Title: "Two's Company...Three's A Crowd."
Author: EV
Email: [email protected]
Rating: PG
Category: Jake/Hamilton
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned herin. I would like to thank the makers of Snapple and hope they don't mind a brief product endorsement. Maybe they would consider hosting a "summer series" sometime. LOL And a mention to the movie "Hackers", from which I borrowed some "techinical lines" and jargon.
Summary: Response to "The Obsession Challenge"
Thanks: Thanks to Carol for providing a fun and interesting "challange" idea. Thanks also to Deb!! Without your constant enthusiasm and encouragement...I probably wouldn't bother
Feedback: Loved and appreciated.
Carol's "Obsession" Challenge - Submitted 11/17/00 by Carol
A new girl enrolls at the Rawley Girls School and decides that she wants Hamilton. Requirements:
Hamilton wanting nothing to do with the new girl.
The girl becoming obsessed with Hamilton.
Hamilton telling the girl that he's gay to try to get her to leave him alone.
Hamilton coming out of the "closet" and kissing Jake in front of the girl, Scout, Will, and Bella to prove that he's gay.
The girl seeing Hamilton and Jake in a bedroom makeout session (she doesn't see that Jakes a girl).
The girl trying to remove the competition.
The girl has to injure Jake (be creative, no using the psycho with a knife, its been done to many times) and Hamilton has to go into overprotective boyfriend mode.
Ryder trying to make a pass at the new girl and finding out that it wasn't a very bright idea.
Some romantic moments between Hamilton & Jake with a happy ending.
The story can be rated from PG13 to NC17.
_______________________________________________________________
"I love you too" He said. "I'll call you when I get home."
"Hamilton...it's two-thirty in the morning. Please don't call me..." She smiled at him knowing that he would call...just to say goodnight.
Hamilton kissed her one more time and then headed off to find the wooded path that lead to home. He knew he would have to be quiet as he snuck back into the house. He was always careful not to wake his sleeping parents.
Jake fell onto her bed...her smile still intact. She placed her cell phone next to her pillow and waited patiently for it to ring.
******************************
Kate Flemming descended the steps of Rawley Academy quickly in an effort to catch up with her son. The pretty raven haired girl attempted to keep up although her spike heels appeared to slow her down. "Oh...there's my Munchie." Kate said.
Hamilton cringed when he heard the nickname he despised but was powerless to keep his forgetful mother from using. He stopped and waited for her to catch up.
"Mom...drop the Munchie." He whispered loudly for the millionth time.
"Sorry...honey." She looked embarrassed at first...then moved on. Hamilton...this is Melanie Manos. Melanie...this is my son, Hamilton." The two exchanged brief smiles. "Melanie is starting at Rawley Girls...would you mind showing her back to the girls campus so she doesn't get lost?"
Hamilton sighed. Resident tour guide had become one of the many necessary responsibilities of being the Dean's son. "Yeah...sure Mom."
"Thanks honey." She moved Hamilton's bangs out of his eyes in her usual motherly fashion. "You look tired..." She said.
Hamilton backed his head away. "Mom..." He gave her the, "you're embarrassing me" look. "This way Melody." Hamilton said as he walked on ahead of her.
"Actually...it's Melanie. "It's Greek. My Mom's parents were born in Athens."
"Uh huh." Hamilton responded, not really listening. He slowed his pace slightly allowing her the chance to catch up.
"So...son of the Dean...huh?" Melanie said drawing out her words.
"In the flesh." Hamilton responded.
"Mmmmm. And nice flesh it is too." She extended her hand and ran the tip of her index finger down the length of his forearm.
Hamilton stepped away slightly. He gave her an obviously uncomfortable look.
"Yeah...well...the...um...girls campus is right through those trees...and take a left." He said stopping in his tracks.
"Hello Hamilton." An elderly man called to him. He was squatting on one knee while he used hedge trimmers to carefully clip the bushes.
"Hi Mr. Finch..." Hamilton waved to him.
"Haven't seen you much around my way..." He said.
"Yeah well, not since you told me it was haunted." Hamilton laughed as he walked away from the groundskeeper.
Melanie followed as well. She looked up at him batting her eyes, attempting to give him her best shy, innocent look. "So...tell me, Munchie..." she smiled as she said the name, "What do people do around here...for fun?"
"Um...there's lots of stuff. Swimming...sailing...um...you'll get an activities list in your orientation packet. It'll probably be in your room." Hamilton stopped and took a giant step backwards away from Melanie. Melanie took a step toward Hamilton.
"Maybe some of the fun I'm looking for won't be included on that list." She put her hand against Hamilton's chest. "Maybe I'll need your help..." She grinned, her voice dropping an octave.
"Look...I've got a class in a few minutes. I've gotta go. Through those trees and take a left." Hamilton said pointing as he turned and walked away.
Melanie called out after him. "Nice meeting you...I'm sure we'll run into each other again."
Melanie began to follow the path toward the trees. "You can bet on it." She said to herself.
"Don't bet on it" Hamilton said to himself as he hurried toward the grassy area and Finn's awaiting English class.
Hamilton hurried toward the familiar spot. It was not unlike him to be late for class and Finn took some obvious pleasure in bringing it to everybody's attention. He saw the group of boys and girls strewn about the lawn, books opened, and joined them. Hamilton seated himself behind Jake and tried not to distract Finn who was already deep in another thought provoking lecture. "So...if we were to look at the works of say...Shakespeare and let's say, set those stories into a different period in history, maybe even modern day. Would they be as effective...ah...Mr. Flemming?" Finn looked at Hamilton who looked down briefly and shook his head.
"Well," Hamilton hesitated a bit trying to think of an answer having missed the first few minutes of the class "Romeo and Juliet pretty much sucked." The other students snickered in unison.
"Very insightful Mr. Fleming...I'll assume you are referring to the recent Leonardo DiCaprio jaunt"
"Yeah..." Hamilton said as he nodded his head.
"And you were late this morning because you were at your house watching it on video?" Again, the students giggled.
"Sorry Finn, I had to show some new student to the Rawley Girls campus."
"Whoaaa... Oooooh" an amalgam of hoots and hollers rang out from amongst the testosterone filled students. Only one student didn't laugh. Jake turned around and looked at Hamilton.
"So Ladies...Gentlemen...was Romeo and Juliet...gang land style... a bad idea...or just a bad movie?" Finn continued talking. Hamilton tried to pay attention but couldn't help concentrating on Jake who was sitting in front of him. As the early morning breeze blew he thought he could smell the light scent of her shampoo. Hamilton let out a long audible sigh.
As Finn's class ended, Jake got up headed toward the steps of her dorm. "Jake,hey wait up." Hamilton ran a few steps to catch up. He looked around to see if anyone was watching. "Lunch? He asked.
"Nah, not today, I've got to hit the library instead." Hamilton looked surprised.
"Ok...are we studying together tonight? " He winked so that only she could see.
"If you need to...I guess." She replied.
Hamilton looked stunned. "Um...I could really use your help...in...um..." He glanced down at the books he held in his hand. "French?" He said with a sly grin, running his tongue noticibly over his teeth.
"Yeah. Fine. I'll help you with your French after dinner."
"Thanks." He said. "I'll see you tonight. Jake ran up the steps two at a time and never looked back. Hamilton stood, watching her and then he turned and headed for the dining hall.
******************************
Hamilton turned the knob on Jake's door and was surprised to find it locked. He knocked. "Jake?"
"Who is it?" She called out remembering to use her lowered voice.
"Hamilton...your study partner." He said smiling.
Jake unlocked the door and let it fall open. She returned to her bed and sat down.
Hamilton closed the door and locked it. He dropped his book bag on the floor next to her desk.
"I don't feel much like studying tonight..." A gleam in his eye.
"Gee...that's unusual" Jake said without expression.
Hamilton walked toward Jake. "Hey there beautiful." He said, as he bent down to kiss her.
Jake sat on her bed with a pillow propped at her back. Her text book was open in her lap. She looked up at Hamilton who was hovering over her.
"Ok...so tell me again why you seem to spend as much time at the girls campus as you do at the boys?" Jake asked
.
Hamilton stood up and looked at her confused. "What?" He asked.
"You're always there ushering some cute new chick all over campus. Can't Scout or Will have a turn once in a while?"
"How'd you know she was cute?" He said purposely to irritate her.
"Ughhhh! You know...sometimes you make it hard for me to like you...much less love you." Jake said.
"Cut it out...you know my mother considers me Rawley Academy's Official Tour Guide Extrordinaire.." He chuckled. "What's got you so worked up anyway?"
"Nothing really." She answered, lowering her eyes to the opened book.
"Are you jealous, Ms. Pratt?" He grinned as he reached out his hand and touched her face.
"Yeah right..."
"Jake...you have nothing to worry about. Of course, a little jealously could be a good thing" He smiled as he lowered his head to kiss her again.
Jake turned her head away from him and avoided his mouth. "I'm not jealous." She proclaimed.
"I mean...jealousy just means that you love me...right? That you want me all to yourself and you don't want anybody else to have me." He laughed at how ridiculous his own words sounded.
Hamilton crawled over Jake's body and tossed himself next to her in her bed. He smiled at her broadly although she didn't return his stare. He knew she loved him. He could tell. He knew that she felt self-conscious and "less than feminine" having to appear as a guy all the time. Hamilton knew there wasn't one girl at Rawley or anywhere...that could compare to Jake in his mind. He continued smiling at her until she looked at him
"What? I am SO not jealous." She said again
.
He reached up and whispered into her ear, "Thank you."
******************************
Jake had seated herself next to Scout and in back of Hamilton for today's co-ed English session. She wished Hamilton could stretch out next to her as she saw Will doing with Caroline. Hamilton was okay with keeping her secret. He was very affectionate and loving when they were alone. But, she longed to be a normal couple. She felt a little silly about the scene she made the previous evening. She knew Hamilton loved her. She knew she had overreacted about the whole jealousy thing. She made a mental note to apologize after class...and make it up to him tonight. That thought alone brought a smile to her face.
Finn had been talking for thirty minutes and Jake realized she hadn't been listening to a single word that he'd said.
"Othello." Finn said, standing in front of the group and holding a small paperback in his hand. "I know that to a lot of young people this play must seem dreadfully boring and meaningless. One thing you can keep in mind is that the audience in Shakespeare's time did not have the benefit of things such as movies, and videos. Shakespeare's plays are not visually stimulating to an audience accustomed to today's entertainment media.
Whoaa...Who is she?" Scout was mesmerized by the beautiful female vision approaching them.
Melanie strutted onto the lawn. Her spiked heels sinking slightly into the soft ground. The short red form fitting dress she was wearing served to compliment her perfect figure as well as delight at least half of the imaginations that were seated before her.
"Oh my God." Jake whispered in Hamilton's ear. "Could she be anymore obvious?"
"Obvious?" Hamilton looked at her confused.
"Hello...A little blinded by love there, Ham?" Scout said. "And, so WHO is she?" He repeated.
"Ah...Melanie something." Hamilton answered. Scout, Will and Jake looked at him.
"You holding out on us man?" Scout asked.
"What? No. She's the girl I met yesterday. The new girl. The one who made me late for Finn's class." Hamilton said
"You're always late for Finn's class" Will said grinning.
"Well...she could make me late for class anytime" Scout winked.
Melanie searched for an empty patch of grass. "You've got to be kidding me...sit on the ground?" She whispered with a loud sigh. She spotted Hamilton and stepped over a few drooling sophomores to join him. "Hamilton sweetie...can I have your shirt to sit on? This dress will cost a fortune to dry clean."
Hamilton heard Jake sigh. He hesitated at first then removed the plaid flannel over shirt he was wearing and handed it to her. She didn't take it, she simply motioned with her finger instructing him to lay it out next to him. She carefully sat herself down holding onto his shoulder for stability. Jake scooted forward slightly. Hamilton felt the tops of Jake's crossed Indian-style knees pushing themselves into his back. He lowered his head and smiled slightly to himself.
Melanie leaned in close to Hamilton's ear. "Did I miss anything?" She giggled slightly.
"Nope" Hamilton said as he leaned away in the opposite direction.
Finn continued, annoyed by her interruption, "As a play, Othello encompasses many things but more than anything else it is a study of pure evil."
"Maybe I can get the notes from you after class?" She said.
Jake's hand came forward dividing the pair. "Here..."She said, "You can borrow MY notebook." Jake smiled exaggeratedly. Hamilton covered his mouth with his hand trying not to let anyone see him laugh. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled sweetly at Jake. Hamilton shuffled backward a little trying to broaden the gap between himself and Melanie and position himself closer to Jake.
"Jealousy people...is an enemy to all. Shakespeare will teach us this." Finn said. "Essays are due nex Tuesday. You may work in pairs. Ms. Manos...thank you for joining us today. But, as Mr. Flemming will attest...I arrive here on time and I'd appreciate it if you would be so kind as to do the same"
Melanie blushed, "Sorry" She said and she smiled at Hamilton as if they shared some great inside joke. Finn ended the lecture and the students picked up their books and began to disperse.
"Munchie...you'll work with me...right? Melanie asked assumedly. Jake felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise.
"Please don't call me that." Hamilton said sternly, looking annoyed. "I don't even like it when my mother uses it."
Ryder approached the group in his usual "holier than thou" fashion. He extended his hand toward Melanie in an effort to help her off the ground. Perhaps you would like to share the pleasures of the English language with an Englishman" He said in a thick British accent. For once...Jake was glad to see him. Melanie looked past Ryder and settled her gaze on Hamilton.
"Thank you anyway, " She said, " Hamilton and I are going to work together on this one."
Jake cleared her throat loudly. Scout couldn't help grinning to himself.
"Um...actually Melanie...I've already got a partner...but maybe another time." Hamilton said as he smiled politely hoping that this would return him to Jake's good graces.
Will and Caroline excused themselves from the group agreeing to meet up at Friendly's later in the afternoon. Scout, Jake and Hamilton walked toward the dining hall leaving a very distraught Melanie standing alone.
"Well then..." Ryder said smiling.
"Get lost" Melanie answered as she walked past him.
Author: EV
Email: [email protected]
Rating: PG
Category: Jake/Hamilton
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned herin. I would like to thank the makers of Snapple and hope they don't mind a brief product endorsement. Maybe they would consider hosting a "summer series" sometime. LOL And a mention to the movie "Hackers", from which I borrowed some "techinical lines" and jargon.
Summary: Response to "The Obsession Challenge"
Thanks: Thanks to Carol for providing a fun and interesting "challange" idea. Thanks also to Deb!! Without your constant enthusiasm and encouragement...I probably wouldn't bother
Feedback: Loved and appreciated.
Carol's "Obsession" Challenge - Submitted 11/17/00 by Carol
A new girl enrolls at the Rawley Girls School and decides that she wants Hamilton. Requirements:
Hamilton wanting nothing to do with the new girl.
The girl becoming obsessed with Hamilton.
Hamilton telling the girl that he's gay to try to get her to leave him alone.
Hamilton coming out of the "closet" and kissing Jake in front of the girl, Scout, Will, and Bella to prove that he's gay.
The girl seeing Hamilton and Jake in a bedroom makeout session (she doesn't see that Jakes a girl).
The girl trying to remove the competition.
The girl has to injure Jake (be creative, no using the psycho with a knife, its been done to many times) and Hamilton has to go into overprotective boyfriend mode.
Ryder trying to make a pass at the new girl and finding out that it wasn't a very bright idea.
Some romantic moments between Hamilton & Jake with a happy ending.
The story can be rated from PG13 to NC17.
_______________________________________________________________
"I love you too" He said. "I'll call you when I get home."
"Hamilton...it's two-thirty in the morning. Please don't call me..." She smiled at him knowing that he would call...just to say goodnight.
Hamilton kissed her one more time and then headed off to find the wooded path that lead to home. He knew he would have to be quiet as he snuck back into the house. He was always careful not to wake his sleeping parents.
Jake fell onto her bed...her smile still intact. She placed her cell phone next to her pillow and waited patiently for it to ring.
******************************
Kate Flemming descended the steps of Rawley Academy quickly in an effort to catch up with her son. The pretty raven haired girl attempted to keep up although her spike heels appeared to slow her down. "Oh...there's my Munchie." Kate said.
Hamilton cringed when he heard the nickname he despised but was powerless to keep his forgetful mother from using. He stopped and waited for her to catch up.
"Mom...drop the Munchie." He whispered loudly for the millionth time.
"Sorry...honey." She looked embarrassed at first...then moved on. Hamilton...this is Melanie Manos. Melanie...this is my son, Hamilton." The two exchanged brief smiles. "Melanie is starting at Rawley Girls...would you mind showing her back to the girls campus so she doesn't get lost?"
Hamilton sighed. Resident tour guide had become one of the many necessary responsibilities of being the Dean's son. "Yeah...sure Mom."
"Thanks honey." She moved Hamilton's bangs out of his eyes in her usual motherly fashion. "You look tired..." She said.
Hamilton backed his head away. "Mom..." He gave her the, "you're embarrassing me" look. "This way Melody." Hamilton said as he walked on ahead of her.
"Actually...it's Melanie. "It's Greek. My Mom's parents were born in Athens."
"Uh huh." Hamilton responded, not really listening. He slowed his pace slightly allowing her the chance to catch up.
"So...son of the Dean...huh?" Melanie said drawing out her words.
"In the flesh." Hamilton responded.
"Mmmmm. And nice flesh it is too." She extended her hand and ran the tip of her index finger down the length of his forearm.
Hamilton stepped away slightly. He gave her an obviously uncomfortable look.
"Yeah...well...the...um...girls campus is right through those trees...and take a left." He said stopping in his tracks.
"Hello Hamilton." An elderly man called to him. He was squatting on one knee while he used hedge trimmers to carefully clip the bushes.
"Hi Mr. Finch..." Hamilton waved to him.
"Haven't seen you much around my way..." He said.
"Yeah well, not since you told me it was haunted." Hamilton laughed as he walked away from the groundskeeper.
Melanie followed as well. She looked up at him batting her eyes, attempting to give him her best shy, innocent look. "So...tell me, Munchie..." she smiled as she said the name, "What do people do around here...for fun?"
"Um...there's lots of stuff. Swimming...sailing...um...you'll get an activities list in your orientation packet. It'll probably be in your room." Hamilton stopped and took a giant step backwards away from Melanie. Melanie took a step toward Hamilton.
"Maybe some of the fun I'm looking for won't be included on that list." She put her hand against Hamilton's chest. "Maybe I'll need your help..." She grinned, her voice dropping an octave.
"Look...I've got a class in a few minutes. I've gotta go. Through those trees and take a left." Hamilton said pointing as he turned and walked away.
Melanie called out after him. "Nice meeting you...I'm sure we'll run into each other again."
Melanie began to follow the path toward the trees. "You can bet on it." She said to herself.
"Don't bet on it" Hamilton said to himself as he hurried toward the grassy area and Finn's awaiting English class.
Hamilton hurried toward the familiar spot. It was not unlike him to be late for class and Finn took some obvious pleasure in bringing it to everybody's attention. He saw the group of boys and girls strewn about the lawn, books opened, and joined them. Hamilton seated himself behind Jake and tried not to distract Finn who was already deep in another thought provoking lecture. "So...if we were to look at the works of say...Shakespeare and let's say, set those stories into a different period in history, maybe even modern day. Would they be as effective...ah...Mr. Flemming?" Finn looked at Hamilton who looked down briefly and shook his head.
"Well," Hamilton hesitated a bit trying to think of an answer having missed the first few minutes of the class "Romeo and Juliet pretty much sucked." The other students snickered in unison.
"Very insightful Mr. Fleming...I'll assume you are referring to the recent Leonardo DiCaprio jaunt"
"Yeah..." Hamilton said as he nodded his head.
"And you were late this morning because you were at your house watching it on video?" Again, the students giggled.
"Sorry Finn, I had to show some new student to the Rawley Girls campus."
"Whoaaa... Oooooh" an amalgam of hoots and hollers rang out from amongst the testosterone filled students. Only one student didn't laugh. Jake turned around and looked at Hamilton.
"So Ladies...Gentlemen...was Romeo and Juliet...gang land style... a bad idea...or just a bad movie?" Finn continued talking. Hamilton tried to pay attention but couldn't help concentrating on Jake who was sitting in front of him. As the early morning breeze blew he thought he could smell the light scent of her shampoo. Hamilton let out a long audible sigh.
As Finn's class ended, Jake got up headed toward the steps of her dorm. "Jake,hey wait up." Hamilton ran a few steps to catch up. He looked around to see if anyone was watching. "Lunch? He asked.
"Nah, not today, I've got to hit the library instead." Hamilton looked surprised.
"Ok...are we studying together tonight? " He winked so that only she could see.
"If you need to...I guess." She replied.
Hamilton looked stunned. "Um...I could really use your help...in...um..." He glanced down at the books he held in his hand. "French?" He said with a sly grin, running his tongue noticibly over his teeth.
"Yeah. Fine. I'll help you with your French after dinner."
"Thanks." He said. "I'll see you tonight. Jake ran up the steps two at a time and never looked back. Hamilton stood, watching her and then he turned and headed for the dining hall.
******************************
Hamilton turned the knob on Jake's door and was surprised to find it locked. He knocked. "Jake?"
"Who is it?" She called out remembering to use her lowered voice.
"Hamilton...your study partner." He said smiling.
Jake unlocked the door and let it fall open. She returned to her bed and sat down.
Hamilton closed the door and locked it. He dropped his book bag on the floor next to her desk.
"I don't feel much like studying tonight..." A gleam in his eye.
"Gee...that's unusual" Jake said without expression.
Hamilton walked toward Jake. "Hey there beautiful." He said, as he bent down to kiss her.
Jake sat on her bed with a pillow propped at her back. Her text book was open in her lap. She looked up at Hamilton who was hovering over her.
"Ok...so tell me again why you seem to spend as much time at the girls campus as you do at the boys?" Jake asked
.
Hamilton stood up and looked at her confused. "What?" He asked.
"You're always there ushering some cute new chick all over campus. Can't Scout or Will have a turn once in a while?"
"How'd you know she was cute?" He said purposely to irritate her.
"Ughhhh! You know...sometimes you make it hard for me to like you...much less love you." Jake said.
"Cut it out...you know my mother considers me Rawley Academy's Official Tour Guide Extrordinaire.." He chuckled. "What's got you so worked up anyway?"
"Nothing really." She answered, lowering her eyes to the opened book.
"Are you jealous, Ms. Pratt?" He grinned as he reached out his hand and touched her face.
"Yeah right..."
"Jake...you have nothing to worry about. Of course, a little jealously could be a good thing" He smiled as he lowered his head to kiss her again.
Jake turned her head away from him and avoided his mouth. "I'm not jealous." She proclaimed.
"I mean...jealousy just means that you love me...right? That you want me all to yourself and you don't want anybody else to have me." He laughed at how ridiculous his own words sounded.
Hamilton crawled over Jake's body and tossed himself next to her in her bed. He smiled at her broadly although she didn't return his stare. He knew she loved him. He could tell. He knew that she felt self-conscious and "less than feminine" having to appear as a guy all the time. Hamilton knew there wasn't one girl at Rawley or anywhere...that could compare to Jake in his mind. He continued smiling at her until she looked at him
"What? I am SO not jealous." She said again
.
He reached up and whispered into her ear, "Thank you."
******************************
Jake had seated herself next to Scout and in back of Hamilton for today's co-ed English session. She wished Hamilton could stretch out next to her as she saw Will doing with Caroline. Hamilton was okay with keeping her secret. He was very affectionate and loving when they were alone. But, she longed to be a normal couple. She felt a little silly about the scene she made the previous evening. She knew Hamilton loved her. She knew she had overreacted about the whole jealousy thing. She made a mental note to apologize after class...and make it up to him tonight. That thought alone brought a smile to her face.
Finn had been talking for thirty minutes and Jake realized she hadn't been listening to a single word that he'd said.
"Othello." Finn said, standing in front of the group and holding a small paperback in his hand. "I know that to a lot of young people this play must seem dreadfully boring and meaningless. One thing you can keep in mind is that the audience in Shakespeare's time did not have the benefit of things such as movies, and videos. Shakespeare's plays are not visually stimulating to an audience accustomed to today's entertainment media.
Whoaa...Who is she?" Scout was mesmerized by the beautiful female vision approaching them.
Melanie strutted onto the lawn. Her spiked heels sinking slightly into the soft ground. The short red form fitting dress she was wearing served to compliment her perfect figure as well as delight at least half of the imaginations that were seated before her.
"Oh my God." Jake whispered in Hamilton's ear. "Could she be anymore obvious?"
"Obvious?" Hamilton looked at her confused.
"Hello...A little blinded by love there, Ham?" Scout said. "And, so WHO is she?" He repeated.
"Ah...Melanie something." Hamilton answered. Scout, Will and Jake looked at him.
"You holding out on us man?" Scout asked.
"What? No. She's the girl I met yesterday. The new girl. The one who made me late for Finn's class." Hamilton said
"You're always late for Finn's class" Will said grinning.
"Well...she could make me late for class anytime" Scout winked.
Melanie searched for an empty patch of grass. "You've got to be kidding me...sit on the ground?" She whispered with a loud sigh. She spotted Hamilton and stepped over a few drooling sophomores to join him. "Hamilton sweetie...can I have your shirt to sit on? This dress will cost a fortune to dry clean."
Hamilton heard Jake sigh. He hesitated at first then removed the plaid flannel over shirt he was wearing and handed it to her. She didn't take it, she simply motioned with her finger instructing him to lay it out next to him. She carefully sat herself down holding onto his shoulder for stability. Jake scooted forward slightly. Hamilton felt the tops of Jake's crossed Indian-style knees pushing themselves into his back. He lowered his head and smiled slightly to himself.
Melanie leaned in close to Hamilton's ear. "Did I miss anything?" She giggled slightly.
"Nope" Hamilton said as he leaned away in the opposite direction.
Finn continued, annoyed by her interruption, "As a play, Othello encompasses many things but more than anything else it is a study of pure evil."
"Maybe I can get the notes from you after class?" She said.
Jake's hand came forward dividing the pair. "Here..."She said, "You can borrow MY notebook." Jake smiled exaggeratedly. Hamilton covered his mouth with his hand trying not to let anyone see him laugh. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled sweetly at Jake. Hamilton shuffled backward a little trying to broaden the gap between himself and Melanie and position himself closer to Jake.
"Jealousy people...is an enemy to all. Shakespeare will teach us this." Finn said. "Essays are due nex Tuesday. You may work in pairs. Ms. Manos...thank you for joining us today. But, as Mr. Flemming will attest...I arrive here on time and I'd appreciate it if you would be so kind as to do the same"
Melanie blushed, "Sorry" She said and she smiled at Hamilton as if they shared some great inside joke. Finn ended the lecture and the students picked up their books and began to disperse.
"Munchie...you'll work with me...right? Melanie asked assumedly. Jake felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise.
"Please don't call me that." Hamilton said sternly, looking annoyed. "I don't even like it when my mother uses it."
Ryder approached the group in his usual "holier than thou" fashion. He extended his hand toward Melanie in an effort to help her off the ground. Perhaps you would like to share the pleasures of the English language with an Englishman" He said in a thick British accent. For once...Jake was glad to see him. Melanie looked past Ryder and settled her gaze on Hamilton.
"Thank you anyway, " She said, " Hamilton and I are going to work together on this one."
Jake cleared her throat loudly. Scout couldn't help grinning to himself.
"Um...actually Melanie...I've already got a partner...but maybe another time." Hamilton said as he smiled politely hoping that this would return him to Jake's good graces.
Will and Caroline excused themselves from the group agreeing to meet up at Friendly's later in the afternoon. Scout, Jake and Hamilton walked toward the dining hall leaving a very distraught Melanie standing alone.
"Well then..." Ryder said smiling.
"Get lost" Melanie answered as she walked past him.