Good Morning Jamie

AUTHOR'S NOTE

All characters depicted in this story are at least 18 years of age or older. Thank you for reading!

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Timothy woke early, before his alarm. He groaned and rubbed his eyes that felt like they were full of sand. He had been up very late texting with his friend Jamie, so waking up early was not welcome. Not at all.

After turning off his alarm and lounging in bed in a fruitless effort to vanquish his grogginess, Timothy went through his morning routine. Once complete, he threw on his jacket and backpack and was out the door, on his way to school. About half a block from his house he saw Jamie, her long dark brown hair streaming behind her, as she jogged towards him. A bright smile lit her face, a wonderfully common occurrence.

Tim's heart beat faster and his mind raced at the sight of her. She was magnificent.

Understand, Jamie wasn't a girl who would ever grace a magazine cover. She was pretty and slender but, to Timothy, it was her personality that enchanted him. That was what set her apart from other girls.

After the brief intense moment of thrill at seeing her, Tim's face broke out in a big smile to match his friend's.

Next came the highlight of Tim's day, almost every day. As Jamie reached him, she threw her arms around him in a brief but enthusiastic hug. Tim returned the affectionate greeting, thrilled that Jamie always seemed so happy to see him.

"Good morning Tim!" Her ever-playful voice warming Tim's heart.

Tim returned the greeting and the pair proceeded to walk side by side to school, deep in animated discussion about anything and everything.

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Tim had a miserable morning. He had completely forgotten to do his physics homework the night before, possibly due to his conversation with Jamie, and got a few choice words and a nasty look from his teacher. In chemistry, Tim's lab partner had made a mistake in mixing chemicals and caused a beaker to explode. The glass container had been in directly in front of Tim at the time. Initially he was so worried about making sure he hadn't been hit in the face with flying glass that he didn't realize a small piece had embedded itself in the back of his right hand. Once the instructor saw the blood pouring out of his hand, Tim was hurried off to see the nurse.

Therefore, it was understandable that Tim was in a foul mood when he strode into the lunch room. However, when Jamie spotted him and gave him that big beautiful smile his mood instantly improved.

Sitting across from his friend, Tim pulled out his lunch and for a time they both ate in silence.

Just as she finished her lunch, Jamie's gaze finally zoned in on Tim's bandaged hand. "What happened to your hand?" Her concern evident in her voice.

"Lab accident. Pat messed up the chemical mixture in the beaker and it exploded. It's fine really, the nurse got the glass out of my hand and bandaged it up." Tim was silently pleased at Jamie's concern.

Jamie picked up his hand, placed a slight peck on the clean bandage, and placed it back down on the table. She giggled lightly. "I'm glad you are okay and it was just a small injury. I hope I made it better."

Tim's hand, now completely devoid of pain, tingled pleasantly from Jamie's attention. He decided that now was the time. Time to put into motion what his heart and mind had been insisting for months that he do.

"Jamie..."

Jamie had an expectant look on her face, somewhat surprised by Tim's serious and hesitant tone.

"You... you are an awesome friend. My best... friend..."

At this point Jamie's smile was as bright and happy as any Tim had ever seen from her.

"I want to always be your friend, but it is time to admit that I want mo-"

"TIMMY!" The familiar booming voice carried across the lunch room as Ben dropped into the chair beside him.

Tim managed to stifle his irritation at being interrupted and smiled at Ben, clapping his best male friend on the back.

Ben grinned and greeted Jamie warmly.

Jamie smiled slightly at Ben but looked troubled, distracted.

Tim began to worry at Jamie's distracted look, a knot of anxiety settling in his stomach. He realized there was not much he could do about it at the moment though, aside from giving her a reassuring smile.

Ben then engaged Tim in gaming talk and the rest of their break slipped away in the conversation.

Jamie was silent and continued to look distracted throughout the conversation, quite unusual for her normal bubbly self.

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Tim, upset with himself for forgetting to do his homework the previous night, did all of his homework for the weekend immediately when he got home. Jamie had had a spare last period and left school early, so Tim had walked home alone.

Tim, now done with his work, finally let himself be concerned about how Jamie had reacted to his interrupted, but obvious in intent, question. She did not seem pleased.

Despite that, Tim decided he had to get over his worry and finish asking her out. He felt a deep affection for his friend, affection that he knew went well beyond friendship, and felt a stubborn determination to explore it.

After changing into a t-shirt and shorts, he pushed aside his apprehension, and jogged the two blocks between his house and Jamie's.

Tim knocked on the front door and waited patiently. A few long moments later, the door swung open to the smiling face of Jamie's mother. Jamie was almost an exact replica of her mother, just 25 years younger. They shared the pretty features, dark brown hair, blue eyes, and easy, bright smile.

"Tim! Come in. Are you looking for Jamie?" Jamie's mom had always been very welcoming and friendly to him.

"Thanks Ms. Thompson. Yeah, I am."

"She's upstairs in her room dear... and for the millionth time, call me Helen!"

"Thanks Helen!" I said with a smile before kicking my shoes off and running up the stairs to Jamie's room.

I knocked on the door gently and waited. The door opened slowly to reveal Jamie's smile. Subdued in comparison to her usual but still present.

"Hi." The greeting was shy and quiet but warm.

"Hey Jamie... can I come in?"

Her head nodded and she stepped aside, opening the door wider to let him in and closed it behind him.

Tim sat on her bed and looked around the room. It was very familiar to him... he had seen the inside of this room hundreds of times over the years that he had known Jamie. His nerves were kicking into high gear and he was fighting a hard battle internally to stay calm. It disturbed him that the usual outgoing and bubbly girl was so withdrawn. His determination to finish his question from lunch did not waver, however.

Jamie joined him on the bed but sat well away from him, settling down in the middle of the bed with her back against the headboard and her arms around her knees.

Tim knew he had to just ask... his resolve would only last so long.

"Jamie, I got interrupted at lunch. I need to finish asking this question. Will you go out with me this weekend?"

Jamie sat there, staring at the bedspread with her face partially hidden behind her knees.

Her lack of response deeply worried Tim and he felt the need to break the awkward silence that fell on the room like a wet blanket. "I know it is short notice... it being Friday already, so if you are busy... I would be more than happy to make it another day, if you want."

Finally she looked at Tim with a puzzled expression. "Why me?" The question hanging in the air... almost as if written in smoke.

Tim smiled and collected his thoughts and feelings for a moment.

"You are an awesome friend. You make me happy every time I see you. You are beautiful in every way and I think about you all the time. Jamie, I know you are worried but I am not trying to replace our friendship with something else. I want to build on it. I understand if you don't want to go out with me. I can take it, I will be okay and I will still be your best friend... but I do want more if you are willing to give it a shot."

Jamie couldn't help but smile at the wonderful things Tim said. It still wasn't as carefree and radiant as he was used to but much better than before. She was still silent, however.

"Jamie... a penny for your thoughts? I know they don't make them anymore but I can probably find one."

Jamie giggled and threw a pillow at his head. "You're a goof."

It did, however, get her talking.

"I am just trying to sort out how I feel. It is hard. I mean... part of me is thrilled at the thought of going out with you Tim. I... really like you. I'm terrified at what could go wrong though... I can't lose you, I need you in my life. You are my best friend..." Jamie's voice broke and a few tears rolled down her cheeks, her pain at even imagining a future without the friendship quite evident.

Tim moved to settle down beside her on the bed, and drew her into an embrace. He held her like that for several minutes until she calmed down and then drawing back, gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Jamie gave him a smile and a quiet, "Thank you Tim."

She sat silently for a long time. Finally, after what felt to Tim like years, she said, "Tim, this is not a dismissal, but I need to do my homework and think for awhile. I will come to your house later and I will tell you my answer... maybe we can hang out for the evening? It is Friday night after all."

Tim smiled and nodded, looking much more confident than he felt.

Jamie walked him to the door and they exchanged a final hug before Tim left to go home.

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Tim was going stir crazy. He couldn't distract himself from thoughts of Jamie and her impending arrival. He realized he had been quite short with his parents all evening and made a mental note to apologize to them later.

He had forced himself to give her time, not giving way to the urge to text Jamie.

Finally, after hours of worrying and wondering, he heard a knock on the front door. Tim jumped up and ran up the stairs from the basement to answer the door. He opened the door to another shy smile from Jamie. He quickly led her inside to the basement which he occupied, his parents mostly staying upstairs. Before they got to the couch in the living room, Jamie grabbed Tim's wrist and turned him to face her.

Tim looked down at Jamie and saw the nervousness he felt mirrored in her... and then he saw her eyes well up. He felt his stomach drop. Then with water eyes, a huge smile broke out on her face and she nodded, pulling him into a fierce hug and whispering in his ear, "Yes. Yes I will. I would love to go out with you."

Astonishment burst out across Tim's features and he pushed her back briefly to see her face. The familiar wide, radiant smile greeted him and he instantly pulled her back into an embrace.

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The new couple watched movies, YouTube videos, and whatever else suited their fancy. They were inseparable all evening, cuddling close together on the couch and being generally affectionate more or less constantly.

When they finished watching the last movie of the night, Sunshine, it was very late... after 2 AM. They each yawned and stood up to stretch, needing it after being tangled together all evening.

Contrary to what would seem "normal" to most people, and probably a topic that gave their parents fits, Jamie and Tim often had sleepovers. They always had since they became friends. Both sets of parents had brought it up as perhaps a practice they should stop but they always resisted fiercely, they had always enjoyed it and never saw good reason to stop. Plus, they never gave their parents enough reason to insist that they cease.

So, it was natural when Tim just started setting up the couch as a bed... sheet, blanket, and pillows. Jamie smiled and thanked him.

They each went about their nightly routine... it was common enough for her to stay over that she had stashed a simple toothbrush and a few other supplies in Tim's bathroom.

When they were each ready for bed, Tim embraced Jamie in a long hug and gave her light kiss on the cheek.

"Good night Jamie. I hope you sleep well!"

"You too Tim..." And then with a sly smile she added, "Dream of me." Then she turned and went to curl up on the couch.

A big grin on his face, Tim went off to his own bed, stripping down to his boxers before climbing in. Despite his excitement at the way the evening had gone, it had been an emotionally exhausting day and combined with his lack of sleep the night before, he soon drifted off.

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Tim woke up to a pitch black room. At first he wasn't sure what woke him, but then he felt someone getting into his bed. Still groggy from sleep, he was a little alarmed for a moment. Then the events of the day rushed back to him and a huge unseen smile broke on his face.

Without a word, Jamie curled up with Tim and buried her face in his chest. Tim wrapped his arms around her, and after a brief exploration with his hands that made her giggle, he realized that she was wearing her t-shirt and panties but nothing else.

A few minutes later, they were fast asleep again.

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Tim woke to sunlight pouring in through the window in his room. Jamie's pretty face greeted him, her bright blue eyes glowing with happiness.

"Good morning Tim."

Instead of replying immediately, Tim pulled her close and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Their first kiss. Jamie responded eagerly and soon their tongues connected. The kiss seemed interminable to the young couple but did finally end after a few minutes.

"Good morning Jamie."

The End