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Master Fan
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 24,375
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Here's some more. I'm a little worried that I threw a flashback in there too quick. 
Quote:
Summer of 1969
It was only a few days after school had let out, and Michael had been punching long shifts at the Emerson Drive Market, a gas station along the main road. There was always more business in town when the kids were out and about. It had been a few years since Michael had graduated, and he somewhat missed the freedom that he once had.
When the clock hit about 4 o’clock, he wasn’t a bit surprised when a young brunette stepped inside. It seemed that she had been stopping by more and more lately, and she was most definitely catching Michael’s eye. It was Jane Harbison from just up the street. Her family had moved to Ashbury a number of years ago, and she certainly had grown up over that time.
Michael was just a Junior in high school when he first laid eyes on her, a young girl with baggy and worn-out clothes. He saw her through her high school years where she slowly began to morph into the woman that he saw before him today. She was wearing a white summer dress that fell at about her knees and showed off her womanly figure. Michael felt almost awkward staring at her as she had just been a girl some years ago.
Jane went to the back of the store and grabbed a Dr. Pepper from the cooler. After ducking out of Michael’s eye sight, she leaned up against another cooler and sighed. “Why does he have to be so irresistible?” she wondered to herself. She had barely spoken to him before, but there was just something about him. Just the way he smiled made her feel warm all over.
She took a deep breath and headed up to the counter. Luckily, Michael had turned to look out the window, and she could gaze at him all she wanted. He was definitely the most attractive man she had ever laid her eyes on. His dark brown hair was always slicked back with gel, and he had that long face and strong jaw line. He was tall, like a man should be, and had those muscles that showed through the tight shirt he was wearing.
He quickly turned around just as she approached the counter. A smile broke out across her face just at the sight of that large nose, and she had to hide her face. It wasn’t like it was out of proportion with his face, but it was definitely very pronounced. One of the few friends she had once informed her that the size of a man’s nose could be compared to other parts of his body, and Jane blushed every time she thought about it.
“That’ll be twenty-one cents,” he told her and then turned back around to look out the window.
While he stared out the window, he had a thought. She seemed like a really nice girl, but he didn’t know her too well because she always seemed so shy, and he didn’t want to frighten her. But with how she looked today, he just couldn’t let her walk away. She didn’t make eye contact with Michael while she searched in her purse for the appropriate change. She laid it down on the counter and was heading back toward the door when she heard a voice behind her. Michael had quickly turned and said, “Hey! Wait a minute.”
He came out around the counter and said, “Don’t worry about it. There’s a special running today for pretty ladies like yourself.”
Jane turned around and looked at him, slightly confused. She checked behind her to make sure that he was, in fact, talking to her.
He held out his hand and offered her the change back saying, “Yes, I’m talking to you.
Jane smiled sheepishly as she looked up at him. She took the change, letting her hand linger on his for as long as possible without it being noticeable.
“It’s Jane right?” he asked, letting go of her hand. When he saw the perplexed look on her face, he added, “You’ve been in here before. I guess I could say that you’re somewhat of a regular.”
Jane knew that she had to be dreaming. How else could he notice her when those beautiful blondes were sitting right outside the window? She didn’t know exactly what to say or if she should say anything at all.
Michael untied his apron and hung it back behind the counter. He came back over to her and smiled. He couldn’t help but notice that she looked absolutely adorable when she was embarrassed.
“I was planning on taking a break,” he told her. “Would you like to go outside and sit with me?”
After a few moments of hesitation, she finally replied, “Th-That would be nice.”
Michael went back to the back of the store and grabbed himself a drink, then the two of them headed outside to sit at one of the picnic tables. The sun was shining brightly, making Jane’s skin simply glow.
“So, what’s it like being a high school graduate?” he asked her as he helped her sit down on one of the benches.
After getting situated and finishing a swallow of her drink, she replied, “Umm… Well, it’s different.”
Michael noticed that she suddenly looked uncomfortable, and he realized how stupid it was of his to bring up the topic of age the first thing. She, too, had obviously realized the difference between them. It wasn’t like six years was that big of a deal, but it was certainly enough to get him in trouble with parents. Nobody wants anything bad to happen to their baby girl.
He was about to change the subject when one of the blondes from the other table approached theirs. It was wonderful timing because Michael really needed to be reminded of the type of girl he used to date.
“Hi, Michael,” she said in a flirtatious voice.
“Twyla,” he said, his mouth disgusted to be saying her name again.
Jane glanced over at him and then slunk down in her seat. She knew that Michael and Twyla had once been a hot couple, and she was nothing when compared to her. She just wanted to leave, but she didn’t want to appear rude.
“Well, it looks like your standards certainly dropped after you broke up with me,” she commented, leaning over the table and showing off her low-cut shirt.
“Just when I thought my standards couldn’t get any lower, I went and dated you,” Michael retorted.
Twyla looked somewhat hurt, but she knew that he couldn’t be serious. She knew that he still had feelings for her, and she just had to find the right spot to hit.
“You know, Michael…” she began.
“Twyla, I happen to be in a relationship right now,” he informed her. “So maybe it would just be best if you left.”
Twyla’s jaw dropped as she glared across the table at Jane. “Oh, come on. You can’t seriously be dating this… this… girl.”
“Well, I am,” he said, standing up and going over to Jane. “And she’s more of a woman than you’ll ever be.”
Twyla had had enough so she finally began to walk away. But she stopped quickly and turned back to Michael, saying, “Well, anytime you want to be with a real woman, you know my door’s always open.” With that, she turned and strutted away, her nose high in the air.
Michael placed his hands down on Jane’s shoulders and apologized, “I’m sorry about the relationship thing. I know it isn’t true, but I had to say something to make her go away.”
Jane glanced up at Michael and took a sip of her Dr. Pepper. She hated being around girls like that because she always compared herself to them. She knew that she wasn’t the most beautiful of girls, and she certainly didn’t have the assets that most men were looking for.
“And I apologize for what she said,” he continued. “Twyla was always big-headed.” There was a brief pause before he added, “You didn’t deserve those comments. You’re much… prettier than she gives you credit for.
Jane swallowed harshly when she heard those words leave his mouth. Sure, he had to have some interest in her to have asked her to sit with him but he couldn’t possibly think that she was attractive. She was about to say something when she was interrupted.
“I’d better be going back in,” Michael said, removing his hands from her shoulders. “I wouldn’t want to lose the only job I’ve ever had.”
He chuckled softly as he extended a hand to help her up. Hesitantly, she took it and found her hand lingering in his. She had never had a boyfriend before, and the only hand she had ever held had been her father’s. Michael walked back over to the front door with Jane’s hand still locked in his grasp.
He stopped and used one hand to brush a lock of curls over her shoulder and said, “I’d really like to see you again. If you feel the same way…” Jane felt a shiver run down her spine as he whispered in her ear. “Well, you know where I am most of the time.”
He let go of her hand and went back inside the store, hoping that she would stop by and see him another day. He was ready for a new type of woman, and Jane was exactly what he was looking for.
The sound of Jane’s soft snore coming from the other bedroom brought Michael back to present day, and he began flipping through the newspaper. He never thought that the two of them would’ve come this far together, but he was so glad that they had. He wasn’t real sure of the kind of person he’d be today if he hadn’t been married to her.
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i love you more than jazz, baby doll
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