JESS

CHAPTER 7

Dre

The halls of Hillcrest High are usually so crowded that you can barely hear. In fact, most of the time you can barely see because everything is a blur. Once in a while, something stands out, like Principal Graham’s hunter-orange tie, or some kid stuck in a locker. I was bumping my way through the halls, smacking into sophomores (semi-accidentally), squeezing through crowds of squealing girls. Ugh. And, as usual, everyone and everything was blurring together like a swirling mass. Then, one face stood still. The black, wavy hair, sad cocoa eyes, and smooth Latina complexion gave it away – Jess. I seems like I can’t get away from her. It’s like my conscience is reminding me that I want to ask her out. It wasn’t a bad guilty, it was more like a reminder that I’d made the wrong decision. It wasn’t bad I was seeing her. I WANTED to see her… the curse was that I could never get to her fast enough, couldn’t seem to catch her and talk. Ever since I’d been to the barn, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. She liked me. No, she pretty much probably couldn’t stop thinking about me. It sounds cocky, I know, but if she sketches me in her free time and puts them up her haven, then she obviously thinks about me occasionally. The ironic part was that I’d thought she hated me. I thought I’d never have a chance. But the whole time she’d been hiding it because she didn’t think she had a chance. Everything completely clicked. She liked me. She was scared, through, so she never told me, and she liked to run if things got shaky. Whenever she thought she’d let something slip, she ran to security: her haven.

I was a little angry for a minute. She’d let me think for months now that she wasn’t even interested. I’d been worrying and mulling it over and trying to decide when to take a chance and just ask her. Then I’d tried and she’d rejected me… Life is TOO confusing… No, girls are confusing. No, shy girls are confusing… But now that I knew that she probably liked me, I could ask her to prom, like I’d wanted to in the first place. But it was too late: I’d already asked Kenzi. She’d shoot me if I dumped her last-minute. Not to mention that her rich dad would probably hang me. She’d probably already bought dress, matching shoes and jewelry, and then scheduled hair and make-up appointments. Besides, my polite side said, “Not okay.” The real reason I felt bad was that I’m pretty sure Jess wasn’t even going to prom; she wasn’t ugly, by any means, she was perfect, but she was shy and stayed in the shadows. I struggled a little longer, deciding it would be totally inappropriate to ditch Kenzi, no matter the circumstance.

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Jess

I saw him in the halls for the millionth time this week. I didn’t want to face him ever again. It hurt. A lot. Heart ache is literal. I’m totally feeling it. I really like him – his looks, his personality. He was the perfect height, his voice wasn’t too deep, his laugh was nice, he had an unfailing sense of humor, and beautiful brown eyes. He was respectful, friendly, outgoing… but I knew that after I'd run, it was the last time. That was my last chance. There was no way he’d ever like me back after I’d run. I didn’t blame him, either. If he really had still, he’d of asked me to Prom. And, since Prom was in a couple of days, I had a hunch that it wasn’t happening.

My whole life I’d pretended that I didn’t care about Prom and dances and dates. But I have to say I was slightly regretful. It was lame.