Scars Are Forever {On Hold}

Chapter 20

*Jess's pov*

"Jess, Jason's on the phone fer ya," my mom calls up to me. "Jason?" I mumble out loud to myself, why would he be calling?

"Hello?"

"Hey Jess."

"Um..hey Jason. What's up?"

"Well the other day, when we left from the bar, I felt bad that you went home alone. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to hangout again..like officially."

"I-I don't know. Listen, yer nice bu' I'm not really ready to see guys yet, ya know?" I rub the back of my neck. "No, I understand. How 'bout we go out as friends then?"

I already rejected the poor guy once. "Yeah, tha' sounds fun."

"How's now? I'm busy later tonight."

"Uh," I look down at myself, "Yeah, sure."

"Alright. See ya in twenty."

Even though it's been over a week and me and Jason are going out as friends, I still feel odd about it all. I love Daryl and I don't want to lead on Jason or make anyone think I'm involved with him.

"So, yer goin' out with Jason? He's a nice boy," my dad comments as I pass him in the living room. I role my eyes, "He's just a friend."

"Still an improvement from that Dixon," he grumbles. I bite my lip, letting out a shaky breath, "Can ya leave 'im outta this?"

"After wha' he did, yer gonna defend 'im?"

"Ya don't even know wha' he did! There's a reason I didn't tell ya and I'm not gonna."

"Wha's it matter! Ya two ain't together so he did somethin' wrong."

I hear someone pull into the driveway, meaning my rides here. I walk out the front door, not bothering to answer my dad.

"So do ya want ta go eat, get coffee, take a walk?"

"Coffee sounds good."

Conversation stats out slow, until at a red light he asks the question, "Who was that guy the other night?"

"Oh, uh, yeah..that was Daryl," I mess with my fingers. "Daryl?" He asks confused. I glance up at him with just my eyes. "Oh," he drags out the 'o', "Daryl."

"Yeah," I mumble. "So how'd tha' happen, Did he or did ya.." He trails off. "Um, it was more 'im."

"So ya didn't wanna break up?"

"No."

"Do ya still..ya know-"

"-Love 'im? Yeah."

"Oh," he responds slightly disappointed.

He opens the little restaurants door for me, gesturing me inside. We no more than sit down at the "bar" and get some coffee and the bell above the door rings. I glimpse over my shoulder, catching a pair of icy blue eyes. I quickly turn back, "You've got ta be kiddin' me."

"Isn't that D-"

"Mhm," I cut him off. "What is he, stalkin' ya?"

"Let's just not talk 'bout 'im, okay?"

"Fair enough."

We end up talking about are parents and I try my hardest to not acknowledge that Daryl is sitting somewhere behind me. I tune out Jason, attempting to find Daryl in the corner of my eye. I feel him slide his arm around my shoulder. I immediately turn to him, "Wha' are ya doin'?"