Jonny peeked around the door into the living room. Jesse was watching TV. She had just returned home from vacation with her mom. School was going to start soon,and he still didn't know how he was going to get her attention, to impress her. He snapped back to reality when he heard her laugh. She was watching that new prime-time show. It was a teen soap opera and the main man was a huge sensation. He was so big, that even the latest clothes trends came from what he wore every week. 'Clothes! How come I hadn't thought of this before?!' he thought. Jesse loved the show, especially the "teenage heart-throb" of a main character. So of course she'd be totally into a guy that dressed with his style! Jonny ran to his dad to discuss when the trip to buy school clothes would be.
School starts.....
The spoon clanged in the bowl as Jesse dropped it.
"Jonny? Is that you?" Jonny slung his sportcoat over his shoulder like a model. He gave a wide grin as he spoke.
"So Jess, do you like my new look?" He walked farther into the kitchen and made a sharp turn about a foot past Jesse's chair.
"It's definately different. Not that I don't like it. It's just" Her words were interrupted by the sound of Hadji's watch beeping.
"I hate to be rude, but it is time to go if you do not wish to be late for the first day of school. Again." Jesse put her bowl in the sink and went beside Jonny to get her booksack from the corner of the kitchen.
"Hadji, you know that we have not once been late for the first day. It's just every day after that we have trouble with," Jesse argued. The three teens headed towards the car. It was a short drive to school but Hadji insisted since the last time they walked they both got kidnapped. When they got to school, they went to their lockers, which were right beside eachother. While Jonny was getting his books, he kept noticing girls stopping in dead stares all over the hallway. He gave a slight smirk. 'Do they have any idea how *stupid* they look?' He left right behind Jesse as they headed to their first class.
6 hours later...(during 6th hour)
Jonny looked over the feild. Sports always began early at Rockport. And so did cheerleading. Speaking of which, Jesse was probably hanging around with her PE friends. As he expected, they were trying to convince her to join something. As he watched, he saw a jock wave to her out of the corner of his eye. When he turned to Jesse again, she snapped her head back from something and then nodded. He wasn't too far away, so he was able to make out something about a new cheer- leader. Then it clicked. Jesse was joining the cheerleading squad. Jesse. Jonny wanted to slap himself at the thought of Jesse Bannon in one of the outfits. He felt faint. Then something else clicked.
"Oh man! Cheerleaders only date jocks! Now I don't have a chance. Unless.." Jonny made a bee-line for the coach's office.
1 hour later, at the compound......
Jesse and Jonny both sat down at the kitchen table for an afternoon snack.
"So, kids, how was school today?" asked Race.
"Fine, Dad," said Jesse. She pulled out a piece of paper. "Here, I need you to sign this. I decided to join something this year."
"Oh, I need you to sign something, too, Dad." Jonny handed Dr. Quest a paper like Jesse's. Dr. Quest and Race shared a similar look.
"Jesse, since when have you become interested in cheerleading?"
"I don't know. I just am. If you'll let me join, could you sign that now? 'Cause the first practice is in ten minutes."
"OK."
"Jonny, aren't you a bit out of proportion for football?"
"I went to the coach and he told that if I gained twenty pounds in two weeks, I would be perfect. And sports all practice on the same day, so I need to know now if I can play."
"Can't see why not. Try not to go over-board with the weight, though."
"K, Dad." Dr. Quest used Race's pen after he was through signing Jesse's slip and they gave the slips to their kids. Jonny looked at his watch then picked up his rather strange sandwich wrapped in a papertowel. He followed Jesse out the door as they headed to practice. Hadji said that if they got kidnapped, they had cellphones. He didn't feel like reliving that morning's trip. At practice, Jonny had some trouble with the other jocks about his size. The quarterback, Lou Isalopawo, seemed to be ignoring everyone as he stared off towards the distance. Jonny thought there was something familiar about him, but couldn't point it out. He thought it best not to worry. Practice continued and as soon as it was over Lou was the first to get to the lockers. When Jonny got home, Jesse was already there. She had a strange look on her face.
"Jonny, you will never believe what happened."
"What's that?"
"Right as I was going to the locker room, the quarterback for the football team, you know Lou Isalopawo, asked me out on a date." Jonny's pulse stopped.
"Uh, what did you say?"
"Well, at first I didn't know how to respond. But then all the other girls were like 'oh my god!' and all my friends were whispering stuff like 'Girl, you were just asked out by the cutest guy on the football team. Not only that, but he's the quarterback and captain too!' So, I thought and I thought. And I turned to him and said, in my prepiest voice," Jonny prepared for the worst, "'Yeah, right!'" Jonny liked to have a stroke.
"You told him what?" He tried not to laugh as he spoke.
"I told him to forget it. I mean, if the other girls love him so much, then why don't they go out with him. Besides, I told him I'm waiting for someone particular to ask me." Jonny thanked every god he could think of. He followed Jesse as she walked into the living room, where their fathers were waiting to hear about practice. After a little discussion, the teens talked about when the next practice was and then everyone went to bed to get an early start on the next day.
1 week later...
"Well, Jonny," smiled the coach, "looks like you've gained enough weight in time for the big game. Now you can practice with the real team and play with the big boys."
"Oh thanks, coach."
"Sorry, didn't mean to sound like I was calling you little. Heck, even if you were, I'd tell you different. Lord knows, you're the best player on my team. I never knew you had such talent."
"I'm not that good."
"Are you kidding me, you're the best. The way you're going, you'll be in varsity in no time."
"Varsity? Me? No way, coach. I just wanna play until I can't. No serious stuff for me."
"Whatever you say, kid, but you're missing out. You best get out there and start praticing if you wanna be ready. Especially if you wanna show off for the cheerleaders."
"Ha. Ha. Well, see you on the feild, coach."
"See ya, kid."
The season went on, but Jonny felt lonely. He finally decided to ask Jesse out after a practice on a Friday afternoon. Things were pretty normal, until the end when he noticed a bunch of guys gathered around laughing and carrying on about something. He moved into the crowd to see who was in the middle. Big surprise that it just happened to be Lou. He listened in to what was being said.
"Now, she didn't want to break her friends hearts, so while we were in front of them she flat out refused. But later, about three minutes after everyone else had left, she came up to me and gave me the sweetest kiss ever. And as I said, all that came up to last night, and a score straight out of my dreams." Jonny fumed.
"I think you mean you were dreaming it all happened, Lou."
"Oh, is that so, shrimp? And how would you know?" He stood up in front of Jonny as a ring started to form.
"Well, first of all because Jesse got home before I did the first day of practice so there's no way she could've stayed three minutes after everyone else had left. Secondly, she's been home every night for the past few months. Now that we've cleared that up, let's discuss what you've been saying about her."
"How do you know she didn't sneak out at night? Do you watch her while she sleeps, or something?" asked Lou, getting obviously aggitated. Jonny hated to admit this.
"Actually, yes. That's how I know you're just trying to fake a score. Now, as I said, let's talk about what you've been saying about her. I don't like it when people scar my friend's name."
"Look who's talking, peepers. I think you're just saying that cause you're a jealous little shrimp." Jonny felt the straw hit his back. He spat on Lou's shoe. Lou swung but missed and got hit hard in return. The fight went on like that until Jesse came running up to pull Jonny off the badly bruised quarterback.
"Jonny, what is wrong with you?"
"Jesse, that jerk was talking trash about you. He said you were secretly dating and that last night he 'scored.'" Jesse looked at Lou in disgust. She rared back and slammed into his stomach. As Lou rolled back and his arm went flying up, Jonny finally recognized him. He was the jock that had waved to Jesse the first day of school. Jonny walked over and kicked Lou's side."Come on, Jess, let's go." Jonny decided not to ask Jesse out then. He thought it best to wait until the hat fell over the slashing Lou had done to Jesse. Over the next few weeks, Lou got kicked out of school for being a trouble maker and Jonny became a hero in school. He was doing so good at football that he couldn't even walk to his locker without hearing another comment.
"Hey Jonny, good game."
"Thanks Paul."
"Yo Jonny, nice play."
"Yea, thanks Josh." Jonny and Jesse walked up to their lockers.
"Jonny, it looks like you've become some football star."
"Guess so, Jess. Look, we need to talk."
"Um, OK. Bout what?"
"Well, come out of the hallway traffic. I was sort of wondering if you might go out with me. You know, be my girlfriend." Jesse looked slightly shocked.
"Jonny, come over here. Into the shadows." Jonny followed her. When they were hidden, he got the obvious version of Jesse's answer. The rest of the day, they stayed close together, holding hands.
At the end of the day...
Jonny smiled as he walked onto the field. It was the finals game and they were playing a team with a record of mental illness, and championship trophies. Jonny was the first name announced for the line up.
"Go Jonny!" yelled Jesse as she did a split in the air, clapping with her pom-poms as she landed. Jonny started a hoot from the stands holding back all the cheers for the football hero. After his team had all been intro-ed, the crowd for Rockport went quiet with the first name.
"Starting line-up," said the announcer, "quarterback and captain: nuumber 32, Lou Isalopawo." Lou walked out onto the feild and waited as the rest of his team was intro-ed. When the starting four members of line-up were called to center- field for the cointoss, Lou walked up face-to-face to Jonny.
"You're mine, shrimp. And then, after I'm through pounding you into the ground, while the trophie is being handed over I'm gonna pull Jesse up while my team recieves. And then I'm givin' her a big kiss and I'm winning her, too. I'm winning her, and bringing her home. And then let's see who's faking a score." Jonny stared straight at Lou and clenched his teeth.
"Just try it." The cointoss gave the ball to Rockport. In the time it took Jonny to cross the field, the first touchdown was scored. Lou had tried to stop him, but didn't realize just what Jonny could do when he was angry. Like run through metal walls. The game continued and, after a bit, the score was tied. It was the final quarter. There was only enought time to get to the goal and score. The hike, and Jonny was off. Ten feet from the goal, Lou found his chance and went slamming into Jonny's back, forcing Jonny to toss the ball to a member a few feet away. Rockport made the final touchdown and won, but when the team scrambled to raise their heroes, Jonny was still on the ground.
"Somethings wrong," said Dr. Quest and Jesse in unison. Jesse looked around a second then dropped her pom-poms and ran up to Jonny's body.
"Jonny. Jonny come on, get up." Some team members helped her flip him over. He was out cold. "Jonny! Somebody help! Somebody, please! He's hurt bad!" She scooted back as the ambulance team from off field came up to Jonny's side. She heard someone laughing and turned to see Lou standing just out of the crowd. She ran up to him. "What are you laughing about, jerk? Jonny's seriously hurt!"
"I know! That's why I'm laughing. Mr. Big stay-away-from-my-friend-or-else- I'll-hurt-you get's hospitalized. You know what that means, right? It means that he can't tell you anymore lies. Now come here, and gimme what's mine."
"Alright." Lou gave a predicting smile. Jesse wrapped her hands around his neck. "Here you go." She pulled, until her knee came up and hit him right in the soft spot. Lou sprawled on the ground. "The next time you decide to screw with some girls life and reputation, make sure there isn't anyone she might be going out with. You might just still be able to have children." She bent down and slapped him hard across the face then turned and walked away. She followed the ambulance team and went in the truck on the way to the hospital.
1 hour later, at the hospital...
"Oh man, I feel like I've been hit by a truck."
"Well, Jonny, judging by that guys size, I'd say you were."
"Yea, Lou is sorta big. Hey, where's Jesse?"
"She's in the lounge."
"Did Lou confront her after the game? I swear, if he even pretended to touch her"
"Don't worry, Jonny. The only one who got hurt was Lou. Man, she hurt him bad." They all laughed a bit. Jesse walked to the door. "Well, speak of the devil. Jess, didn't you say you were going to change?"
"Well, I didn't have my stuff with me. So I decided I'd just stay on this for awhile. How you feel, Jonny?" As she and Jonny starting talking, Race walked out of the room.
"What's that you got?"
"Oh, I got some stuff from the machines in the lounge. Here, I got this for you."
"Thanks. Oh, hello doctor." Jesse turned around to see Dr. Cross and their dads enter the room. "So, what's the news?"
"Hello, Jonny. You can go home as soon as you feel like walking. However, I'm afraid you can no longer play football."
"What? But I had just decided to stick with it throughout the rest of high school. The coach told me I had real potential. Now what am I supposed to do?"
"Well, you'll just have to find a different sport. I'm sorry, Jonny, but your back is too weak to risk it. If you play football again, one hit could mean paralysis. I'm sorry." Jonny looked up at Jesse. She shook her head. He nodded.
"OK. But I won't have to worry about a different sport. Football is the only sport I'm good at. Well, could someone help me with my stuff. I'd like to go as soon as possible, please." Jesse helped him out of bed as the doctor left the room. When all his stuff was together, they all went home.
The next day, at school...
"Jon-ny! Jon-ny!" The whole hall cheered as he entered school. One of the other cheerleaders asked Jesse how Jonny was when they reached their lockers. Jesse told her and asked how the celebration was after the award ceremony.
"It was OK, Jess, but it wasn't the same without the hero there."
"Oh."
6 hours later....
"Jonny, good to see your back already. What's with the equipment?"
"Coach, the equipment's yours. I can't play football anymore. I won't be needing this stuff anymore." With that, Jonny walked to the bleechers. They were in the gym since football season was over. Most of them were on the floor playing basketball. Jonny watched them. He turned from them when he heard someone call his name. He saw Jesse waving frantically for him to come down and join her. He decided to since he had nothing better to do.
"Hey Jonny. If all you're gonna do is sit and look depressive, you might as well sit with your girlfriend. Good boy."
"Oh, thanks. Now I'm a puppy dog."
"Sorry, couldn't help it. Besides, you are pretty cute and cuddly. Hmhmhm. Jonny, look out!" Jonny felt something whollup his head. He grabbed the ball that had hit him.
"Hey watch it, you guys!" He threw the ball, and made the basket on the other side of the court.
"Jonny?"
"Yea, coach?"
"Come here to the three point line."
"Why?"
"Take this ball, and shoot." Jonny shot and made it again. The coach seemed stunned. "Jonny, what are the restrictions for you to be able to play a sport?"
"It can't in any way involve the chance that I'll get hit in the back."
"Jonny, basketball tryouts are in two days. Get some white socks and shoes." Jonny looked at Jesse. She seemed as amazed as the coach. He went and sat back down next to her.
"Jonny, how did you do that?"
"I don't know. I just shot and it sorta went in. Jess, do you think I have a chance at this?"
"Jonny, no I don't. I *know* that you will blow this through the roof.
3 days later, 6th hour.....
"K guys. Now you'll get to learn who made the cut. Yes, Jonny?"
"Coach, aren't cuts when you're cut from the team?"
"That's baseball, kid. Now, on to the team." The coach started calling out names and positions. Then came the last position: captain. Everyone left gulped. "As for captain, I could say it was a tough decision, but being a christian forbids me from lying." Everyone but Jonny moaned. Then they stood up, picked Jonny up by the arms, and placed him on the court with the rest of the team. The coach smiled. "Nice to see you're such good sports, boys." Jonny looked towards Jesse. She smiled and mouthed, "That's my boy." Jonny gave a lop-sided grin as what was happening dawned on him. As he realized just what this meant. He walked off the court as PE practice time began. He walked up to Jesse. Everyone was staring at him. He picked her up and stood her on the bench. She was turning slightly red. Jonny smiled as he picked up his water bottle and flipped off the lid.
"Jesse, I owe you this. Whether you understand it or not, it's thanks to you that all this is happening. So, to make sure I'm not dreaming, I want you to take this water, and pour it over my head." Everyone laughed.
"I have a feeling I'm going to regret this but, hey if you say so." She tipped the bottle and everyone watched as the water splashed over Jonny and he shook his head like a dog under the mini-waterfall. Everyone laughed, especially Jesse. Jonny extended a hand to help her down off the bench. As she started to head back to her friends, she felt something weird. Just then, Jonny, in his incredibly wet shirt, picked her up from behind. "I knew you'd do this! I knew that somehow I would regret it!" The whole gym filled with laughter.
1 month later.....
Things went on pretty normally for a while. Jonny was even more of a sports hero than ever. But to him, the most important thing was how close he and Jesse were getting. He was having such a run of it that he didn't notice when the varsity coach starting checking out the team about 1/4 through the season. He didn't realize it until the middle of the season, when varsity games began. And the varsity coach, coach Wilkins, told him about it rather forwardly.
"Your name is Jonny Quest, right?"
"Yes sir."
"First practice is next Wednesday at the varsity sports gym. Be there or else the team will be stuck practicing without a captain." Jonny looked at him in shock.
"Uhh, whatever you say, coach Wilkins." As captain, Jonny had a lot to do for the team. Jesse started to feel a little neglected. But she supported him and signed up for 1st squadron cheerleaders so she could be with him during practices. The season passed, and Jonny picked up trophy after trophy for competition after competition. When the season ended, he decided to try his hand at other smaller sports. He was soon considered the most natural athlete ever born. He also recieved a great deal of praise. Then there was summer. The end of his second year of high school, and the beginning of 3 months of adventure. First they all took vacation to visit Hadji's mother in Bangalore for a week. Then they were off to Manhattan to visit Jonny's cousins, the Storms. To Jonny's surprise, his cousin, called Torch, just had a new basketball court set up. Jonny was able to practice every day he was there with Torch and his buddies. No one, not even Torch, could believe Jonny had just turned 17. The rest of the summer went as usual. With the exception of Jonny shooting hoops whenever he got the chance. The Quest team saved the world a few more times, Jesse went on vacation with her mom, and then she returned a few days before school started. After it did, Jonny was dying to get out there and help the football team. But even if he was willing to risk his back, Jesse wasn't. And he did not plan on risking a fight. So he waited it out, then wanted to sing at the top of his lungs when basketball season started. Once again he was chosen for varsity, only this time there was something different about the championship game. A scout from the Maine NBA team had been sent to check out the freshest talent. After the game was won, he took a stroll down to the cheering team, surrounded by fans and relatives. He noticed Dr. Quest as the closest to the captain and guessed he was the father. As the team started to move towards consessions, the scout pulled Dr. Quest aside to talk to him. Things started to die down when the team started talking about going out to celebrate after getting cleaned up and dressed. In the gym, the rest of the Quest team saw Dr. Quest and joined him.
"Jonny, this is Mr. Whightey Jordan. He's a scout for the Maine NBA team. He says he was interested in whether or not you would like to try out or not."
"What?! I'm 17, and he wants to know if I want to try out for the NBA team? It just doesn't seem very realistic."
"I know, young Mr. Quest, but sometimes the less realistic things seem, the more real they are. Try outs are last throughout next week. I have a feeling that you have a very good chance of making it." With that, Mr. Jordan walked off, leaving Jonny with a card allowing him to make a choice. Either keep playing school b-balll til graduation, or try out for the chance of a life time and go through months of training on a team that was hardly even recognized in the US. Then again, if they went on a winning streak, they might not be so ignored. This would be a challenge. Jonny always liked a challenge.
"Hello, Mr. Jordan? Yes, this is Jonny Quest. Try outs begin Monday? Then put me on the list." That week seemed to pass quicker than any other. But the time it took to find out the results didn't pass quick enough. It was the middle of May, two weeks before school was out. The phone in the living room rang and Jesse was the first one to get to it. When she hung up, she had this funny look.
"Jonny, that was Mr. Jordan. He was in the coach's office." She talked with a disappointed tone.
"What did he say, Jess?" Everyone was eagar to know. Jesse gave a weak smile.
"Well, to put it in terms with a less blow, he said I couldn't travel on the team bus anymore." Jonny's eyes widened.
"Yahoo!" After the initial cheering, the Quest team went out to celebrate. Jonny showed up for the team meeting where all the new and old members got a chance to really meet. Everyone was wearing a suit. Even Jonny, though at first the idea was killing him. Then Jesse said that of he would agree then she would go with him to find a comfortable one that was still proper. The meeting lasted about an hour. Coach Jones introduced all of the members. Big surprise there were no contract players. Still, even if there were they would most likely have been ignored. Most of the members were more interested in talking to the youngest person to ever make a national team. After the meeting, Jesse met Jonny in Race's car. They were going on a celebration date. As he got in, Jesse flipped up the ponytail that he had grown over the past few months. "I really wish you wouldn't do that, Jess."
"I'm your girlfriend. I can do whatever I want."
"Puh, whatever."
The next week...
Jonny thanked God when graduation ended. He had been to go since the school was going to be honoring the varsity team for their past two years of excellence and most of the players were Seniors. Jonny had to give a speech, which is when he announced his new position. One of the Seniors laughed.
"Great. Now not only will he be richer and a better player than the rest of us, but he'll be famous and and even more rich!" Everyone thought it was funny, especially Jonny.
"Yea, keep footin' it, Kyle." After the ceremony, Jonny went into the gym. All sports were over, so it was going to be locked after the day was over. He looked around. Jesse was the only one to see him sneak away, so she followed. She watched as he went through all the winning plays he had gone through on the team. He turned after hanging on the hoop a bit. Jesse walked to him and he went to meet her at half court. Jesse smiled as she looked around the way Jonny had.
"You're gonna miss this place, aren't you?"
"Yea. But I'm gonna need the money from my little contract with the NBA."
"Jonny, you have at least four rich cousins. And that's only the ones I've met. Why would you need to earn money?"
"Well, I guess that's true. But other than the money, it's for the game, you know. The challenge. I'll be playing against people with talent like mine. I'll actually be stopped by someone. Anyway, my family believes in always paying debts. I owe some of my cousins for some loans the gave me a little while ago."
"Oh, sort of a code of honor thing, right? Well, I can understand that, but what did you need money for?" Jonny pulled something from his pocket. He wrapped his arms around Jesse's waist, pulling her hands back and her close.
"For this." Jesse felt something heavy slip on her finger. She pulled her hand to her face.
"Oh Jonny." She hugged him. They drew back a bit, then pulled slowly into a kiss. While their eyes were closed, everyone that knew them (which was about half the school) silently assembled in the gym. Someone started to clap. As Jesse and Jonny drew apart, the entire gym joined in. They smiled and put their forheads together.
After summer...
Jonny became very famous. Even though he was positive someone would stop him, not even Shaq could get in the way of his shots. He made the Maine team one of the most well known teams in the United States. He recieved many offers from other teams, but turned them down. He said one reason was because he could never leave his home state.
"However," he said at a press conference, "the main reason is that there is no way in Tartarus that I will ever put my wife, Jesse Bannon Quest, in the position of having to decide whether or not she wanted to move away from the house that she's lived in for over six years." He smiled, off screen Jesse blushed, and everyone watching TV applauded.
The End?