Free Minds Chained Hearts | ✔

Part 1 | Chapter 18

Oh, poor Cade.

Cade looks away and a victorious smile appears in Jocelyn's glossy pink lips, "Just what I thought, " she affirmed before turning to me, arms on the desk, pushing on her breasts like some seller yet I think I've just lost my appetite.

"So, nice to see you again, how're things?" She gushed as though we were friends and I scoffed.

"Uh, can I help you?" I said suspiciously.

"Sure can, " she said and I stay silent waiting for her to elaborate.

For a second she purses her lips and looked around like she was just about to admit to something before turning back to me. I tilt my head, furrowing my brows, and wondering what it was that she wanted for me.

Surely, this place —a plainly quiet environment where teachers and students commune to try and concentrate while a myriad of books surrounds them like trees—  isn't a place to start a fight so I guess I'm crossing that out?

Whatever she wants though has a very slim chance of being a nice thing.

"Look, I know we started off a bit rocky and all and—" she struggled to find her words, and Cade looked at her dumbfounded. I looked at her with an expectant gaze because I really don't know where this is headed.

You know what, seriously, one second I'm calm and tranquil then the next I'm in a library with a girl who practically bullied me, waiting for her to elaborate on her words.

That party is cursed I tell you.

"I wanted to make amends, as much as I rarely do it, " she sighed.

Cade and I inevitably had the same reaction. Bugg eyed and jaw dropped. We both look at each other trying to confirm that what we heard was right and apparently it was.

There was a slight tinge of red on her cheeks and I couldn't be positive if it were blush or the embarrassment that must've been.

What world am I living in? Am I dreaming?

The last time I remember she hated me like the villain in her story, barely acknowledged me and now she's pulling the nice card.

"I'm sorry what?" I said, rather too loud and catching the attention of some of the book worms. Receiving some rather fatal glares from my fellow geeks is way too hard-hitting for my own good.

"You heard me." She leaned back. "You know that party wasn't the first time I heard about you right?"

I shook my head and exchanged another look with Cade who— like me — is still very perplexed.

Jocelyn sighs and looks at me again, "Well, Danica is one of my best friends. The only one actually. She spoke about you and she spoke about how you loved books and all the nerdy things." She tapped her long nails in the table.

"My first thought was that you were a nerd who couldn't do anything better than just to stay at home and get perfect grades. But after how you fucked Axel up, I thought you were pretty interesting. Then I saw how you handled yourself. Not bad." She nodded and I chuckled think this was all an elaborate hoax. She raises a brow and I know it wasn't.

"Ok, ok, let me get this straight. You insult me to kingdom come, acted like tou we're my enemy for life and now you want to be friends?

"What the actual fuck?" Cade scrunches his nose in disgust and she hits him on the arm. He said the words I'll never be able to say and he couldn't be more right.

I'm dreaming, right?

"Yeah, " she shrugged, "I figured, we're both friends with Danica and she's really close to you so why not be a trio right?"

"Ok, no way, josé, " Cade waved his hands receiving a glare from Jocelyn, "no way, tigress— this angel of a girl would hang out with a demon."

"Cade, let the girl speak for herself before I staple your mouth shut, " Jocelyn hits back and my eyes wide either from shock or enjoyment. A little psychopathic but it's not that. Its the fact that Cade immediately gave up and slumped on his seat. I know he could probably find if he wanted to but I guess not today.

"So, what do you think?" She turns to me, a loud smile on her lips, and mine parted.

"What do you expect me to say?" I laughed, "it's not like I forgot everything you did. No matter how petty they were."

"Ugh, fine. Matteo is right about you being stubborn." She said and I frowned.

He spoke about me? Of course, he did. He probably laughed himself off telling lies about the kind of person I am.

"Can you at least give me a chance?" She pouted, taking my notebook for me and before I could stop her, she had already written on it.

"Chance for what exactly?"

"To be friends with my best friend's best friend. Plus, I think it'll be good for you to have some new blood beside this nerd, " she points to Cade.

"You really have to stop belittling me. The only reason I haven't hit back yet is that we are in a library; I respect that." Cade clarified eliciting an eye roll from Jocelyn.

"Ok, how about this, " she slides my notebook back to me, not with numbers written across it. "Give me a week to prove myself, that I'm trustworthy enough. If it doesn't work then, I won't do shit anymore. How about that?" She offered and I purse my lips in reluctance.

People deserve second chances right? I know if I'm in her position then I'd want to have a second chance too. If I was to say no then wouldn't it be a little hypocritical? Even if I had said no then I would be living with guilt knowing that I was too judgmental to even give a chance.

"So? What do you say?"

Am I really doing this? Will this be in my best interest? I'll probably regret this.

"One week, "

She squeals, lightly clapping her hands while her face lit up like a kid on summer as I take my notebook with what I assume is her number on.

"You won't regret it, alright, call me when you're free or I'll come by your dorm. We'll hang, " with that, she stands, patting my shoulder before walking away leaving me with a dumbfounded Cade.

His eyes are wide and twitching while his jaw was practically on the floor. I can understand the shock but as I quickly packed my bags, I watched out for him. I need to get him out of this place before he explodes like a bomb.

After rushing out with his hand in mine, he's still silent and for a second I was afraid he had a stroke so I stopped and shook him by the shoulder.

His eyes traveled to mine without expression and I opened my mouth to say something. Before I could even do so, he beat me to it.

"Oh, son of a bitch! You aren't here to make friends with this one too are you?" Cade curses while scowling on something behind me and by the pit in my stomach, I think I know who he's talking about.

"Hold on, you said yes?" I hear Matteo's growl and for a second, I realize I agreed to something more than a hangout.