Alec threw his arm around Bre, kissing the top of her head as they came to stand beside me. I was talking to Max, Chelsea and Mina with him.
"I'm Alec." He stuck his hand out to Chelsea and then Mina. "And this is Bre."
Mina raised her eyebrow but shook his hand as Chelsea introduced them.
"I didn't know you guys new Max." He said.
"Yeah, I don't know what my life would be like without these two." Max said, wedging himself between Chelsea and Mina.
"Owen! There you are!" Jaelyn said, planting a kiss on my cheek.
I hadn't saw her coming. Then I again I hadn't been looking for her.
"You found me." I mumbled, flashing a small smile.
I couldn't help but notice the look Mina gave Jaelyn. There's was no more doubt in my mind that she didn't like her. And even though I was almost one hundred percent positive Jae was cheating on me, she wasn't a bad person. Well not completely. Cheating on me was pretty shitty, but I couldn't completely blame her either.
"Are you going to introduce me to your friends?" She asked, leaning against my chair.
So we started the process again, Chelsea smiling as she told Jaelyn her name. But I kept my eyes on Mina, watching as the muscles in her jaw clenched, her body stiff. She shook her head, eyes rolling as Jaelyn turned to her.
"I'll see you later." Mina said to Chelsea before she turned and walked away.
"Is she okay?" Jae asked.
Max and Chelsea exchanged a look before Max spoke up. "She's fine, did you finish that worksheet for creative writing?"
"Oh my gosh! I completely forgot." Jaelyn admitted, horrified at the thought. "Shoot! Bae I need to run. I'll see you after class."
She bent down, planting another kiss on my cheek. "Yeah, see you."
"I'm coming with you!" Max called, tugging the end of Chelsea's braid as he darted down the hallway after Jaelyn.
"Need help getting to class?" Alec asked, looking down at me.
"Nah, I'm good. I'll see ya guys." I told him and Bre.
I started to wheel myself away before Chelsea asked me to wait up. I slowed even though she definitely could have caught up with me easily. It wasn't like I moved very fast.
"So..." She started, shifting her books in her arms.
"So." I repeated.
"I know Colby doesn't have a crush on me." She blurted the words so fast they all sort of ran together.
I looked up at her as I shoved my wheels forward. Even if he hadn't then, I was pretty sure he did now.
"You sure?" I asked.
Her blue eyes met mine, they were bright and clear. Her auburn hair pulled back into a braid, pieces falling out to frame her face. Maybe it was because we were coming out of winter and none of us had color, even I was whiter than normal, but her skin was milky white, her lips a soft pink. I could admit she was beautiful. And so far, her personality was nice even if we hadn't really talked much.
"I'm pretty sure Colby didn't know I existed until you said something." She said in way of response.
I shrugged, "Doesn't mean he doesn't like you now that he knows you do exist."
"You really think he likes me?" She asked.
I shrugged. "Yeah, but he's also just a stupid guy." I thought back to when the guys randomly showed up to my house. "Don't let him talk you into anything you don't want."
I turned my gaze straight ahead, aware the Chelsea was studying me. Analyzing what I had just said. Even though Colby was a good guy, he also fell victim to relentless jokes from the guys about how he never gets laid. Girls always seemed to friend zone because he's shy. Maybe Chelsea would be no different but I didn't get that vibe. She was nice. I didn't want to see her get hurt. Mostly because she probably didn't deserve it but also because Mina would definitely end up hating me even more.
If that was possible.
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"Sit up straight." Mina told me, her hands outstretched just incase I lost my balance. "Arms up and out against the wall."
I did as she told. I didn't really mind this exercise. Mostly because the only natural place for Mina to look was right at me, eye level with mine. It also gave me a chance to really look at her, without her moving away. I'd been waiting for this all day. Ever since the encounter in the hallway with Jaelyn and her. I'd decided throughout the day that if the opportunity presented itself I was going to ask her. I had to know.
"Why do you hate Jaelyn so much?"
Mina shrugged but I'd learned by now that her shrugs and uncommitted answers were really just her way of not delving into a topic. She gave them to me all the time.
"Really, come on. Just tell me." I pestered. "You have to admit I've been annoying you less. What better way to repay me then answering my question for once."
"I answer your questions." She stated.
"Not really."
Her green eyes met mine, a smirk tugging at my face.
"Can't we just leave it at I don't?"
I shook my head, watching as she brushed her hair back with her hand before returning to her position in front of me. "Nope, I'm seriously losing sleep over it."
"No you're not."
"I can." I offered. When she made no move to elaborate I continued from a different angle. "I just want to know why you always look like you want to kill her. She's not that bad, I promise."
"Like you?" She said, her eyes rolling.
"Yeah but we all know your icy heart has a soft spot for me. Don't deny it."
She laughed, a dry, humorless laugh. Her green eyes landing on mine, unamused. I knew she still couldn't stand me but I actually enjoyed being around her. Even if she was mean to me.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, her purple nail polish chipped around the edges.
"Fine."
I won! If I could have jumped up and yelled I would have. Luckily for Mina I couldn't.
"I didn't have a problem with her at first but a few months after she moved here and climbed to the top because of you and your friends, I was in the cafeteria eating lunch. Sydney and Alison were making fun of some underclassman, just relentlessly being assholes to the poor girl. Your girlfriend just stood there and watched." She shook her head, her eyes meeting mine. "That's almost worse then being a bully. She saw it happening and she did nothing. So I got up and told Sydney and Alison to get lost and you know what I got? An iced coffee dumped on my head. I had to borrow Kenny Loggin's sweatshirt for the rest of the day and it smelled like B.O. and pot."
I smiled at the thought of her swimming in Kenny's hoodie he never seemed to take off. I sort of felt bad for her.
"But there had to have been tons of kids there not doing anything. Why hate just Jaelyn because of it?" I asked.
She let out a frustrated breath. "Don't you get it Owen? Her being popular gives her the ability to change things. She could have told Sydney and Alison to stop and you and I both know they would have. They've been dying to be apart of your little click of five since the beginning of time."
She tapped my right arm, my muscles jerking it a little higher even though they were fatiguing. I didn't care though, she was finally talking to me. I would sit there with my stupid weak muscles protesting our efforts to help them all day.
"Is that why you hate me too? You think I could have done more?" I asked, unsure I wanted the answer once it left my mouth.
She shook her head, the faintest of smiles tugging at her lips.
"Don't flatter yourself. I just hate you." She said.
"So brutal." I muttered, not at all offended.
Even though she was hiding her smile and constantly told me she couldn't stand me her green eyes said otherwise. I was growing on her. She knew it, I knew it. I just had to wait her out.
Good thing I had plenty of time.
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Ugh, as a writer one of the hardest things is knowing where the story is going but not Being able to say anything.
With that being said I love these characters and not just Owen and Mina.
Also I've spent the last week refinishing a dresser that I stole from my mom's basement. And I think I finally finished it! Now I just have to put it all back together again and lug it in the house.
That's how you know you've officially become an adult. You're too cheap to buy a new dresser and you're super pumped about your handiwork that you have to tell everyone. Is this what 30 and up is going to be like? I might be able to get behind that haha.