Let me just start off by saying thank you, thank you to my protective older brother, Cameron James Simmons, for ruining a perfectly good moment between Jayce and I. In the middle of our heart-to-heart talk, my phone decides to go off about a hundred times. You see, my phone had been next to my thigh so I couldn't have misplaced it. But ever since Jayce had scooted closer to me, it got wedged between the both of us, causing the vibration to be felt by both Jayce and I.
"You should probably answer your phone." He said with an amusing smile. He handed the device to me, and I snatched it without a second thought.
Sliding it to unlock the screen, I answered the phone, "Hello?"
"Where the hell are you?!" Cam's voice screeched through the phone, which I'm sure Jayce heard.
I took a deep breath and replied, "I-I told you, I was going to get-"
"Groceries, I know. But what I didn't know is that it would take you over 3 hours to get those so called groceries. Now, tell me the truth, where are you?"
I felt really bad for lying to Cam, but if I told him I was with Jayce, he'd probably track us down and throw Jayce in the lake, with a rock chained around his ankles.
I averted my eyes towards Jayce, silently asking him what I should do. He ran his hand through his hair, probably thinking of yet another lie to tell Cameron. Suddenly, his face lit up as if he had an idea. He mouthed to me, "Lillian."
I quickly nodded, "Uh, I didn't get to buy those groceries because I ran into Lil, at Target, and she just needed me for something so I went over to her house. Time must've went by so quickly, I didn't get a chance to tell you, sorry."
"We should probably start heading out." Jayce whispered.
I agreed, while putting the phone on speaker, as we swiftly started making our way through the forest yet again.
I heard Cam sigh, "I worry about you Alex, and I know that you said you didn't want me to, but can you blame me? This morning I come into school seeing you being cornered by a bunch of idiots. And when you didn't come home after 3 hours, I honestly thought that they did something to you – they did something to you so bad that you weren't able to ask for help."
Jayce looked back towards me, with an expression of regret.
"Cam, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. You don't have to worry about bullies who have nothing better to do." I muttered the last few words on behalf of Jayce.
Talking on the phone, while also dodging branches and other things on the ground was more difficult than I thought. Thank God I had the phone on speaker in my pocket, because if I had to hold that thing the whole way to the car, it would've been more of a challenge.
He continued on his little rant, "It just makes me sick knowing that some people can act so fake towards me, but a completely different way around you. Now that they've shown their true colors towards you, my thoughts about them have quickly turned around. I know the truth now; they were just faking being nice to you to get to me, to get on my good side. And that's why I worry about you Alex, because I don't know if people are just nice to you to get to me."
I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn't see me, "Not everything is about you Cam. Anyways, I got to go. Lil's mom is giving me a ride home, so don't wait up."
"Okay, I'll see you in a few. Oh, and our parents have business clients over, so by their request, you have to go through the back door. Even though I waltzed right through the front. It's whatever, just get here right away." With that, he hung up.
And at that same moment, Jayce and I had arrived at his car, which was parked in an empty parking lot. We both got into the car silently.
Starting the engine, Jayce spoke, "So, that was some phone call."
I cleared my throat, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. Cameron is very protective over me."
He laughed, "No kidding. But um, there's something that bothers me."
"And what is that?"
Keeping his eyes on the road, he said, "Do you both honestly think that I'm faking being nice to you, just to get on your brothers good side?"
He looked ashamed, as if his guilt was eating him up inside.
"Why do you care so much?" I questioned.
"I don't really care about what Cameron thinks of me. I know exactly how he feels about me." He said looking a bit nervous.
I furrowed my eyebrows, "Then why are you asking?"
He looked towards me for a moment, "Because I care about what you think."
"Oh really?" I replied with a smile.
He returned the gesture, "Of course. You seem like the only girl who doesn't freak out about being next to Jayce Reynolds."
"Well you want to know what I think about the oh so great Jayce Reynolds?"
He smirked and said, "Sure, why not."
I let out a laugh; "You're a dork." I did actually believe that. But his annoyed expression didn't think the same way, "Externally, you are a jock. Internally, you are a sensitive, book loving, weirdo just like the rest of us."
For being known as a cool guy who doesn't seem to have a care in the world, he certainly does care about what other people think of him. I find that sort of relatable. I hadn't noticed how close we were to my home, until we were parked right in front of my house. I looked towards him, and he was staring straight at me, but it wasn't creepy.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, hiding my face with my hair, using it as a curtain separating Jayce and I.
"Because you're the only person who actually knows me, as me. And I think, that we should have more of these talks, because I really like spending time with you."
Was I really special enough to have Jayce wanting to spend more time with me? He seemed serious, so I didn't question if he was joking or not. I've never seen this side of Jayce before – the side where he can be real. He thinks that I'm the one putting on the act, but I don't think he realizes that he's doing the same thing.
"Uh, Alex, if you don't mind me asking, what happened between you and your parents?" He seemed to ask this with caution.
Clearing my throat I responded, "Why do you ask?"
"I mean, um, on the phone your brother sounded so hostile whilst talking to about them, and because it seems that I'm not the only one with daddy issues here." He said.
"Well, that story is for another time, right now doesn't seem like the right moment." I replied.
He laughed, "You sound like some character from one of those deep romance novels."
That seemed to amuse me, "Well if my life were a romance novel, there would be a really good-looking boy fighting for my attention, and as of right now I don't see him."
He leaned back in his seat, "Then you should look harder, because that extremely good-looking boy could be right in front of you."
Just then, I saw a light turn on from the second floor of my house, specifically in Cameron's room.
"Shit." I muttered to myself, quickly unbuckling my seatbelt.
"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.
I grabbed my bag from the backseat, "Cam's still awake, and I need to go."
Reaching for the door handle, I felt something tug on my other wrist.
"Wait, I have something to tell you." Jayce said, making me face him.
I sighed, "Well what is it, because I really need to go and-"
I was stopped when he leaned closer towards me, where I could feel his breath on my cheek. He stared straight into my eyes, daring me to look away. I was about to say something, to ask him if he was out of his mind by being so close to me. As I opened my mouth to speak, I felt his lips on my cheek, causing a spark to go through my body. He pulled away, letting me go. I cautiously opened the car door, letting myself out.
Thoughts were running through my mind as to how one simple cheek kiss could cause me to blush as red as a cherry, how one simple kiss can make me feel like I'm floating on a cloud. As I walked up the driveway towards my house, a honk behind me caught my attention. I swiftly turned around, seeing that Jayce was still in his car, watching me stand there like an idiot.
"Don't miss me too much." He smirked and dangled his arm out of his open window.
I laughed and ran my fingers through my hair, "Oh, believe me I won't." And with that said, I turned my back on him entering my house. Closing the front door behind me, I leaned against it, letting out a sigh, as if I was some girl who just got asked out by a dreamy boy.
Trudging up the stairs, I snuck by Cam's slightly ajar door and silently closed mine shut. I set my bag down and lay down on my bed, trying to contemplate what just happened not even 5 minutes ago. My fingers touched the spot on my cheek where he had kissed me, and I felt a little tingle. Looking at the sleeves still covering my arms, I noticed that his leather man jacket was still in my possession.
Grabbing my phone, I sent him a quick text; "i still have your jacket, want me to give it to parker, to give to you?"
I knew that I couldn't just straight up hand it to him during school, because then he'd just completely ignore me or make a "stalker girl" remark. Even though we had our little heart-to-heart conversation, doesn't mean he's not still embarrassed of being seen with me in public. He did meet me after everyone in the school was gone, he did apologize to me when no one was there, and he did take me to a secluded spot where no one could find us. Or am I over analyzing this?
I felt my phone vibrate, indicating that he had replied, "why go through all that trouble bookworm? how about this, next time we go out, you bring it then :) sweet dreams alex"
And sweet dreams I will have because of that boy.
♔
"Where were you Friday night?" Lillian asked, as we took our seats at our lunch table.
Setting down my plastic wrapped sandwich, I sent her a confused look, "What do you mean?"
Unwrapping the plastic, I was about to take a bite from my sandwich, when it was taken away from me, "Hey!"
She set the sandwich down and said, "Obviously I know that you were at the game, but what I want to know is why I had to cover for you when Cameron called me that night, making sure that my mom was taking you home from my house."
My mouth formed an "O", and I laughed nervously, "Oh well, uh you see I was uh out getting groceries."
She sent me a look of disbelief, and shook her head. And at that moment, Colton decided to join us; "So Alex, would you like to tell me why you came home at 11:45pm Friday night?"
"Stalker much?" I raised an eyebrow, snatching my sandwich back from Lillian's possession.
"I didn't know grocery shopping would make you stay out that late Alex. Now, instead of lying, tell us where you went."
I sighed, leaning my forehead against the palm of my hand, I guess it was now or never. "I was out, with someone." I stated.
This caused both Lillian and Colton to scoot closer to me at our circular table, squeezing me in between them. "Who?!" They exclaimed simultaneously.
Before I had a chance to tell them, someone sat down across from us, eating from their lunch tray nonchalantly.
"What is he doing here?" Lillian whispered, towards Colton and I.
"I can hear you sweetheart." He said with an amusing smirk.
I rolled my eyes, "Parker, you can't sit here. Everyone is starting to stare, you don't want to be permanently labeled as a loser for the rest of your high school life, do you?"
He scoffed, "I don't care what they think Alex, like I said Friday, I want a real friendship with you, and if having people talk about me is one of the outcomes of being your friend, then by all means, let them talk. I honestly don't give a damn."
"Well, I like him already." Lillian stated, offering him a hand. "I'm Lillian, which you probably hadn't known since you're always so caught up with the popular kids."
He took her hand, kissed the top of it, obviously not doing what she expected, "Actually, I do know your name. We were partnered up in chemistry class in freshman year, we did a project together for one whole semester."
"Oh." Lillian blushed, and I felt Colton tense up beside me.
"Wait, you said you talked to Alex Friday?" She questioned Parker.
He nodded. Then she turned to me, with a smile plastered on her face, "Was he that someone you were out all night with?!"
I quickly shook my head, "No, no way! Parker and I talked before the game started, it wasn't him.
"You went out with someone that night?" Parker questioned, with curiosity.
I took my two fingers from both hands, and rubbed the sides of my forehead, muttering to myself, "One question at a time."
Just at that moment, Miles appeared out of nowhere, standing in front of our table, "Did you go blind or something Parker? Our table is over there." He gestured with his hands to two tables in the back of the cafeteria, where only and only the cheerleaders and football players sat.
"I know." Parker replied with a blank expression.
Miles' mouth formed into a scowl, "Then why are you here with these freaks?"
"They're not freaks, they're people Miles, they're my friends." Parker said, while standing up, daring him to say another word.
"What's going on here?" Quinn asked, while coming up next to Miles, with Jayce by her side.
Oh, not again.
"Parker here, is sitting with these losers." Miles said, oblivious to the fact that Lillian, Colton, and I were literally in their presence.
"Stalker girl must've did something to him to get him to stay here. Just because Jayce rejected you, doesn't mean Parker will have you. Give it up." Quinn said directly to me.
Shaking my head, I replied, "I never tried to get your precious boyfriend, alright? And if you're so worried about Jayce and some other girl, take it up with him not me. Evaluate your own relationship Quinn, and don't assume that Jayce is in another. That just goes to show you're desperate, and I don't think that's something you want everyone to know."
They all looked at me in disbelief. My sudden burst of confidence was such a shocker to everyone that Miles kept silent, for once in his life.
"What did you just say to me?" She questioned, taking a few steps closer to where I was sitting. She was trying to seem intimidating, but it wasn't working on me.
"I said that you are desperate. Need me to spell it out for you, because I-" Suddenly, I felt something cold pour over my entire body. My head was down, so my hair dripped down in front of me. Slowly, I stood up and stepped back from the lunch table.
Quinn had an empty milk carton in her hand with a smirk plastered onto her face, Parker, Lillian, and Colton had their mouths open staring at me, Miles was holding back a laugh, while Jayce just stood there looking ashamed. I felt everyone's eyes in the cafeteria on me. I felt the tears well up in my eyes, as she laughed bitterly towards me, with her friends doing the same. Everyone else in the cafeteria either burst into laughter or gave me sympathy looks.
"Next time, keep your mouth shut about me, stay away from Jayce, and Parker," She narrowed her eyes towards him, "Make the right decision as to who your friends are."
Before she could say anything else to make this even worse, I stormed out my way towards the cafeteria door, but before doing so I stopped by Jayce's side, "Some girlfriend you have there."
And there I was, running out of the cafeteria, dripping milk, trying to keep whatever dignity I had left.
-
Authors Note:
I can't believe I already have 100+ reads with only like 5-6 chapters! Thank you all so much :)
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Until next time,
-queenfreakco