"Jass, hey relax." Justin soft voice broke trough my thoughts..
"What?"I looked at him confused.
"I turned around and you were fidgeting with your necklace. What happened?" His voice held concern. He step closer to me.
My heart was increased but not too much. I haven't noticed I was even fidgeting with my necklace until he said it.
"Nothing I was just thinking, I guess I started to overthink like usual." I gave him a reinsuring smile.
"Want to talk about? Did someone do something or say something to you?" He was actually concern.
"No, well yes, Brittney said some stuff but nothing I can't handle. Ned was rude like usual, but I think I changed his outlook on me. And I'm sure everyone in class knows and the scandal has spread through the school for sure. But that's not what triggered it." I tried to hold back my smile.
"Why are you blushing?" his voice held some humor.
"It's none of your business." I covered my face with my hands. I could feel my heart heat up even more.
"Don't tell me you feel for Matt, he's in a relationship. Or wait is it Bradley. Please don't tell me it was Ned." I could've sworn there was a hit of jealousy behind his voice.
"No it wasn't either of them," I uncovered my face and avoided eye contact. "It was you." I whispered the last part.
"What I couldn't hear you? Jasmine you can tell me, what ever it is. I told you I was going to help handle the after math of my actions. If this has to do anything with I what I did, please tell me." He came closer to me. "You don't have to suffer alone." He reached for hand.
"It's you." I saw hurt flash in his eyes "Wait it's not a bad thing though." I blushed again.
"Okay, so what is it." He's really going to make me tell him.
"Your smile." I whispered but unlike before he was close enough to hear me.
That smile that made me blush appeared once again, making me blush like predicted.
"So you're telling me that my smile almost gave you a panic attack." If it was possible his smile grew even bigger.
"Not exactly. My plans are not going as I planned. I had an unexpected realization." I didn't want to tell him the whole truth, so I gave him half the truth.
"Nope no matter what you tell me I can now say I took your breath away." He laughed at his cheese joke making me laugh as well.
"Don't let it go to your head, I taught you were getting over the jock mentality." I playfully pushed him. He stubbed, but he did it dramatically.
"Hey watch it, I'm injured." He faked hurt.
"I barely touched you. Speaking of the robot foot, shouldn't you be R.I.C.E'ing it." I looked at his brace it was already littered with stickers and signatures.
"Actually you might help me with that?" He stepped closer to me again.
"Cann't promise miracles, but what can I do." I was glad the topic changed to something that won't make me blush.
"Can you give me ride? All the guys are in practice and I don't have anyone else to ask. I would stay until practice ends but I didn't bring enough pain meds, and I can start to feel it." I did notice he was favoring a side.
"Yeah no problem. I was just leaving before I was rudely interrupted." I joked.
"And took your breath away." Ugh he would bring it up again.
"You won't let this down will you." I roll my eyes as I walk away from him and made my way to the parking lot.
"whoa hey slow down, crippled remembered." He called out.
I debated wether to take off in a full sprint towards my car just to bug him, but I was wearing a skirt so it won't be the smartest idea. So instead I stopped dead in my tracks.
"I well let it go if you tell me the true reason, because although I would love to think my smile is what caused it I know it wasn't." He caught up to were I was standing but was out of breath.
I wish I had sprinted away. I took a deep breath and looked at him straight in his eyes.
"Your smile made me see what everyone else sees in you, I never saw it until today. And it was not what I wanted to happen, I told myself not to let it happen but it did. And when things don't go as planned I panic. I didn't even know it was happening until you pointed it out." I took another deep breath, I can feel my heart rate spike. I closed my eyes and took a deeper breath.
"Jasmine, hey you're okay. Just breath. Listen to me, I know there is no true rational explanation for panic attacks but you can't control everything. I KNOW you can throw a punch, maybe you need to learn how to roll with the punches life throws at you." I can her his humor on the last sentence.
"Oh God please stop," I laughed " I can't take the cheese jocks anymore." I took another deep breath and opened my eyes.
"If they make you laugh or at least smile, I will continue them." He grinned. "Now can we continue this talk in your car, I can't handle standing anymore." He grown.
"Three cars down, you think you can make it? Or do you need a piggy back ride?" I joked.
I started to walk towards my car but Justin grabbed on to my arm.
"I don't need a piggy back ride but I do actually need a shoulder to lean on." He smiled down at me.
"Justin you're way taller than me, what can I help you with." I wrapped my hand around his waist as he wrap his hand over my shoulder.
"Jasmine you are soo innocent it's cute. I just want to test out a theory and its was right." He looked at me but I refused to look at him because I knew I was going to blush.
"Well why don't you enlighten me with your discovery." I knew he wasn't using me for leverage. I've done this too many times for Jesse to know better.
"That being this close to you doesn't trigger your claustrophobia. And I wanted an easy way to do this..." He stopped us right next to my car and turned to give me a hug.
"I want you to know that it's okay to not be okay." He whispered in my ear before he gave me a light squeeze before letting go.
"I knew you weren't using me as leverage. Does your foot even hurt?" I unlocked the car and got in.
"Yes but not enough need help to walk, but you figured that out already," he buckled his seat belt. "I just wanted and excuse to get close to you." I rolled my eyes but still smiled.
I turned my car on. I checked my phone for any message and pressed play on my music before putting it in driving mode. I knew to give him a minuted before I started to drive so these were perfect opportunity.
"Smooth real smooth." I said sarcastically, but deep down I knew it was actually a real smooth move.
"Smooth enough for you to finally agree to go on an official date?" He turned to look at me at the first red light.
I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything. I know that I finally understand why girls like him, but isn't that a sign that he's done this so many times that he can make anyone fall for him.
"Green light." He interrupted my train of thought. "I ruined it didn't I." I heard him shuffle in the seat.
"I don't know what to say." I drummed my thumb on the steering wheel.
"But you know something that's making you doubt me. What is it? Go ahead and hit me with it. I know something is brewing in that beautiful mind of yours." He can go from serious to joke in the matter of seconds.
"All I've heard these past years is how every girl falls for you and wishes your smile is directed to them. I never saw it until today, those darn dimples worked their magic I guess." I felt my face head up and him chuckle, "But then that just makes me think that you have all of this down to a t. I don't want to be another girl that falls for your games." I didn't to come out harshly but it did.
"Well if you must know, I don't have this to a t, well at least when it come to you. I've never opened up to anyone like the way I have done with you. I knew you were nothing like the other girls, and that's why you have always intrigued me. Answer this question: Have you ever seen me date anyone?" Well this is not how I expected this to go.
"No, but isn't that worse, you toy girls around and don't take things seriously. I've seen you flirt with countless girls, but never the same girl for more than a few days." I was not keeping tabs on him, but gossips tends to travel fast.
"You do have a point there, but you're wrong. I tried to take things serious with a few girls, but after a few days I notice that they're all the same. I never felt a spark. I know that I'm to blame for this, since I tend to hang out with a certain crowd. But I'm done following the crowd, and you're my way out. You are the girl I've been searching for." His voice was so tender.
"But why now? I get that you experiment and I'm not judging you for that that's what high school for. But what changed last week." I wanted to understand his reasoning.
"I don't know, really. Maybe it was the thought of starting a new season and having a fresh start. I told myself this was going to be the best season ever and to do that I knew I needed to separate myself with people that will prevent that. I need to surround myself with friends that can help me achieve this goal." He seem to second guess his answer. "Not that I wanted to make this all about myself, because as you might know there is no I in team so I also made it goal to help my team. I want to leave the team in better terms than what I found it." He corrected himself.
"So where do I belong in your master plan." I still didn't see how I can help him.
"Right next to me. I know it might be cheesy but I can't imagine anyone better to be standing next to me. You are smarter than any girl I've meet and I know you can hold your weight and won't let me or anyone else do you wrong. But most important I feel for those hazel eyes." I could hear his smile.
"And here I taught you couldn't get any cheesier." I laughed.
"Well I have tried everything and you still haven't said yes. But now I don't know if it's helping." I quickly looked over at him and he was bushing.
"Yes." I quickly said before I could change my mind.
"Yes, as in, 'yes you will go out with me' or yes as in 'yes it's not working.' You can say yes." I laughed at his confusion.
"I love that laugh but I am not liking it when it's directed towards me." He continued to pout.
"Yes Justin Orwell I will go out on a date with you. And yes the cheesiness did work.... there is that specific enough." I finally collected myself long enough to give him a proper answer and just in time to ender his neighborhood.
"No I need you to say it to my face and not be laughing while saying it." I knew he was was faking anger.
I pulled up to his drive way and put my car on park and turned so I was facing him. I could see he was holding back a smile.
"Yes, I will go out with you. But under one condition." I smirked as his smile faltered.
"Anything." His voice was soft.
"You need to tell where we are going. No surprises. I hate surprises for obvious reasons." I get the excitement of a surprise but that doesn't set well with my mind.
"Deal, plus I know and easier way to get a reaction." He smiled with the biggest most exaggerated smile.
"Ugh for the last time it was not your smile." I covered up my face.
"uh huh sure it wasn't. If that helps you sleep, you keep telling yourself that." He joked as he collected his stuff.
"Keep it up and I will change my mind on the date." I glared at him but I knew I wasn't.
"No, no, no I will stop. I just love seeing you blush, you know that." He quickly stopped laughing.
"Yeah , yeah, yeah now get out." I unlocked the his doors.
"Awe Jasmine don't get mad. I truly do like seeing you blush, I never knew something so simple would make me smile. The smallest things you do make me smile, and that on its own makes my own heart race." He looked deep in to my eyes, so much so I can feel his sincerity.
"Okay I have officially reached my Justin limit." I whispered. I'm a sucker for his smooth words.
"Oh but this is just the start Jasmine. Thank you for the ride, I will see you tomorrow." He opens the door and steps out.
"Your very welcome, and as for tomorrow can we keep this on the down low. Until Wednesday at least, I want to make my own impression on the so called populars without them knowing we might be a thing." I blurred out with out thinking.
"Are you saying we might be a thing." He grinned.
"You know what I meant." I rolled my eyes
"Even if you said it subconscious, I'll take it as a sign. But yes I can do that. You call the shots, we can take it as slow as needed. I will never force you into anything you are not comfortable with. Remember that." I looked away because his stare was getting to intense.
"Jasmine hey," He ducked lower so he was closer. "I'm serious. Although I would love to let everyone know we might be a thing, I won't unless you are okay with it. Patience is a virtue." He gave me a knowing smile. He knew he was being way too cliche.
"Deal. Now, I'm officially leaving before you start reciting Shakespeare." I put my car on drive to drive my message.
"Oh no I save that date two, but I can give you a taste now." He joked.
I ignored his request and looped around the fountain
"Bye Justin." I yelled out through my open window when I looped back around to exit his drive.
"Bye Jass." He yell back giving me a goofy smile.
I laughed at his childish antics. This is either going to end well or bad. But from the looks of it I will be having a lot of laughs.