After not seeing him for almost two years, you can imagine the look on my face and the pace of my heartbeat. I can't open my mouth to say anything. What am I supposed to say? Can I even speak English?
Will's smirk grows wider. The shaggy brown hair I remember is now shorter, it is still a mess like it used to be. His eyes seem darker and the stubble on his face makes him look more like a 25-year-old rather than an 18-year-old.
"What a surprise seeing you here, Jessa!" Will exclaims quietly. It's not like anyone else couldn't hear a pen drop in the room – everyone is staring at us, waiting for something to happen.
News spread fast in our small town just like every other. People were asking me what happened between Will and I only hours after he was sent away. I never told anyone the true story, so naturally rumors were spread. Now I wouldn't be able to tell you how many different versions of the story there are.
"You are not sitting next to me," I deadpan, my face heating up. I can't explain the feeling coursing through me at the moment. Anger, surprise, and pure shock are pulsating through my veins. There is something else, but I don't want to admit or think about what it may be. For a split second when he walked through those doors I found myself wanting to hug him – it's been a long time since I have seen him.
I loved him, and that isn't something you just get over. He was here, then he was gone.
"Same old, feisty Jessa." That stupid smile is on his face again, making the corners of his eyes crinkle.
"Same old, annoying Will," I shoot back, turning to grab a pencil out of my backpack. Mr. Simmons handed us all a paper that contained his syllabus and classroom rules. I write my name across the top just to do it.
Mostly everyone has turned their attention to Mr. Simmons who has begun talking about the paper I hold in my hands. I'm grateful that the attention is off of us now – I can't let anyone witness Will's murder.
"How've you been, Jess?" Will asks with his utmost sincerity. I want to cringe. How am I supposed to tell if he's being serious or not? The old Will loved to be sarcastic, quite like myself, as you can tell.
I mean, I wouldn't actually murder him.
"Peachy," I say, not looking at him. It's hard not to turn my nose toward him though because he smells so good.
"Sounds like it," he replies with a soft chuckle. "Who's that boyfriend of yours?"
The pencil I was fiddling with falls from my fingers. I turn to glare at him. Having my ex-boyfriend who didn't really give me a proper breakup mention my current boyfriend is kind of not the way I imagined my chemistry class going.
"Why do you care?" I ask him though I'm not sure if I actually want to know the answer.
He shrugs his shoulder, a twinkle forming in his eye. "Just wondering."
"You know, I think it would be best for you to just shut up."
"Come on, Jess. I haven't seen you in like two years, right? We have a lot of catching up to do." He turns himself toward me and rests his chin on his elbow.
"Sounds like you already know what has been going on, so there, you're all caught up."
"What about this boyfriend?" Despite his empty tone, his face tells me he really cared, he's just trying to hide it. "Look, I just want to catch up, what's wrong with that? I've been away from this place for more than I wanted to be, trust me."
I ignore him.
"Why can't we just talk?" I believe he already knows the answer to his own question.
"Because," I say blankly.
He chuckles at my stubbornness. "Because why?"
Why is he so amused by this? "Because I said so."
"Jessa," he says sternly.
"William," I retort.
"Is there a problem back here?" Mr. Simmons says when he appears in front of our desk. Once again the whole class is staring back at us like we're some sort of soap opera.
"No problem, sir." Will offers his best smile and turns to face the board again.
Since when does he say "sir"?
"Pay attention," Mr. Simmons says before giving us a look and walking back to the front of the classroom.
"Military school really did its work, huh?" I ask Will.
"Maybe," he says. I get the feeling he doesn't really want to talk about it.
I try to focus on the things Mr. Simmons is trying to tell us but a minute later Will is looking at me. I see him out of the corner of my eye and turn to him with a flat look. I wait for that grin to appear, which it does.
"Hey," he says. "Can I show you something?"
"Now? We're in class, Will."
"No, I mean later."
He sounds so genuine that I almost say yes.
"I can't," I tell him and look away.
"Why?" He asks, hiding his hurt terribly.
"Besides the fact that I have a boyfriend who really wouldn't be happy about that, I have cheerleading tryouts." A part of me doesn't want to be so harsh... Who am I kidding? Why shouldn't I be mean? I can't imagine what Connor would do if he would have been here. Connor is known for his temper.
"Okay, some other time then?" He asks. The hurt has left his voice and the unusual light tone is back.
"What did I just sa-"
"Jessa and Will," Mr. Simmons cuts in. "Detention – right after school."
My mouth falls open and I look at Will.
I take that back.
Maybe I will murder him.
*
My day only seems to get worse when I walk out of that classroom. I find Connor standing by my locker with a guilty look on his face. There are so many people I'm not in the mood to talk to yet God keeps throwing them at me like fast pitch softballs.
I appreciate the effort, God, but can you slow them down a little, please?
Ignoring Connor's presence, I unlock my locker and tug it open. It's a little harder to open than the others since its previous owner shoved gum in the latch part. Classy, I know. I'm impressed too.
I drop my place the new chemistry book I was given at the end of class into my locker. On the other side of my door I hear Connor sigh dramatically.
"Are you going to talk to me?" He asks, annoyed. I slam my locker shut to show the whole hallway full of people how my day is going.
"I don't know, Connor, are you going to start caring about someone other than yourself?" I snap at him. A few people glance our way and I'm tempted to ask them if they'd like to take a video. It's the first day of school and I've never been looked at so much.
I turn my flustered gaze back to Connor. His face is red with anger but I don't care. Fear washes over me for a millisecond at the thought of what he could do to me if he ever got angry enough. I walk away from him and head down the hall to my next class which is – thankfully – study hall.
Then I see Will walking towards me. People are greeting him and he's on cloud nine as he greets them back, that smile never leaving his face. Until he sees me. Now he looks determined.
I panic and spin around to start back the other way. I can find another way to the library for study hall.
On the other end of the hall I see Connor watching me, his arms over his chest like he's mad. Oh look, I'm a rose between two thorns. Connor's eyes move from mine to the person behind me and then I know he's mad.
Okay, so I may have told Connor what happened between Will and I. But it wasn't by choice.
"Jessa, wait," I hear Will call desperately. Why does have to happen to me? Especially in a hallway full of judgmental teenagers?
I'm not able to get any words out before Connor steps up right in front of me, his chest puffed out and fists clenched like he's about to beat some heads together. I spin around to try and tell Will to leave, but he's already here. He doesn't look afraid, but he also doesn't look like he's ready for what's to come.
Will is easily the same size as Connor, maybe an inch shorter. Connor has the attitude to do damage and Will has the cleverness to get himself out of these situations. Will never did fight a whole lot, though he was nothing but trouble.
Will narrows his eyes as Connor like he's trying to figure out his motives.
"Stay away from my girlfriend, Dawson," Connor seethes. "I'm not afraid to throw the first punch."
My face burns in embarrassment as I watch a crowd form around them. I've never liked PDA, especially this kind.
A few kids are pulling out their phones like they're expecting a fight. I'm not about to let that happen.
I step in between the two and place either hand on their chests. Connor doesn't look down at me but instead stares at Will with a death glare.
Will's eyes are already on mine when I look at him. I have to shake my head and look away to say, "Both of you, leave."
It's Will who leaves without another glance back. He doesn't say anything as he disappears down the hall. Connor, on the other hand...
"That's right!" He yells with a triumphant grin on his face.
I take his hand and jerk him out of the circle of kids. "Not cool, Connor."
"You want to know what's not cool? Not telling me your Ex is back," he argues. He isn't that angry though since he thinks he's just won a fight that never happened. His ego is as big as my appetite, which is saying something.
"How was I supposed to know? Leave me alone, okay? I don't want this crap anymore." I trudge down the hallway and hoist my backpack farther up on my shoulders.
A few seconds of silence pass us before he speaks again.
"Look, I'm sorry about this morning. I was in a bad mood," he says softly. Lie, excuse.
"Connor," I try to say. I'm seconds away from blowing up. "Just give me some space."
I slip into the library where I know my best friend will be sitting, probably with a book in her face. She's sitting near the back of the library where there are an assortment of chairs and tables. Like I guessed, she's got her glasses perched on the end of her nose and a book in front of her face.
I take a seat across from her. "Hey, Grandma."
She doesn't look up at me until she finishes the sentence she's on. "Hey."
She marks her page with a bookmark and looks up at me, taking her glasses off and placing them in her case.
I lay my head on my arms and let out a breath of air. I feel Hannah play with the ends of my hair which automatically calms me down. What can I say? She's knows me like the back of her hand.
I tell her about Connor and Will, but forget to mention what happened in class. After she gets over the fact that her mom was right about Will, she turns serious.
"I don't understand why you even like Connor," Hannah says quietly, bringing her head down to be eye level with me.
"He just... he has his days. He can be sweet when he wants to be." I defend him. I always do, even when he doesn't deserve it.
"Your life is always on his schedule, Jess. Don't you see that?" She queries. Hannah has the most kind and caring tone that I sometimes don't notice that she's scolding me. I stare at her for a few seconds before she looks away at the person who I can sense near me.
Connor is standing there, a guilty look on his face. I look back at Hannah to see her dropping her book into her backpack and stuffing her glasses case in the side pocket of it. She stands up and pulls her backpack onto her shoulders.
"I'll see you when Connor isn't trying to control your life," Hannah mutters, giving Connor a look. Judging by her sudden change in mood, there is really something wrong.
Connor sits down beside me, frowning as he watches Hannah leave. "What's her problem?"
I shake my head at him. "You."
He feigns a look of hurt. "Me? What's wrong with me?" He sounds genuinely confused, like his habit to ignore Hannah when she's around doesn't exist.
"I don't know Connor, I've been trying to figure that out myself," I say sarcastically.
He rolls his eyes but sucks in a deep breath. "I told you I was sorry, Jessa. What more can I say? I'm a jerk, I know."
"Glad that you see it too."
"Just tell me what to do." He has to force his words out, like it's hard to fight for me.
"I just want you to mean it, Connor," I say dejectedly, lowering my gaze form his. I play with the ends of my shirt and wait for his response.
"Go on a date with me, then," he suddenly says. I tuck my hair behind my ear and look at him, surprised.
"What?"
"A date," he elaborates, "to the bowling alley like you said." I can't hold back the smile growing on my face. This is something he rarely does – try for me.
I barely get the word okay in before he kisses my lips and gets ready to leave. He tells me he'll see me later before he walks out of the library with a rare happiness about him.
__________
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I was actually laughing at myself while writing it... I'm a loser lol. Anyway, what is your favorite part about the story so far?
The song is Walking Disaster by Sum 41 because Jessa is kind of a walking disaster. The picture is of Ashton Moio who I picked to portray Will!