Come Wander With Me (13 Reasons Why)

Chapter 1

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Just a little warning that this story contains canon-typical violence and homophobic language.

* I am posting this story both on AO3 and Wattpad, this is a repost of my own story.

* Please do not translate or repost this story.

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"Go over and talk to him, Jess. He has been checking you out ever since he got here," Hannah laughs, as her best friend glances over her shoulder. "Unless you want me to go talk to him for you?"

"No, definitely not," Jessica laughs. "But what if he's like... super weird or something? He's always on his own at school."

"And you know this how?" Hannah asks, raising an eyebrow. "Have you been checking him out too?"

"No! Maybe... he is cute, right? Or am I just...?"

"Yes, Jess, he is cute. Super cute. So just go and talk to him. It's getting weird, knowing he's sitting there, staring at you."

"He's not staring."

"Ehm, he is, actually."

"Fine, but if he turns out to be a real dick..."

"I'll buy you another drink, I promise," Hannah says, flashing a big smile, before giving her friend a playful shove. "Now go on!"

Jessica gets up, and she takes a deep breath before going over to the teenage boy sitting at a table by himself. He is now reading his book, and she actually wonders if he had been checking her out at all. But even when she first moved here last month, she noticed him, and he has been catching her eye almost every day. So with this being a new place, a fresh start and all that, she decides to just go for it.

"Hi."

"Hi," the boy says, and he flashes an uncomfortable smile.

"I'm Jessica."

"Alex."

"I was wondering if maybe you...," Jessica begins, but she has never actually asked anyone out before, and she wonders if she should just ask him, or if she should try and strike up a conversation first. Because let's be real, they don't even know each other.

"Yes?"

"Do you maybe want to hang out some time?" Jessica blurts out, already imagining Hannah telling her off if she goes back and has to tell her that she was too scared to ask him out. "I mean..."

"Like a date?" Alex asks, looking more confused, and even a little troubled by the suggestion.

"Yeah, I mean... unless you don't want to. That's totally cool."

"No, it's... sure. Why not?" Alex says, and he flashes a small, uncomfortable smile.

"Cool." Jessica smiles, not sure where to go from here. Should she ask him for his number, do they set up a date right now? But before she can think of what to say, she notices Hannah motioning for them to come over. "Do you want to join me and my friend for a drink?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to interrupt."

"That's fine. Hannah's boyfriend should be here any minute anyway."

"Oh... sure."

They get up, and they go over to the girls' table, where Hannah flashes a big smile.

"Hey, I'm Hannah."

"Alex."

A bit of an awkward silence follows, and the girls show a knowing look, having hoped to get a bit more enthusiasm out of the teenage boy, and not this awkward looking around him.