Chapter 43

Fidgeting with her hands, Leah ran a finger over one of her glossy nails, today painted red to match the cheerleading outfit that she was now wearing. The outfit had a red and white sleeveless top and a red pleated skirt and while real cheerleaders he knew wore bloomers or something under the skirt, the costume Candi and Bailey bought came with no such thing. Up her legs were thigh high white tights, Bailey wore the same, while Candi just wore socks she pulled up and each wore the same silvery gray sneakers. It felt odd being dressed as a cheerleader, the same type of outfit he watched girls jump around in back in high school, the costume came complete with a set of red pom poms too.

“Are you like okay back there?” Candi said turning her head to look at the younger girl in the back seat. She could see how nervous she was this morning, but she couldn’t blame her. Not only were they going to go to her boyfriend’s birthday party dressed as cheerleaders, but they were also going to do a small routine to wish him happy birthday, and if that wasn’t enough this would be her first time going to his house… and meeting Jeremy’s dad.

“I’m like not really okay up here.” Bailey said grumbling. “The shoes are like way too cheap and are really uncomfortable.”

Candi looked away from Leah and to her best friend. “We all needed to match, the shoes were like twelve dollars. I think you are just complaining because we decided to go with them instead of the white heels you picked out.”

“They would have been more comfortable than these.” Bailey continued to grumble thinking how he had to wear heels all the time so Liam should too and not picking up that it was only him that seemed to have a problem with the sneakers feeling that way.

“I’m like, fine. Just lost in thought I guess.”

“Don’t get too lost or you will end up like Bailey.” Candi laughed, returning her full attention to the road.

“Hey!” Bailey’s complaint only caused Candi to laugh harder and made Leah do the same. The laughter was a good distraction for Leah, allowing her to think of something more than what would be expected of her by the end of the day.

They ended up parking in front of the house, each step closer to the front door Leah felt more and more nervous, unaware why her heart was beating faster. “Okay, get ready. When Jeremy opens the door we will strike a pose and yell happy birthday.” Leah gave a small nod to Candi, pulling the pom poms in her hands closer to her together and to her chest. As the door started to open Leah moved her wrists back and forth, the pom poms practically vibrating against each other. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Each of them yelled waving the pom poms around in the air. The person standing in the doorway looked much like Jeremy, or perhaps much like Jeremy would look when he got older. Jeremy’s father stood little over six foot tall, broad shouldered, his hair turning more silver in his age than gray. Leah saw him smile seeing them, touched one knuckle to his lips before turning to look back into the house. “Afraid you missed my birthday by a few months, but if you wait here a moment I know someone that would love this greeting.”

Before he closed the door Candi spoke up, smiling brightly while Leah felt so embarrassed. “Well a very merry unbirthday to you.” They got to see him smile again before the door closed. Candi looked at the two with her, putting her pom pom holding hands to her hips. “What neither of you have seen Alice in wonderland?”

This time when the door opened both Candi and Bailey jumped in the air. “Happy Birthday!” All three cried, Leah not feeling any less embarrassed that they were doing this to the actual birthday boy. Jeremy’s smile was bright enough to light room as he looked at the girls. He ran his hand through his hair trying to give his brain a second to comprehend what he was seeing. Three girls dressed up as cheerleaders in front of his house giving him a birthday wish he didn’t know he had asked for.

“This is incredible! Did the three of you dress like this for me?”

With a mischievous smile on her face Candi bumped her hip into the younger girl. “We did, because someone said you would love it. Do you love it?” Turning to look at the blonde girl, Leah wished didn’t say something like that.

“I do, I really do and…” Stepping away from the door, leaving it open Jeremy moved closer to his girlfriend. Putting one hand on her hip and the other to cup her cheek he leaned in kissing her. “And I really love the thought you put into this.”

“I think you might love something or someone else too.” Candi said, instantly bringing a blush to both Leah and Jeremy’s face and causing them to step away from one another. With him away from Leah, Candi and then Bailey came over to give him a hug and wish him a happy birthday once again.

“Love the birthday cheer, would you all like to come in?”

“Not yet, we have a few more things to do.” Bailey nudged Leah, loving the idea he came up with. Leah glanced at Bailey and swallowed. A stupid cheer was noting, she could do it.

Starting with her hands and feet together Leah closed her eyes. “Ready!” She said, then opened her eyes and moved her arms so she made a T. “Okay” It wasn’t fluid motions, but after that she started to move the pom poms around. “Jeremy, Jeremy, he’s my man if he can’t make me smile no one can!” Both Bailey and Candi went into cheers yelling yay, Leah could see that goofy smile appear on Jeremy’s face that he got sometimes and not noticing the others now standing in the doorway.

Following her eyes Jeremy turned his head, waving the two friends that came to his birthday party out. “Let me umm introduce everyone. This is Alex.” Jeremy said pointing his hand to a tall lanky boy that seemed to do all of his growing with very little filling in. “And this is Oscar, his real name is David, but he lost a bet. He has been grumpy all day so he has to go by Oscar.” While Alex was much taller than Jeremy, David was around the same height, but didn’t look like he had the same broad shoulders that Jeremy’s body was threatening to grow into.

“Oscar, Alex, this is Candi and Bailey and you both have seen pictures of Leah.” David was having a hard time believing his super shy friend was friends with three hotties and even managed to snag one.

“Ignore my friend, I am far from a grouch. I was just saying how the thing we needed at this party was pretty ladies to keep us company.”

“You were not.” Alex piped up, earning a glare from his friend. “What? I’m just telling the truth. You were saying how lame this was.” David shrugged his shoulders as he rolled his eyes.

“An eighteenth birthday party held at your parents' house is lame, Jeremy you have to admit that.” Candi glared at David, Jeremy was lucky enough to have both of his parents and they loved him enough to throw him a party and then one of his friends would just go and disrespect all them like that was just wrong.

“Look here buster.” Candi dropped her pom poms moving up to the teen boy with fire in her eyes. Bailey calling from over her shoulder. “That isn’t very nice!”

“Jeremy is lucky and a wonderful person you saying things like that is mean and disrespectful. You should apologize.” While Candi went on the war path with Bailey backing her up Leah could see what the words did to Jeremy. He didn’t look hurt, he wasn’t that sensitive, but he did look a little ashamed. Like he believed what his so called friend had said. So she took his hand in her own and whispered to him.

“Don’t listen to him, I’m sure everything for your party will be just as amazing as you are.” She had her fair share of people in her life that hung around and claimed to be a friend but all they really did was complain and mistreat everyone around them because of how they felt and if she was being really honest with herself she had been that person on more than one occasion. Jeremy didn’t immediately say anything back, but Leah did feel him squeeze her hand once, so she knew he had heard her.

“Fine, fine, jeeze are you cheerleaders or attack dogs. Jeremy, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. Just having a bad day and took it out on you.” Jeremy was about to accept the apology when he saw Bailey toss one of her pom poms into his friend's face.

“So we are dogs now huh!?” David held his hands up, backing away from the two green eyed girls, looking over to Jeremy for help, but only found him smirking and giving him a small shake of his head, telling him he was on his own.

“No, no I didn’t mean it that way, I was joking.” David said as another pom pom his him in the chest.

“So we are a joke to you?!” Before long David turned his back to the girls, running inside the house as Candi got in on the act and tossed one of her pom poms into his back as he went in doors.

“Remind me to never make either of you angry.” As he said that both Bailey and Candi went to pick up their thrown objects.

“You treat our girl right and you wont get the attack dogs on you.” Candi said giving a wink before the group headed inside. The last one in was Alex, smiling ear to ear to be a bystander for the show.

Coming inside Jeremy brought the girls over to see his mom and dad. They had already met his dad when he answered the door. He looked over to him when no one came inside with him and was puzzled when he had said there was a present at the front door for him and he would never have expected him to be right in this way.

“Oh I just love your house, it is just so well put together!” Candi said to Jeremy’s mom as she looked around the house. “I love your dress.” Bailey said looking at the woman, noticing it had pockets, something he really missed.

“Thank you girls, I try to keep everything in order, but you know it can be hard sometimes and Bailey, thank you. It has pockets!” Christeen said with a large smile. She had just been pushing down some contents in the trash can and was ready to call her husband over to take out the trash when they had come in.

“Oh umm, Leah, Bailey, Candi. You all have met my Mom before, but this is my Dad.”

“It is a pleasure to meet more of Jeremy’s friends.” The older man said giving his son a nod of approval.

“Silver fox.” Candi whispered to Bailey.

Leah felt a bit unsteady as the man came closer to her, like he was inspecting her, looking for flaws. A spike of anxiety shot through her, almost positive this man had seen some flaw, something off that told him the truth of who she was. “Now I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t as you some important questions young lady.” Leah swallowed hard and nodded.

“So I guess I have three questions, feel free to ponder them and get back to me or my gorgeous wife when you have the answers. One, when we have you over for dinner is it rude to eat meat in front of you? Because my wife says it is. Two, what is your favorite candy so I know what to keep around for when my son eventually sticks his foot in his mouth and three. Would you mind helping to teach my son some table manners? I just can’t get him to keep his elbows off the table.”

“DAAAAAD!”

“Yes, yes. I'm an embarrassment to you, but just remember it is better to let me have these little moments so I don’t bribe someone at your school to get my hands a microphone to speak over the speakers you have in school.”

“Dad, please.” Jeremy whispered, getting his hair ruffled for his efforts.

“You all have a good time, we have snacks in every room. The vegetable tray might be found to your liking in the kitchen Leah. Drinks, drinks galore in the fridge and plenty of things to keep you kids entertained.

Having an eighteenth birthday party at your house, thrown by your parents could have been lame like the other teenager said, Leah thought, but this didn’t seem to fit that description. At least other than Jeremy’s dad doing his best to make Jeremy’s face turn completely red, it was like his face was a cartoon thermometer and the red was embarrassment. His parents mostly stayed out of the way, there were chips, cookies, starburst, fun size snickers and twizzlers in just about every main room. The Lord of the rings movie playing on the tv and the dining room table had been pushed to the side to make room for two full size arcade games. One was the old Ninja Turtles game and the other was Golden Axe.

Standing up next to Jeremy playing one of the arcade games was much preferable to sitting on the couch for cuddle time. Leah wasn’t much of a fan of that movie, it was just too long and the games were much more fun. It reminded him of when he would play street fighter at the bowling aile when his parents were together. Every so often she would step away to chew on a few carrots, the other snacks looked much more appetizing, but she was a good girl, she had to be a good girl.

Jeremy’s parents only came around a few times to check on everyone, his mom reminding everyone to take a coupon to her store before they left for the day to use or give away and his dad when he gave his son his first beer, or at least what he believed was Jeremy’s beer. Leah watched him bring the bottle to his lips, she licked her own thinking about drinking it’s contents instead of him and she ended up having to hold in a laugh at the face Jeremy made.

It was clear to everyone seeing his expression that this really was his first time trying beer and that he really didn’t like it. That bottle was soon replaced with a hard cider, something much more to Jeremy’s liking. “Looks like we found something you like, you are getting older and will want to try drinking. If you do, I would rather you do it with your friends here where you are safe. Drinking at eighteen is still illegal, but if you are going to do it anyways.”

“Dad, I wont.” Jeremy tried to say, but his father just held up his hands telling him to stop so he could finish.

“I just want you safe, so if you must, then do it with supervision and the knowledge that anyone with you will be handing over their keys. “ The speech surprised Leah, she had been drinking younger than eighteen, but she had also run from the cops on more than one occasion too, something she didn’t expect Jeremy would be doing.

“Great, now take your drink I think your Mom wants to do cake then presents.”

The group sang happy birthday to Jeremy, the homemade cake was cut up and passed out after he blew out the candles. Leah noticed his eyes almost never left her as he made his wish, giving her a sad feeling that whatever it was he wished for, it wouldn’t be coming true, because anything between them wasn’t real, it couldn’t be.

The first gift was a card from David, who had kept up his Oscar impression through the day after being rejected by both Candi and Bailey more than once. It was a simple hand made card with a drawing of a baseball on it, inside it reading in blocky print how having a friend like him was like hitting a home run. It came with a gift card to Seven Eleven where they often picked up a drink before school each day when school was in session.

The second gift was from Alex who gave him a laptop a few generations old. Explaining it was his old laptop that he cleaned up, thinking Jeremy could use it since he didn’t have his own computer. Both his gifts were well received, the parents not presenting their gifts yet till everyone went.

The last gift from the guests were four tickets with decent seats to see a local minor league baseball team The Aviators, the same team Jeremy had told Leah he went to every once in a while with his dad. The girls made sure he understood he could take whoever he wanted, it didn’t have to be them.

From his mother he got an official employee contract, instead of just working at the Shoeaholic because it was a family store he would be there as an official employee with two weeks off paid a year and a three dollar an hour bump in pay and the title of assistant manager. Jeremy gave his mom a hug, she was always the practical type and it was just like her to give him a gift that still allowed her to be near him.

When Jeremy unwrapped his last gift his jaw hung open as he held the small piece of clear plastic with a card inside. Sitting next to Jeremy, Leah read the card. She was familiar with the baseball player Nolan Ryan, but wasn’t sure what the big deal was. “Dad… you can’t give this to me.”

“That is where you are wrong, see I have the superpower to give away anything that is mine that I wish.” Jeremy moved his hand to show Leah and then everyone the nineteen ninety card of Nolan Ryan in his Rangers uniform.

“This card has a misprint, the error making the card worth four grand.”

“Eight.” His father corrected.

Getting up from his seat Jeremy gave his father a tight hug, holding onto him for a while so that his father would know just how much it meant to him that he was giving up this prized possession.

“Okay, okay. Now that my son has tried to squeeze the life out of me, how about we all step outside so he can see his last gift.”

When everyone was ushered out into the front yard, everyone looked around, not seeing some big package or something that screamed present Jeremy turned to his dad with an eye raised. “What isn’t it obvious?” He said, tossing his son a pair of keys. “We are giving you my old car, and this weekend I will be going to get myself a new car that you can’t drive, because you now have your own.”

“Mom! Dad! Really! Thank, thank you, thank you!”

“You will have to pay for your own car insurance though, having a teenage boy on ours has increased our rates a bit too much.” Christeen said smiling at her boy. She was so happy with him and how he was growing up. She had been so worried about him, she knew he wasn’t always going to make the right judgment calls, that was part of growing up, but seeing the friends and girlfriend he had acquired made her think much more of him.

“Thank you so much, can, can, umm can I take everyone for a drive!?” With a nod of approval the six people piled into the car made to really only sit five. It wasn’t the first time Jeremy had driven his dad’s car, but now it was his. This was the first trip, driving his own car and he was beside himself with how happy he was with that and everyone sitting with him for that trip.