A Thousand Words | ✓

Chapter Seventeen: A Thousand New Volunteers

I don't know what's up with me and midnight uploads, honestly. Song to the side definitely fits well with what's going on (why not listen to it as you read?) And dedicated to Letty Scott for the gorgeous banner on the side! Ignore weird mistakes and typos, enjoy :) x

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Chapter Seventeen: A Thousand New Volunteers

 

I always thought Jessica looked at life through the lens of that camera of hers. But arriving to school one morning to see Jessica actually standing at the front of the school looking around through her camera made me laugh. A teasing smirk crossed my face as I stopped a few feet away, watching her until her camera lens landed on me. Jessica dropped her arms down and shook her head at my teasing look.

 

"Creative thinking using your camera as the new glasses. Do you plan on setting a trend, sunshine?" I asked as she approached me.

 

"Shut up." She laughed, casually wrapping her arms around me for a brief hug. I could safely say that our one day in New York had made a big difference in our relationship. Ever since then, we've been a lot more comfortable with each other – if not a bit more friendly, if you know what I mean.

 

Jessica and I have spent a lot of time together listening in to Charlotte and Kyle's rehearsal for the showcase, even though we always end up straying away from that and end up doing jam out sessions with Kyle's guitar and music library instead. These were the times – the times when we were completely relaxed, not giving a shit about anything else but the mix of horrid and amazing singing – when a few intimate moments would sneak their way in between Jessica and I.

 

I don't think either of us were aware of it sometimes. Realization would hit after a while, surprising us when we came to terms with her head on my shoulder, my arm draped across hers. But there were also moments when I was already aware of it and just let it be. Jessica didn't seem to mind.

 

This whole hugging thing was new. I had come to school one day and was immediately wrapped up in Jessica's arms and sweet scent. It's a girl thing, she says, giving hugs to all her friends. And now that I'm officially classified as a friend, I've been receiving a lot of these hugs from Jessica. Even Charlotte gives me the occasional hello hug. That, of course, caught a lot of peoples' eyes and caused a few rumors to circle around the gossip mill.

 

"Hanging out with you has already caused rumors, sunshine. Hugging could possibly ruin my whole reputation," I had told her.

 

Jessica had merely smiled and said, "Luckily for you, at least they don't know you're actually a big softie outside of school, rather than this big bad tough boy getting into ridiculous fights every once in a while. Imagine what would happen then." But before I could protest my 'being a softie,' she had added a quiet, "And I doubt you mind that much anyway," to herself as if I hadn't been standing right next to her. So in return, I had said a few words of my own that forced a blush onto her face.

 

"Well, I don't think you mind all those kisses, either."

 

We haven't talked much about all my past kisses. I know I did it, Jessica knows I did it; neither of us could deny that there's no meaning behind my motive to do it, or her reactions when I do. Hell, she kissed my cheek, too, that one day.