Problems

Problems - 3

“I-I'll be, I'll be back in a m-minute!” He yelped and dashed off, looking as normal as he could muster, heading to the nearest toilets, all of which he had mapped out in his brain.

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Jack found Britney hiding round the back of the school building, leaning underneath a few small trees that provided scarce shelter. She was smoking, nervously glancing round at every rustle and groan the light breeze bought with the wind. Every time she took a drag she appeared to calm down as the smoke filled her lungs, but with every breath out she looked more alert, attentive, but still agitated and anxious. Jack smiled at the sight of the thin, nervous wreck he had apparently offered to take under his wing. He walked closer as her would do to a deer or other shy animal – slowly, carefully and in plain sight. She stared at him for long moments at a time before he got close enough to speak.

“Hey baby,” he grinned at her and she looked at him, eyes wide with a hint of confusion, worry, and happiness.

“Hey?” She answered it as a question. “W-what do you want?” She fiddled aimlessly with the gently smoking, drugged up cigarette in her hand, before deciding to hastily stub it out on a tree and slip the rest into a small plastic bag, which she then stored in a hidden pocket within her school one. Jack raised his eyebrows slightly at this routine – he had a strong suspicion that that wasn't a normal fag, but he found the whole ritual mostly endearing as he watched it quietly before speaking. He shrugged.

“Nothing, really. I guess I just wanted to see you.” He shuffled his feet and Britney felt a light blush rise up her face. There was a short, slightly awkward silence before Britney blurted out.

“I don't get it. I mean, I like you and all, but I've never really spoken to you before. I never speak to anyone really, and, like, why have you taken this interest in me? You could probably go out with anyone you wanted, you're popular like that and stuff...” Her voice trailed off as her eyebrows furrowed in thinking. “Are you spying on me or something? So you can get to know my dirty little secrets and then tell everyone and then I'll get sent to jail for what? Five years? Seven?”

Jack almost laughed. He put his hand up to Britney's shoulder, their first touch both foreign and calming to them both. “Of course I'm not. I like you. I think you're pretty and cute and I wish I'd gotten to know you sooner. Though, if you ask me, I'd say you probably only have one dirty little secret.”

Britney twitched and shuddered lightly. Her eyes, already big, got even wider. “So you ARE a spy!” She half gasped and half shouted, an odd combination, even for her.

Jack gave in to his laughter. This girl was too cute and funny, he would take her, and even if it meant accommodating for all her problems too, he didn't care. He pulled her light, delicate frame into a hug and kissed the top of her head, to a surprised 'mmphf!' from Britney.

“You're too cute, Britney.” He pulled her close to his chest. There was no doubt about it, he thought this girl was amazing.

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Craig stalked moodily around the school, not a hard thing to manage for him. Anyone curious enough to send him a questioning glance soon wished they hadn't bothered to make the effort. Pissed off was an emotion that came to him surprisingly easily, and he let it show, even though he had no real reason to be annoyed. He blamed it on mood swings and hormones, though he had matured early for someone his age and considered himself above everybody else. Snobby could be one word to describe it, but Craig thought that the word was crude, and just preferred to think of himself as actually being better than other people. His parents used to be excluded from that band, but now he had half-given up and thought of them as no better than anyone else.