How hard could it be? • LM / SS

Chapter 31

Closing the locker door, Jackson was stood there, smiling at the girls. But it wasn't a normal 'I'm so happy to see you!' smile, it was more a 'please help me, i'm being forced to do this against my will' smile. "Hey Jade. Allison. What time should I pick you up for the dance at tomorrow?" he queried, wiping a trickle of sweat from his forehead as he directed the question to the brunette.

Casting a wary look at her friend, Allison turned back to the boy. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm great. Just excited to go to the formal," he chuckled nervously, leaning against the locker. Jade narrowed her eyes at him, trying to see what his motive was here? "With you. As friends. Just friends. Just friends. Just friends."

The pair of teens laughed loudly while Jade still tried to analyse what was in it for him. If there was one thing about Jackson, it was that he never done anything just to be nice. There was always, always a hidden reason with him. He looked a few metered behind her, his eyes widening slightly in panic.

Confused, she looked over her shoulder to see Stiles, Scott and Max staring at the group. They shot her guilty smiles, before moving back behind the wall so
no one else would catch them.

"Jade?"

"Huh?" the blonde asked, turning back around to see Allison respecting a reply. Oops. Jackson had obviously fled the corridor while she was busy. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"You ready to go shopping because Lydia just messaged me that she's waiting for us in the car park," she replied, pointing to the doors behind her.

"Yep, let's go."

    ~

Stepping onto the escalator of the shopping mall, Lydia and Allison both turned around at the same time to look at their friend. Jade had been quiet since they had walked in, not making a singular noise. Even though she was a naturally quiet person, it was too quiet, even for her.

"Don't frown, Jade," Lydia commented, grabbing the girls hand and swinging it backwards and forwards. Jade felt her face grow slightly warmer at the gesture, blinking away the daze she had been stuck
in. Shrugging it off, she listened in to what the girl was rambling on about. "Have you ever heard the phrase 'don't frown, someone could be falling in love with your smile!'

Jade rolled her eyes at the girl, rubbing her spare hand along the escalator rail. She glanced up, Lydia's piercing green eyes staring back at her, waiting for her expression to change. "Smile, Jade. I'm buying you both a dress!"

"I have to admit, as far as apologies go, that's more than I expected," Allison noted, laughing lightly. It was better than a hand made card, expressing how sorry she was for kissing her boyfriend. Well, ex-boyfriend but the point still stood.

"I just have to sit still and look pretty and I still get a dress," Jade joked. She slanted her hands, resting her chin in them with a bright smile on her face.

"Excellent," Lydia replied, laughing quietly at her friends as she stepped onto solid ground again.

"I have to ask something though," Allison admitted, addressing the strawberry blonde to her right.

She dropped Jade's hand, a wary look on her face. "What? What's that supposed to mean?"

Jade listened in intently to the conversation, having a look around at the rows of dresses that were hanging on bars. There was a sea of colours ranging from black all to way to bright red.

"It means you're going to cancel on whatever dumb, jock you said yes to and you're going to go with someone else."

"Who?" Lydia responded, her eyes arched inwards in confusion. Allison cast a glance down the mall, a mischievous smile on her face as she saw the culprit. The other two girls looked in the direction, Jade covering her mouth so she wouldn't laugh. Stiles Stilinski. "Him."