I Sell T-Shirts to my Crush

Chapter 22: The Warning

A/N PLEASE READ:
Circus by Britney Spears ^^^^
I missed for y'all for so long! I am so sorry! I will try to post every week from now on. Also, it's my BIRTHDAY! Alive 16 years on this ridiculous planet! Enjoy Every Book You Ever Read!

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Katie's POV:
"You think Jax, the flirt of all flirts, is crushing on you?" I ask Mary.

"Yeah. He's always putting his arm around me, being nice around me, actually talks to me instead of flirting with me." Mary points out. I drive up to her house and park.

"Mary, if you don't like him, then why does this matter to you?" I ask her.

"Because I do like him!" She states. She then immediately covers her mouth. "I mean-" "You like Jax?" I say confused. She's been complaining about knowing him and now she suddenly likes him? Is there something I'm not seeing?

Mary sighs, knowing she already spilled the truth. "I've been crushing on Jax since the school year started." "WHAT!?!" I burst out. "And ... I thought since your The Katie Vanilla, I thought you'd think my crush would be a waste of time." Mary looks at her hands in her lap, eyes tearing.

"Mary-" I grab her hands and she looks up at me. "You matter to me. My best friend in the entire world likes someone, why wouldn't I be thrilled?!" I ask her. She laughs a little. "I want you to know nothing's going to break our friendship, and I care about what you care about, got it?"

She nods, smiling real big.

She gets a text on her phone. She grabs it and says, "My Mom. Ok Katie I gotta. Text you!" She tells me, getting out of the car and running to her house. She likes Jax, but I wonder if he feels the same? Guess we'll find out soon enough. I get out of park and drive home.

When I get home, I park in my new parking spot, the curb, and go inside. In the family room my stepmom is watching Project Runway. She was asked to be on the show but denied them because she was in the thick of creating her own clothing line. Right now, she's criticizing one of the girls's on her terrible seaming of her dress. "I really should of took the chance I had to get on that show because these people stink at fashion!" She points out, hearing me shut the door.

"I asked him out." I get straight to the point.

She snaps her neck to me so fast I flinch. "After I told you I never wanted you to-"

"You can't control who I like!" I yell above her. "I like him and he likes me! We are dating weather you like it or not!"

I can't believe I just did that. I stood up to my stepmom. I feel great! Making a point makes you adrenalized. "Kat, I am trying to protect you from heartbreak. As soon as he's found someone prettier, he's going to dump you like trash. Trust me." She says, looking me in the eye.

"Why should I listen to you?!" I sound angry. "Because I'm still your stepmom." She turns back to the TV, but says, "I'm not gonna stop you from dating him, but remember my warning." I leave, running upstairs to my room.

I throw my bag on the floor and flop onto my bed. What does she know about relationships? She can't really think Tyler's gonna dump me ... right? He really cares about me ... doesn't he? He kissed me ... but was he just playing with my emotions?