Chapter 23- Surprise Surprise

Paige's POV

I sit up, yawning and starving. Taking a whiff I smell the french toast already being made, I fly out of my room wanting to be the first person to get some. I grab my fork and plate and hang out with my dad in the ikitchen while he just lays down the first couple slices on the skillet. I watch in aw as the bread goes from a gross looking yellowish blob to a nice soft golden brown with cinamon! I take the three slices grabbing the container of powdered sugar and mapple syrup. I sprinkle  the sugar over the toast, and then cut it... I hate cutting pancakes and french toast twhen they're drowned in syrup for some reason.. so they have to be cut first. Once I have it all cut I drizzle on the syrup, I let it sit for a minute getting a cup of orange juice and my dad refill on his coffee. Then I finally sit down at the island, and dig into my plate. Biscuits and gravy is my favorite breakfast of all time, but next to that is the fruit pancake from the dinner at school and my dads french toast. I don't know what he does to eat, but he has a secret ingredient know one knows about. One of my life goals is to figure out what is it. I think it might be like brown sugar or or maybe even powdered sugar, but I don't know for sure. 

Patrck stumbles in a little whil later, half sleeping. He grabs a plastic juice cup and pours coffee in it, and sits next to me. I take his cup from him and put it in a mug and I grab his special caramel butterscotch creamer and givethat to him. He just smiles at me, and I know that's all I'm going to get. He probably doesn't know for sure if I'm mom or not. He is not a morning person... at all! For school, they always gave him first period study hall so he could skip it and just come when second period began. I guess it doesn't help that he is up until four in the morning ruining his eyes playing all his video games.  Dad give him a plate of french toast and he grabs the syrup and drains half the bottle on it. I don't understand how he isn't bursting at the seems, he eats a lot and he doesn't play sports now that he is out of highschool, and for all I know he doesn't exercise at all really either. Other then walking around daily and say if he and his friends go swimming or something. 

Once I finish my plate I drop it in the sink, and turn on the T.V, in the mood for some Law and Order. I shouldn't have watched it last night, it's going to be all I think about now. Well accept for the diner with the Lincolns tonight. I'm shaking already and it's like a day away yet. It's now only eight in the morning, so what will I do for the next bunch of hours? 

"Hey kiddos. Your mom and I have plans tonight, we're going to go out with the Schroder's and have our own night." My dads says leaning against the counter taking zip from his coffee. "They'll be stopping here shortly, actually... Robbie will be coming, he thought it woul be more fun to hang with you two then to be alone." 

Well that's what I'll be doing today. Hanging out with Robbie. I guess he'll be here when Jake comes to get me, so cats out of the bag anyways tonight. I let out a breath thinking of how to explain it to him. I'm guessing he wont understand at all, and leaving him here with Patrick wont help. Patrick is completely against it, so I'm guessing the two of them will be bitching about it the whole time. I role my eyes, getting worked up and mad, I second Patrick a look wondering if I should say something beofore Robbie gets here. 

"Sounds great dad. It'll give me something to do while Paige is on her one nighter." Patraick says, totally serious, he doesn't even look up from his phone! I throw the throw pillow beisde me at him, and leave the room. Yeah, I'm going to have a lot of shit to deal with this afternoon. I'm now also mad at my dad though. He never said anything back to Patrick! What he said isn't true and it was way out of line!

I st in my room, wondering if I should just go back to sleep, lock the door and everything. I look at my three outfits again and decide on a simple yet nice dress that I picked out for going to church with my black flats. I don't want to seem to dressed up, but I don't want to be completely casual either.  I've only worn it once, because the only time our family goes to church is around Easter and sometimes Christmas. Unless it is like a fancy fancy diner! It is the Lincolns I'm thinking about here. Grabbing my phone I shoot Jake a text asking about clothing. I sit in my room scrolling through pinterest looking up cute things to do with my hair, since I've got so much time to waster, I avoid leaving my room not wanting to see Patrick. Although I do leave to use the bathroom and grab a reese's peanut butter egg. 

I check my phone about thirty minutes later, and he responded saying anything. I role my asking if a church attire would work, then I go and try on the dress to make sure it fits. Like I was thinking last night, I feel and 20 pounds heavier. It slips right on still as if fitted perfectly to me, and I look at my reflection. It's not to low cut, and it's not to short either. It seems nice enough, not sluttly but not to modest either. Modest?.. I am meeting his parents, so I gues I do want to seem modest. Including Jake has never has a girlfriend... although I'm not going as his girlfriend. I'm sure they have sen him with a girl too, but I hope I'm better then them. With everything that's happened in the past two weeks, I don't want to be the person to ruin what ever is going on.  Checking my phone again, Jake gives me a thumbs up. I slide out of my dress putting it back on the hanger, and then the door bell rings. I hear Robbie and his family saying there hellos as the come in, I sit on my bed contemplating if I should lock the door and pretend to sleep.

 There is a knock at my door and the then it's squeeking open. I'm to late anyways. Robbie peeks his head in with a small apologetic smile. His eyes go to the dress that is still in my hands, but now on a hanger. He gives me a funny look opening the door more and standing in the door way. 

"So.. you have a date.." He says gesturing at the dress in my lap, I stand up going to my closet and hanging the dress back up. "Why are you mad at me? I'm just looking out for you like a friend should!" He says closing the door to my room as I emerge from the closet. 

"I know.. and I apreciate that you are doing that, but don't you think it's a bit much? You're not my boyfriend." I  reply trying to stay calm with him. For some reason, I've just about had it with him and his jealousy problems. They'be never bothered me so much before though... he has never been this jealous before though, since I've never had another boy in my life. 

"I'm not trying to be your boyfriend." He says quietly sitting on my bed. I sit next to him, wishing I knew what to do in this kind of situation. "You're right. I'm being to crowding." He lays back, and then his stomach grumbles. 

"No breakfast?" I laugh at him, and he laughs sarcastically. "Come on... Dad made french toast." is all I say and h beats me out of my room. I meet him out in the kitchen, he already has his silverware and the syrup out. I can't help but smile, I grab him the last three slices and pop them into the microwave. Then I put a pinch of powdered sugar, and serve him the plate. 

"Thank you Mom and Dad for creating me, so I can't Mr. Easton's french toast!" he places his palms together as if praying. 

"You forgot the best part!" I complain. He smiles. 

"Who ever eats the fastest, gets the mostest! Amen!" Then he digs into his plate.  Both of us are religious, and we are in no way shape or form making fun of any religion. It's something that my father used to say, back when I was in middle school. Robbie picked up on it, and it's stuck with him ever since. I love the way he says it because he sounds sophisticated yet really dorky and crazy. 

We chat while he eats, and we play a couple rounds of Go Fish and Checkers. I realized after a while that Patrick isn't here, and I'm thankful for that. With him being gone it will make telling Robbie easier then with him here. I'm actually surprised though, because Robbie hasn't brought it back up at all and he doesn't seem mad. It's nice, I just wish and hope he will understand. Technicallly it's not a date, but I don't think it's going to be just a thank you diner. Jake and I aren't even really together, but there is something which I can't explain. 

It's already one o'clock and I'm hungry, along with Robbie. Patrick is still gone, and there hasn't been any word from him about when he'll be back. I hope Robbie isn't left here alone. That wont help, if he is here alone after Jake picks me up, he might just sit here and mope around or be all weird. I put pizza into the oven after Robbie choose the pepperoni, and then he digs through our board games searching for the game Sorry. When we were little, we played that every time he came over. For us it's like World War III! 

"Sorry!" he snickers pciking up my last yellow piece and putting it back at start, and mumble a swear word and he laughs at me. I was about to win of course, I just needed six more spaces, and I would've been in the safe area! "Oh shoot. I'll be right back I think my phone is in your room. He hops up from the licing room floor, which where we have been playing, and walks back to my room. I sit not picking up the top card, I'll have to wait for him other wise he'll think I'm cheating.  "Hey Paige! You're phoe is ri- Jake? Jake is calling you?" He yells, I hop up running back but it's to late. He already answered the phone. 

"Well we're a bit busy..." Robbie says, and the way he says implies something I don't like. "I can sure give her a message instead.... yeah here she is." He holds out my phone all laughter and funny business gone from his expression. 

"Jake?" I grab the phone, not worried about Robbie at the moment. 

"Did I... interupt something?" he hesitates. I role my eyes, Robbie is going to get a mouthful. Of course I'm sure I am too. 

"A freaking board game." I send Robbie a quick glare, and look away again. "Nothing important at all. What's up?" I ask, looking down at my carpeted floor. I love scrunching my toes into it. 

"I was wondering it I could pick you up early then five. It turns out I'm going to be going practically right by your house at around four. Jayla and I went to visit our grandma.." He asks, and I let out a breath of air. Okay good he doesn't sound mad and he wants to know if he can pick me up earlier. 

"Yeah that's fine. I'll be ready." I say, and then we both say goodbye. Tossing my phone on the bed, and finally look at Robbie with my arms cross, and anger radiating off of me. 

"He is your date!?" He fires right away. 

"No! I'm his tutor. His family, more like his parents, want to meet me and thank me." I fire right back, "This is why I didn't tell you because you wouldn't have understood." 

"It's Jake, Paige! You know exactly whats going to happen!" He says throwing up his arms. "How long have you been tutoring him? Have you already cracked?" 

"It's been two weeks." I sigh, pissed off beyond a scale now. He really thinks that I would just crack like that? Like a chocolate bar being broken to bite off of!? I cross my arms, looking at the time. It's 1:30 now and I'm gonna have to start getting ready soon.  I want to shower again, so I can wash my face really good. I hate using sinks to wash my face, I make a mess that way. 

"He the reason you've been busy after school? So distracted..." Robbie says, with an angry smile. I look at him remembering he is in here, I went of to space there for a minute. "Well you should probably start getting ready." He adds, and then leaves my room. I grab my pillow and toss it back on the bed to let out anger, then I go to my bathroom and start getting ready. 

I finish putting on the concealer, I only used a little, I normally don't use any but this is a special occasion. Then I add a little eye liner and mascara, and a squirt of perfume and I'm ready. It's 3:50 too so just on time. I look at my reflection, and I think I look nice. My hair is curled slightly and I have my nails actually painted because I need to give my curler time to to heat. I grab my little shawl like thing, just in case it gets chilly tonight. Then I grab my phone and purse, I leave my room hoping Patrick has taken Robbie to his room. I'm happy when I don't see them, in the living room or kitchen. I peek outside, making surethey weren't hiding out there either. The coast is clear though, they must be downstairs in Pat's room. I take a glass and drink a cup of juice, my nervous are starting to get to me. I look from the ceiling to the floor wondering how the night is going to go, good I hope. I mean it's Jake's parents. I have to impress them! Including I have no idea if this is a date or not... you don't normally meet the parents on a first date though. Even if this is a date his parents wont know it, we agreed to just keep what ever we have down low right now. 

When the door bell rings, I take my time getting the door. I smooth down my dress, checkmy curls and wipe juice off my lips. I open the door, trying to play it off like I'm not nervous.  He smiles, as his eyes travel my outfit, and just me in general. He looks pretty nice himself. His normal semi uncontrolable blond hair, nice kahki pants with a navy blue pollo. 

"You in a dress... never though I live to see the day." He smiles holding out his hand. For some reason his comment makes me blush, and I take his hand.  "You look great." He whispers, as I close the door to my house. I didn't say goodbye... oh well. 

"You look pretty good yourself... kahki's even." I reply, shaking away my heated cheeks. He smirks, opening th passenger door for me. I spot Jayla sitting in the back. She is watching the two of us, in aw. 

"Yes, my mother has a very traditional style." He sighs looking down at his pants and brown leather shoes. 

"Well you look good." I say, checking him out again. Yes, he does look mighty fine. 

"So you're brother... he is watching us from the basement window.." I hear Jake whisper, I peek over there a second and sure enough Patrick pull away his curtain, and I see him standing there watching us. Robbie too. "They don't like me." 

"I don't know what there problem is." I let out a breath, then slip into the car. Jake closes the door, and walks to the drivers side, as if nothing is wrong. Well nothing is wrong it's just my family and Robbie being idiots. I can't believe Jake caught that though. I can't believe they're watching! They must really think I'm some kind of push over, that some what hurts. They know I'm strong, and that I'm very determined. Why is it now that Jake is the guy, it's all of sudden a problem? It's because his reputation. Which is apparently a lot bigger then I thought it was. My brother is even in school anymore, and he knows about Jake... although that might be because of his older brother. 

Shaking the sadenning thoughts away I focus on the positive I'm here with Jake, on my way to his house to meet his family. What could go wrong?