ELIZA
Weeks had passed by, and we were approaching the Easter Holidays. What used to be subtle signs of attention from Jasper, had escalated to his presence just being everywhere, whether or not his attention was focused on me. I and I couldn't help but want to be this close to him
"He's winking at you every time you guys make eye contact," Riya complains, "Does he have no decorum?"
I hold back a smile, "Why does this seem to be annoying you more than it does me?"
"Because I'm becoming a third wheel." She groans.
"Third wheel?" I ask, exasperated, "How can you be a third wheel if we're not even dating?"
"You guys may not be dating, but you're certainly driving something with two wheels, and it is not friendship."
I scoff, "Ok, first off, there are no wheels, and even if there was, it's between me and you," I reach out and hold her hand, as she eyes me, "Nothing can come in between our love, baby girl."
"Get off me!" She yelps, instantly retracting her hands as I laugh, "Save the sweet talk for your lover boy."
"He's not my lover boy, he hasn't even followed through with his proposal of a date yet, and that was over a month ago."
"You're making me feel uncomfortably single." She crosses her arms over her chest.
"You've been single your entire life, what difference does this make?" I retort.
"No, we've been single our entire lives, and now you're leaving me for some knock off..." She trails off
"Knock off..." I continue with a small smile, willing her to finish her sentence.
"Knock off someone! I don't know." She huffs.
I laugh, finding her frustration hilarious, "Yeah, keep laughing while you can."
"Riya, someone will find you soon, trust me you're loud enough."
"Very funny, you should be a comedian." She goes back to her food, looking up for a second she grumbles, "Speak of the devil."
Before I have a chance to speak, an arm swings around my shoulder and someone places themselves gruffly in the seat next to me.
"You were speaking about me?" He asks, a small smirk etching his face, he places a pot on to my tray, "Also I got you ice cream from the canteen."
I smile at him just as Riya stares at him blankly before replying, "No actually, we were complaining about you."
"So I was the topic of discussion then." He replies, smug.
"I don't think finding out we were complaining about you is something to be proud of."
He shrugs his shoulders, showing indifference to Riya's claim, "I'm used to it, there's always some inaccurate rumour about me flying around this place since the moment I've stepped in, feel free to join the bandwagon."
I ask, looking at him, "Rumours like what?"
"That I'm involved in some dumb gang," He scoffs, "At least give me more credit, why would I be in some weak, hormone filled gang that consists of high school dropouts?"
"Then what are you in." Riya pipes up, her head moving slightly forward.
Jasper leans in, bring my head with him, as we meet in the centre, he lowers his voice to just above a whisper, "The Mafia."
I shove his hands of my shoulder, glaring at him whist he stops himself from laughing, "Why did I think you'd give us a believable answer."
"I'm being serious!" He reasons.
I roll my eyes, "They'd shoot themselves, before you even had the chance to sign up, because of how annoying you are."
Riya laughs, "You are not mafia material, no one in the mafia would tell anyone they're in the mafia, they'd be breaching the code of silence."
Jasper furrows his eyebrows slightly, "How do you even know that?"
"I've read enough books and watched enough crime documentaries to know even that much."
I continue, "Besides, you're what, sixteen?"
"Seventeen." He grits out.
"Right, seventeen. What use would a seventeen year old be in running organised crime of that scale?" I ask, trying to stop the laugh from escaping.
Riya wheezes out, "He's going to use his maths A-levels, to help figure out the volume of the drug carts."
"No, no, he's going to figure out the total sum of money they've laundered."
Riya slaps my arm, tears brimming her eyes, "No, he's going to calculate the number of prison cells they need to contain all the men."
I cackle with her, and suddenly, Jasper returns to glaring at the both of us, watching as we catch our breath from laughing at our own jokes.
"Ok, now you're milking the joke."
Eventually our laughter stops, and I notice a small smile playing on his lips, there were two soft creases at the ends of his smile, forming dimples. His cheeks were slightly tinged pink just like the ends of his nose. I hadn't ever been mesmerised by another persons joy this much, but maybe it's because his display of delight was a masterpiece. Not seen often, but when it was there, you can't look away.
I clear my throat and look back down at my tray of food, just as his eyes switch back to look at me. I grab a teaspoon before scooping the remain of the ice cream in the pot. I was having a hard time concentrating when I could see him stare at me from the corner of my eyes.
I think my racing heart may be an indication that I was developing a crush on Jasper.
-
The school day ends, and I open my locker to retrieve my books before I leave the building. A small yellow tulip was placed in the centre off the bottom shelf. I reach to take it out, noticing a small envelope beneath the stem. It was identical to the one I had received when I first returned to school, the texture of the black card was expensive, and in cursive a message laid in the centre.
'There's a carnival coming to town this Saturday, would you care to join me on a date?'
- Jasper
My head lifts, and I slowly look around me. Jasper approaches me, only a few steps away.
"How did you even open my locker?" I ask, closing the door.
He lets out a small laugh, "Using your birthday as a password isn't very smart, Eliza."
His deep voice sends butterflies to my stomach, I swallow before replying, "Well I don't really expect people to be breaking into it, they're only going to find school material."
"Good point."
I glance down at the card briefly, before looking back into his eyes, "I'll come, what time do you want me to be ready?"
"I'll pick you up at 6, every carnival only gets exciting at night."
"It's a done deal." I smile, biting the tip of my lip, "Also, you have got to stop winking at me."
"Why? It's fun making fun of you." We both begin to walk down the hall.
"Well, to begin with, it's a bit cringe, and it's taking off the few brownie points you have with me."
He tilts his chin down, "Fine, I'll stop," He swings his arms around my shoulders, "But you can't stop me from doing this whenever I want."
"Fine." I roll my eyes, "Oh, wait," I bring the card out, placing it in front of the both of us, "Where did you get this from?"
"The card?
I nod my head.
"I bought a few of them last summer from some shop, I use it for-" He stops himself abruptly.
I push my head forwards slightly, waiting for him to continue, "For..."
"You can't laugh," He clears his throat, "Scrapbooking."
A snort escapes me, and I clamp my lips shut to prevent another one, "You scrapbook?"
He turns his head to the side, "Yes, I like photography, so I use a scrapbook to document my images, I use those envelopes to decorate the pages."
He stops us from walking, grabbing my wrist and turning me to face him, my neck cranes upwards, "You better not tell anyone this."
"Why? Does it ruin your 'bad boy' image? I've got worse leverage, remember what you were wearing he other day?" I tug at my wrist, continuing our descent down he steps, "Besides, I think it shows personality."
"Whatever."
"Aww, he's embarrassed," I look back, teasing him.
He catches up to me, and shifts the topic, "Why did you ask?"
"Well, at the start of our first term, when I first came, Ezra and I both received a letter to meet at the fields, and I know you were there as well, did you send those letters?"
"No," He shakes his head, "I received one as well in my mailbox, but I think I know who may have sent them and why."
"Who do you think it was?"
Jasper doesn't respond immediately, instead, his gaze lingers on my face for a few moments before he decides to give me an answer, "I'm not going to tell you until I have some concrete evidence, but if what I think is right, then you have to be careful about who you let into your life."
"Alright then, why do you think they sent it."
"To start shit between me and Ezra again, except this time with the intention to involve you."
I chew on the side of my cheek, whoever had sent the card, did not do so with harmless intentions. If they knew where Jasper lived, then they were aware of what kind of tension brewed between Ezra and Jasper.
"Don't worry about it Eliza," He looks down at me as we approach the entrance of the car park, "I'll figure it out."
I nod, trusting his words.
———
Hey guys,
I hope you enjoyed today's chapter! Please don't forget to vote.
Thank you,
Elle x