//chapter four//
I wake up and realise that last night I actually had a full conversation with Ethan, and then come to another realisation of the encounter with Maddie.
I flop myself out of bed and get ready for school.
*bus ride*
On the bus ride as I am minding my own business, I have my earphones blasting some Drake music as I sit and enjoy the breeze coming from the air vent until a certain someone blocks my air.
'Well hello nobody' she snorts with her other friends behind.
'What is your problem?' I say confidently for once, 'what?'
'What is my problem? What is your problem you boyfriend stealing nobody' She spits back at me, angry that I was talking back to her.
'I didn't steal your boyfriend.' I reply calmly. 'I was just hanging with him. Nothing happened, and you would know that if you weren't such a selfish person' Oh no, what am I doing. I can't believe I'm talking back to Maddie Perez!!
'Well you don't know what I am capable of doing to you, so stay away from Ethan or else..' she hisses and walks off the bus. I just roll my eyes at her, stand up and start walking out of the bus to school.
*school*
[Skip to Recess]
After a boring lesson of geography, I meet up with Jasmine at the cafeteria, 'So, how was class?' she asks grabbing some tongs and placing cinnamon scrolls on her plate, 'Boring as per usual.' I say as I take a plate and add some salad to the plate, I don't really eat any sweet things. It's not because I'm on a diet, it's purely because I just don't have a sweet tooth like some people.
After we grab food, we get a place at the cafeteria, the way the seating plan goes is
One table for the jocks - airheads
One table for the marching band - way too loud
One table for the simple girls - i wish i had their life, very sophisticated.
One table for the simple guys - they go for the simple girls
One table for the nerds - I was once apart of that table until I met Jasmine
One table for the irresponsible - do their homework last minute
One table for the IT girls - ugh.
One table for the tech dudes - love computers
One table for the dudes - try hards, try way too hard to be "chill"
One table for me and Jasmine - we have it to ourselves
The rest of the tables are just regular people.
THEN THERE'S A TABLE FOR DEM POPULAR PEOPLE
Including, Ethan, Jakob, Chris, Maddie & her obnoxious friends, some other guys and yeah...
Pretty straight forward.
As we sit down someone taps my shoulder, I turn around to Ethan and hesitate at the idea of talking to him, after that encounter with Maddie.
'Hey, can I talk to you..' he asks me, then looks at Jasmine, 'alone?' he finishes.
I turn to Jasmine, 'Go ahead..I'll be fine.' she winks.
I get up and follow him to where he leads me...the janitor's closet.
The janitor's closet is basically a really small room every student access for privacy. The Janitor is never there so we all take advantage of that room.
We go in and he locks the door, 'Hey so I wanted to talk to you..'
'Yeah?' I ask, 'what's up?'
'Well, i uh...I...' he stutters.
'Just tell me.' I smile,
'Well I was wondering if you would..be my girlfriend?'
The words don't process, my crush just asked me if I could be his bloody girlfriend?!?!??!?!!
'Excuse me? You have a girlfriend, what are you talking about!' I say, is he just playing me?! Are you serious? He's such a player.
'Wow Ethan.' I state sarcastically, 'Maybe this is all a joke, maybe this is all just a trick, you make a girl like you. Have conversations with a girl make her feel special then make her question if you really like her and-'
'Stop!' he stops mid-sentence, 'listen, Maddie and I have broken up.' he says calmly hoping it would bring a smile to my face.
'That's what every boy says Ethan.' I state.
'I promise you,' he holds my shoulders looking me straight into the eye, 'I always keep a promise.' he smiles.
I believe him and my face glows but then the reality hits me.
'What's wrong?' he asks as my face goes from all smilest to all frowns.
'You see, the thing is, boys like you don't go for girls like me.'
'What?' he eyebrows knit together in confusion.
'Reputations.' It's that one word that explains everything.
I feel a tear run down my cheek.
'Hey don't cry.. Reputations are made up by society, and I couldn't care less about them.' he comforts me and wraps his arms around me and places his chin on my head.
'So, what do you say? I really like you.' He says, looking me directly in my eyes with that cheeky smile of his I love so much.
'Yes.' I whisper
He releases his arms wrapped around me in excitement, 'Yes! It's a yes!' he says and picks me up then twirls me around making me laugh.
'I like you a lot.' I blurt out, '...is that what you're supposed to say? I've never been in a relationship.' I chuckle which makes him laugh.
'I like you too, Tristen Brooks.' he says with a huge grin plastered on his face. He opens the door for me and follows me out of the janitors, and we walk out proudly, hand in hand.
As we walk into the the cafeteria we go back towards Jasmine and I's usual table.
'Hey, do you guys wanna come sit with us?' Ethan asks me and Jasmine.
We both nod and head to the table. This was going really well until Maddie comes to sit on the table with her tag along friends. 'Um...what is she doing here?' she asks every other person on the table, apart from Ethan; who she was obviously ignoring.
'Just let her sit here' Jakob winks at Jasmine and I.
'Oi back off Jakob' Ethan snaps putting his hand around me protectively.
'What is happening to the world! First my boyfriend breaks up with me and then these losers sit at our table!' Maddie says loudly as tears streak her face.
As I am trying to ignore her mini tantrum I look over to Jasmine who is uncontrollably staring at Jakob and he is returning the smile.
I nudge Jasmine. She looks at me and smiles and leans closer to me whispering 'You know Jakob, the one across from me? He's so bloody cute, did you see him smile at me!' We both look at Jakob and smile.
'No secrets on this table, what are you two whispering about?' Ethan asks, chuckling. I look at Jasmine's lovey dovey eyes and accidently blurt out 'Jasmine thinks Jakob is cute' Jasmine looks at me in shock and runs off to the bathroom in embarrassment. Crap did I just say that out loud? I rush after Jasmine and hear someone running behind me, it's Jakob. He plays soccer so naturally he reaches Jasmine before me and grabs her gently by the arm. Jasmine turns towards Jakob, she has tears in her eyes.
'Hey Jasmine, don't feel embarrassed or anything. I just wanted to say, that.. you... have a beautiful smile.' Jakob says while smiling at the ground.
'Thanks Delgado.'
'Wait...how did you know my last name was De-'
She's had a kinda crush on Jakob since last year she only fully confirmed he was a crush until 5 minutes ago.
'Race you back to the cafeteria!' she interrupts trying to cover up the question.
Jasmine sprinted towards the table and Jakob followed.
Ethan swirls around and looks at me in confusion as Jakob and Jasmine run after each other, he's wearing a grey beanie with his brown hair falling out at the front. He looks at me and I pull his beanie off.
'Oi!' he chases after me, his hair flopping with every step he takes.
We all run around and jump on and off the tables of the cafeteria until Ethan finally catches me and Jakob catches Jasmine after 15 minutes of running and laughing. He wraps his hands around my waist and takes his beanie out of my hands.
'Thank you.' he chuckles.
'So tell me.' I hear Jakob ask Jasmine, 'How did you know my last name.' he teases her.
'Mr Delgado, Karpathy and Miss Jasmine and Tristen, this is school property, you do not run a muck. Detentions..all of you! Now!' Mrs Maddock boomed angrily. We all walk into the detention classroom trying not to burst out laughing and sit on the chairs ready to write a long and boring lecture about school property and how we should behave at school.
'Hey the window is open.' Jakob whispers with a devious smile,
'No way.' I state catching on with his plan of escaping,
'Why not Tris?' Jasmine asks with a cheeky grin on her face.
'I'm with Tristen, let's just stay here' Ethan says calmly, I would never picture him to be one to follow the rules.
'Pwease?' Jakob pouts with puppy dog eyes.
I sigh and look over to Ethan, 'You only live once, right?.' I shrug and he nods.
'That's true.' he ends up giving in.
Ethan gets up and checks if the coast is clear.
Jakob makes some funny noises.
'Cacoooo' he hoots.
'What the f**k Jake?' Jasmine giggles at his impression.
'Ok guys quick run straight out the hall and into the Janitor's closet, it's the closest hiding place.
'Are you retarded Ethan? How do you expect us to fit in the Janitor's closet?'
'Calm down Jakob, the only fat person here is you. Joking, come here broski' Ethan runs up to him and they do their complicated "bro" handshake. 'Mates?' he asks.
'Mates.' Jakob replies.
'Nawww' Jasmine whines,
'Okay you guys, are we re-enacting romance or are we trying to get out of detention!' I darken the mood as a joke.
I look out of the room and see that no one is there.
'Quick, run to the closet' I whisper. As I step out of the classroom I feel someone pulling on my arm, it's Ethan. He walks in front of me, being my bodyguard. He's such a good boyfriend.
'You're so cute Ethan.' I say into his shoulder,
'Get a room.' Jakob retorts,
'Jealous much?' I nudge him.
We all run into the closet and are pushed together.
'I can't fit. Who's bright idea was this' Jakob asks Ethan.
'Jakob you take my place, I'll hide in the trolley' Jasmine whispers.
'Thanks Jazzy. See Ethan it's called being nice.' Jakob smiles.
'Now what do we do?' I ask trying to get out of my personal bubble that had been popped! ... not complaining.
We all turn to the backdoors and all rush for it, since there are a number of us it's hard to all run out at once.
'I'm going first. I bags it.' Jakob declares,
'Mate, just go!' Ethan yells as we realise a teacher was coming into the Janitor's closet.
We all dash out to the gate at the back of the school and don't stop until we are at least two streets away from school.
'Jasmine, Jakob, wait up stop running so fast' I say while panting and holding my stomach. 'I've got a stitch'. Ethan picks me up bridal style and races down the street, following the others. Once we stop and catch our breath we all celebrate our mischievous get away.
As we are walking through a 7/11 Jakob and Jasmine are deep in conversation,Ethan and I being the best friends of the two decide to eavesdrop yet again.
'Hey uh..Jasmine?' Jakob asks,
Ethan pulls out his phone and I see as he texts Jakob -
'Just ask her out man. It's all g'
Jakob looks back up at Jasmine, 'Yeah as I was saying..'
He stutters, 'Will you uh...go...out...with me?' he gets there in the end.
'Jakob...of course I will!' Jasmine hugs him and they share a cute moment.
Ethan then looks at me and I look back at him
'I'm learning about important dates in history, do you want to be one of them for my future?' he asks referring back to the pick up lines we both tried on each other on the first conversation we had.
'Are you asking me out?' I chuckle,
'Maybe.' he shrugs,
'I would love to be your date.' I respond, playfully punching his muscular arm.
Ethan and I walk over to Jasmine and Jakob all smiling. I think they heard our conversation too.
'So double date then?' Jasmine asks.
'Sure...tonight...it's a date.' I smile
'A double date.' Jakob and Ethan say at the same time.