Falling For My Boyfriend's Brother

Chapter 4

My eyes perked up as I noticed Jarrod's lean frame approach me. He shuffled into the seat in front of me, without asking me as if after one lunch this was now our routine.

'Still no friends?' I bit my lip to repress the smile.

He chuckled. 'Still no boyfriend?'

My mouth dropped to a frown and I looked down at my plate of untouched chips.

'Sorry,' he said sheepishly. 'I'm guessing it's still a sore subject.'

'Yeah,' I mumbled quietly. 'It still is.' I looked up and shook my head dismissively. 'So what are you studying?'

'Biology. Chemistry. Maths and sports. I wanna be a pharmacist,' he said with a shrug.

I smile approvingly. 'Nice. Bright future ahead for you then.'

'Let's hope so. What about you?' He asked.

'Law. English Literature. Politics and history. I wanna be a lawyer.'

'Ah, the shady world of justice,' he beamed.

I was about to make a sarcastic remark but I held it back as a shadow fell of the table and I looked up to see a girl I'd vaguely seen round college. She was astonishingly tall with straight, blonde hair, perched lips and red lipstick.

'Hey Jarrod,' she said and her eyes move over me briefly. 'Why don't you come sit with us? Free seat.' She indicated the table with a flick of her finger.

Jarrod shot me a look that the girl didn't miss. 

'Thanks, Katy but as you can see I have a friend I can't abandon,' he replied simply.

Katy shrugged as if she didn't care but I suspected she was seething as she glanced at me again. 

'Always the knight in shining armour,' she said and walked away.

'More like a tosser in tin foil,' I remarked.

'Hey!' He mumbled but couldn't help but laugh.

I picked up my fork and played around with my food. Jarrod, however was tucking into his food in a way that remind me of a hungry wolf. 

'So, tell me about yourself. Where did you move from?' I asked. For some reason, I wanted to have more than a few jokes with him and actually know something about him.

'London. I used to go to a boarding school there even though my family are here. Long story short, I got kicked out,' he said quickly.

My curiosity kicked in and I waited for him to continue. 'You know, story like that, you don't leave something hanging.'

He sighed but smiled and continued. 'The school had a strict rule about girls in room and I did just that. More than once.'

I did my best to stifle a snort but failed and it came out sounding like a snort. 'You got kicked out of a boarding school because you had a girl in your room?' I laughed again and he blushed.

He threw a tissue at me. 'Alright! No need to laugh! What did you think I did?' He asked.

'I don't know! Maybe broke a window or got drunk during school hours but not the good old having a girl in your room.' 

'You're not impressed?' His eyebrow shot up and he leaned forward, his hot breath falling on my face.

'No, player,' I smirked.

'As surprising as it sounds I'm not a player,' he spoke matter of factly.

'No?'

He smiled mischievously. 'No. That position was reserved for my younger brother.'

I jumped slightly when I heard the bell ring and picked up my bag. 'I have to go! Bye!' I said quickly and rushed out, hearing him telling me save him a seat for tomorrow.

As I reached the door at the far end of the cafeteria I could see Ianto, Steph, Deanne and finally John sat having lunch together. I stared at them longingly, wondering if I should talk to John now. Every time I tried to seek him out at school, he seemed to be off the grid. In class he was either absent or a mile away from me. 

Deciding against the idea I rushed to class.

*

My heart threatened to leap out my chest at the sight of John stood in my room. He looked heartbreakingly beautiful and I ached to touch him.

I thanked God silently for finally making John come to see me. When I opened the door I was so shocked that all I could was stare at him.

'John...' I said but my voice broke, having no idea what to say. Stupidly I blurted out, 'I didn't cheat on you.'

He sighed and frustratedly ran his hand through his hair. 'So what did I see then?'

'Quinn kissed me. I didn't even kiss him back,' I replied.

'Why would Quinn kiss you, Penelope?' He said evenly.

'He's been trying to get me in bed with him for ages!'

'What? Well why didn't you ever tell me?' He responded. 'If he was harassing you, surely you'd tell your boyfriend?'

'I did but you never listened to me! Just loosen up, P! He's just joking, P!' I yelled. 'Every time I told you, you'd embarrass me in front of everyone or completely dismiss it like I was a child.' I took a deep breath and added, 'You never listen.'

'So that's all? I don't give you enough attention? Bloody hell, P I can't be at your back and call all the time,' he snapped furiously.

My shoulders slumped and I looked at the man I gave my heart to. He was so loving but now he just saw straight through me. I felt tears stinging my eyes and I turned around, unable to look at him any longer.

'It's like you just got used to us. You stopped caring. Like we became a routine that didn't have any significance,' I said quietly.

'I never stopped caring, Penelope,' he said and I heard his footsteps leading out of my room then the sound of my front door shutting.

I wanted to run downstairs and tell him to come back. To listen to me. But I stayed where I was unrelenting in the tears that tried so hard to escape.

We needed time apart. I realised that's what John came to tell me.