Just Once (Book 1 in the Just Once Series)

Chapter Three

Movement caught my eye and I looked towards him. Jack turned his head, as if sensing my gaze running over them and his eyes met mine.

It felt like a trance.

I longed to be over there with them, so much that I had thought of dumping Rick a hundred times just so I could sit with them... but I never did.

If I didn’t have a boyfriend, wouldn’t temptation for Jack be even more?

I knew the answer was yes, because before I met Rick, Jack and I used to hang out all the time, so much so, that I had found myself on numerous occasions sitting next to him, just staring at him and if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, people started to notice and that’s when I freaked out.

Jack said he had pulled away from me, but it had been the other way around.

 I had pulled away from all of them and I regretted it every single day, but I also knew I’d had no other choice.

“... fuck off,” Rick laughed and I pulled my eyes away from Jack’s and looked towards Larissa, to see if she’d noticed. She hadn’t. She was staring down at her food, looking bored.

“Go,” I said gently and she looked up at me, a frown on her face.

When I had switched tables, so had she. She was my best friend and I would be forever grateful she did that. But I also knew what sitting at this table cost her.

“Go where?” she asked now.

“Go sit with them,” I said softly and she shook her head, “I’m serious, I’ll still be your best friend, Larissa, but I... please,” she looked at me for a long time and then finally, she nodded.

“Fine, but if you want me to sit with you tomorrow, just say the word, ok?” she muttered now and I nodded. Knowing I wouldn’t.

She picked up her tray and headed over towards the other table. I watched her go and heard Kristy shout with excitement as Larissa sat down next to her.

Jane and their argument forgotten, Kristy threw her arms around Larissa and started speaking to her rapidly.

A few heads turned my way, Ken, Jane, Kristy, Jack... they looked over at me, as if waiting for me to join them.

I offered them a bright smile and looked away, back down at my dinner as Rick continued to talk to Lee and Jake.

 Andy and Rob were talking about some girl, who they’d both, apparently, slept with on different occasions, I was thanking god that they hadn’t slept with her together, not a conversation I wanted to hear about either way though.

“I’m gonna get to class,” I said now and Rick nodded, not bothering to look up from his conversation.

I picked up my tray and got rid of my food.

“Brooklyn!” Jane shouted, waving me over frantically. I smiled as I walked over to their table.

“Hey, how have you been?” I asked now and she nodded.

“Why don’t you sit with us, you look bored shitless over there,” Jane laughed.

That was Jane, straight to the point. Whereas Kristy though discretion was better, which was usually why they began arguing in the first place.

“I have to get to class,” I said now.

“Class doesn’t start for another ten minutes yet,” Jack said now and I looked over at him. The whole table was looking at me expectantly.

“I...”

“Come on, Brook, it’s been ages since we all talked to you. We miss ya,” Ken said now with a cute smile. I say cute, but the guy was built like a brick shit house. You didn’t mess with Ken.

He was on the football team with Jack, along with Cole, Ryan and Trey. Speaking of whom... I looked down the other side and saw them smiling at me.

I sat down and Larissa cast me a huge smile. She knew I missed these guys more than I would ever admit.

“So, little Brooklyn Summer Jones, what have you been up to?” Frankie said now and I laughed. No one used my full name, not even my mum or Nate.

“Not much,” I admitted honestly.

“Well, in that case, we shall fill you in on what you have missed,” Frankie said with a grin and he lapsed into a story which span out over four months.

The others joined in and it was like a bloody story they were all telling.

I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the things they told me; like the fact Kristy and Jane had been arrested by the police for starting up one of their arguments in a clothes shop and no one had been there to stop them.

Or the fact Cole had found himself a girlfriend, not just another one night stand.

Ken had gotten a football scholarship to University. Not all of it was good though; Ryan’s parents were getting a divorcé and Trey had broken his ankle last week and wasn’t able to play in the big game next month to signal the end of term for summer break.

Frankie had been called gay and was beaten up by a bunch of guys three weeks ago, but Jack and the rest of the football team had taught those idiots a lesson.

I looked over at Jack when I was told that, and he just shrugged.

I must have been sitting there for fifteen, twenty minutes before I realised I was supposed to be getting to class.

“Shit,” I stood up quickly and knocked Ken’s drink over. He screeched like a girl when the cold liquid spilt onto his pants and stood up fast, knocking Jane backwards off her chair.

It was like some sort of comedy film.

“Same old, Brook!” Cole shouted and my face flamed red.

“Sorry,” I said to Ken as I looked down at his pants and burst out laughing.

“I look as if I’ve pissed myself,” he sulked and I laughed harder.

“Does anyone care that my ass is in the air and my head is crushed to the ground?” Jane snapped.

“What’s changed?” Ryan laughed and I smiled.

“Help me up,” she snarled and he did, which was really funny to watch.

“I have to go. I’m late for class,” I said now, a smile still on my lips, “I am sorry, Ken,” I said, but the humour was still evident in my voice.

“Oh, I just bet you are,” he said and I shrugged.

“Are you coming?” I asked Jack and he stood up smiling.

“Yeah. I’ll catch you guys later,” he said as we left the table.

“We’re so late,” I said as we hurried out the cafeteria.

“What’s new?” he shot back with a grin and I tried to tell myself that he was my brother, I shouldn’t be noticing the way his eyes are shining and his lips are damp.

But I couldn’t seem to help myself.

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