Limerence • Hayes Grier and Jacob Whitesides

Surprised

Limerence ~20

•Jacob Whitesides•

I sip on my shake as the two of us makes our way over to the home where she babysits. Charlotte dropped Hayes and Grayson off before we found Dairy Queens. I protested that I didn't want her to pay, but she ignores me and pays for both of our shakes.

I turn towards her as I notice she has the shake in one hand, taking a sip and the other on the wheel as she concentrated on the road. Her hair still wet from her shower at the gym and she seems... Tired.

"Jacob, you've been staring at me like I'm your next food target," she says quietly.

"Sorry... Just thinking." I'm not sure if I want to apologize now for what I said. I was nervous and panicking slightly that I forgot my filter. I feel terrible because I did not want to come out, especially because I actually wanted to ask her out. "I never asked, so were you and Hayes... ever together?"

"No, just... Best friends. Well used to be anyway."

"I was sort of surprised to see him being somewhat nice to you today. After yesterday's introduction, I thought he couldn't stand you."

"I don't know what to believe. I'm guessing he's pretending to be nice because of Cam, Nash and my brother. He hasn't been nice to me since the beginning of freshman year. Aaron continues to think Hayes and I are best friends."

"He doesn't know?" I ask confusingly. She shakes her head sighing. "How is that possible? Hayes makes everything difficult for you."

"Aaron doesn't pay much attention to me when I'm in school. He's surrounded by his friends. He has friends and I have... Well nobody. That's how it has been."

"I'm sorry," I frown slightly. No one should ever have to go through that alone. Knowing that Hayes, Ethan and Grayson were apart of this, is especially not okay becuase they should be doing the exact opposite. Why would Hayes ever turn his back on Charlotte? "Well you have Grayson and I."

"Yeah," she half smiles. "I'm still trying to earn Graysons trust first. It's really hard for me to really trust people."

"You're telling me these things even though you haven't known me in person for long?"

"Because I'm willingly telling you. I feel like I can trust you..." She sounds uncertain.

"Are you sure?"

"I feel like you're easier to talk to than anyone I've known. You listen, but maybe that's because you've known me for about two days or you have to because we're health partners."

"It does mean a lot to me that you talk to me," I half smile. "I actually like hanging out with you and it's not because it's forced, but for the first time in awhile, I feel like I can be with a girl without having to worry about being used and you've taken everything fairly well when we met."

"But that was because you were being a jerk at first. I was actually freaking out and would have talked to you sooner if you didn't glare at me then turn away."

"I'm really sorry about that," I sigh. "I wish you didn't have to witness that."

"You're fine. Wasn't as bad as Ethan taking my bag and dumping it over the railing onto the main floor."

"What is his problem? Why would he do that?"

"They bully me Jacob. No one stops them. Everyone loves them and wants to be them."

"That's not right and Aaron doesn't know anything? How is that possible?" She shrugs as her lips remains a straight line. "Why does Ethan seem to not like you, at all?"