MIA
"He left you there?! I'm gonna strangle him," Ariel exclaimed, her frustration evident.
She has been furious ever since she heard that Ethan had left me stranded. She angrily took off her school jacket as I recounted the details of our disastrous date. Sydney joined in, equally upset.
We had taken refuge in my room to avoid Maddy's prying eyes ever since she discovered that Jackson was here earlier.
"Ariel don't, he's not worth it," Sydney said, her frown deepening. "What was his excuse?"
"It wasn't his fault," I insisted, though Sydney's frown deepened. "He explained that his mom was taken to the hospital."
Their faces softened briefly at the mention of his mother's situation, but Ariel's anger quickly resurfaced.
"I'm still gonna kill him," she muttered through clenched teeth.
"No need for that. Miles actually punched him in the eye," I revealed.
"Whoa."
"That's hot," Sydney chimed in, causing both Ariel and me to exchange bewildered glances.
"What? I like guys that fight," she shrugged off, acting as though she hadn't just made that statement. It was weird because Sydney rarely complimented guys unless it was Ryan.
"Okay... then," Ariel trailed off, her sudden smirk directed at me. "So, how was the second date?"
"What second date?" I raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her question. She didn't say anything but simply glanced at the panda bear I held in my arms, and then back at me.
"It wasn't a second date. We were just killing time because of the traffic," I explained.
"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Ariel questioned, provoking a chuckle from Sydney.
"Guys, seriously, it was... nothing," I insisted.
"Your voice changed when you said that," Sydney observed, shifting closer to me on the bed. "Spill it, something happened."
"Come on, Mia, I'm dying to hear!" Ariel whined, bouncing on my bed.
"Fine," I chewed on my lip for a moment before finally giving in. "I don't know, maybe we had a moment."
"What kind of moment?" they both asked simultaneously, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"It might just be my imagination," I rushed to say, feeling a sudden need to downplay the situation. "But maybe... a kissing moment."
They blinked at me, seemingly frozen in surprise, before exchanging glances. In a matter of seconds, they burst into excited screams.
"Guys! I said it might be my imagination. There's nothing there!"
"Yeah, right," Sydney rolled her eyes. "Just admit it, Mia. You're falling for him. This is more than just a crush."
"First of all, I don't have a crush on him, and second I'm not..." I protested, but my lips froze. They didn't want to form the words.
"You know what? Forget everything I just said," I shook my head, feeling overwhelmed, and made my way towards the bathroom.
"Mia," Ariel called out, causing me to come to a halt. I turned to face her. "What's wrong with admitting that you have feelings for him?"
'Because it becomes real, and I don't want that' I answered silently in my heart.
"I don't like him. Just let it go, guys," I forced a smile at both Ariel and Sydney before retreating into the bathroom.
YOU ARE READING
Falling For Jackson Again ✓
Teen Fiction"Jackson," I shook him gently, hoping he'd move so I could breathe again. But then he surprised me. I thought he'd lean back, but he didn't. Instead, his hand moved across my waist, pulling me closer to him. I wanted to protest, but I couldn't move...
