It Was Always You

Chapter Five

One Year Later

Mila sat alone on a bench eating her school lunch by the football field.

Mid October was becoming quite chilly as the new winter was on its way for the year. All around the school yard teenage kids roamed at their leisure as they enjoyed their lunch break with friends before the fifth period started. She watched as some of them laughed making jokes to one another, others playing basketball on the black top, some playing hard ball against the gymnasium wall and more just walking around or sitting on the bleachers.

She couldn't help but think back of the last year. About how her and Selena had become popular practically overnight because of her so called "delinquent" older brother had come back to school. She gave a face of disgust at that thought.

It's not like they hated each other because they didn't. They just couldn't stand being around one another. Always arguing, especially when it came to other guys. Yeah right, like any guy will come talk to her. If they did it was like Jared just appears out of nowhere and gives them a death stare making them run off before they even said a single word to her. They were all terrified of his delinquent persona and he found a way to use it in full advantage.

Her.

He had literally started acting like an overbearing older brother she didn't need or want in the first place. She didn't have any brothers, so she wasn't used to the kind of treatment he was giving when it came to her.

She refused to think about the first night they had met. Every time she thought about it her chest tightened and she felt stupid all over again. She still hadn't kissed again thanks to that memory and what was even more upsetting about it was that it had been her first kiss and Jared ruined it for her.

Thanks to him no guy will come around her because he was always there in her damn shadow. So, no guy was brave enough to risk an encounter. Well, all except Evan of course.

She smiled thinking of him. Evan has tried on countless times to get her attention and talk to her. He even had the courage to try and get close enough to kiss but he never succeeded. All Jared had to do was say one thing,

"Think back when." And stupid her she would and would become beet red and stalk away angrily without explaining anything to the others.

Jared never enlightened them either which surprised her since he loved to make her look like a fool in front of everyone. But there are things that Jared couldn't control. Little things really, like Evan holding her hand or sometimes hugging her longer than he should and the one thing that really gets to Jared was the rumor.

Everyone seemed to think that Evan and she were a couple.

Of course, they weren't. And when the subject was brought up, she tried to defuse it, but no one ever believed her. Although sometimes she would think to herself that she may be in love with Evan or at least have some deep feelings for him. She even thought that she would pass the friend barrier with him at some point.

She frowned. But if she had to be honest with herself the thought of doing that very thing left a feeling of unease and confusion. Sighing deeply, she goes to take a bite of her chicken sandwich when suddenly something slammed right into her.

She got slammed so hard she nearly fell to the ground from the bench she was sitting on.

"What the ever loving..." she trails off when she hears laughter just behind her. Turning quickly, she watches as Evan bends over with laughter.

"Sorry Mila, didn't mean to run into you that hard."

Becoming slightly annoyed she righted herself and repositioned her sandwich that nearly came apart from the impact. "I hate when you do that." She mumbled in annoyance.