Thursday....................................
Exactly one week and one day passed after they kissed to when Belle finally told Jade, the two had slowly been growing closer. Their relationship wasn't perfect but it was content, Jade didn't bring up leaving again and Belles father returned to his normal ways.
Jade was making breakfast while Belle crammed what little bit of homework she had left into the minimal time before she had to leave, she turned a page and a pink paper floated to the floor.
"What's this?" Jade asked, picking it up.
"It's for some stupid dance."
"Are you going?"
"No."
"Why not?" Jade asked.
"Why would I?"
"Maybe you'll get a dance with Mr. Reynolds."
"I doubt it, the school has a strict policy on there not being any interaction personally between students and teachers," Belle pointed out.
Jade frowned and turned her attention back to the paper.
"Besides, I don't have a dress." Belle added.
"I still think you should go," Jade said.
"I don't want too, I don't want to see him. It's hard enough seeing him in school."
"Why? Did something happen?"
Jade took up the seat across from Belle and Belle glanced up at hr from her homework. She bit her lip, she wanted to tell someone but was afraid too. Saying it out loud made it real.
"He...." Belle trailed off.
"What? What happened? Did he hurt you?" Jade asked, becoming concerned.
"He kissed me."
"What? When? Where?"
"Last week...on the lips," Belle said.
"No, I meant where as in where were you when he did it." Jade said with a laugh.
"In his classroom."
"And?"
"Then he told me that I need to stay away from him, so I have. I go to class I do my homework and when the bell rings I move on."
At that second the eggs in the frying pan began to burn and Belle watched as Jade rushed to move it off of the heat. Smoke billowed off the stove into the kitchen.
"Damn," Jade muttered.
"Cereal is fine."
Jade turned to retrieve a box of apple jacks, she poured them into the bowl along with some milk before sitting it in front of Belle and then taking her seat back.
"I think you should go to the dance."
"I don't want too."
"It would be good for you to get out for one night, while you're young."
Belle shook her head and checked her watch, seeing the time she stood gathering her books and taking one last drink of orange juice. She turned for the door and Jade called to her as she walked away.
"Just think about at least."
Despite her protesting and promising she didn't want to go as Belle walked to school the dance was in the front of her mind. She wondered what kind of dress she would wear if she went, then remembered it didn't matter because she wasn't going. Besides, she couldn't afford a dress anyway and Alex wasn't interested so it didn't matter.
She was distracted in class, her mind circling back to the wretched dance and wondering what Alex would wear, she knew he'd be there as a chaperone. Even if she went he couldn't and wouldn't dance with her, she knew that but a small part of her didn't care.
Even though he told her to stay away from him a small part of her wanted to go to the dance. To spend another evening in the same room as him, even if all they did was ignore each other.
By the time her English class started she'd completely changed her mind and wanted to go to the dance, but knowing that she couldn't afford a dress was torture. She slid into her seat and began pulling out her notebook, pens and books, Alex glanced up at her only once.
During class he made it almost obvious that he was ignoring her, he didn't call on her at all even when she raised her hand and not once glanced in her general direction. She felt small and even more insignificant than she had before, she'd thought maybe he had cared for her but the way he easily turned off those feelings and ignored her hurt.
When the bell rang she stood, shoving her things back into her bag. She pushed her hair from her face and headed to the door, walking down the hall while trying to sidestep the other students.
When she stepped outside she was even more downtrodden to find that it was pouring down rain, she stared up at the sky with a heavy sigh. The door behind her swung open and she turned just as Alex exited the school, he was carrying his briefcase and he paused for a minute to look at her. Then without a word he hurried to his car.
She watched him go before starting down the steps, she reached the sidewalk but wasn't in a hurry, she was already mostly soaked so rushing wouldn't help. Her father would be home before her most likely taking his fists to Jade and when Belle got home he would leave, letting her to clean up the mess.
She was walking when the sleek silver car pulled up in front of her and she paused, a second later the door swung open on the passenger side and she knew it was Alex. She hesitated, not entirely sure she wanted to get in a car with him and he beeped the horn. She jumped at the sound then hurried to climb inside, she barely had her belt buckled when he pulled onto the road and started towards her house.
"I thought you didn't want to see me anymore," She said softly.
"Not like I can avoid it and I didn't want you walking in the rain."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it, if anyone saw you getting in this car...."He trailed off.
"Mr Reynolds...did I...do something wrong?"
"No Belle, you didn't. I did."
She fell silent and listened to the sound the wipers made as they slid across the windshield then back again. It was relaxing, riding in a car with him and just existing for once.
"Are you going to the dance?" He asked.
"I don't know, maybe."
"I think it might be good for you, you need to get out of your shell."
"I like me the way I am."
"I didn't mean that how it sounded," He said as he parked in front of her building.
"Thank you for the ride."
She turned to open the door and he put a hand on her shoulder, she froze her body going taught beneath his hand her heart seeming to stop, lungs suddenly useless.
"It's not you, the problem, the blame, it's not you Belle. I'm not good for you."
She turned to look at him over her shoulder, he looked sincere and completely stricken. There was something haunted in the way he looked at her, the way his gaze focused on her.
"Thank you for the ride," She repeated.
He let go of her and gave a small nod as she climbed from the car. He waited until she reached the steps to her apartment complex before driving away.