Til Death Do Us Part

chapter five ~ let me help you

Jake didn't text me that night, or even the next day. Not even to just forward me his number.
At first, of course, I doubted myself.

Maybe he'd changed his mind.
Was it my face? Had the scar put him off?
It was almost painful to fathom. It got to a point where I just had to turn my phone off, and leave it in my room whenever I went to do something in the house.

Every so often Dad would text, and my heart would flutter a little, only to be a little disappointed.
I didn't care if I sounded obsessed - Jake was my form of entertainment, a reason to smile.
And that was gone again, after all these months.

So I got into my Mini the next morning, and was relieved to find a package outside my front door.
It was addressed to Dad, but surely he wouldn't mind me opening it.

I rolled my eyes at the sight of my bedroom curtains.
Late. Really late.
At least I'd be able to lie in now though, I guessed.

I tossed the box into the hallway and got into my car, and made my way to school.
The typical Tuesday schedule fell out before me, dragging in all the wrong places. I decided to avoid the library, due to yesterday's weird occurrences.

Instead, I took a post on a wooden picnic bench outside at lunch, while most people sat indoors. Which was crazy - it was super hot. Why stay indoors?

As I started on a tray of chips and chicken dippers from the food hall, someone stood in front of me next to the bench.

A chip froze halfway to my mouth as I locked my gaze with his. And his dark eyes evaded mine, like they wanted to delve deep into my soul and rip out my darkest secrets.
He eyed me.

"You can still see me?"

I sighed, realising that he was playing a game yet again, and dropped the chip onto the mostly-full tray, "Is this really necessary? Look, I know I'm new and I know I have a weird accent and -"

He tapped his chin thoughtfully, "You think I'm having you on?"

My eyebrows furrowed of their own accord, "I think that you should grow up, or get out of your drug habit."
The boy scowled, "Hardly a way to talk to someone."

"Apparently," I scoffed, "a someone who seems to think he's invisible."

Calmly, he circled the table, "People are staring at you."
"What?" I proclaimed, suddenly feeling self-conscious. People were staring.

I looked back at him, "Yeah, probably because they see me talking to you. And from what I've seen so far, you're a bit creepy."

He laughed - a forced, empty laugh, "I'm far from a freak. Seriously. Girls would jump off a cliff if it meant they could jump my bones first."
The blunt sentence made my skin crawl, and I was taken aback. So instead of lowering my head and giving into his asshole ways, I snorted.

"I'd rather jump off the cliff first." I remarked.
He watched me again intently.

"What's your name?" He demanded. It sounded less like a question, and more like a statement. Somehow.

"Faye," I told him, "yours?"

"Jayden," he said impatiently, "anyway, I need a favour."
I scoffed, "What kind?"

Jayden rolled his eyes, "Nothing bad. I just figured that, as you talk to me, I will need your help with a couple of things. Clear some shit up, whatnot. And if you agree, I'll leave you alone forevermore."

I tapped my temple, "I know, how about you leave me alone right now and never harass me again?"

He crossed his arms, "If you help me with this one thing, I'll tell you anything you want to know about me and why I'm asking for your help. Then you might reconsider."