*Blue Cheeze* Chantelle - Just Wanted to Tell You

Chapter 17
'There was a pause- just long enough for an angel to pass, flying slowly.'
Ronald Firbank (English Novelist), 1915

'So they're friends again?' Duncan asked.
'Apparently so,' grinned Ant, 'made up the other day�couldn't keep away
from each other I guess!'
'Well it's not half confusing' complained Duncan good-naturedly, 'I wish
they'd just hurry up and have s�'
Duncan covered up as Simon entered the room, crunching on an apple.
'Sss�. sandwiches,' he edited, looking rather pleased with himself.
'Have sandwiches and get it over with,' he finished, grinning pointedly at
Ant.
'What's all this 'bout sandwiches,' asked Simon, completely unaware.
'Nothing mate, nothing,' Ant chuckled, winking at Duncan, 'so, you taking
advantage of one of our rare afternoons off are you?'
'Yep,' replied Simon, happily, mouth full of apple, 'me and Jenna are going
to have a picnic.'
'Really?' Duncan questioned, his eyebrows raised so far that they almost
disappeared into his hair.
'Yeah,' replied Simon, 'down the lake, this evening.'
'Ohhh,' responded Ant innocently, 'that's rather romantic innit?'
Simon shot Ant a wary look, but the smaller lad's face was guileless.
'Dunno�' he mumbled, avoiding the question by taking another bite of
apple.
'Well, have fun,' Duncan added suggestively, winking at Ant, though when
Simon looked, Duncan's face was expressionless.
'I will, ' he said suspiciously, throwing his apple core in the bin and going
upstairs to change.

Jenna looked at herself in the mirror, blowing her hair out of her eyes with
frustration.
'Errr! Why am I even dressing up?' she asked herself, 'he's my friend, I
should be able to wear anything.'
Her latest dressing combination had her in jeans and a black, off-the-
shoulder peasant top.
She sighed, 'this'll do' just in time as the doorbell rang.
'Seeya Gwen,' she yelled as she opened the door.
'Bye! Have fun,' yelled Gwen back.
'Hi Simon,' she said, smiling at the person on the footpath.
'lo Jen,' Simon grinned, 'you look nice.'
Jenna blushed slightly and smiled as they walked to the car, Simon using the
opportunity to look at her properly,
'She looks really good,' he thought to himself. Jenna's hair had grown since
she had come to England and was now a lot longer, cascading in wavy
brown strands down her back., her skin, amazingly still a tanned golden
brown, even after 6 or so months of English weather.
'Simon, 'Jenna giggled, looking at him strangely and waving a hand in front
of his face, 'can you unlock the car so I can get in?'
'Oooh yeah, sorry!' Simon replied, a bit embarrassed at being caught.
Jenna got into the car, by now completely paranoid (as a result of Simon's
prolonged staring) that she had food or something on her face,
surreptitiously looking at herself in the side mirror as they drove away.

'Sy, it's gorgeous!' breathed Jenna, taking in the view of the lake.
'I know, it's good innit?' Simon replied, sitting beside her on the rug.
'Now what food did you bring, I'm starving!' she added with a grin, hoping
that Simon couldn't hear the mortifying wiggly noises her stomach was
making.
'I don't know�' Simon replied, mock seriously, shaking his head, 'girls
and their stomachs�'
'Oi!' Jenna replied indignantly, giving him a playful whack on the arm,
'there's nothing wrong with my stomach!'
'Ouch!' replied Simon, starting to laugh, 'that hurt!'
'Wuss,' Jenna smirked.
'Bully,' counteracted Simon, picking up a cherry plum from a container and
pushing it into Jenna's mouth when she opened it to give a response.
'Shut up and eat,' Simon retorted, grinning.

The evening went on without trauma, the two chatting happily for hours.
Twisting Simon's arm, where he lay on the rug beside her, to look at his
watch, Jenna exclaimed, 'it's past 9!'
'I still can't get used to it being light at this time of night!'
The sun was only just beginning to lower, casting orange shadows over
them as they sprawled, side by side, on the blanket.
'I should go home soon,' Jenna added, looking at Simon who had his eyes
closed, 'I've got to work tomorrow.'
Simon opened his eyes and burst out laughing, 'it's only 9 o'clock! Not half
tame are you?!'
Jenna shot him a hurt look, starting to sit up.
'Noooo,' Simon instructed firmly, wrapping his arms around her and
pinning her to the ground, 'any attempt to escape is futile.'
Jenna tried to be angry as she attempted to untangle herself, legs and arms
flailing madly, (much to the amusement of a couple walking their dog) but
couldn't, and started to giggle.
'Muuuuch better,' said Simon happily, before both of them realised the
positions they were in. Jenna had managed to get herself half wedged under
Simon's chest, her arms out to the side like a scarecrow, with Simon
holding them to the ground. Slowly, Simon removed his hands and
nose to nose, they looked at each other until Jenna began to get dizzy from
staring. Simon seemed to begin to lean closer.
'I'm going to regret this,' Jenna thought to herself grimly, as she put her
hands around the back of Simon's neck and gently pulled his mouth down
to hers.

Chapter 18
'I wasn't kissing her, I was just whispering in her mouth.'
Chico Marx (American Film Comedian), 1973

Simon held his breath as Jenna curled her arms around his neck. She almost
looked like she was going to� and she did. Too shocked to move for a
moment as he felt Jenna's soft cool lips on his, Simon's instincts soon took
over. Running his fingers through her hair, he kissed her back.

After what seemed like forever, the couple finally pulled apart, guilty smiles
on their two faces. Embarrassed, both muttered something about having to
go and before they knew it, without really knowing how they got there, both
were at their separate homes.

Kilometres apart, two shocked people said the same thing,
'Oh�My�.God�'

By the next morning evening, each had had time to stew over the night
before, Jenna having coming to the brave conclusion that she was going to
have to tell Simon the truth.
'He'd have to have guessed how I feel after last night!' she groaned to
herself, putting her head in her hands for about the 10th time that day as she
continued her internal monologue. Jenna did look slightly hopeful however.
'He kissed me back didn't he� I mean, he didn't turn around and say 'eww
yuck', that's a good sign isn't it?'

Simon however, hadn't come to the same conclusions. Still confused, he
had no idea what to do.
'She can't like me, ' he though to himself, still stubbornly set on the 'Jenna
loves Lee' theory. 'She must have drunk too much.'
Taking the easy way out, Simon had settled on the 'drunk' explanation
when the doorbell rang.

Standing anxiously on the other side of the door was Jenna.
'Simon�about last night, I�' Jenna started but was interrupted by Simon,
who had decided to make Jenna's task easier.
'It's OK Jenna, I know it was a mistake, it should never have happened,' he
blurted.
'A mistake?' Jenna's face fell.
Simon didn't notice, trying too hard to avoid her eyes, 'We were both a little
drunk and it shouldn't have happened, after all we're just friends aren't
we?' Simon continued, digging the hole deeper.
Jenna was quiet.
'We're just friends and it was a drunken mistake�' she repeated dimly, her
face beginning to crumple, as hard as she tried to stop it.
'Bye Simon,' Jenna said, voice trembling as she went back down the
footpath.
Simon, confused at what he had heard in her voice and with mind whirling,
went back into the house where he was bombarded with questions from Lee
and Gwen.

Glumly, he told them what had happened the night before.
Gwen giggled happily, 'ooooh! So what did you just tell her?'
Simon repeated the conversation.
Gwen and Lee looked stunned, Lee shaking his head, for once with nothing
to say, and Gwen, with eyes wide open in amazement.
'You said what?!' Gwen asked, astounded, sure she had misheard.
'I said it was a mistake.' Simon repeated.
'You idiot!' Lee burst out.
Simon looked at him strangely.
'Sorry mate, but you are!' Lee continued, flabbergasted, 'that girl loves you
man, has done since the day she met you. Took her 6 months to snog you,
and you called it a mistake� to her face!'
Simon, looking awkwardly at Gwen and then at Lee, responded.
'She doesn't love me Lee, she loves you.' He replied sadly.
Lee and Gwen, in spite of the situation, burst out laughing.
Gwen giggled, 'You really believe that?'
Lee cackled, 'I'd annoy her to death man, don't get me wrong, she's great
and all but�me and Jenna?'
Simon looked shocked.
'You really didn't know�' Gwen said softly
Simon shook his head, speechless, realizing what he'd just done to Jenna.
Lee smiled and dropped the car keys in Simon's lap.
'Then I suggest that you go after her, get down on your knees and beg her to
take you back 'coz God knows no one could love you more than she does.'
Simon ran out the door.

Chapter 19
'It takes two to speak the truth, - one to speak and another to hear.'
Henry David Thoreau (American Writer), 1849

Jenna closed her eyes as the warm water from the shower washed the soap
from her hair. Turning off the taps, she dried herself slowly, thinking about
the previous night's lake visit. She reprimanded herself self half-heartedly
as she caught sight of her mournful face in the bathroom mirror, slipping on
her favourite pair of pyjamas. 'Stop it Jenna, just get over it.'
She gave a wry grin as she looked at herself in the mirror, having had the
pyjamas for years she was unable to part with them. She'd had them so long
in fact that being as small as they were, they gave the appearance of being �
length pants and a midriff singlet, when once upon a time, they had been
full length. Baby Blue with fluffy pink sheep, they always managed to cheer
Jenna up. As she ran her fingers through her wet hair, the doorbell rang.
'Can you get that, Jenna love?' Mairead's soft voice floated up the stairs,
'I'm up to my elbows in meatloaf.'
Jenna gave a small smile as she ran downstairs, Gwen had probably
forgotten her key.
'You'd forget your head if it wasn't�' Jenna started as she opened the door
then stopped, looking at the bunch of red roses that stood there.
'Jenna?' said the bunch of roses, before a pair of apologetic brown eyes
appeared above, 'Jen, I'm sorry.'
Jenna weakened as she looked at Simon, who was looking rather sorrowful.
Her resolve to be strong however, was still there and taking a deep breath
she replied.
'Simon� we can't just keep arguing and apologising like this. Unless
you've got a good reason why we should be friends I think it'd be better if
we weren't.' Jenna shut her mouth quickly when she had finished, regretting
what she had said, but knowing that it was true.
Simon started at her quietly, 'this is it,' he thought and hesitatingly, he
began.
'Because you're nice, he said softly, thinking sarcastically to himself as he
said it, 'good one Sy, real good .'
He tried again, 'Because you're sweet�. because I like the way you look at
me like that�because of the way your mouth goes when you smile and the
sound of your laugh when you're happy..'
Simon started to smile and Jenna's face began to soften, 'because you're
generous and patient�because I like the way your push your hair out of
your eyes and how your eyes flash when you're mad�'
Jenna's knees had started to weaken and it took all the strength she had not
to fall into a quivering heap on the floor.
Simon took a deep breath and grinned '�and because of the way you look
in those pyjamas�'
Embarrassed about the pink fluffy sheep and about to explain, Jenna started
to speak, but putting the flowers on the floor and leaning towards her,
Simon placed a finger on her lips and continued speaking quietly, '�and
because of those reasons, I don't want to be friends.'

Jenna looked confused, not knowing whether to retreat into the house for a
cry or slap him in the face.
You say all that and you don't want to be friends??' Jenna said, anger taking
over confusion, her voice dangerous, 'You brought me flowers to say that
you don't want to be friends?!'
Simon was quietly calm, 'you didn't let me finish,' he said softly, 'Jenna,
I've never wanted to be your friends� I like you too much for that.'
Jenna, about to retreat into the house, did a double take, 'What did you
say?' she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Simon looked at her, his eyes locked on hers for a full minute before he
replied.
'I like you too much, ' he repeated, with a half smile, 'I was too afraid to tell
you because I knew�I thought that you liked Lee.'
'You mean you're not in love with Gwen?' Jenna questioned, unbelieving,
then realising what he had said exclaimed, 'Lee? You thought I liked Lee?!'
Simon looked incredulous at the mention of Gwen and exclaimed at the
same time, 'You thought I liked Gwen?!'

They paused, looking at each other and then in unison they whispered
softly, 'You mean you like�me?'
Simon grinned happily and moving closer to Jenna, he slipped his arms
around her waist and gently pulled her close.
'Too stubborn for our own good, aren't we?' he smiled.
Jenna gave a small, slightly embarrassed giggle as she reached up and
stroked Simon's face, her smooth hands tracing his slightly rough jaw line.
Simon gave an apologetic grin, 'sorry, didn't shave this morning.'
'That's OK,' Jenna grinned cheekily, looking down at her legs before
leaning up to kiss him, 'neither did I.'

Epilogue
'Jen, you awake?', Simon murmured, snuggled up against the brunette who
lay asleep next to him.
'Mmm', Jenna mumbled, opening her eyes sleepily.
'You know that we've been seeing each other for a while now', Simon said,
softly stroking Jenna's cheek with his thumb.
'Mmm', Jenna said, gazing into the familiar velvety eyes, a smile playing at
the corners of her mouth.
'Well', Simon replied, pausing, 'I just wanted to tell you that�just wanted
to make sure that you know that I�'
'Yes?' Jenna broke in eagerly, 'you what?'
'Beep!' said Simon happily.
'You beep?' Jenna asked, rather confused.
'Beep!' replied Simon impatiently, 'Beep BEEP!!'
'Errrr!', Jenna groaned, rolling over to switch off her frantically beeping
alarm clock.

Sighing, Jenna closed her eyes again, wishing the nice dream where Simon
liked her would come back again, then gave a small squeak as a brown hand
slid over her stomach and a warm body pressed up behind her.
'Jen?' Simon murmured sleepily into her neck.
Jenna grinned happily as she realised that last night had actually happened.
Simon HAD turned up on her doorstep with flowers like a vision straight
out of a romantic comedy. She turned over and gazed into the familiar deep
brown eyes, 'mmm?'
'I may have not been entirely truthful last night when I said that I liked you'
Simon said, attempting seriousness.
Jenna however, catching the small grin at the corner of his mouth, was not
fooled.
'Really?' she replied drowsily, snuggling into his neck.
'Mmm' smiled Simon contentedly stroking Jenna's hair, 'the truth is�I�'
'Yes?' Jenna giggled, teasing him as she looked innocently into his eyes.
Simon grinned affectionately as he leaned in to kiss her, '�I love you�'

'The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction
means.'
Oscar Wilde (Anglo-Irish Playwright), 1895