Bad Things

Chapter 4

"Sorry. I didn't know you were here. When did you reach?"

"Just now. Did Jay drop you?"

"Yeah. He did."

"That's nice." She grinned at me widely.

"He's such a jerk," I sighed as I removed my jacket and threw it on my chair.

With a smile, Vanessa fell back on her bed, throwing the cover over her. When I finally lay my head down on the pillow and got under the covers to sleep, I thought of Jay again. It had been one wild night for me, for someone who had never done something like this before. It was great and terrifying at the same time. I couldn't help but feel stupid too. Did I really have to get on his bike?

Why did you, Lola?

Although he'd pissed me off at the end of the day, I still fell asleep with a smile on my lips at the thoughts of him. If anything, I felt excited for more.

★

I met Drew the next day during lunch. Vanessa texted me while I was at the Cafeteria with him and Jarvis. "Are you going out tonight?"

I wanted to say yes, but I also wanted to say no. So, I replied, "I guess not."

"Carli and I might be going out again today, so I was wondering if you'd like to come out again."

"I don't think so. No."

"Come on. I'm sure it wasn't that bad last night."

"It wasn't but maybe another time."

"Kay. See ya."

I thought for a while. If I go, I knew I'd be seeing Jay again. Of course, deep down it wasn't a secret that I wanted to see him again. But I decided I wasn't going to talk to him. I was going to, you know, act like I don't even care if he's around, like I'm that cool ass girl, and that he's not at all important to me, not at all. . . yeah, that was what I was going to do.

But the only problem was, what else would I do then? Talk to other people that I don't know like I know them? That would have clearly been an option only if I had a knack of starting conversations and breaking the ice. However, that wasn't the case either, so going out was out of the question. I belonged in my bed. That was where I was most comfortable. Even Vanessa and Carli had other people to meet, places to go, and they weren't my babysitters.

So, that night, I didn't go out. When Vanessa returned to our room late at night, I was already half-asleep.

"Vanessa?" I looked up from my pillow, eyes groggy and watching her tiptoe inside, trying to make less sound.

"Hey! Jay asked about you."

That sent a jolt of electric to my heart and I was immediately awake again.

"He did?"

"Yeah. You should come out again."

"I'll think about it," I replied, closing my eyes again to sleep, slowly smiling under my covers.

He asked about me.

★

I saw him again the next day in the evening, crowding the area in front of the cafe with his friends. He had left his beanie and I noticed his long, messy hair with faded sides brushed back, a strand or two toppled over his eyes. The leather jacket looked good on him. Hot, actually.

I was with Drew then. We were on our way back from the ghetto. We decided to go back and buy those necklaces we left the last time from that woman. She told us her name is Camila and she was pretty much impressed to see us back to her again.