Surviving the McLane Boys ('On Hold Still...')

Chapter 22 - Forgiveness is a Virtue... I think...

Chapter 22

I wake up to find myself sprawled on my back across Jake’s lap with a camera stuck right in front of my face. I turn my head slowly in confusion taking in Jake’s head, tilted back against my bed, his arms leaning limply by his sides, the only proof of life coming from him taking the form of soft snoring. It’s only just as I’m turning back towards the camera that I realise what’s going on, “DYLAN!” I yell leaping up and tackling him to the floor.

Dylan cackles as he rolls away from my flailing limbs and sprints out the door with his camera still on, filming me as I run after him. A pile of dirty laundry seems to have conveniently materialised right in my path and my body takes the obvious route of tripping over it completely. By the time my face has said good morning to the cold corridor floor; Dylan’s already locked up in his room safe and sound. I don’t even bother to bang on his door he’s already got enough embarrassing footage of me to last a lifetime.

“What’s going on?” Jake asks tiredly behind me. I turn to see him stumbling out of my room like an angel from the land of nod. His hair is perfectly mussed, giving him that cute, ‘just woke up’ look, the neck of his t-shirt’s all twisted, somehow exposing his chest but hiding it at the same time and his pants are hanging dangerously low. “I heard something fall…” he says perplexedly.

For some reason I feel like I should be blaming my rude morning call on this obviously otherworldly being. It seems unfair that the video taken of both of us won’t be as embarrassing for him since he doesn’t look like a bird nest freak like me. I get up crossly and walk over, pulling his jeans up roughly. This seems to wake him up, “Hey! What’s the big idea?”

I roll my eyes, walking into my room, “I hate it when guys have their pants on low enough so you can see their butt. I’d rather not see anything in that vicinity unless it’s super-hot.”

I shut the door in his surprised face. I know it was mean, but I needed to take my anger (and maybe even my jealousy) out on someone who deserved it.

He knocks on it, “Are you saying I’m not hot?” He yells on the other side.

I laugh as I start to change, “I’m saying you’re not super-hot.”

It’s not until he goes off to his own room with an excited ‘Thanks!’ that I realise I just admitted that he is actually quite attractive…

*

Classes go like normal and Linc still acts the same way around me, friendly but keeping his distance. He sits with Teagan now and only smiles at me whenever he sees me. He keeps talking to a minimum and even though I still have feelings for him, I know it’s for the best. Linc needs to be with Emma and I obviously need to be with someone else. We can’t get back together again. Ever.

Speaking of Emma, I also noticed that he doesn’t talk to her much either. Now she’s all silent and withdrawn, retreating to the library during breaks and barely talking at all. Linc wants to keep his distance from her while he’s embracing his whole ‘lone wolf’ way of life and she feels awkward sitting with us again after what happened. I kind of feel sorry for Emma now.

The fourth period bell rings and I head out the door, suddenly bumping into Charlie, her pixie cut more dishevelled and rugged than usual, “Hailey! Fancy meeting you here! You coming to lunch?”

I nod my head distractedly, “Um yeah, I just need to do something quickly. Tell the others I’m on my way.”

“Will do, see ya!” she says with a wave, heading towards the cafeteria while I head down to the door that leads out on to the courtyard. I walk across the lawn, pulling my coat around me tighter as the wind picks up. I concentrate on my feet as I walk towards the library, my mind dead set on getting Emma to sit with us.