EDITED
17
Jaycee's POV-
Thursday morning, Jackson and I went to our morning class together.
So many people have been staring at me in the hallways. Not many know exactly what happened, but they have to know something happened. I still have bruises on my face.
"Jack," I murmured as I tugged on his arm. When he looked back at me, I continued. "Please tell them to stop staring? It's making me uncomfortable."
I am fully capable of fighting my own battles, but right now I couldn't get myself to do it. I wasn't feeling well enough to confront all of these people.
"Can you all knock it off? Stop staring." He yelled to everyone in the hallway. Most looked away, except a group of 3 guys. One of them was in my biology class.
"Come on, man. You don't want anybody looking at how you hit your girlfriend?"
My jaw literally dropped; while I was still in shock, Jackson reacted by punching the guy right in the jaw. The guy's, Lincoln, head snapped to the side, but he quickly recollected himself.
"Hitting me just like you hit-"
"Lincoln, knock it off!" I screamed, cutting him off. The anger and hurt within me had built up.
Jackson, Lincoln, and everybody else in the hallway looked at me, surprised. I guess I wasn't known as the type to scream.
"I got jumped in the bathroom at the mall. You happy? Jackson has never hurt me and you're so damn stupid to think he would do that."
Lincoln was speechless, standing there. I reached out and hit his stomach as hard as I could. He grunted slightly.
"Sorry, man." Lincoln grumbled, awkwardly, before he and his friends walked away.
"You didn't have to tell them, Jace."
"And let the rumor of you hitting me and putting me in the hospital spread? No thanks." I rolled my eyes at his legitimate stupidity.
"You're seriously the best, Jaycee."
"You too, Jack." I chuckled. He leant down and kissed the tip of my nose.
"What time are we tutoring at?"
Jackson was surprised when he didn't get hated on as much as he thought he would after admitting he was being tutored.
Matt and Caleb had said it was probably because they all saw it coming, what with his grades and all.
It was kind of sad that so many people think so low of Jackson. I'm determined to help him to the best of my ability and prove these people wrong, prove to them all that Jackson Garfield is intelligent.
"I'm having lunch with Claire after class, so how's two?" After this class I didn't have any more classes until 5:30. Jackson only had two today; his other being at 8:00.
"Okay." He agreed.
When we got to class, Jack and I took our seats, preparing ourselves to be bored for the next 2 hours.
In the middle of a rather important lesson, I noticed from the corner of my eye Jackson drawing a picture when he should be listening.
When Professor Henry turned toward the chalkboard again, I hit Jackson's arm.
Jackson shot me a glare as he rubbed his arm. Then, I motioned to the front of the room and mouthed pay attention. He cocked his head to the side with a smirk on his face.
"Whoops, I don't understand."
"Of course you don't." I murmured under my breath. "Pay attention, Jack." I grumbled.
"Ms. Gardner, Mr. Garfield, quit your talking." The professor said with a glare. I directed my own glare at Jackson.
Just like when we went out for breakfast that one time and he made me late for class, he's trouble.
Oh well.
After class ended and Jackson stood up, I swung my fist into his stomach.
"I feel the pain Lincoln felt." He grunted.
"Wimp." I said walking away.
"C'mon, Jace," he said jogging to catch up to me.
I love doing this to people: walking away and acting like you're mad at them. I find it amusing as they plead for your forgiveness even though you aren't mad at them.
I used to do it to Michael.
I stopped and turned around, hugging Jackson quickly. He hugged back, skeptically.
"You okay?"
"Yeah!" I grinned. "Perfectly fine."
And I was. I had Jackson now. Jackson won't hurt me like Michael did.
Jackson walked with me back to my dorm, hand-in-hand.
"See ya, Jack!"
"Bye Jaycee." He stole a peck from my lips before walking away coolly. I rolled my eyes but couldn't keep the smile from my face.
"Hey, best friend!" Claire said as soon as I opened the door.
"Hi, Clairey. I'm just gonna go to the bathroom. Then, we can leave."
As we took the elevator down to the main floor after my bathroom break, I asked, "Where do you want to go?"
"Denny's?" She suggested. It was only about a mile from here, not much of a walk.
We got there and already knew what we wanted. Claire ordered so damn much I don't know how she remembered everything.
"So, what are you doing later?" I asked Claire, leaning forward to take a sip from my Coke.
"I'm meeting a friend from my old town at the mall. Right after this, actually." She took a brief drink from her milkshake. "You?"
"Tutoring Jackson."
"Are you guys dating yet?"
I rolled my eyes. "No."
"Are you going to?"
"Are you going to date Josh?"
"Probably." She shrugged.
"Wait, what?"
"Answer my question first."
"Maybe." I answered quickly. "Now, what changed? You told me in the beginning of the year that you'd never date Josh."
"I've always loved him, I just didn't want to risk our friendship."
"What's changed?" I repeated.
"I love him too much to label ourselves as friends with benefits." She sighed. "Now can we change the subject off of guys?" I agreed to that and we talked about, well, everything.
I asked about her parents, she asked about mine. We talked about old high school friends, I was kind of embarrassed to though because I didn't have many.
My school was all about sports and partying. I cared about my grades too much to party, basketball was the only social factor I had going for me. Eventually, I feared basketball would affect my grades negatively, so I quit. My social factor was killed.
I couldn't even befriend the nerds, because there were none. Everybody at my school either didn't go to college at all, went to a community college, or got a sports scholarship.
I inflicted social suicide among myself for this school. I think it was a good choice though. I met Claire, Josh, Jackson, Caleb, Matt, and Alesha. Definitely worth it if you ask me.
"You know, I've almost known you for a year," She began, "and I feel like I don't know enough about you."
I sighed. "Same."
"Hmm... If you didn't get into Stanford, where would you have gone?"
"Community college." I grunted with a frown. "You?" I asked with a smile. No worries, I was in the school already.
"Notre Dame de Namur. Closest school to where Josh would've been." She murmured.
"I know someone there."
"That total man-candy from the fair?" She guessed.
I rolled my eyes. "How'd you know?"
"That man-candy used to go to my school. He transferred senior year. Josh wasn't fond of him. I was never too sure why." I shrugged.
"I don't talk to him often anymore, anyway."
"Good." She winked.
I had a great time at lunch with Claire; I really enjoy spending time with her.
"I'll catch up with you later?" I said, as she was walking out. She was headed to a mall about an hour away to meet her friend halfway.
"I'll be back around 10 or 11, so if you're up, for sure."
"Okay, bye Clairey. Love you."
"Love you, too, Jace...y? I just realized, since your name already ends with the 'e' sound I can't call you something like that like you call me Clairey and..."
"Oh Claire..." I murmured. She chuckled and blew me a kiss before leaving.
I grabbed my book bag and room key before exiting to walk to the boys dorms.
I was surprised to find Jackson waiting at the elevator opposite of the one I just got down from.
"Hey Jack..." I said confused. "I thought we were studying at your dorm."
"Fuck." He cursed under his breath. "Well, I was going to surprise you, but obviously I can't do that."
I chuckled and grabbed his wrist dragging him out of the dormitory.
"Wait," Jackson stopped me once we got outside. He grabbed the hand that was holding his wrist and slid it down so we were holding hands. I looked up at him and he looked down at me. When he went in, I turned my head to the side and he kissed my cheek. "Oh come on Jace." He groaned. I chuckled and pecked his cheek.
We reached his dorm and sat down on his bed.
"What do you wanna do?" He asked, turning over onto his stomach.
"Um, how about why I'm here! Let's study."
"I got a B on my math test last week!"
"I am not letting you get anything less than a B+, Jackson! Let's get started."
"Nerd," he muttered and picked up my bag. As he started bringing out my book, I thought he was being a gentlemen but when he stood up and started running around with them, I knew how Jack got the nickname Jack-Ass.
He started sprinting down the halls as I walked behind him at a normal rate. I couldn't run unless I wanted to spend more time in the hospital. He slowed down as he neared the elevator and I took that to my handicapped (not really) favor.
I jumped on Jackson's back, careful not to hurt myself. The elevator opened and whoever this person was about to see an...interesting sight.
Much to our surprise, it was Matt... Cell phone ready and snapped a picture.
"Do you stalk me now or...?" Jackson asked placing his hand underneath my thighs, hoisting me up better on his back. I couldn't fight the smile on my face.
"Josh texted me."
"Your friends with Josh?" Jack and I asked at the same time.
"We went to school together for like 8 years, numbers get around." He shrugged and laughed.
Jackson and I actually made it back to his dorm room and started with tutoring.
All of that in the course of 30 minutes.
Not but 10 minutes after we started studying, I received a phone call.
"I love whoever is calling you!" Jackson yelled, rolling onto his back and running his hands through his hair. I rolled my eyes as I answered it.
Jackson's POV-
"Hello?" Jaycee answered her phone. I turned to my side to watch Jace.
I heard muffles of the person talking on the other line, but I couldn't hear what the person was actually saying.
As they spoke, Jaycee's expression dropped and multiple tears fell down her face.
"This joke is cruel. It's not funny." After saying that, Jaycee pressed her lips together to hold back a sob.
The person spoke again and Jaycee didn't hold back her sob this time. "Thank you for calling." She whispered and dropped the phone on her side.
"Jaycee, are you okay?" I sat up and stared at her.
She looked at me with the saddest eyes I've ever seen.
They reminded me so much of my sisters eyes when our parents died, and then Lance too.
It broke my heart.
"No, I'm not okay." She shook her head repeatedly.
She fell into my arms and I rubbed her back.
"Shh, tell me what happened?"
"Jack," she pulled away. "Claire...she's..." But she choked on a sob. She didn't have to finish though. I knew what she was trying to say.
That's how Mom told me Lance died.
Clarissa Evans, Jaycee Gardner's best friend and roommate, had died.
•••
GUYS DONT HATE ME FOR THIS!
I cried while writing it but it's what I planned to happen. It's part of the story. Omg I'm gonna miss Claire so much!
Thank you for reading, I love you guys!
- emily