Just Picture It

Chapter 50- Can't I Do Anything Right?

Thursday, February 2nd 9:30am

Lincoln High School- Hallway

When Korbin whispered the countdown in her ear Jamie fought down her disappointment, and satisfied herself with nuzzling his neck and enjoying the clean smell of his hair as she firmly told herself that there would be no more kissing. 

At zero they both looked around like they had heard a noise. 

Korbin helped her down, but froze and blushed instead of straightening her clothes.  Jamie was quickly buttoning his shirt as she asked, "What's the hold up?"

Korbin ran his thumb gently down her neck, and said, "I didn't mean too."

Jamie glanced down and asked, "What?  Did an extra button come undone?"

Korbin shook his head, and turned red as he explained, "I meant your neck.  I didn't realize your skin would mark so easily."

Jamie's hands froze and before she asked," Red or bruised?" 

Korbin lifted her chin as he looked at her neck again.  "Just red right now, but it might bruise," he admitted as he ran a soothing finger over the marks. 

She shook her head determinedly and said, "Never mind. It doesn't matter if there are some light marks.  It will just look more authentic, but any talks with parents or my uncles might not go as smoothly."

As Korbin let his thumb trace the red marks down her neck and to her collar bone, he wondered how Bandit would react.  When Jamie trembled under his touch, his hand clenched and jerked away.  He had repeatedly said that he wanted to help her, but he seemed to be doing everything except that.

The worst thing was that there was a part of him that wasn't sorry at all.  That part was proud of the little mark.  That same little voice was demanding that he kiss her again.  It was so persistent that he didn't think that it would even be silenced by anything that Bandit came up with.

As he eyed traveled over the spots he had so recently kissed, he felt himself leaning in.  He shook his head and quickly started buttoning to remove temptation.  When he fastened the top button, he finally remembered that it was supposed to be crooked. 

He sighed as he wondered if there were any more ways he could mess up before this was done.  Even though he was relieved that Jamie didn't seem emotionally scarred, he was also a little resentful that she was dealing better than he was.  She had re-buttoned his shirt, straightened his collar, and smoothed back his hair.  All he had managed to do was button her shirt, and he had still gotten that wrong. 

Nothing he could do about it now.  Just go back to class and on to the next step.  Korbin grabbed her hand and started down the hall.  After a few steps, he gruffly admitted that her shirt was buttoned correctly.

"Don't worry.  Checking the marks at my neck will be enough reason to go the bathroom anyway," Jamie reassured him before going back to walking in silence.

Jamie wondered what Korbin was thinking.  He was acting so distant, it was like those few minutes in the hall had never happened.  She almost hoped she had a hickey.  The marks would at least be proof that she hadn't dreamed it.  She kept remembering how reluctant he had been to kiss her in the first place.  She had definitely been the aggressor, at least at first.  Now, he seemed to regret it while she was still shivering at his lightest touch.  She could have kicked herself for mentioning her uncles and his parents.  That had probably been the final blow to any chance of being anything more than friends. 

Jamie shoved her disappointment and worries to the back of her mind and tried to prepare Korbin for what would come next. "We will probably be called to the office.  Don't panic and stick to the story. If there are any surprises just follow my lead." 

The commanding tone from his tiny partner surprised a grin from Korbin.  If she could still boss him around maybe his loss of control hadn't ruined everything.  At the door, Jamie surprised him with quick kiss that was over before he could even think of how to respond.  Korbin decided that was a good thing, because to her it was probably just part of the act.  Korbin smoothed her hair back gently, and suggested she go check out her neck. 

For a moment Korbin thought Jamie looked undecided, but then she smiled and disappeared into the girls' bathroom to find Sondra.

Korbin leaned his head on the door frame before he took a deep breath.  Korbin had the feeling that he was forgetting something important, but he didn't know what it could be.  Maybe when his body cooled off he would be able to figure it out.  Until then he would just have to trust Jamie and her planning ability.  Korbin took one more deep breath to prepare himself and then opened the door casually, signed in, and returned to his seat while trying to pretend everything was normal.  When Moe hissed for his attention and raised his eyebrows questioningly, Korbin tripped, practically fell into his desk, blushed bright red, and drew every eye.  When most of the class had gone back to watching the teacher, Korbin gave a small nod and went back to watching for Jamie.

After making sure that Sondra was the only one there, Jamie joined her in the last stall.  She checked the time and started up her laptop.  As the computer booted up and programs loaded Jamie slipped out to check the mirror.   Jamie knew Sondra was watching, but she unbuttoned a couple buttons to check the red spot on her neck.  Sondra opened her mouth to say something, but just then the computer beeped that it was ready.  Jamie quickly straightened her clothes and hurried back.

Sondra was looking at her with tons of questions in her eyes, but Jamie ignored her.  The longer they worked the more likely they would be to get caught, and she wasn't quite sure what she would tell Sondra anyway.  Jamie brought up the security company's website and put in her father's master code.   They quickly found their school's section and Sondra took over. 

In moments, Sondra was able to find the video feed from the correct cameras.  The first thing Sondra did was find the part that showed Aaron walking down the hall toward Jamie and Korbin.  She paused it and played it backward slowly as she recorded.  After some quick photo-editing on the digital clock, she replaced the original video with the new version.  When she checked, it showed Aaron walking forward, pausing, and backing away down the hall until he disappeared around the corner.  There was only a small blip in the clock at the bottom, and most people would miss that.

Next, Sondra found the video of Aaron leaving the classroom and going down the hall.  She copied it and replace the clock at the bottom with one that would start running three minutes in the future. 

Jamie was tempted to protest that it wouldn't be enough time to finish the editing and get to the correct feed to splice it in.  She stopped herself and just watched as Sondra's fingers flew across the keyboard.

Just as she finished editing, she switched to the correct feed and seamlessly spliced it in.  Now, Aaron would appear to leave the classroom a second time after the guys had returned, while Jamie and Sondra were in the bathroom.  There was no feed of him returning to the classroom, but Jamie hoped finding the other spots would satisfy Ms. Johnson, and if she couldn't find that one, she would blame her own computer ability instead of being suspicious. 

Sondra shut down the computer with a satisfied smile and said, "You wanted to talk to me about what to say when I get called to the office, but keep in mind that I'll have some questions when I see you at lunch." 

Jamie replied, "That is what I wanted to talk to you about.  If things go the way I'm planning, I won't be able to talk to you later, because I'll be in suspended."

I bet there are some of you that are going "WHAT?!?".  Let me know if you figure out why she is going to be suspended.  If you can't figure it out make sure to read the next chapter.  It will be up in a few more days. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.  Tell me what you think if you get a moment.  As always please feel free to vote or even follow.  Thanks for reading.