His Smirk ||

11- A Slew of Plans

Jakeson must have noticed my pause for he closed my locker, the sound interrupting the silence that had hung in the air. “I really don’t mind driving her. It’s not that far out of my way. I’ll just-“

“No,” I interrupted him, surprising even myself, “Brendon is staying anyways. He can take me.”

His perfectly blue eyes searched mine a second before giving a soft smile. “All right, I’ll see you at home then.” I nodded with a little attempt at a smile as Brendon backed off of me. Jakeson stepped up, spreading his arms for a hug. I accepted it, letting his arms come to rest around me. He only held it for a few seconds before pulling away. “If you don’t get home before seven then I’ll already be gone at Lindsay’s house.”

“Lindsay?” I asked, having never heard the name before.

“His new girlfriend,” Brendon informed me with a sly smile, “they’re a thing as of second period.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Jakeson commented in a tight voice. “And we aren’t a thing. I’m just-“

All sounds were tuned out as my heart fluttered in my chest. On either side the two boys stood bickering with each other. Brendon lighthearted and Jakeson on the defense. But I wasn’t really taking in any of their sounds. Rather my eyes were on Kale as he strode down the hallway with a girl on his arm. I didn’t know her name. I’d come to realize in the two days that I’d been at school and broken up from Kale that I didn’t know most of the girl’s names at this school. But Kale did, and he always had one with him.

Either my mind was playing tricks on me or he was deliberately trying to torture me, for as he passed by my locker with her he seemed to slow down. Every steep seemed planned out and perfectly in tune with my thudding heartbeat. He, of course, hadn’t even noticed me. Not a glance in my direction. He was too busy with his current arm candy. Yet there I stood, glancing at him, then to my feet, again and again as though it would accomplish something. I knew it wouldn’t. Go talk to him.

For a second I really did consider it. I mean what type of relationship so close ends on a drop of a hat just like that? Not in front of all these people. I told myself, trying to convince myself that that was the real reason and that it wasn‘t just because I was a chicken.

Get a hold of yourself.

I shook my head, turning to gaze at Jakeson the second that Kale passed by, close enough to reach out and touch. Which of course, I didn’t do.

Jakeson misread my look as caring about what he said for he gave me a little crooked smile. “I’ll be home tonight, I promise.”

“What?” I asked, wondering what he was talking about. “Oh,” I caught myself, not wanting to be called out on for not listening, “dinner right. Okay.”

For a moment he seemed put out before running his hand over his slightly shaggy brown hair. “Well I’ll leave you too to your test and photography.”

“Have fun on your date!” Brendon called out loudly, causing Jakeson to reach out for him. Brendon quickly dodged it, hiding behind me with a playful smile.