**Small amount of cursing in this chapter. Beware, hehe**
"To help someone sleep at night.."
LUCY
There was something completely striking about the way Clayton put his all into everything he did. Even in the little things like sharpening his pencil to its finest point or making sure he kept his glasses neatly tucked on the bridge of his nose when he wore them. Sitting in the back of class had its downfalls, sure, but the occasional allowance of drifting my eyes over to see Clayton cleaning his lenses and listening intently to another boring chemistry lecture was enough for me to forget about Zeke Sams' snoring beside me.
"What did I miss?"
Speaking of the devil. . .
It took a lot to move my focus from Clayton running his hand through his hair. So much I did not bother to cover up the agitated furrow in my brows. Why did Willis have to be absent and why, oh why, did Zeke feel it was necessary to sit by me?
"The powerpoint is on her website." I whispered back hastily.
His eyes lacked the vibrancy Clayton's had when he met my gaze. They were stormy; exactly how the night before was. There was no doubt in my mind that was the reason for his tired state.
"Uh, okay. Thanks."
I expected more. Maybe it was the bad image I formulated in my head after Clayton texted me the whole night about his on and off again best friends, but I anticipated at least a smirk somewhere along the way. With the way Clayton described him, Zeke was a rich boy coasting through school with the help of his status. I never had classes with him previous to chemistry, but I heard things about him - some good, some bad. Mostly the bad though.
"So, can I ask you something?" He was tapping his pen repeatedly against the lab table.
My nose wrinkled, but I nodded. "You're friends with Jacklyn Kate Jensen, right?" That time it took me a lot longer to bob my head. What did he want with J.K.? "Is she. . . like -- is she seeing anyone?"
He struck me by surprise. So much I could not express any words. All I could manage was a reluctant shaking of my head. That made his eyes brighten up before they were consumed in the haze of sleep once-more.
We did not talk to each other for the rest of the period after that. He eventually fell back into a deep slumber while I gawked over Clayton and wondered why Zeke had an interest in J.K.'s relationship status.
The last time Jacklyn Kate dated was freshman year with a boy named Finn. He was a sweetheart with a heart of gold; most of their dates were to charity events and sponsor parties. His dad was big in that line of work so it was only natural for him to want to become a humanitarian. However, with that job, comes a lot of moving around. After seven months of dating J.K. had to say good-bye to Finn because he was moving to the Philippines.
So if Zeke was interested in J.K. romantically, I wasn't so sure she would be interested in him. He might have been aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, but I heard he was a player when it came to the girls. J.K. needed to know she was the only person in a boy's eyes and not Girlfriend Four when the other three are busy.
"Don't forget you have a lab write up due this Friday! Have a good day everyone."
I was so overjoyed that class was over, I nearly ran into people on my way out. In my defense they were in the way of me catching up to Clayton before he went into the cafeteria. He sat on the opposite side of the lunch room with his knit of not-so-friends while I sat with my close friends on the other.
To my dismay though I watched as his tuff of blonde hair strode further and further away, soon enough grouping with other guys. A simple hi and good-bye would have been worthwhile to my time, but food does mend all disappointment.
However when I sat down at my table, my Flash lunch kit open wide, I realized how much disappointment I felt from food. What a first that was for me.
It was official: I hated the healthy diet Clayton suggested I tried as the first experiment. Since I cheated the first day Dr. Hugh assured me Tuesday would be the big day. So there I was, sitting at the lunch table surrounded by my friends, eating nothing but greens and fruits.
Abby was not helping at all either. She was chowing down on a mouthwatering burger she bought after her orthodontist appointment earlier that morning.
"Mmmmm.." On a normal basis I thought her moaning while eating was somewhat cute, but not then. Knowing Abby she was probably doing it even louder to taunt me. "Want a bite, Lucy?" I knew it. "Oh, yeah. Your boyfriend Clent put you on a diet."
Out of instinct my eyes flicked around, wary that someone could have overheard that. We sat in a corner of the cafeteria since we had easy access to the lunch line, but for the most part nobody was around.
"Clayton isn't my boyfriend." I corrected Abby; which seemed all too familiar. Who else did I constantly have to correct when it came to Clayton? My ever so mature brother, Jacob. Abby and him would hit it off so well, I could feel it. "We're friends."
My use of emphasis did not make her knowing expression waver. A few days back she had already gave me a long phone call about how Clayton Hugh was not worth my time. He was like every other boy; a horny, destined to have a beer gut sort of boy who would turn to making porno's for a quick buck.
And it looked like I was about to get yet another psychic session with Ms. Fitz. "If your bucket list has date a fuck boy with a screwed up haircut, then maybe you are destined to be with Clayton." Even she could not keep a serious face - hiccuping into laughter while the other girls giggled. The only one left out of this laughing fest was me and my frown.
"Shut up--"
"Did I hear my name?"
I had never yelped so loud before. "Clayton! Hi!" The squeak in my voice was unmissable.
His smile was warm and made my insides fuzzy. Why couldn't he be a girl? That would make everything ten times easier.
"Hey, Lucy." That smile broadened as he sat down in the empty seat beside me. He was so close, our proximity was making me delirious. His eyelashes were so long. . . "I just wanted to stop by and see how the whole green diet was working for you."
Against my best efforts the frown from me was inevitable.
"How can I put this nicely." I pondered for a moment. "It tastes like I am eating leaves. I like the fruits though."
I was surprised when Clayton did not look worried for my well being. Instead that smile remained bright. "Well, that's good to hear, because I bought this for you." He let his backpack drop off to the ground then rummaged through it. Once he brought out a paper bag, Clayton placed it in front of my container of spinach. "I'm not as good as mor, but I figured you wouldn't like the diet."
My lips parted, unaware of what to do. Was that the climax to our relationship, the moment where I felt it was time to plant a kiss on him? Because it sure did feel like it. I was head over heels when I peered inside the sack, the smell of roast beef making my fingers curl around Clayton's forearm. If there was one way to my heart other than being Clayton Hugh, it was giving me food.
"Oh my God," I gushed. When I became aware of the position of my hand, I removed it and began taking out the food Clayton prepared for me. When everything was out of the bag and I let my heart calm down, I flashed Clayton a huge grin. "You saved me from eating a tree and for that I am eternally grateful."
Our moment never even got to play out because Abby had to scoff.
"Alright, then," Clayton eyed Abby as if she was a strange sort of species. I did not blame him either, she was throwing darts at him with only her eyes. "Enjoy you're lunch, Lucy." When he turned to me his hand grazed my shoulder, allowing the softest of pressures to the cotton of my shirt. "I'll text you later today."
When he headed back towards his lunch table, I was not behind in throwing my own darts to Abby. The only difference was that she used her eyes while I used my ammo of plums.
- - - - - - - -
Jacob was not a fan of Abby. He made that clearly distinctive every time she left the room. He went on about her obnoxious banter and corny jokes, claiming she was too immature for us to be friends.
"She might be hot--" His eyes connected with mine, a sense of alertness to them. "Wait, you did say she is eighteen already, right? So I'm allowed to admit that?"
"How would that make things better?" I asked in disgust. "But. . . yeah. . . She is almost nineteen."
Abby Fitz was one of the oldest students at my school, but only because she failed the second grade and had to stay back a year. Although that makes her sound dimwitted, she proved herself worthy of sitting in the top ten ranking of the senior class that year. Abby learned how to push through her dyslexia and become exemplary, making her incredibly mature in my eyes.
"That's so weird, but okay." Jacob continued, the same wrinkled expression on his face. "I don't see how you two mesh. J.K.? Yeah, I totally get why you two are friends. Freaking weirdos."
"Thanks, Jacob. Thanks." I rolled my eyes. "I don't see what the problem is though. Abby is funny and nice. Sure, she can be immature, but that doesn't make her a bad friend. If anything she is an exact copy of you just in girl form, to be honest."
He scoffed long and hard. "Pfft. We are nothing alike. Barely an hour of getting to know her and I can tell that."
I wanted to fight for her case more, but Abby returned back in the room smelling of peppermint hand soap. Jacob gave her a curt smile - if it even was one to begin with - then hopped his way to the hallway to find where I hid his leg at.
I was glad he took the time out to come back home. Before I was scared for him, thinking he was a fragile piece of glass. It turns out he is stronger physically and mentally than ever before. So much I did not feel guilty for messing with him anymore.
Something Abby agreed with, strangely. "Yeah, he looks pretty well off in the physical department." She was quick to add, "He is kinda annoying though."
Thankfully once Jacob stopped bothering Abby and I we had the chance to finish our English project together. It did not take very long, no more than an hour and a half. We were about to wrap up the whole thing when an unexpected visitor barged through the door, the spare key from under a flower pot dangling from her hand.
"Jacklyn Kate, what the hell?"
She was breathing rapidly as if she had ran to my house.
What was so important that she had to run from across the neighborhood and not call me?
Her phone flew up to my face, her screen showing a recent Instagram post from Clayton. She could have texted me to look at the photo on my timeline since Clayton and I added each other, but of course not. That was not J.K.'s style of work. She liked the hands on approach to everything.
"A teddy bear?" I observed, taking in the cute bear's appearance. It was a dark, dark brown with a cute orange button nose. There were whites spots covering certain areas and had a matching orange bow tied decoratively around the neck.
Jacklyn Kate looked annoyed that I did not get what she ran all the way over for. "Now read the caption!"
My eyes narrowed in on the text.
To help someone special sleep at night. Hopefully she will say yes to the note on the inside.. #FallFormal2k15
"Wait. . ." I kept rereading the same simple caption over and over, each time my smile tweaking higher up my cheeks. "Fall formal?"
"Do you know what this means?!" She asked, shaking me a bit.
I was left in a daze.
"Clayton is going to freaking ask you to the fall formal, Lucy!"
Can I just pause for a moment and applaud y'all for the amazing support? The last update I had barely hit 200k and now we are about to smash 400k? That is so mind blowing. Thank you sososososososso much. I cannot thank y'all enough.
Anyways, to the fangirling. CLAYTON IS SO SAEDRTJUDHGFTSFGHTG IN THIS CHAPTER. AND OMG THE FALL FORMAL. What do you think about his fall formal Instagram picture and caption!? Comment your theories below! (;
The dedication goes to lover_of_Liam because 1.) Liam is my #1 and for you're great comments. Thank youuuu. <3
The next update will come either during the weekend or early next week. Please refrain from demanding me to update. Please and thanks.
ALSO I IMAGINE JACOB TO LOOK LIKE THE GUY IN THE MULTIMEDIA. OPINIONS?