The Only One That Cared

Chapter 20- He Changed His Mind

I rolled my eyes. "What is it with you?" I asked as he handed me my jump rope. "You say you like me so you kiss me. You go MIA and then we have a heated make-out session. I tell you we're done, but you come back for more. Um, you know you have a girlfriend, right? And still you kiss me. And now you make it seem like I'm the bad guy?" I scoffed but there was tears gathering in my eyes. "Like you said on Halloween, it was a mistake going over to your house, but was the real mistake you kissing me?"

Owen stopped jumping. "Maybe I shouldn't have kissed you, but I don't feel bad about it. In fact, kissing you makes me want to kiss you more..." He stepped towards me with puckered lips. I smacked him away angrily. He chuckled, of all things. "Ah, maybe I'm not the problem. Maybe you are. Like right now, I know you're angry, but I do see you blushing. Flattered? You always tell me that you want nothing to do with me, but as the saying goes: It takes two to tango. You kissed me willingly."

I glowered. "You have a girlfriend; you shouldn't be worried about me."

He mimicked my tone. "You have a boyfriend; you shouldn't be worried about me."

I threw my jump rope to the ground in exasperation. "That's the thing, Owen. I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about me! I'm trying to spare myself the pain. I just need to know if you really, really like me. Yes or no, it's as simple as that."

Owen suddenly looked as tired as felt. "Ivy..."

"And don't tell me that you like me as a friend, because that's just avoiding the question. And quite frankly, I don't think we'll be friends after this... And don't forget to factor in your little girlfriend, Emilie. Now, tell me, do you really like me?"

I could tell that when Owen was looking at me, he was calculating his decision. I felt an agonizing sense of disappointment and nausea. I always dreamed of him saying: Yes, I like you! In fact, I'm in love with you! He'd ride his white horse and take me away, but as the seconds ticked on, I knew he wasn't going to say it. I shouldn't have been surprised when he said, "No, I don't like you. I never did. Sorry if you wanted I to like you, but it's kind of obvious that you and I never had a thing. I'm popular, and you're a freak, we're socially incompatible, but I'm still up for sex if you are."

My heart dropped into my gut. He wasn't supposed to say that. He's supposed to be the nice jock. The only popular that cared... but he's just like the rest of them! That jerk! I slapped his across the face as hard as I could, leaving us both wounded. We stood there, face-to-face, breathing hard.

The nauseated feeling increased and I just couldn't take it anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Owen's POV

It's an awful feeling knowing you caused someone, especially your mate, pain.

I just stood there, watching Ivy collapse in tears. I wanted to cradle her and beg for her forgiveness, but I can't exactly go "psych!" and laughed until stomachs ache. NO, she's dying on the inside. Suddenly, I remembered the pain caused by rejecting your mate. Did I reject Ivy? Only asswipes and and and dumbasses reject their mate.

Coach blew the whistle, making us all take a knee. Apparently he, and everyone else, heard Ivy's crying and was rushing to her. I pushed my way closer to Ivy, trying to protect her.

"What happened over here?" Coach demanded to know. Ivy tried to compose herself, but was unable to answer in a steady voice.

"I accidentally hit her with my jump-rope," I found myself saying. Coach looked at me like he was just realizing I was there. "I mean, I was going at a steady pace like you taught us, Coach, and I just didn't see her. Ivy will be okay, though. Right, Ivy?" I smiled at her, but was pleading with my eyes for her to go along.