Living With The Bad Boy [COMPLETE][VERSION ONE]

Chapter 29

Chrissa walks up to me, her eyes wide. "Wow. Some friend."

"She's... just dealing with a lot right now," I say, shaking my head and looking down at the ground. "It's fine. And... I don't know what she was talking about, honestly. I mean, we used to make fun of you... but I feel like we're even since... you know, you set my papers on fire. I really don't know where she got the Jase stuff from though... I really don't like him. I've barely talked to the guy."

Okay, well, that's a flat-out lie, but Chrissa really doesn't need to know it. I have bigger concerns at the moment anyways. Like finding out who on earth sent Mayah the message I just read... because it certainly wasn't me.

Though, I have a theory...

As Chrissa and I drive back to , I send Jase a quick text.

We need to talk.

I tell Chrissa that I have work- just so she can drop me off right by the Summer bus station. It's not like I could exactly ask her to drive me home... and I'm certainly not going to make her drive me to Vernon. That wouldn't help either of us.

The only problem with this whole plan is that now me and my excessive amount of shopping bags- as well as my backpack, which is completely full of textbooks and binders- have to sit rubbed-up against each other on a hot, crowded rush hour bus. By the time I get off, I think I might die of heatstroke. Thankfully, January in Virginia isn't particularly hot, and I practically have goosebumps all over by the time I get inside Turner Mansion, a shiver running down my spine as I step inside. I find Jase in the living room texting someone- though he looks up when I come in. "Hey, Re- wow You look-wow." As his eyes move to me, his gaze seems to spend an excessively long time looking me up and down. There's a smile on his face but it falters when he sees my angry expression. "What's wrong?" He asks nonchalantly, but there's worry in his eyes. He knows what he did.

"This is what's wrong," I say, my words cutting and icy as I hold up my cell phone, the last text message exchange between me and Mayah.

Jase's eyes go wide. "I-uh-"

"You what? Gonna try and defend yourself?" I ask, crossing my arms just as much because of the chill in the house as because of how incredibly angry I am.

"Do you want a blanket? Because you look cold. Don't want you to freeze to death before you have the chance to kill me," he says quickly, tossing me the fuzzy blue blanket next to him. I just let it fall to the ground, still glaring. "Don't even try, Jase. Don't you dare try to change the subject- I'm not fucking cold, I'm mad. And don't even try to deny what you did- you and Evan were the only ones who could've had my phone last week, and Evan can barely spell his own name."

Jase scoffs. "I didn't mean to send that text, okay? But, really, shouldn't some of your anger be directed towards the girl that assumed that you'd never want to 'tarnish your perfect reputation' by hanging out with her?"

I shake my head. "God, Jase. You're a fucking idiot, you know that? My friendship with Mayah-"

"Or clear lack thereof," he says cooly.

"-is absolutely none of your business or concern, understand?" I finish, stepping over the blanket that's now lying on the floor and glaring at him, standing directly in front of where he's sitting. "I'm sorry you're an asshole who thinks he has the authority to meddle in other people's lives, but news flash: you don't."

"Well maybe if you had a life to begin with, I wouldn't have to meddle," he fires back, his fists clenched as he sits up straighter, looking me in the eyes. "I'm- I didn't mean that."

"No, go ahead," I say, my voice cool. "Tell me all the ways I'm pathetic and stupid. I dare you."

This really isn't what I came here to accomplish. He confessed. I should be storming away in victory right now, not provoking the argument further. But there's something about this argument- all our arguments, really- that feels alive. Electric. Like there's a current pulsing between us, and- good or bad- I need to feel it electrocute me.