MIA
"I'm sorry too,"
Jackson's unexpected apology caught me off guard as we walked back to class. People stared at my outfit, but I didn't care. I was walking beside Jackson, and that was all that mattered.
"For?" I raised an eyebrow, curious about what he meant.
"For acting like a jerk earlier when I came to pick you up," he confessed, surprising me. I never expected him to apologize. In reality, it was my fault. I had been the jerk by avoiding his text messages.
"Then we're both jerks, I guess," I chuckled, realizing that I had started the whole thing by ignoring him. He stared at me for a moment, then nodded his head in approval of my response.
We entered the classroom together, which turned out to be a mistake. Rachel, with her judgmental cat-like eyes, was the first thing I noticed. Jackson leaned towards me and whispered in my ear, "Ignore her," before heading to his usual seat.
I thought he would sit in his own spot, but instead, he deliberately chose Ethan's chair. He completely ignored Rachel's attempts to speak to him and focused his gaze on me. With a gentle pat on my desk, he gestured for me to sit next to him.
Dear universe, please help me.
I noticed Ariel and Sydney smirking mischievously from behind the class, but I shook my head and walked slowly to my seat, determined not to let their presence bother me.
"See, that wasn't all bad," Jackson said, his eyes sparkling as the sunlight illuminated his face, making him even more captivating.
'It's bad, it's really, really bad,' I thought, feeling the weight of the situation.
"Whatever you say," I coughed, shifting my focus to the teacher who had just entered the class.
"Mia," Jackson whispered my name, breaking my concentration once again.
*What?" I turned towards him, secretly hoping I hadn't, but I couldn't resist. He rested his cheek on his hand, facing me without blinking. It was as if he was lost in thought or maybe he had called my name by mistake.
His hair was tousled by the gentle breeze that swept across the room. I knew I needed to focus on the class, fearing that the teacher might suddenly call on me while my mind was preoccupied with something far more captivating.
But I couldn't concentrate, not with the way his eyes traced every detail of my face, as though he was trying to etch it into his memory.
"W...What?" I whispered, feeling my face grow hot under his intense gaze.
My question seemed to bring him back to reality, and he blinked his eyes, lifting his head from the desk.
"Oh, it's nothing, just lost in thought," he nervously chuckled, shifting his gaze away from me and towards the teacher.
Was that a faint blush on his cheeks?
I'm probably imagining things too much.
I decided to focus on what the teacher was saying. However, I couldn't understand a single word she uttered, and I silently hoped that the class would be over soon. Thankfully, my wishes were granted., my wishes were granted.
The day flew by quickly, even though I felt frozen in my seat like a statue ever since Jackson decided to sit next to me. I could sense him staring at me most of the time, but whenever I asked if there was something on my face, he would simply say no, which was strange.
"Hey Mia, let's grab a burger at our usual spot," Ariel grabbed my arm, along with Sydney.
"Oh, you mean where that cute waiter is?" I teased, causing Ariel to blush.
"Definitely where that cute guy is," Sydney chimed in, and we all burst into laughter.
"What cute guy?" Jackson suddenly joined our conversation, walking alongside us, or rather, next to me.
Act cool, Mia.
"It's a girl secret, sorry dude," Ariel quickly replied, making Sydney and me chuckle silently.
"Ah," Jackson playfully raised his hands in surrender. "That secret, don't worry, it's safe."
Ariel nodded with a smile. "Well, guys," she removed her hands from us, "I'll see you there at 3 sharp." She looked serious, and we both nodded in agreement.
Sydney said her goodbye, as her mom was waiting outside, leaving me alone with Jackson.
"You ready then?" Jackson wrapped his arm around mine, and I could feel his strong biceps. I nervously removed my hand from his grasp. "Y-yes," I stammered. "Let's go then," I mumbled, trying to hide my flustered state, but he held onto my school bag to prevent me from running away.
"You're not avoiding me again, are you?"
His voice sounded deep and hot, sending shivers down my spine. I held my breath, captivated by his intense presence. I noticed that his voice had this effect on me, but it only seemed to appear when he was angry or serious.
"N-No... why would I?" My hands felt sweaty, and my forehead started to perspire. I tried to create some distance between us, but he wouldn't budge.
"Okay, then let's go." His expression suddenly brightened, which made me happy. I loved seeing his adorable dimples, and I couldn't help but imagine touching his face and kissing them.
Was that weird?
My pulse ran through the roof as his hand slowly intertwined with mine, and we began walking outside. I wanted to pull my hand away, but he tightened his grip as if he knew I would try to escape.
The stares from other people made me uncomfortable. That's what I disliked about school—rumors spread like wildfire. Before I knew it, someone would write on the board, "Jackson and Mia are dating."
And strangely enough, it didn't sound all bad; I might even like it.
No, stop! Don't get ahead of yourself. Jackson hasn't shown any signs of being remotely interested in me. He might be friendly, but that's just how he's always been, ever since we were kids.
That's why saying goodbye was always hard.
I noticed Maddy waiting for us by his car. She leaned against it, engrossed in her phone, as usual—she was obsessed with it. When she looked up and saw us approaching, her eyes landed on our intertwined hands, and a mischievous smirk appeared on her face.
I won't hear the end of this when I get home.
"What happened to your uniform?" Maddy's question caught me off guard, but I was relieved it wasn't what I expected.
"I fell into the pool," I shrugged, slowly pulling my hand away from Jackson's, and thankfully, he let go.
"Really? Hope you took some medication. I know how you are when you're wet, Remember the time at the beach when Miles pushed you into the water and you—"
"Okay, that's enough," I had to cut her off before she finished her sentence.
"Please, do continue, Maddy. What happened next?" Jackson's remark made me want to hit his perfect face. Maddy was ready to spill the beans until I spoke up.
"Don't you dare, Maddy. I know what you do to Miles' food when he's not looking," I smirked, feeling proud that I always had something against her.
"Oops, Jackson, I just remembered that I have a ton of assignments due today. We need to go home now," Maddy nervously said, scratching her neck.
"Mia, you're a killjoy," Jackson rolled his eyes, heading towards his car door.
I laughed, finding this adorable. "Bet you love me for that," I said, stepping into the car.
"You have no idea," he whispered something under his breath before getting into the car. I wanted to ask him what he said, but I decided to ignore it and let my mind relax in the wind.
....
"Is my hair too short?"
Ariel asked for the tenth time, her voice filled with concern. I couldn't help but feel like sealing her lips with a tape. We were about to enter McDonald's, and her constant worry about her appearance was starting to get on my nerves.
"Ariel, seriously, you look amazing today. The weather is scorching, and you're making it hotter with your looks," I said sarcastically, hoping to put an end to her self-doubt. Finally, she rolled her eyes and agreed to go inside.
"He looks super cute today," Sydney smirked, playfully nudging Ariel, who seemed to be enchanted by him.
His name tag said 'Josh,' and he definitely had that typical California boy look. Trust me, that meant he was drop-dead gorgeous. He had a welcoming smile that could make any girl fall for him. He didn't have bulging muscles, but he was just right for his build.
"Let's grab a seat before we look like stalkers, and by 'we,' I mean 'you'," I whispered to Ariel, urging her to choose a booth near him so she could continue to admire him.
"Guys! He's coming this way," Ariel panicked, fussing over her hair for the umpteenth time. "Act cool," she urged us.
Sydney and I exchanged glances and shook our heads simultaneously, knowing that was easier said than done.
"Don't worry, we'll try our best," I mocked but she seemed unnoticed by it as we watched him approach our booth, holding a pen and paper to take our order.
"What can I get for you ladies?" he smiled, emanating a charm that I suspected was part of his player persona. Unfortunately, Ariel fell for it instantly.
"Uh... Umm," Ariel stuttered, flustered by his gaze fixed on her, waiting for her to order first.
"We'll start with a banana milkshake," I intervened, redirecting his attention from Ariel to me.
"Okay then, we'll be right back," he nodded, heading back to the kitchen.
"Thanks, Mia," Ariel sighed in relief, finally catching her breath.
"It's cool. I understand how you feel," I said with a smile.
"Oh, that's right," Ariel clapped her hands. "You finally admitted that you're head over heels for him." She wiggled her eyebrows mischievously.
I chuckled. "I wouldn't say head over heels."
"Don't you dare deny your feelings, Mia. It's okay to admit that you're crazy about him to us. Remember, we don't hide things from each other," Sydney chimed in, making Ariel nod in agreement.
I sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'll try to open up more about my feelings for him to you guys."
"That's better," Sydney said. "So, how's the journey of hiding your feelings when you're around him going?"
"Horrible," I responded immediately. "Completely horrible. I can't even be in the same room with him without panicking. He's the one who gives me a ride to school, so imagine seeing him every morning, in class, and on the way back home." I placed my face in my hands, lightly tapping my forehead on the table in frustration.
Someone gently patted my hair. "It's going to be fine. You can learn how to hide your feelings. I'll teach you," Sydney said, making me lift my head slightly.
"Really?"
"Of course. Remember, I'm the girl who's crushing on one of the hottest guys in school, and he doesn't even know I exist. So, I'm kind of an expert," Sydney said, with a hint of self-deprecating humor.
"Sydney!" Ariel scolded her. "Don't say that. Ryan would be crazy about you if he had a moment with you. You're amazing, and any guy would be lucky to have you, okay?" Ariel's voice softened as she spoke the last part.
"Fine, fine," Sydney chuckled. "Let's forget about me and focus on the newbie, which is Mia," she suddenly turned her attention to me.
"Yeah, I guess I'm the newbie now. So, when does the teaching start?" I asked, eager to learn from Sydney's expertise.
Sydney was about to respond when her focus shifted to something else, and she suddenly frowned. "How about now?"
"Now? Why?" I asked, confused by her sudden change in demeanor.
"Because..." Sydney gently touched my face, turning it in a certain direction. "Jackson's here," my eyes widened, and my heart skipped a beat in excitement as I saw him walking alongside a group of guys, some of whom I recognized from the swimming team.
But my happiness quickly turned to cold dread as I heard a voice that became my new nightmare.
"Could you order for me, Jackson?"
Rachel?!