"Boyfriend, huh?" Ezra's hard voice, interrupts my thoughts, and I raise from my lying position to view him looming by the door. Jasper had left only fifteen minutes ago, but I was held down by mum, and giving reluctant answers as she asked me questions about us.
He walks in, grabbing a pillow from the floor and hugging it to his torso as he rests on my swivel chair, "So, what did you guys do today?"
"Ugh, I can't be bothered to answer," I groan, flopping back down on to the bed, "I already answered all of mums questions."
"Fine." His curt reply came from the corner of my room.
There was something clipped about his tone, which confused me. We had come to an agreement that I get to choose what I want, regardless of his opinions. Besides, they were civil now, weren't they?
"What is it?" I ask, one arm covering my eyes.
"Nothing." He shrugs, playing with the ends of my cushion.
"I can't do this, just tell me."
Elijah barges in through the door, cutting off whatever voice of objection Ezra was about to raise, "He's just butt hurt that you're actually dating Jasper now."
Ezra scoffs, as he watches Elijah lower himself onto the floor.
"What's your problem now then?" I mumble.
"I don't don't have a problem." He protests.
"Just spit it out for God's sake." Elijah groans.
"Fine," He clenches his jaw, "Don't you wonder how Jasper is as rich as he is? Why he's living here, in our small shitty town, when he can easily be living comfortably somewhere in London?"
I shrug, "I know his dad owns some kind of business, that's probably doing well. And maybe he wanted a change of scenery for his final years of school."
Ezra scoffs, shaking his head, "You are the definition of naive."
"Well then you tell me, what is the reason he came here?" I challenge.
His eyebrows raise as he shrugs his shoulder, "I don't know either."
"Oh my God." I drag my hand down my face, "You are something else Ezra."
"I'm just telling you to watch out!"
"He has a point, Izzy," Elijah finally cuts in on our conversation, "We don't know anything about him, where he's getting all this money from, why he's got multiple rings, and why he's decided to stay here of all places."
"What is so wrong about our city?"
"It's not so much what's wrong with our city. It just doesn't make sense, why someone with money, influence, power and a background like him, chose to live in this town, as apposed to staying in places like London, Birmingham, or Manchester. How many teen millionaire's do you know that live in our city?"
"I don't know any full stop, and he's definitely not a millionaire."
"Izzy, I've been to his apartment before, if he's not a millionaire, he's very close to being one," Ezra joins in, "But the specifics doesn't matter, all I'm trying to say is, he feels-"
"Sketchy." Elijah finishes, "I feel like the wealth he owns is not clean, and all we are advising you is to be careful."
I sigh and groan simultaneously, "Fine."
I couldn't help but feel that their skepticism was way too far fetched, Jasper owns his own set of illegal rings, but it doesn't feel as though he's involved in anything further than that. For once, I'm going to listen to myself and give him a chance, and if I feel unsafe or like something is wrong, I can withdraw myself from our relationship.
-
I was able to break my new development of a romantic relationship to Riya pretty easily, and to my surprise, there was more excitement from her than the discontent she had showed a few weeks ago at the prospect of us dating. She begged me to spill all the details of how it came to be, and I couldn't help but hide my face behind my hair when I told her about the kiss we shared on the Ferris wheel.
"No!" She squeals, "Stop, that's so cute!"
I laugh with her, once again reliving the memory for what felt like the thousandth time. The night I had came home, I was reliving my date over and over again, just from pure excitement.
"Riya, we need to go boyfriend hunting for you." I exclaim as I hold her hands in my own.
"That's going to be a difficult task." The deep voice behind, starlets me, and we both jump a little in our seats.
Riya scoffs as Ezra seats himself in front of us, "Not as hard as it will be for you."
"Maybe we should pair up then, seeing as we have similar opinions."
I groan, "Ezra, stopping hitting on her."
I used to image Ezra and Riya becoming a couple when I was younger, thinking that we could then all hang out together, and as a bonus, she would eventually become my sister. And even now I do not object to that, but only if he is serious. I would hate for them to have a messy break up and then it affects how we all see each other.
He takes a piece of my sliced apple, placing it in his mouth as he speaks, "Taking the first chance I get, seeing as it's going to be hard for me to find a girl."
On cue, the both of us rolled our eyes simulataneously - no longer interested in listening to Ezra.
A chorus of loud shouts erupt from behind me, drawing all three of out attention to the group of people who had just entered the opposite side of the ground. My gaze lingers on Zayn, watching how he sits in with anticipation, his arm slung around another persons shoulder.
Riya speaks up, voicing what we both were thinking, "Zayn's gotten popular these days, he's starting to hang out with us less."
I glance back to the table he sits around, and watch as someone shouts, making some joke. Everyone around him bursts into a chorus of laughter, including Zayn.
I turn my head back, and refocus on to my food, "He's been talking to me even less, especially since Jasper's been hanging around us."
"I rate him for that." Ezra pipes up, plucking another apple.
Before he places it in his mouth, I snatch it from his hands and devour it in one bite.
"Hey, I was going to eat that."
"It's my apple," I retort, "Find your own food."
He slams his hands down on the table, lifting himself up, "Fine, I won't hang around, where I'm not wanted."
"Yeah, stay away looser." I shout as he walks away to the canteen, he doesn't bother turning back, but he lifts his middle finger for a brief second, a more physical way of telling me to piss off.
-
There was still ten minutes until the end of lunch, but Riya had left to go to her next lesson before other students arrive, so she could talk to her teacher in private about her coursework. I accompanied her to her classroom, and now I walk back in the silence of the hallways.
The distant shouts and laughter can be heard through he schools walls, and I feel a gradual sense of loneliness seep in. Aside from Riya, and Zayn, I hadn't really been able to make any other close friends. throughout primary and part way through high, we were happy being a trio with Ezra. And even then when he had left, there was no need to join other group. We were satisfied with out own company.
But for me, that also meant I had no-one else to hang out with other than Riya, so when she left, I would be left alone. This was no problem for her considering she's more of a social butterfly than I am, and she finds it easier to fit in with other groups or cliques, because she can match their energy really fast.
I have friends outside of Riya, but they're all superficial, outside of all the smiles and hello's, there's no genuine friendship that could last.
I certainly am not someone who's built for superficial relationships.
I snap my head to the right's the sound of a groaning door reaches my ears. Instantly, a hand clasps around my arm, and jerks me into the classroom. A small yelp breaks free from my mouth, and another voice of anger would have left too, if I had not seen those familiar chartreuse eyes collide with my own.
"Jasper!" I whisper-yell, trying to contain my smile.
"What?" He returns the tone of my voice, his white teeth on show.
"What are you doing?" I ask, hoisting myself up own the table I was leaning against.
His had reaches out, and cups my cheeks, "I haven't seen you all day."
"Why didn't you join us at lunch then?" I query, as I lean in slightly to the gentle hold of his hand.
"Because then," Jasper brings up his free hand, cupping my other cheek, "I couldn't do this"
He brings his head down, joining our lips together. I was sure he could feel the smile I had placed on, returning the movement of the collision between us.
He retracts his head slightly, breaking apart, but still close enough to feel his warm breath fan on the top of my nose.
"You're right, Riya wouldn't like us having a make out session right in front of her." I whisper, just before closing the distance between us once more.
My passion was returned, and our kiss became heavy, needing of something more. I wrap both of my arms around him, caressing his brown locks beneath the pads of my hand, as I melt into his embrace. There was an urge within me, wanting him as close as I physically could have him, the grip on his shoulder tightened, and I was careful not to clasp his hair too tight. It was too soft and dreamy to destroy.
Everything about this felt right. Every time we kissed, and even though they had all been very different experiences, and had very little occurrence, I was sure that this was what I had been dreaming of for a long time.
No description in any book, could ever describe this giddy feeling that lined my stomach.
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Hey guys,
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT!
Thank you,
Elle <3