| "She needs to go, Tay." Jade said softly, as she rejoined the group. "Kay." Taylor answered just as softly, said a mumbled "Later.." to his brothers and stalked back to the van. He got in silently, taking in the sight of Jamie curled into a ball on the passenger seat. His chest tightened and his hands shook as he started the van, waited for Patti and Ike to pull their cars out, then backed the van out. Jamie slowly and silently uncurled as Taylor drove toward her house, and she stared out her window without really seeing anything but the streaks that were the streetlights passing quickly by. Taylor kept taking quick glances at her and wondered how he was going to break through the even thicker wall she was trying to put between them at the moment. "Jade?" Ike asked as he slid in on his side of the car and slammed his door shut. "Hmm?" she murmured back, lost in her own thoughts. "Are you all right?" he asked, worried at her sudden silence and Taylor's closed behavior. "Yeah..." she sighed heavily, "but I dunno about Jame." she looked out her window as Ike pulled the car out of the bar parking lot. "Why?" he asked, wanting her to be able to let whatever was bothering her out, so she could get back to being herself, and so he could see that sweet, dimpled smile he was growing to love, way too much. "Do you really wanna hear all that, Ike? It's depressing." she said and looked over at him. "I wouldn't have asked, Jade. It seems to really be bothering you. Why?" he asked again. "Well, okay. But you ASKED.." she chuckled and launched into all her deepest fears for Jamie. "I've never seen her actually CRY before, Ike. And she was. Whether or not she wil EVER admit it she was. And I dunno why, except that she does NOT want to admit that she might NEED or LOVE Tay." Jade sighed heavily again. Ike reached acroos the car and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. "I will turn out okay, Jade. We just need to let them go through whatever is up on their own. Taylor seemed to be managing all right. Try not to worry so much." he smiled at her, then removed his hand from hers to park in her parking lot. "Come on. It's late. I'll walk you up." he told her then jumped out of the car and ran to the other side, opening her door. "You really don't have to, Ike.." Jade told him as he gave her a hand out of the car. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't." he chuckled. "If my mom knew I'd just DROPPED you off she'd skin me alive." he grinned, mischeviously. "Oh well. We can't have you in trouble with your mom.." she giggled. "But as late as you are, I think you are already in trouble." "Nah. My mom is great, actually." he said as she dug for her key. Jade managed to get the door unlocked, but Ike was faster and held the door open for her. "Goodnight, Jade." he said softly and looked deep into her sea-green eyes, not really wanting to leave. "Thank you Isaac. But you know, I am not really sleepy. Zac's gonna be a handful when he gets in." she laughed. "Wy don't you come in and have some coffee with me? Maybe he'll be asleep by the time you get home." "Okay, that sounds good actually." Isaac smiled and follwed Jade inside, closing te door firmly behind him. Isaac and Jade talked comfortably as Jade went about making a pot of coffee, and pulling cups and spoons out of the cupboards. Issac could not keep from smiling at her as she chattered about everything. Her dimpled grin made his heart flip-flop, and he wished he could just stay in her presence forever. Their conversation drifted back to the new music he'd just purchased, and Jade suddenly remembered she'd gotten some new stuff from Jamie. "Hey, I bet I have something you'd like.." she smiled brightly and tugged at his hand, pulling him along behind her, into her small living room. "Okay...slow down girl..' he chuckled as he tripped over her white nurses shoes and almost took her with him. She looked at Ike in horror and covered her mouth. "Oh Isaac I am so sorry...I just kicked them off, changed and ran to Jamie's.." She couldn't help but giggle as he got his balance and kicked her shoes out of the way. "I really am sorry.." she giggled again, her dimples making his heart skip a beat once again. "It's okay, Jade. I should know to look where I am walking," he told her. "I only RECENTLY got my own room, and Tay and Zac are really bad about leaving things laying where I could break my neck. What was it you wanted me to listen to?" he asked and urged her back toward the living room. "Oh Jamie made me a CD on her computer..she said it was another local band. I can't remember the name, but I guess the lead guitar guy was a friend of her brother's. They have a bunch of MP3's up so she burned 'em for me, since I never have the time to check that stuff out.." she babbled as Ike stood close behind her, watching her go through a small crate of obvioulsy home made CD's. She could feel his warm breath on her shoulder as he read titles over it. Her heart raced faster and she started to feel guilty, thinking of Josh being home sick. She shook that feeling away, wanting to make the most of her time with Isaac, knowing that when Josh was well she never have the opportunity to just TALK with Ike, like they were now. "Here it is!" she cried triumphantly. "Damn. I was beginning to think I lost it. Jamie would kill me." she giggled. "Probably not." Ike chuckled. "But let's hear it." he grinned and took it from her and stuck it in the CD player, then turned the sound to a level that they could still talk to each other while listening. The first song had a semi-slow beat, kind of sexy and Ike grabbed Jade by the hips. "This one makes you wanna shake your groove thang?" he teased and started to dance with her. "I guess it does.." Jade giggled back, and began to move with him, her heart pounding even more loudly. Ike though he was smiling so big his face would break and he was happy that Jade had followed his lead and was moving with him. It would probably be the closest thing he ever did to making love to her, which he wanted to do more than anything in the world. Then hold her next to him all night and wake up to that smile. He wondered how Josh could be so stupid and impatient. He would wait forever and a DAY for Jade to be ready. The music changed to a very slow pace and Ike pulled her closer, taking a deep breath and inhaling the scent of her hair as he moved both their bodies more slowly. He smiled to himself when she pressed her cheek to his chest and gave his waist a light squeeze. His hand instinctively went to the back of her head and he buried his hand in her soft curls. He felt her fingers tighten on his waist and he looked down at her. He smiled gently and stroked her cheek, sucking in his breath as she closed her eyes. |