Page 4 of Jackson's Redemption
I got in the driver’s side and moved the seat back to fit my legs. She handed me the key and it took every ounce of control I had not to lick it. Instead, I pushed it into the ignition and pulled us away from the curb.
I didn’t need directions to her house and I took the best route to get there. I didn’t want her to think for a second that I would take a longer route just to spend time with her.
“So what are your plans after high school, Jack?”
I glanced over at her unable to hide my shock. Other than a few teachers, no one ever asked me that. Sure, I told my mom my plans because I wanted her to know I was leaving as soon as I could, but no one else ever really asked.
It was like suddenly I couldn’t talk, but I wanted to so badly. “Community college,” I sputtered out. “Just for the first two years. I can work and save up enough money. Then apply to Arizona State.”
“That’s where I go.”
Yeah. I knew that. “How do you like it?”
“It’s okay. I just wish…” She trailed off and I couldn’t let that go. Like she was about to tell me something that not everyone knew about her, but I would know.
“What?”
“I wish I had more choices, you know? I was pretty locked into criminology and it’s great. I’m looking forward to the academy and everything. But I think it might have been nice to go to college without any ideas about what I wanted to do. Then I could have explored all my options.”
“I guess your dad wants you to be a cop.”
“No,” she said quickly. Too quickly. “Not at all. He’s happy that’s the direction I’m going, sure. But it’s totally my choice.”
I didn’t tell her I thought she was lying. But I thought she was lying. Or maybe lying to herself.
“I know what I want to be, too,” I said confidently.
“Really?”
“What? You think I can’t have a plan?” I sounded defensive. I was always defensive about my plan. Because I knew people didn’t believe I could pull it off.
“No. I just… Again, you seem young to me.”
“I’m only two years younger than you, Kate.”
“Right. Sorry. I’m not trying to be condescending. I promise. So what’s your plan?”
“I want to be a geologist.”
“Oh. That’s really awesome. What got you interested in that?”
I shrugged. “I always liked collecting rocks. You know normal kid stuff. One year, my mom got me this book for Christmas about the study of rocks and I was hooked.”
“Ah, so you’re a book nerd.”
She meant it as a compliment. Not as an insult. I could tell the way she said it and it made me feel like…a man. Like a grown man who had plans and ambitions and wasn’t afraid to study for them.
Instead of like a kid in high school who had the shitty family holding him down.
“I am that. I like the fact that books are power. You can go to any library, take out any book you want and learn everything it can teach you. No one can stop you from doing that. No one.”
“You’re right,” she said softly. “No one can. I’m up here on the left.”
“Yep.” I pulled the car over in front of her house. “Hold on and I can walk you up to your door.”
She reached over and touched my arm. “You’re really cool for doing this.”
“Actually, I think I’m just being a human being for doing this.”
