jack's pov +
i walked out of my house, throwing and catching my car keys in my hand.
a car was beeping their horn a few times and i looked across the road, seeing jonah waiting impatiently for dakota.
i didn't even realise that i'd slowed down my walk to my car. but i just needed to see how she was after last night.
when she did leave her house, her eyes first landed on me. her smile instantly faded away until she reached jonah and got into his car without a second look.
it was pretty much what i expected, so i finally got into my own car and drove to pick up johnson from his house.
"hey man" he said when i arrived, giving me a quick bro hug.
"hey" i replied, pulling out of the parking spot and driving down the street again.
"thanks for picking me up today. my parents have still taken away my car rights after they found those blunts in my room" he said, plugging the aux cord into his phone.
"no problem".
ironically, johnson started to light up a blunt in the car. he released the smoke from his lips then held it out of window.
"seriously, i don't get why my parents were in there in the first place" he added, then gestured the roll up to me.
i denied then fell back into my own thoughts. i was trying to make myself feel better by debating if i should really feel bad for what crystal did to dakota.
but every time i did, the argument of me, breaking her privacy kept winning.
johnson glanced at me, "you good?".
i nodded, coming back to reality, "yeah, i just feel bad for what happened yesterday" i said, but he stared at me cluelessly. "to dakota".
"oh yeah" he remembered. "crystal was pretty savage for that. like it wasn't necessary to bring her father into the drama".
"tell me about it" i said, tapping my fingers against the wheel as we waited at the stop sign.
we were on our way to pick up sam next, so i drove down his street and parked in a free spot by his house.
i glanced at the backseats once the door opened and sam jumped in along with seriyah, and unfortunately, crystal too.
i groaned a loud, "what the fuck? what is she doing here?".
"well, good morning to you too" she blew me a kiss then put her seatbelt on.
"i never agreed to pick you up" i told.
"you never agreed to pick me up" seriyah mentioned.
"yes, but you didn't humilate dakota and expose her life to our friends" i argued.
crystal rolled her eyes, checking herself out in the rearview mirror, "you're still on that?".
"you need to apologise" i stated.
"no way" she scoffed and protested by sitting back in her seat, "why do you always defend her? she lied to you for weeks, jack".
"but that hasn't made me a heartless dick" i corrected. "you weren't even supposed to know about dakota's dad".
"not my fault you guys never lock your phones" she muttered.
"yo, can we stop at mcdonald's before we hit school?" sam interrupted, leaning over my seat from behind me. "i'm starving".
i sighed at crystal's ignorance for anyone else's feelings as she touched up her make-up and hair. i settled in my seat and started up the car up again.
"yeah, sure" i responded.
"cool. you got money?" sam asked.
i shook my head, chuckling and gestured to the floor behind me, "in my backpack".
"ah, you're the best" he patted my shoulder. "...sweet, $20? breakfast is on gilinsky, guys!" sam announced and they all cheered.
i was pretty hungry too, so i didn't bother to argue that he was just giving away my money like his own.
i walked to homeroom, looking inside my backpack for the homework that johnson wanted to copy. but as i reached the door, i was suddenly grabbed my shirt and forcefully held up against the lockers.
nate stood over me with anger filling his eyes.
"so is telling crystal about dakota's dad some type of joke to you?" he asked, then pushed me a little harder. "huh?!".
"what? i didn't!" i exclaimed, trying my best to release from his hold.
"dakota told me not to do anything, but i'm not just gonna let it go when you made her cry all night".
i slowly stopped fighting him off and frowned, "she...she cried all night?".
"yes and i'm gonna beat your ass for causing that" nate slammed his hand against the locker beside me.
"i didn't directly tell crystal, okay. she found out on her own" i explained.
"then how the hell did that happen?".
"boys, what is going on here?" mr. mason interrupted my next words. "mr. maloley, let go of mr. gilinsky and get to home room immediately - both of you".
nate looked back at the teacher, then at me and harshly letting me go. before he walked away, he came closer to my face.
"this isn't over" he warned, giving me one last glare and making his way down the hallway.
i straightened up my clothes and picked up my backpack, whilst mr. mason waited for me to do as i was told and finally get inside homeroom.
+
dakota's pov +
jonah, liam and i decided to spend our lunch on the bleachers as the football team practiced for their upcoming game. and by decided, i mean, jonah gave us no choice.
as we questioned him on how long we were going to sit here, kelsey arrived and came up to us.
"hey" she said.
"hey. i, uh, haven't really seen much of you lately" i mentioned.
"i know, i've just been busy with volleyball practice and studying".
kelsey and i haven't spoken much this week. after she found out about what i did to jack, she acted like she didn't care at first, but i knew that she was pissed that i didn't tell her sooner.
"look, about the whole jack and olivia situation, i'm sorry for—".
"i get it" she cut me off. "i probably would have freaked out and been completely difficult, instead of being a good friend and just listening to you".
"hey, you've always been a good friend" i corrected. "there's no doubt in that".
she flashed me a smile, then gestured to the empty spot, "can i sit?".
"yes!" jonah exclaimed, pulling her down beside him. "i've missed your cynical and pessimistic remarks this week, kels".
she nudged his shoulder and laughed, "so, what are we doing right now?".
"we're spying on connor during his football practice" i answered.
"failing to spy, actually" liam clarified.
kelsey knitted her eyebrows with confusion, "why?".
"because there's a new player on the team and rumour has it that he's got his eye on connor" jonah grimaced at the thought.
"and you want to make sure that he keeps his hands off your man" kelsey nodded, understanding his motive.
"but you can't keep an eye on what happens in the locker room" liam stated, throwing a french fry into his mouth, but i immediately slapped him on the arm.
"hey, don't put ideas into his head" i told, whilst he dramatically rubbed the "injured" spot.
kelsey turned to me, "but, um, how are things going with jack today, dee?".
"all week i've felt guilty for what i did to him, but now i can barely stand to look at him after he told crystal about my dad".
"what about if he is sweaty and shirtless on the field right now?" jonah inquired.
i looked ahead at jack and the other players jogging, doing push-ups and allowing the sun to highlight their toned and sweaty torsos.
i let out a deep breathe, "yes, even that".
the after lunch bell rang, so the football team started to end their practice and people on the bleachers began heading to their last classes.
liam threw his head back and groaned, "here comes the torture of ap chemistry".
"come on, we'll get through it together" kelsey tugged at his arm, so that he would stand up.
"hey, do wanna go get a quick coffee during free period with connor and i?" jonah asked me.
i was craving a coffee from starbucks, but watching my best friend and his boyfriend show extreme levels of pda, whilst i sit there awkwardly wasn't really on my agenda today.
"i think i'm just going to hang out here for while" i said, then showed him my math textbook. "try to cram some studying in".
"well, suit yourself. but i'll bring you back a muffin" he winked, squeezing my shoulder.
i watched my friends soon leave my side, then opened the next chapter of my textbook and started reading.
i was quite distracted by the chanting that a few of the football players were doing. from what i could hear over their deep voices, they were hyping themselves up for the next game and bad-mouthing the opposing team.
jack was standing talking to sam and derek until they walked away, and his eyes looked up at me.
i noticed that i was the only one left in the bleachers and put my head down, before he noticed me looking at him too.
i read the same page of my textbook around five times, waiting for jack to walk off the field. but when i looked back up, i saw him putting his shirt back and coming up to where i was sitting.
as much as i've wanted him to talk to me this week, i have nothing to say to him right now - not after what he did yesterday.
once jack reached me, he sat down, leaving a respectful distant between us. no one was saying anything and i wasn't sure if he was expecting me to speak first or not.
"i didn't mean for crystal to find out about your dad" he finally talked.
"doesn't really seem like it" i muttered.
"i told you that it slipped out, but the truth is; adrianna and seriyah texted me a few weeks ago because they were worried about you".
"worried about me?".
"you know with how you were closed off about things, and then i told them why" he explained. "i know that i made a promise, but i knew that i could trust them and that you do too. but crystal read the messages on seriyah's phone".
staring at him, i could tell that he was telling the truth. and it made much more sense for crystal to have found out herself instead of jack blabbing to her about it all.
"knowing crystal, she won't apologise herself so i'm sorry for what she did" jack added. "it was completely out of line and i swear, it wasn't some revenge on you".
i sighed, "i know. i just said that in the heat of the moment. i know that you wouldn't do that to me or anyone".
jack held a small smile on the corner of his lips, as we sat in the empty bleachers and silence waved over us.
"...okay, so i should probably get back to these math equations" i said, tucking my hair behind my ear.
"math? a jack gilinsky speciality" he mocked.
"yeah, you're a pro right?" i played along.
"of course. watch, i'll be joining the mathletes soon" jack assured, smirking at the thought.
"then you'll be nominated for a field's medal".
his eyes widened, "nominated? i'll be winning the damn thing".
we both chuckled at our banter as i started to grow nostalgic back to last week. back when we would tease each other like this and make stupid, sarcastic comments without any other worries.
our expressions soon fell back to normal. it was as if a switch was flipped and we suddenly remembered what happened at sam's party, and were back to avoiding each other.
"this still doesn't change anything though" jack said as if he'd read my thoughts. "i came to apologise, but it doesn't mean that i forgive you for lying about olivia".
i dropped my shoulders, even though i already knew the truth before he spoke. i nodded my head and flashed him a small smile to hide my disappointed right now.
"okay, yeah. fair enough" i replied. "but i am still sorry, for everything".
he didn't respond or give me a smile back. he just looked at me without any other expression, then got up to head back into the locker room.
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the support that i've been getting for this book lately is amazing i love you guys
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