#The show doesn't let Jakeem interact with the rest of the JSA so I took matters into my own hands

[granolabird]

Beth Chapel Doesn’t get Jealous

Hournite week day 4: Jealousy

(We’re already on day 4?? This is so weird to me it feels like we’re still on day 2)

...

Beth Chapel doesn’t get jealous. It’s not something she does. When she lost the 4th grade spelling bee, she didn’t cry or fight over the trophy. She went to go talk to the winner and learn how they’d learned how to spell charcuterie (A word she didn’t even know at the time, hence her loss.) The eighth grade debate team loss had a similar outcome, as did her loss at the talent show. Beth didn’t get jealous in any of those situations. In fact she was always happier for whoever did win. So what was so different now? 

Well, a lot of things were different if she thought about it technically. This wasn't her losing some stupid school competition, this was her losing Rick. Okay, maybe losing was a little too dramatic of a term, but really that’s how she felt. Ever since Cindy had decided to start sitting at the not-losers table, things had changed. Namely, Cindy’s ex-best friend Jenny Williams had started coming around again. 

Nobody on the team had quite figured out whether she was trying to make her way back into Cindy’s life to cause havoc, or was trying to win her back over, but either way she had apparently set her sights on Rick. For Rick’s part, he really was oblivious to the situation. Every time Jenny passes by the table, or his desk in class, she makes sure to wave to Rick. He usually tries his best to give her a small wave back, but it’s clear that he has no idea why she would bother waving to him. Beth knows though. She can tell when someone has a crush (As someone who has one herself) and she knows that Jenny has a crush on Rick. Or maybe she’s just pretending to, to get close to Cindy or maybe- Beth always tries to stop her thought train when it goes too far. She should be fine with this, she shouldn’t be upset, Jenny isn’t doing any harm, but Beth can’t help it. She finally felt like things were moving forward with Rick, like they might actually become something more than friends, and then Jenny had to go ahead and throw a wrench in the plans. So, Beth has made the decision to figure it out. She has to know why Jenny was so interested in Rick.

Which is what has led Beth to where she is now. Sitting across from Jakeem at the Pit Stop, huddled over a table like they’re planning some sort of heist. The rest of the team isn’t here yet, but it’s supposed to be a full team meeting so everyone is going to show up soon. They have to be quick. 

Jakeem is looking around terrified, like he’s done something wrong, and Beth realises really she just pulled him aside and said “I need to talk to you.” 

He has no idea what’s going on. 

“Is this about the whole incident with the library couch blowing up? Because that wasn’t me, that was Mike.” He asks, looking guiltily at the floor.

“The what? You know what, I probably don’t even want to know. No, Jakeem, I just wanted to ask about your sister.” Beth explains with a shake of her head, deciding she should probably mention something about that to Pat later.

“Jenny? What about her, is she in trouble?” Jakeem’s demeanour changes instantly as he becomes more concerned.

“No, I mean, not yet-”

“What?”

“It’s not a superhero problem, don't worry. At least, I don’t think it’s a superhero problem.”

“Is she doing drugs? Did you see her-”

“No! Jakeem, calm down, please. It’s just that… I think she has a crush on Rick.”

Jakeem makes a face of confusion, blinking a few times while he tries to process what Beth’s just said. “On Rick? Like, our team Rick? Like, the grumpy, everyone in town hates him, always looks like he wants to rip someone’s head off Rick?”

“Well, I wouldn’t attest to that description, but yeah, that’s the one.”

“There’s no way! He’s not her type!”

“That’s what I was thinking!” Beth feels at least a little bit better that Jakeem is having the same train of thought as her.

“How do you know she likes him?”

As Beth describes Jenny’s strange behaviour around her best friend to Jakeem, a look slowly crosses his face. He grows seemingly more puzzled as her explanation continues, clearly putting thought into what Beth is saying.

“She’s definitely up to something.” He confirms, resting his head on his hand as he tries to think about what this could all mean.

“I was thinking that, but I wasn’t sure.” Beth agrees.

“But what? Jenny doesn’t flirt like that. In all the years I’ve known her, which is all my years, she’s had a few boyfriends, and never has she been so vague in her flirting.”

“How do you even know how she flirts?”

Jakeem looks around the room to make sure nobody is listening before he explains;

“Oh! She used to practice asking guys out with her teddy bear. Actually she probably still does, but that’s besides the point. She’s gotta be planning something. Do you think she knows about the JSA?”

“To Cindy? But she hates Cindy!” Jakeem exclaims, accidentally knocking a piece of paper off the table and sending it floating across the room.

Beth decides to willingly ignore the start of that sentence, and focus on the latter half.

“Maybe. I thought she was trying to use him to get closer to Cindy.”

“Exactly. She gets close to Rick, uses him to take away all Cindy’s friends, and then Cindy is left all alone. It’s the perfect plot.” Beth explains, but Jakeem shakes his head in response.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so, Jenny isn’t that mean. If anything she’s probably just using him to get closer to Cindy to make amends. That’s more her speed.”

“But does she even want to make amends?” Beth asks, and once again she’s met with a head shake.

“No. She said to me once that she ‘never wanted to go near that bad influence bitch ever again.’ Sorry for swearing. It was a quote.”

“I don’t care if you- nevermind. Obviously there’s something more at play.”

“Do you think she’s being mind controlled? Mike said there was a guy who could mind control.”

Beth sighs. Of course Mike would bring up Brainwave.

“That guy was Brainwave, and he’s dead. So is his son. It’s not either of them.”

Jakeem gives a defeated huff. “Then what’s going on?”

“That’s what we have to find out.”Beth tells him.

Jakeem looks at her and gives a grim nod, sealing their fate. They were going to have to go on their own secret mission to figure out exactly what was going on.

The next day at school sets their plan into action. It’s lunch, and the JSA group is all sitting at their table. Mike and Jakeem are only a few tables away, and Jakeem is watching the table like a hawk, waiting for his sister’s inevitable arrival. Beth is chatting with Rick idly about their math homework, while Courtney and Yolanda talk about some new show they’d both started watching. Just as Cindy arrives, her chair scraping across the cafeteria floor, Beth spots Jenny. She’s just exited the food line, and is now, as per usual, headed past their table. She walks by with a grin, and looks right at Rick.

“Hey!” she says with a smile and a wave. 

Beth and Rick glance at each other, then back to Jenny. 

“Hey Jenny. How are you?” Beth asks, and instantly Jenny looks over to her with a smile.

“I’m doing alright, thank you! Just thought I’d pop over and say hi, and see how you guys were doing.” 

And then Jenny walks away like it’s the most normal thing in the world. Beth shoots a glance over to Jakeem who looks just as confused as she feels, as he shrugs at her. The entire group has gone quiet now, all looking between each other with looks of varying befuddlement. Cindy is the first to break the silence.

“Why does she keep doing that?” She asks, looking disdainfully towards where Jenny has now sat down with her friends.

“I don’t know. Maybe she’s trying to just… be nice?” Courtney offers, but Cindy shakes her head.

“No. She’s definitely up to something.”

For once, somehow, Cindy and Beth are on the same page. Beth isn’t sure how she feels about that.

“People are allowed to be nice, Cindy.” Yolanda snaps, shooting Cindy a glare.

“Yes, but not Jenny. Not to me at least. She hates me.”

“That doesn’t mean she hates all of us. The world doesn’t revolve around you, Cindy” Rick grunts in response, and Cindy sighs, putting one hand on her forehead.

“Yeah yeah. Listen, someone at least talk to her, because it’s starting to freak me out a little. She doesn’t say hi to anyone elses tables so there’s clearly something going on here.” Cindy pauses for a moment, before she turns to Rick.

“You. Do you have any classes with Jenny?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Because she looked at you first out of everyone at the table. My bet is that she likes you.”

Rick gives a face of confusion, and spares another quick glance over to Beth.

“Me? She’s never even talked to me.”

“She does say hi to you in english every day.” Courtney offers, to which Rick responds with a side eye.

Cindy snaps her fingers with a smug smile.

“Exactly. There we go. She’s interested.”

The group all glance at each other in turn, then back to Cindy. 

“Maybe you should talk to her. She’s actually nice you know, despite abandoning me in my time of need.” Cindy says with a self-satisfied nod, as if she’s solved every problem in the world. 

In Beth’s world, she’s created even more.

“Maybe she wouldn’t have abandoned you, if you had been a better friend?” Yolanda says to Cindy, who just scoffs and shakes her head. Rick doesn’t say anything, seemingly becoming very interested in his ham sandwich. Beth decides that the situation is officially dire.

After lunch, Beth walks with Rick to their next class. He’s quiet as they walk so Beth does most of the talking, but she knows that something’s wrong. She takes a deep breath, and makes the executive decision to ask about the elephant in the room. In the hallway? It didn’t really matter. 

“So, the whole thing with Jenny…” Beth starts, but Rick immediately shakes his head.

“I don’t really wanna talk about it.” He grumbles, looking away.

Beth forces a grin, as she bumps him jokingly.

“Why not? I think it’s great that someone has a crush on you. Soon everyone in the school will be interested I’m sure.”

She’s just trying to lighten the situation despite all her feelings, but Rick doesn’t seem to get the memo. He just sends her an exasperated look.

“I don’t want everyone to be interested. I’d rather just be left alone.” He huffs, crossing his arms.

“Oh. I’m sorry. “ Beth says, and immediately Rick looks over to her with some concern, realising he’s been a bit too blunt with the situation.

“No, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to get upset, It’s just… I’m not… I just don’t want to have to let her down. She’s a really nice girl, I’m just not into her. Uh, that’s all.”

This is Beth’s chance.

“I can talk to her for you! I mean, if you’re not comfortable. I can just ask at first, and then if she says she likes you I’ll break the news. That way, you’re only tangentially related to the situation.” She offers, and Rick’s gaze softens as he gives her a smile.

“I can tell you’re serious because you’re bringing out the scrabble words.” He jokes, as they turn to walk into their shared math class.

“But yeah, honestly if you did that I’d probably forever be in your debt. Seriously. I’m just not good with people, I’d have no idea what to say.”

“Don’t even worry about it. I’m always happy to help.” Beth says with a shrug, as if this wasn’t the ideal outcome of the situation. 

They settle at their desks, and Rick glances Beth’s way with a look of genuine appreciation, and something else that Beth can’t quite put her finger on, but it makes her heart flutter.

“Thanks, Beth.” He mutters softly, and then the bell rings and class begins.

Beth meets with Jakeem after school. Jenny usually drives him home, so he offered for Beth to come wait with him so that they could talk to her. Rick was supposed to drive Beth home, but he was busy doing some printing in the library, which bought her a little time.

“So? What’s the plan?” Jakeem whispers, glancing around as if Jenny could appear from around any corner.

“There’s no plan Jakeem, this isn’t a mission. We just ask Jenny if she likes Rick, and see where to go from there.” Beth explains.

“What if she says yes!?” Jakeem asks, eyes wide with concern.

“Then we tell her he doesn’t feel the same.”

“But then she’ll sit and mope the entire ride home.”

“Jakeem, you said before that you were almost certain she didn’t even like him.”

“Yeah, but on the off chance she does, then she’ll get mopey. I hate mopey Jenny. She’s always mean.” Jakeem sighs with a defeated look.

Beth is in the middle of trying to formulate a response to that, when she sees Jenny walking down the sidewalk towards them.

“Oh! Hey Beth!” Jenny says with a wave. “My little brother bothering you?”

“No, not at all, we were just talking.” Beth laughs, though it comes out as an awkward chuckle. 

If Jenny notices, she doesn’t say anything.

“I didn’t know you two knew each other!”

“Yeah, we uh, um, met through Courtney. Mike is Courtney’s brother.” Jakeem interrupts, and Jenny shoots him a disdainful glance as she turns to start walking away.

“Right well, we have to be getting home so-”

Beth has to act fast.

“Wait! Sorry, just, I had a question.”

“Um, okay? What’s up?” Jenny says as she turns back around, looking at Beth, and then Jakeem.

Beth and Jakeem glance at each other, a silent conversation about who should ask the question happening between them. Beth decides to take the bullet.

“Why do you keep saying hi to us?”

“I’m sorry?”

Beth sighs,

“Every time you walk by Rick and I, or our table at lunch you always say hi to him. He thinks it’s because you like him, so does Cindy, but I just wanted to ask.”

Jenny looks genuinely baffled. 

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, very.”

“Beth, I wouldn’t try to take your boyfriend from you. If that’s the impression I gave, I’m so sorry!”

Beth’s jaw drops a little. Did Jenny just say Rick was her boyfriend? She’s about to correct Jenny, tell her that Rick isn’t her boyfriend, just her best friend, but Jenny just keeps talking.

“I was just worried about you guys. I wasn’t the kindest to you when I was friends with Cindy, so I felt bad. Now that you seem to be hanging out with her I just got worried. I didn’t know if she was manipulating you, or like… holding you hostage or something. So I thought I’d walk by and check in on you whenever I could. I never meant any harm.”

Beth relaxes instantly, and tries her best to not start laughing. 

“You were just worried about us being in with Cindy?”

“Yes!”

“Told ya.” Jakeem says proudly, as if he hadn’t doubted the situation at all. Beth shoots him a look but doesn’t say anything.

“Well thanks for clearing that up Jenny. And uh, Me and Rick we aren’t-”

Out of the corner of her eye she sees Rick leave the front doors of the school. 

“Look, there’s your boyfriend now! Do you need me to go explain the situation to him, or…?”

“Oh! No, no, that’s alright thanks. We drive home together anyway, I’ll just explain it to him on the way home.”

A smile breaks across Jenny’s face as she lets out a small squeal of delight.

“You two are so cute. Seriously.” She looks between them one last time before continuing. “Well, I guess we should both get going. See you around Beth!” 

Jenny gives her a small wave, then waves to Rick in the distance before gesturing for Jakeem to follow her.

Jakeem for his part, glances at his sister, then glances a Beth, then whispers

“Do I tell her that you two aren’t dating?”

“I think that would probably break her heart more than being rejected.” Beth says with a small laugh, already backing up towards Rick. 

“Thanks for the help Jakeem!” She says louder, waving to both Jakeem and Jenny, as Rick finally reaches her side. Jakeem keeps looking between Rick and Beth and Jenny, clearly conflicted, until Jenny shouts

“Come on Jakeem! You have to do the dishes tonight, and you know how mom gets if they aren’t done on time!”

“Right! I’m on the way! Uh, bye guys!” He looks over to Beth and Rick one last time, before rushing over to Jenny’s car.

“So what was that?” Rick asks, and Beth tries her best not to smile, knowing the story she has to tell.

“You’re telling me she was just worried about us?”

They’re halfway to Beth’s house, and Rick is still trying to wrap his head around the situation as they pull up to a stop sign.

“Yeah. She didn’t know why Cindy was hanging around with us, so she just had to check in and make sure we were alright. It was entirely harmless.”

“Huh.” Rick chuckles with a smile.

Beth takes a moment to debate what to say next, but she knows she has to tell Rick the whole truth of the story, so she takes a deep breath and braces herself. 

“There was something else, too. It was actually kind of funny.”

“You can’t just say that and not tell me what she said, c’mon Beth.” 

Here we go.

“She thought we were dating. That’s part of why she was so apologetic.” Beth tells him.

Rick whips his head over to look at Beth so fast she’s scared he might give himself a concussion. He just keeps staring at Beth, eyes wide, but not saying a word.

“Rick, the road?” She points to the road ahead with mild concern.

“Oh, yeah sorry.” He turns back to the road ahead, fingers drumming on the steering wheel anxiously. “She really thought we were dating? Did you tell her we weren’t?” He asks, only glancing at Beth this time.

“Yeah, she really thought we were dating. She kept calling you my boyfriend. I didn’t get the chance to tell her we weren’t, she kept cutting me off and then she just left. I figured she was so amused with us being a couple I might as well just leave it by that point.” Beth shrugs, but Rick seems to be deep in thought about the matter.

“So Jenny Williams thinks we’re a couple. Probably her entire friend group too.” He says in a tone Beth can’t quite decipher.

“I’m sorry Rick, if that’s something that bothers you, we can tell them the truth or…”

“No! It’s just funny, is all.”

“Funny?” Beth asks.

“Yeah. They think we’re dating, and I didn’t even get the chance to ask you out yet.”

Now it’s Beth’s turn to stare at Rick with wide eyes.

“You were gonna ask me out?”

“Eventually! I wasn’t really sure how, is all. This just sorta fast tracked it.”

“I thought you said you just wanted to be left alone?”

“Alone is a space that consists of me, and you. You should know that by this point.”

Beth’s heart feels like it’s about to burst.

“So… You were asking me out?” Beth half-jokes, poking at Rick’s arm playfully.

“Yes! I mean, yeah, yep. If you wanna go to Richie’s tonight? My treat?” Rick asks, tapping his thumbs together worriedly as if he doesn’t already know that Beth is obviously going to say yes. 

He’s clearly unsure of himself, and Beth finds it so endearing that despite everything he still isn’t sure if she wants to go out on a date with him. She decides to definitively make up his mind by leaning over and kissing him on the cheek.

“It sounds like a date.” She says softly, and Rick ducks his head with a soft huff of a laugh. He can’t stop smiling, and neither can Beth.

Alright, so maybe Jenny saying hi every day wasn’t such a bad thing, if it led to more moments like this. She knows now that her first instinct was correct anyway, Beth Chapel doesn’t get jealous. It’s not something she does. She just gets a little reasonably concerned when other girls flirt with her crush-now-boyfriend. That’s all.