Jesse's Girl

Chapter 5

     I spotted Jesse in the large crowd immediately, and watched from where I was standing as he worked his ways, flattering a cheerleader who had broken apart from her team to stand beside him on the track bordering the football field. He raised his hand out and brushed a finger against her cheek, moving a strand of pretty red hair out of her face.

     I growled, but not out of jealousy, but the nerve of him. He practically asked a girl out in front of me, and now he's with someone else after just a couple of hours?  

     As he leaned toward her face, aiming for just one thing as the cheerleader's lips puckered, my small temper with him suddenly sparked. My nails dug into the skin of my palm, and I shifted to the side and kicked the soccer ball with all of my might. However, it didn't shoot off to my partner—it sent off like a rocket straight toward Jesse's head.

     His lips were already mashed against hers when the ball neared them. The black and white ball flew across the field, losing its momentum on the way and ending up bouncing off Jesse's shoulder with a good enough force that made him stumble back and make the cheerleader he'd kissed let out a shriek of alarm. He instantly turned to the ball that had interrupted him and looked up toward me.

     I had already broke out into a jog toward him as soon as I'd kicked it.

     "Jesse! Oh my God, did I hit you?" I asked, feigning concern and over exaggerating how I let my mouth hang open as I stared at him. "I'm so sorry. I thought I saw a cheating bastard so I just kicked as hard as I could."

     He made a face, and then his eyes grew wide when I looked over to the red headed girl in front of him. She looked clueless.

     I stared her down, and then smiled sweetly when I brought my eyes up to meet hers. "Have you met Jesse's girlfriend?"

     Jesse had been in the middle of clearing his throat and rubbing at his arm, but once my words processed in his head, he let out a choke and shot his eyes between me and the cheerleader. She glared at him once I finished speaking, shaking her head in shock. "Girlfriend?"

     "She's lying."

     I gasped, and Jesse turned to me in horror. "Me? Lying? I would never." I shifted my gaze back to the girl. "But yes, he has a girlfriend. Now, when did they start going out? Oh! This morning! In English, wasn't it Jesse?"

     By this time, the cheerleader was already backing away from him. As soon as she turned on her heel and stalked back to her team, I returned Jesse's glare with an innocent look. "That went well," I remarked. "Tell Lauren I said hi."

     I began to walk away then, picking up my soccer ball while I was at it. My side of the class had abandoned the coach's instructions to practice while I hadn't been there, actually overcoming their social anxiety with one another to start up a game.

     As I put more distance between the chatter of the large group of guys at the track and myself, I suddenly became aware of the sound of dry grass crunching behind me. "What is your problem?"

     I glanced over my shoulder to see Jesse. Behind him, I could see the cheerleader I'd managed to save with her fists clenched, a look of betrayal plastered on her face as she watched Jesse from where she stood with her team.

     I didn't feel bad for her. She'd thank me later.

     "Well I don't know if you've noticed," I started, turning away from her to look back at Jesse. "But you are my problem."

     "Why?" Jesse demanded, his voice growing louder. "What did I ever do to you?"

     I was too amused to feel threatened.

     "Well, for starters"—I lifted my hand and began to tick away things as I spoke—"You broke up with a girl in a janitor's closet in front of me. You asked for my best friend's number like I go around handing it out or something, and then you piss me off even more by waiting by her locker. Then, you move across an entire classroom just to be in my group to annoy me, and then you hit on Lauren thinking I actually cared. And then, you go ahead and prove to me just how sleazy you are by making out with some girl while I clearly know you're with Lauren. So don't ask what my problem is when I'm just trying to be a functioning member of society by ridding the world of idiots like you."

     Jesse stood in front of me, dumbfounded and speechless for a long moment before he slowly recovered. "M-Maybe I asked Lauren out for a reason."

     "And I have a feeling I already know what it was," I spat.

     Jesse's face fell, and he smiled without humor before he started to back away. "You know what?" he said, and then turned away from me. "I don't have time for this."

     I couldn't help the scoff that escaped through my lips. "Sure, because talking to me might put a strain in the time you use to fool around with girls you don't even like."

     He glanced back at me. "Maybe you're just jealous that I'm with someone who isn't you."

     I couldn't think of a proper response that justified how utterly ridiculous his assumption was, so I simply said, "Whatever helps you sleep at night." I waved him off and turned back toward my class. "If you ever come near me or Katrina again though, I'll do more than just hit you with a soccer ball."

     "Is that a threat?"

     I smiled evilly as I walked away, as did the demons swirling around in my chest. "Yes, it is."