stupid smile that instantly formed on her face off, she leaned forward and tapped her knuckles on the door a few times, loud enough for him to hear. Stepping back into her spot, she bounced on her feet, putting her car keys into her jacket pocket while her thumb fidgeted with the set of rings on her left hand.
