| You'll Never Know - Part II |
| ~~*~~ They had been friends for years. She still remembered the day she met him. Suzie and her were in the parking lot of the school. Where the �bad� kids hung out. She saw him walk out of the building with another of her friends. He was impossible to miss. He was incredibly tall and had red hair that he wore down the middle of his back. Her heart leaped into her throat when his eyes met hers, and his lips curved into a smile. Fortunately she�d been wearing shades and he couldn�t see her eyes widen in surprise when he walked over to her. Guys didn�t react like that to her. �Hey lil bit.� He drawled. She crossed her legs at the ankles and smiled slightly, but said nothing. Vanessa turned to her friend, �Hey Jacob.� She smiled, �What�s up?� Jacob only smiled; he knew she was annoyed at the nickname she�d just acquired. �Not a lot, mija.� He answered; stepping forward he kissed her cheek, putting his arm around her. �Want you to meet someone.� He continued. �This is Mark, he just transferred in.� Nessa only nodded and mumbled, �Hey.� They all stood and talking until the lunch bell rang. As she parted from Jacob and Mark, she turned to look at Mark once more; only to catch him staring at her. She tried to stop the blush that rushed to her cheek and turned abruptly to Jacob. �I�ll see you later.� She said quickly, and kissed him on the cheek. Nessa felt the eyes following her down the hall as she went to class. �Are you two going out?� Mark asked, cutting right to the chase. Jacob only smiled at first. He like Mark from the moment he�d walked into class. He had outsmarted old Mrs. Fletcher. The woman was a hag. He�d seen the spark when he�d laid eyes on Vanessa. However Nessa was close to his heart. He was going to make sure Mark knew that. �She�s my baby sister man. I�ve known her since before kindergarten.� Jacob stated. �So she�s available?� Mark continued. �Available for what?� Jacob asked. �Come on man,� Mark huffed. �You know what I mean.� �If you mean is she seeing someone, no.� Jacob began. �But if you�re EVEN thinking of playing around with her � I�ll kill you.� Jacob said, with all the bravado of a teenager brother protecting his younger sister. �I just met her.� Mark began. �Can I get to know her before you decide to kill me?� Jacob nodded and said, �Just remember what I said.� He stated, as he turned to walk down the hall to his class. From that day on Mark, Nessa, and Jacob were inseparable. Through all the puberty crap of high school, to Jacob getting kicked out of his house. Nessa�s mother dying and her father leaving for parts unknown. Not even considering the alternative, they all went to prom together. Over time Nessa grew fond of Mark and considered him as a brother as she did Jacob. They were often at her apartment, and at one time or another over the years one or both of them lived with her. A few years after graduation Jacob met Serena and they became a sort of foursome. Unbeknownst to Nessa, people assumed Mark and she were together. Mark never made any assumption that they were exclusive. Mark never even tried to do more than talk. They had the most involved discussions, which usually started out as nothing and would last for hours and on occasions all night. Mark confided in her of his desire to be a wrestler. Vanessa told him her plans of becoming a writer. Nessa knew things changed when a group of friends went out to the local pool hall and she found herself seated next to Jennifer, one of Jacob�s cousins. |