--Special thanks to karmah5 for her amazing editing skills--
[[ To My Pretties~ I apologize greatly for the lateness of this chapter! I have been super busy and totally slacked. I have to say.... my editor was AMAZING and got this edited SUPER fast after I sent it to her just for you guys! You should thank her for being amazing. I know I do. And am now. Again. :)) I'll have the next one up in four days if things go like I hope they will. Thank you for sticking around! ~ Jade ]]
For votes I will not threaten, for comments I do not beg. But if you don't leave your opinions, I may just break your leg.
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“Matthew is glad you’re staying with us.”
I turned to look at Jakeson, wondering where the comment had come from. “That’s good?” I answered hesitantly. I knew that Matthew liked me at least a little bit. Was Jakeson going to blame it on me? Kale would. I turned my eyes out the window and gritted my teeth. It seemed like I pulled everything back to that idiot.
Jakeson noticed my face tense up because he smiled at me until I looked back over at him. “He likes you being around,” he started to say before adding, “and I do too.” His perfectly blue eyes met mine. “It’s nice having you in the house. It feels natural.”
“I like it too,” I agreed automatically with a little smile. And I did. I felt free there. Like no matter what I did I would end up all right.
“You can stay as long as you want you know.” He assured me.
I gave a small nod, my blonde hair falling around my shoulders. It was such a relief having someplace safe I could stay. I knew there’d be no fighting. There’d be no drama. I could just live without constantly wondering if I’d run into him. Kale.
“The bedroom is all yours,” he continued after a few minutes of silence. “Lake’s not coming back so no one else will need it. We can get new furniture if you’d like,” he turned to me sounding excited, “we can even do a new paint job if you’d like. I could bring home some swat-“
“No,” I interrupted cutting off his enthusiastic talking. “I like the room how it is. We don’t need to change it.” Staying at Jakeson’s isn’t completely safe. I had to remind myself. He has feelings for me and I know it. I have to be careful not to use him again.
He eyed me but I didn’t turn to look at him. I could hear his brain ticking away. “Well, you can have people over you know? It’s your house too now,” he started and I opened my mouth to disagree but he cut me off with, “it’s your home as long as you want it to be. No longer than that.”
A sigh escaped my lips and I nodded again. He was being his usual thoughtful self. All he wanted to do was make me happy. For a few seconds his eyes lingered on me as he pulled up to the school. I could tell he was waiting for something. “I really appreciate it Jakeson,” I finally said for lack of anything else.
Jakeson grinned, his teeth straight and perfect as he flashed them to me. “Don’t forget about Megan’s party.”
“I won’t,” I agreed with a nod and climbed from the car. In a moment Jakeson was at my side and it almost surprised me that he didn’t try to reach for my hand. Maybe I did need some girls as friends?
Morisa waved at me and I returned it with my own surprised smile. I had thought Brendon’s plan had failed but it seemed like just maybe the girls wouldn’t just forget me. I wasn’t really sure what type of an impression I’d made on them. Guys are so much easier to become friends with…
Just as I thought it the familiar sound of Spencer complaining at Frankie met my ears. I smiled and looked past Jakeson to where the group of rowdy boys sat. It wasn’t hard to spot them all. They were mixed in with a large group of fellow football players but sure enough there were my boys: Frankie poking at Spencer, Spencer trying to get back to the book he was frantically looking through, and Brendon watching them amused as he tried to settle the conflict.
Brendon’s shining eyes met mine and he opened his mouth as though he were saying hello. I grinned, Jakeson having stopped walking as well when he noticed where I was looking. The interruption tore Frankie and Spencer from their little tussle and they both looked up to me as well. I smiled with a little wave, about to take a step towards the large group. I didn’t remember most of the other boy’s names but it wasn’t important.
But I did remember him.
Kale’s eyes turned towards mine as he must have been watching his friends and noticed their change of expression. Instantly his smile dropped and his face went blank. All expression left him and in that second our eyes held I could feel all the air in my body leave in a rush through my mouth. It felt like I’d been punched in the face as he turned his eyes away from me as though he’d never seen me to begin with.
For a moment I faltered, just standing there. I had so much I wanted to say to him. It isn’t the place nor the time. I realized as Jakeson’s hand landed on my shoulder. As always he’d noticed right away my mood changing. Just play it cool.
I gave the boys my best smile and a little cute wave before walking towards the school doors instead of towards them like I normally would. Jakeson faithfully followed beside me, catching up in an instant. He didn’t breathe a word as he quickly opened the door for me and I stepped in before him. He followed beside me in a light silence as we approached my locker where Skylar stood, his charming smile already in place.
“Rein,” he greeted me the second I was in range. For a second his eyes scanned me before meeting mine.
Once more Jakeson set his large warm hand on my shoulder. Here it comes… I thought, preparing myself for the freak out. It was a well known fact that the two boys didn’t particularly like each other. “I’ll see you at lunch?” Jakeson asked softly.
His calm tone surprised me and I looked up into his perfectly blue eyes. They met mine, a soft look to them. “I’m sitting with Jared,” I answered slowly. Once more I readied myself for him to object.
“Okay, well text me when you’re ready for a ride home then.” Once more he smiled and turned his eyes to Skylar. “Skylar,” he said gently with a little nod of acknowledgement before walking off down the hall.
Well that wasn’t exactly what I’d seen coming. I watched his back, surprised at his lack of possessiveness. But no, Jakeson was perfect. He was so unlike Kale.
Before I could even begin to feel depression my heart leapt in my chest at Skylar’s fingers on my cheek. “Is everything all right?” he asked as he brushed some of my stray hairs and tucked them slowly behind my ear.
I nodded, surprised at his closeness. We’d become good friends in the time that I’d known him. He’d become someone I could trust. The only friend I had outside of Kale’s little group. He’d accompany me to all of the football games since he didn’t play football but rather soccer. Yet the second his eyes met mine and I gave a numb nod my mind was elsewhere.
“Good,” he smiled softly and his accent spiked the memory of the last time I’d heard it. He’d been singing. I’d been drunk. We’d been dancing.
Suddenly his touch embarrassed me and I pulled away quickly, turning my back on him to unlock my locker. I fumbled with the combination my breathing picking up. Oh god how embarrassing. He probably thinks I’m an idiot. He probably heard what happened with Kale. Of course he heard. He must think I’m pathetic.
I tried and failed for a fourth time and Skylar’s soft hand resting on mine snapped me from my worried thoughts but caused my heart to pound. “I’ll get it,” he offered. I nodded and stepped aside. He knew my combination from how often we’d do each other’s photography when time was short. Best friends sharing work.
But now? Did I make our friendship awkward?
Skylar pulled open the locker and stepped aside so I could get in it. “Thanks,” I mumbled, looking to my feet as I stepped up to it and started to dig through for the folder I needed for psych. Just him standing behind me and watching was enough to make my pressure rise insanely. Just how much damage had I done at that one stupid party?
The day started to blur as I moved along acting as normal as I could. It was hard considering how often people brought up the breakup. Everything was one great splotch on a sheet of paper. None of it made sense. Everyone was different. Guys I’d never talked to before suddenly paid attention to me. The girls that I’d met shopping all smiled while the ones I didn’t know seemed to give me cold shoulders. Everything was different in the smallest ways.
I got my lunch as quickly as I could, wanting nothing more than to flee the cafeteria. Eyes landed on me and I hated it. The way everyone looked. I was sure it was just because I’d gotten paranoid. It was because my nerves were fried.
Chill. It’s all right woman. I coaxed myself into a semi-calm state. I turned my eyes up to the masses and scanned them slowly. I was right – a few people were glancing at me. One of which caught my attention immediately.
“Jared!”
I said his name before I even took my first step towards him. I’d completely forgotten that out of everyone who had started treating me differently he was one of them. We were friends again. I could talk to him. I could sit down and smile and laugh. Everything really would be fine. I didn’t have to hide outside away from Kale.
He grinned up at me as I sat down, his collar a mess and his tie undone. “Thought you forgot about me,” he said in his smooth friendly voice with a welcoming tone.
“I would never,” I said and beamed instantly. It was like magic. No other eyes mattered. Not now. “How have you been?” I breathed instantly wanting to know everything I’d missed.
Jared laughed. “Well, I’m alive.” His eyes danced with mine a second before drifting downwards. “What is that?”
I followed his gaze down to my tray. “A salad?” I responded, unsure as to why he’d even ask. The boy did know food right? We’d gone to a food market together for god’s sake.
When I raised my eyes back to his he was looking just as confused as I was. “Why?”
“To eat?” I asked more than answered.
“You’re eating that?”
A silence hung in the air. Has he always been like this? I wondered and looked back down at my salad bewildered. “Yeah, I was planning to eat it.”
I looked up to him and he looked even more confused. We held eye contact for a good two minutes in quiet as we both held expressions as though wondering who on earth the person sitting across from us was. Finally he asked, “Why no meat?”
“Oh!” I breathed, remembering that it was something we’d always shared; our love of meat and good food. My eyes landed on the food on my tray, looking at it just like Jared had. What am I doing with salad? I wondered as I realized what exactly I had gotten. Since when did I start eating only leafy greens?
I’d always loved to eat a lot. I worked out often enough and had a good metabolism. So why did I have such a skimpy meal? “Kale,” I finally breathed. “He always said I ate too much.”
The realization hit me suddenly. I hadn’t even noticed it’d happened. Kale had started changing little things about me. First I depend on other people for my phone and now I’m eating like a dancer?
A silence hung in the air between us, filled only with other people’s loud talking. Suddenly the green leafs before me began to disgust me and I grimaced. I wasn’t the type to change for anyone. Yet I had. I raised my eyes to Jared’s and he looked caught off guard by my annoyed gaze for a second.
“Take mine,” he said, nudging his tray towards me again, “you can eat as much as you want you know.”
“I know,” I responded immediately, picked the burger off his tray without hesitation and took a big bite of it.
He watched me as I chewed it. The meat singing like angels on my taste buds. I hadn’t even realized I was hungry. Now I did. I took another bite, chewing it slowly and savoring it. My eyes met his again and he gave a laugh. “Glad to see you’re still in there somewhere.”
I swallowed slowly. “Is that why you stopped being my friend?” I asked looking at him earnestly. “Was it because I started changing and didn’t realize it?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s my fault you changed.”
“Yours?”
“I knew what Kale was doing. I didn’t warn you. I got mad instead when I should have realized that you didn’t see what was going on.”
Going on? I stared at him, trying to see if I could understand what he meant. I couldn’t. “What happened?”
His eyes left mine and he let out a long slow breath. “I wasn’t making a deck.” I stared at him, still confused. “We live in an apartment, there’s nowhere for a deck,” he said more pointedly as if it held a special meaning.
No deck? “You lied about what you were doing?” I asked slowly, understanding creeping up on me.
‘Yes,” he confirmed, looking guilty. His eyes landing all over the tray in front of me, refusing to meet mine.
Why would he lie to me? I worked through everything in my mind. There was only one reason. “You noticed me change and didn’t want to be around me anymore.” I breathed in realization. “I’m the one who ruined the friendship. I didn’t know that-“
“No,” Jared hissed, shaking his head. “No, Rein I lied because of Kale. Kale told me to back off of you. He said I couldn’t give you rides anymore. So I stopped.”
I blinked, his words were fast and rushed. “Kale?” I asked slowly. If what Jared said was true…
“Yes, Kale.” he nodded roughly. “He pulled me aside and threatened me with my job. I should have told him to stuff it. I should have told you about it. But I didn’t because I thought you knew. I mean, I thought you knew what kind of a guy he was. So I was mad at you for just playing along with it. Then I realized that you didn’t know what was going on,” he met my eyes as he talked in a rushed voice, “when you kept eating lunch with me. And I got even more upset that you didn’t see him for who he was. So when I went to try and explain and saw you two kissing-“
“You thought you were too late,” I breathed realizing where he was going with this.
Jared ruffled his short brown hair and turned his eyes away from mine. “It was too late by then. I couldn’t tell you because you’d believe me and I’d get fired. Or even worse you’d think I was lying and stick up for him and he’d have more power over you.”
My fists clenched in anger. Kale! He knew how hurt I was losing Jared as a friend! He knew how much I needed him! That backstabbing conniving asshole! I gritted my teeth and looked back to Jared. “Jared I-“
“If he didn’t fire me he’d make you choose who you believed; me or him. And if you chose him then you’d feel guilty about me,” he cut me off in a rushed voice, “and if you chose me he’d make your life terrible. I didn’t want that. So I had to sit back and watch. I was never mad at you Rein. I was only mad at him.”
“I can’t believe this.“
“I’m sorry. I-“
“Jared,” I cut him off quickly, “I’m not mad at you.”
He looked at me, his eyes pulsing with guilt. “You have every right to be. I made you think you did something wrong when you didn’t. I should have been upfront with you and honest. I-“
“Kale is the one at fault,” I hissed, cutting him off again before he could apologize more. “He just can’t let me be happy. He has to have everything his way or not at all.”
He let out a breath, eyeing me as though trying to figure out what he was supposed to do or say. “Will you tell him you know what he did?”
“No,” I shook my head slowly and let out an angry breath as I flexed my hands free from their fists. “No, I don’t need to tell him anything. All that is important is that I know the truth.”
“The truth?”
“He never really cared about me,” I pushed the tray away from me and met his eyes again, holding them in mine. “He just wanted me. I was a game. And he used you to get to me. I was the stupid one who fell for it.”
Unable to handle anything more I got up and pushed in my chair, turning to leave. “Rein I’m sorry!” Jared cried out before I could step away. “This wasn’t what I meant to happen. I didn’t mean to hurt you more.”
I turned and looked over my shoulder at him, a small smile on my lips. “Wednesday night. You’re coming over for dinner. I’m staying at Jakeson’s so I expect you to call me after school for details,” I said my heart lifting as I realized how worried he was for me. “I’m really glad you’re my friend again. The past is the past.”
I turned and walked off. If only that was the truth. If only Kale could just be in my past and have that be the end.
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Meanwhile-
For a long moment Mike stared at the girl in front of him. The blonde of his classmate's hair reminded him instantly of Rein. How was she doing? Had things worked out for her? He felt bad that things had ended so terribly. All he'd wanted to do was spend some time with her. She seemed like someone who he'd be great friends with if only he were given the chance. It looked as though the fates didn't have that in store. Or, at least stupid Pharkerson wasn't allowing it.
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