Lover Dearest [3]

25.) First Dates

Fact:
I am a terrible best friend.

Ever since that lunch, which was two days ago, I have felt so guilty about not telling Holly about me and Jackson. I don’t know why I couldn’t tell her, because I knew that the sooner I did, the faster she’d get over it, but I just couldn’t do it. After we got back to the house, I tried to tell her again, but I wimped out and I continue to wimp out every time that I see her. It was a hard time.

But it was also a really amazing time because while I felt guilty about hiding this from Holly, I’ve been spending most of the time with Jackson. You know, because he’s my boyfriend now, in case you forgot. I never thought I would ever be able to say that- like how crazy is it that in just a few short months, we went from close friends to falling love? Just like that, just because of a one night stand that led to more. Much more, obviously. Most of the time, we stay in either my room or his room, because we still have to hide from everybody because only Ryder, Tommy, and somehow Brendon know. I don’t know how or why Brendon knows, but he does. Other times, we’ll hide out in the game room or the patio or some other fancy room in the mansion-castle. Jackson even showed me the tiny bowling alley.

“What are you doing tonight?” Jackson asked curiously as we were sitting on the beach. We were sitting in the sand where the water waded up and splashed against us only when the wave was specially aggressive. I knew that Holly and Andy were home, so we weren’t making contact, even though I really wanted to hold his hand or let him wrap his arms around me because that would have felt nice, but only Elle and Isaac were out right now, so I knew that we couldn’t.

“We’re going to the movies tonight.” I replied. “Andy, Elle, Holly, and me. We’re going with Taylor and her friends.”

“Wouldn’t it be a shame if you… I don’t know, got sick or something?” He asked me with a playful smirk.

“It would be a shame, I really want to go.” I told him. “I haven’t spent a lot of time with the girls at all and Andy’s starting to freak about the wedding, which is coming up, so it won’t be long before bridezilla makes her return.”

“You’ll have all the time in the world to spend with your friends after this vacation.” Jackson mentioned. “Please?” Damn his pouty face. And his abs, since he was in his trunks, me being in my black bikini.

“What did you have in mind?” I sighed.

He grinned at me, knowing that he’d won. Damn him. “Well, everyone’s going to be out tonight, so I figure that if you stay home from the movies, then I can take you out. Like a date.” He explained, just a little sheepish.

“A date?” I echoed in shock.

“Yeah.” He chuckled. “I told you that I was going to. I mean, it won’t be anything special because I can’t make it too big because if I do that then the paparazzi will get wind of it and then Holly will hear about it. But maybe a dinner or just something small.”

“Fancy?”

“If you want.” He told me. “But be warned, when we get back to America, I’m going to blow your mind away.” Jackson grinned his gorgeous grin.

“Like what?” I squeaked.

He shrugged. “I’ll think of something.”

“When do you think I should tell Holly?” I asked him randomly. “Obviously, she has to find out at some point, but I just don’t know when.”

“When we get back to America.” He told me bluntly. That surprised me, since he usually didn’t have an opinion on this issue. When he noticed my confusion, he sighed heavily. “It’s stressing you out way too much. So just don’t worry about it for the rest of vacation. Enjoy what’s left of it, we still have a few weeks, and enjoy the excitement of sneaking around, it’s kinda fun.”