Song for this chapter: Therefore I Am - Billie Eilish
In the last few days I tried to stay as far away as possible from Jake. I've spent most of my time with Liz. We talked, we cooked together, we went shopping. We even visited a few things in the city. Sometimes I like to just walk around by myself to see new stuff. I got lost a few times but it's kind of fun.
Apparently Jake hasn't decided yet where he's gonna go to college. Or even if... But Liz thinks he's gonna be a mechanic. He's pretty passionate about cars, and honestly I don't know what to say about that. Saying it seems the right job for him it's mean. Mostly because it's not what I actually think. He seems like he has potential. Being a mechanic would only waste it. But what do I know? It's not my life.
Liz also said that Jake is a little bit distant to her. I don't know if that's exactly how I'd put it but ok. I don't think I've ever seen them talk or hang out. But she doesn't mind. She thinks he's happy. And she doesn't want to change anything. He's good at school. He has lots of friends. "He seems happy." Her words not mine.
"Nicole?" I look up from my book and I look at Liz. Apparently I stopped reading a long time ago. "I'm going out with some friends. Are you going to be ok? Do you... maybe... want to come?" she smiles while adjusting her elegant dress.
"I'm will be ok. Thanks." I try to hide my laugh but I fail. "You look amazing, by the way." I say and she smiles nervously.
"Is it so obvious?" she bites her lip worried.
"A little bit." I raise my shoulders. "Have fun."
"You too." she says while getting out the door.
I grab my book and I leave the room deciding to have my fun in the big living room downstairs. I see Liz walking around the room with a purse in her hand and with a worried look on her face.
"Everything ok?" I ask when I sit on the couch.
"I lost my phone."
I start looking under the pillows near me and I find it. I clear my throat drawing her attention and I held her the phone.
"I love you." she says while hugging me.
I sit back on the couch and I start reading again. Not long after, I hear a voice interrupting me.
"This is how you're spending your Saturday night?"
"Yes. Actually, it's pretty fun. You should try too." I answer him without looking away from the book.
"Could be. But I prefer my way of having fun." I don't need to see his face to know he's smiling in the most arrogant way possible.
"Jake, weren't you going to a party or something like that?" I see Liz walking towards him.
"Yeah, but it's still early. " he mumbles while laying on the couch and tossing his feet on the coffee table, provoking Liz to hit him on the back of his neck.
I fail in hiding my laughter and Jake looks at me pissed then gets up and goes to the kitchen.
"Well, why don't you take Nicole with you?" says Liz making it seem like it's the best idea in the world, when it's actually quite the opposite.
"What?" our voices combine and I immediately look at him. He is already pissed.
"No way. I'm not babysitting anyone." he says, completely offended by his mother's proposal.
"My bad. I shouldn't have asked. You're taking her with you. I'm sorry sweetheart but..." she turns around and looks at me like she is truly sorry. "School starts in two days and you don't know anyone besides Jake. Don't you think you should go out and meet people?"
"That's the thing. I don't know anyone!"
"Exactly. How else to meet people if not at a party?" she says stopping me from fighting back. "Go to your room and change." she gets me up the couch and pushes me towards the stairs.
*
After a while, Jake stops the car at a what seems to be the edge of the woods. I raise an eyebrow puzzled and he sighs and gets out of the car.
"It's a campfire."
"I can't believe I'm doing this." I mumble getting out of the car .
"Me neither." he sighs again. "Honestly? I thought you'd break by now. That you'll make me stop the car on the way here." he smiles arrogantly and walks away.
"And why the hell would I do that?" I say raising my voice.
"Doesn't seem like you." he says looking me in the eye.
I roll my eyes pissed then I start walking, catching up with him.
"Well, you're wrong." I say when I pass by him.
"Wrong way." he says and I stop walking, changing the direction.
"Actually, I lied. It was the right one."
I stop walking again and I turn around to see his arrogant smile once again.
*
I look around at the people and I try not to seem too lost. Everybody is drinking. Everybody has friends. Everybody seems too cool.
I look at the fire in front of me and I watch the sparks fly to the sky. It's getting bigger and bigger and I can't believe I'm intrigued by it.
"Who comes at a party and stays alone?" I turn around and I see a brunette girl sitting next to me and holding a red plastic cup. She's wearing a black pair of jeans and a hoodie; which is a lot more than all the other girls wear put together. I don't have anything against them, I just think it's way too cold to wear anything else then a sweater.
"I don't know anyone here..."
"And that's how you plan on meeting people? Sitting alone on a stump?" she says then turns around and looks at me.
We both start laughing at her line, which is a little harsh but true. I can tell that she wasn't trying to be mean.
"Well, you're here, talking to me, aren't you?" I say and she wrinkles her nose.
"Touché." she says and I laugh when she makes a weird face. "I'm Kelly, by the way." she says with a smile when we shake hands.
"Nicole."
"I don't get it. You're name is English but you're accent isn't." she frowns.
"Actually, both me and my name are one hundred percent Italian." I say and she smiles.
"I love Italy." she jumps and attracts a few people's attention.
Our conversation is interrupted by a what seems to be a fight. When I turn around to see what's happening I see Jake in the middle of a fight with one of the guys he was just talking to. Fortunately, the fight doesn't last as some other boy breaks them apart. I look at Jake and I can tell he's really pissed. His bottom lip is bleeding and one of his cheeks was hit too. And the other guy doesn't look too good either.
"Those are Jake and Kyle. Most popular guys at our school. And the biggest idiots, if you ask me."
"I know." I say and she frowns.
"You do?" she raises an eyebrow.
"Me and Jake? We live together." I say and she starts laughing.
"This should be good." she grabs my hand and drags me to a group of people not far from us.
After she makes the introductions we start talking about ourselves. Mostly me. Where I'm from. How I got here. Why I live with Jake.
Kelly seems like a great person and I'm so glad I met her. She told me about their high school, then everybody started mocking the teachers, and eventually I got to hear about all the good gossip.
"So you're really living with Warren?" Nate's voice breaks the silence once again.
"Yes!" me and Kelly yell at the same time.
"And what's that like?" he asks.
"I don't even know how I'm suppose to answer that." I laugh. "It's really not a big deal. We barely even see each other." I mumble and take another sip from my drink.
"It is a big deal." says his best friend, Alex.
"What do you mean?" I frown.
"This guy is insane." says Kelly and I make a weird face. "You don't believe me? Ok. You saw the guy he just fought with? Kyle?" I nod. "He's his best friend. They've known each other for years. It's how they usually act. They're trouble. All of them."
I look at Jake again. He doesn't seem violent. Maybe Kyle offended him or something. There has to be an explanation for this, because I refuse to believe he just walks around and picks fights with people.
With his best friend.