"No no no, I'm gonna have to disagree. 'Twelve Dancing Princesses' is the best Barbie movie ever made."
"No," Bella whines, "Jay, tell her she's wrong."
Jayden laughs, looking at me with a cute smile, "You're wrong."
I stick my tongue out at him, crossing my arms afterwards. I couldn't believe they were ganging up on me. I am absolutely right, I used to live off of Barbie movies.
You can't argue with me either. I'm right.
Bella, Jayden, and I are eating dinner in the fancy dining room that's attached to the kitchen. I have to specify because, as Jayden explained, there's more than one dining room in this house. The three of us, leaning more to Jayden and me than Bella, had made some mac and cheese for dinner. It must be the expensive ingredients or the fancy silverware because this is the best mac and cheese I've ever had. I didn't even know mac and cheese could taste so good. I though it was just the Americans trying to prove they had a cuisine of their own.
Thankfully, Jayden had brought me some sweatpants to wear when he'd come back from changing out of his wet clothes. I gratefully took them as I was starting to feel awkward half naked in front of a seven year old that had already called me out on it. The sweatpants were loose on me, but they did happen to match the ones Jayden had changed into.
"Have you even seen 'Twelve Dancing Princesses'?"
Bella shakes her head, stuffing her face with more pasta.
"You let your sister be this uncultured?" I turn to Jayden now, who's looking at the two of us amused.
He only shrugs in response, probably not even knowing what we're arguing about.
"I'll make you a deal," I turn to Bella.
She perks up, looking at me with wide green eyes. She has the same eyes as Jayden, but more innocent. They're happier, unbeknownst to the world and all the shit it has to offer. Bella still lives in the world of rainbows and unicorns, you can tell just by looking at her eyes. Jayden's eyes, they're tired. Always calculating something.
"We watch both movies, and whichever one you like better wins."
"What do I win?" Bella asks excitedly.
What could I offer a seven year old? Worse than that, a rich seven year old. She probably had everything she could ever want. And if she didn't have it, she could easily get it. I could draw her something, but no kid wants a painting. It'll just get lost, broken, or dirty in the first week. But then I remember my favorite treat as a kid. The one thing that always got me in a good mood. The thing that always got me away from my painting.
I smile at her, "I'll bake you a cake."
"With chocolate sprinkles?" Her eyes grow even wider if that's possible.
"With chocolate sprinkles," I nod.
"Yay!" Bella jumps out of her chair and runs to the living room, excited to get to watching so she can get her chocolate cake.
"You're gonna lose, you know," Jayden's voice pulls my attention back to him.
He's cleaning up the dishes with a smile on his face. I start helping him, feeling odd just standing there watching him clean like some lord.
"Why do you say that?"
"She really likes cake."
After cleaning up some and making the kitchen and dining room look pristine again, Jayden and I make our way to the living room where Bella is. She's already put in the first Barbie movie of the evening. She's on the couch, bouncing on it with a stuffed rabbit in her hands. I smile at the sight, remembering how I used to be the same when I waited for my parents for movie night.
"Are we ready?" Jayden asks, plopping down on the right edge of the couch.
I nod, choosing to sit next to Jayden. I plop down, not really thinking much about where I'm sitting. But between energized Bella and nervous Jayden, I took my chances. Jayden's cheeks are a dark pink when I look at him. They'd actually been a normal color since seeing Bella. He'd also been more loose, although still taking care of his sister with upmost care. I enjoyed this Jayden, the one that was comfortable in his own skin.
"Barbie!" Bella yells once Jayden hits play.
"I think she's asleep?" Jayden leans over slightly and whispers.
We were about halfway through the second movie when we hear little snores coming from our left. Somehow, throughout the movie, Jayden and I had managed to inch closer to each other. We'd started the night pretty apart but now, I had my head resting on his shoulder. My legs, that had been outstretched on the floor, were now tucked in close to me and falling on Jayden's own legs. Neither of us had said much throughout the movie, just silently watching and letting Bella enjoy it.
I look over to my side without lifting my head, "Should you take her to bed?"
Jayden nods with a soft smile playing on his lips, "Don't you wanna finish the movie?"
The sly dog.
I turn to Jayden, a knowing smile on my face. He just looks to me with his green eyes trying to read me as they always do. He's always trying to figure something out. I don't give anything away, a talent I've learned with practice. Having eyes on me, someone is always assuming something or coming up with a new wild rumor, it's impossible not to learn to hide things.
"Sure," I say simply, "But only if you do this."
His eyes furrow for a second, confused at my words. Jayden watches me as I grab his arm thats between us. I lift it up and wrap it over my head and around to my other side. Scooting towards him in the process so that I can rest my head at the top of his chest, close to his armpit. I keep my hand on his for a second too long, dropping it once I've settled.
Jayden doesn't say anything after witnessing me move him around like a stuffed bear. He only lets on a breathy chuckle that I only know happened because I feel his chest slightly reverberate.
"Are you good now?"
I nod against his chest, "Now shut up, this is the best part."
As the movie goes on, Jayden relaxes more and more. Having Bella asleep had made him
go back to his pink cheeks and nervous gaze. When I'd moved him around, I could feel him stiffen under my touch as he watched me. Only now, as the movie was coming to an end, can I sense that he is totally relaxed. He'd slowly let his hand brush against my arm. His arm, that was behind my head, wasn't tense. And his breath was slow. His heart though, that I could hear through his chest, was still beating quickly. I was almost concerned, almost.
"I think your movie is better," He tells me when the credits start rolling.
"I know it is," I answer, not lifting my head up.
"I should take you home," He whispers out as an exhale, "My parents will be back soon and it's late."
"Your mom doesn't like me, does she?" I ask, bringing my hand up to his torso and randomly drawing circles so that I don't lash out or worse, cry.
"It's not that she doesn't like you," Jayden begins, taking a shaky breath from my sudden contact, "She's just heard the rumors."
"I hate those rumors," I mumble.
"Why'd you let them happen then?"
"I didn't think they mattered," I tell him honestly, surprising myself with my truthfulness, "I didn't care what other people thought."
"Didn't, past tense?" Jayden reaches and grabs the hand that was drawing the now more aggressive circles on his stomach.
His hand envelops mine, stoping the movement by squeezing tight. I look down to our hands, a little upset that I don't have an emotional outlet anymore, even as stupid as that one was.
"You heard me."
"Why does it matter now?"
I lift my head up, turning enough so that I can be face to face with Jayden. My hand is still in his as I turn and I'm sitting by his thigh that my legs were hanging over seconds before.
"For a nerd, Jayden, you really can be stupid."
His eyes go wide behind his glasses, his pink cheeks getting dark at the same time. He looks at me with wonder and a little shock. His hand that's around mine tightens slightly, but it's barely noticeable.
"You called me Jayden," He points out.
I roll my eyes at him, "That's your name, isn't it?"
"Yeah," He stutters slightly, "But you never do that. Why," I cut him off before he can ask another question.
"Jam, stop it with the Q & A session."
I try to move and get up from basically on top of Jayden. I'm slightly frustrated at him and annoyed that his go to is to always to ask me questions I don't want to answer. Jayden notices me moving and quickly reacts by grabbing my upper arm with his other hand and tightly grabbing the one he already had a hold of. His eyes are wide in a flustered panic.
"Wait, just one more question," He looks to me, making strong eye contact, "Please."
I relax, settling back down. I couldn't say no now. Jayden barely ever made eye contact with me, and it was usually an accident when he did. But this, this was intentional. Jayden looked me in the eyes and begged for one more question.
"One more."
"Can I," He looks hesitant, but forces himself to look back into my eyes as he speaks, "Can I kiss you? Like, umm, actually kiss you?"
Unexpected.
My lips fall open in what can only be described as dumbfounded awe. Jayden Monroe, the rich nerd that can barely look at me, just asked if he could kiss me. This is the most chivalrous thing to happen in the 21st century. Yet, I don't deserve any of the formalities. I'm Haley Jones, a girl with a bad reputation and a skill for being a bad influence.
I answer his question, but not with words. I just lean forward and kiss Jayden. It takes him a second to respond, as he was expecting words not actions to come from my mouth. His body pushes towards me as best as possible as I push back, trying to get closer. The hand that was squeezing mine flips over so that he's able to intertwine our fingers together. I gladly accept his warm hand, wrapping my fingers around his.
I can tell Jayden doesn't have much experience kissing so I take the lead and slowly brush my tongue on his lips. I can feel his heavy breath as a reaction to us kissing. He slowly opens his lips, letting his instincts take over. I smile slightly, feeling him gain confidence.
Wanting to get in a better position, I use my free hand to lift myself. Lifting one of my legs to his other side so that I'm straddling his thighs with my legs. Sitting on his thighs, I can push myself closer to Jayden. Bringing a hand up to his curly hair, I let my fingers glide through the bottom of it. Jayden's free hand wraps around my back, pulling me further into him. I let out a small sound when he does so, surprising Jayden slightly since he releases. I reassure him, squeezing the hand that we have intertwined.
Eventually, without going further from there, we back away from each other. We're both breathing heavily and our hearts are pumping. This is the first time I can say a kiss felt electrifying, like they say in the movies and romance novels. I bring my hand up to my lips, touching them softly as I look at Jayden. He's agitated from the event that just occurred, trying to get his heavy breath to settle. He's just staring at me, looking me over.
"Honey, we're home!"
"Shit," I hear Jayden under his breath.
I smile at his cursing. It always reminds me that there was a small bad side to the infamous nerd that is Jayden Monroe. He wasn't the perfect son his parents raised him to be. He wasn't the perfect nerd that would take over his father's company. He wasn't the perfect teen that didn't rebel and listened to his parents all the time. He was Jayden Monroe, a normal teen boy.
I jump off Jayden, walking away from him slightly. Thankfully, I had Jayden's sweatpants on, cause that would've been one hell of a conversation otherwise. His parents make his way into the room, both in formal attire. They seem taken aback by my being there, Mrs. Monroe much more obviously than Mr. Monroe. I only give them a small wave and smile as they walk into the room.
"Jayden, Bella should be in bed by now," His mother says without so much as a 'hi'.
"Sorry, mom," Jayden stands up awkwardly.
I smirk, knowing what's going on, and thanking all the Gods above that he's wearing lose pants instead of, well, anything else. I wink at him when he looks at me and he gives me a glare that speaks volumes.
Awe, the poor nerd boy.
"I'll take her," Mrs. Monroe's eyes shoot to me, "You should say goodbye to your guest."
"Okay," Jayden says turning to his dad instead, "Hi, dad, good party?"
"Great food," Mr. Monroe smiles, "Always nice to see you, Haley," He turns to me.
I give him an appreciative smile, "Have a good night, Mr. Monroe."
I start making my way out the room, hearing Jayden walking after me. He's quiet as we make our way to the front door but stops me before I'm able to make to open it.
"I, uh," He nervously speaks, "Sorry I can't take you home."
"It's fine," I shrug, "I like walking."
"No yeah, um, it's just late. And my parents,
uh mom, didn't exactly act welcoming. Just, I'll see you soon?" He asks more than states after his short rambling.
"Jam," I grab his arm lightly, "Good night."
He studies my face, searching for something but I'm unsure of what. His green eyes are a slightly darker shade as they jump around my face. I smile softly at his calculated expression. I give him a quick wink and air kiss to knock him out of his hypnotic state. He smiles back at me, relaxing his shoulders and letting out a tense breath.
"Good night," He finally exhales.
He opens the door for me, waving as I make my way. The bang from the door makes me turn around. The pristine house in front of me looks weird now that I'm alone. Actually, I feel weird being in front of it. I don't seem to ever belong in there, even if I think I do sometimes. When Jayden's parents arrived, it was like a slap in the face that I'm not actually good enough for the Monroe's. Jayden is probably just being a rebellious teenager and I'm the result.
"Fuck," I whisper to myself on my way back.
I look up to the sky, thinking that'll give me some answers. Maybe Jayden's onto something with all his questions he likes to ask. At least that way his curiosity gets satisfied. I march on in silence, my backpack slung on my back weighing me down only slightly. Maybe I don't know myself as well as I say I do. Or I do, but I don't want to accept it yet. Accepting everything that I've done and everything that I'm feeling. Am I ready for that?
But now, I'm thinking of something not so philosophical.
The ingredients to a chocolate sprinkles cake.