After the rainstorm, we get the most insane gales of wind and snow I've ever seen- thank god for the Turner's generator, or we'd be out of power right now.
Though it's not exactly like I've never experienced that.
I look out of the window, watching the world continue to be brushed in white, like an artist deciding to cover up their mistakes and start again. That's what this feels like. A fresh start.
And it even starts with the rare snow day, UVPHS deciding that the basically-a-blizzard we're currently in is enough to warrant canceling school. So now I'm just sitting at the window, rereading To All The Boys I've Loved Before probably for the 1000th time.
God, I'm boring. There's literally a boy in my house, and a cute boy at that (though, to be fair, I'm the one in his house). Why don't I just go talk to him?
I can't hear the blare of hip-hop for once as I knock on Jase's door, unsure as to why I'm so nervous. What's he going to do, kick me out?
"What is it?" I hear Jase's voice ask from far away, like he's on the other side of the room, so I open the door and slip inside. "Hey," I say softly. "Whatcha doing?"
I was right. Jase is lying on his bed on the other side of the spacious room, stacks of books next to him. I see a copy of For Whom The Bell Tolls lying open upside down directly next to him, like he just put it down. Huh... strange. I don't think we're reading that for English class...
"Hey..." I say, my voice softer and more high-pitched than I intend. "Do you... want to hang out or something?"
"Hang out or something," Jase repeats slowly, looking at me with an expression of confusion, as if he doesn't understand what I'm asking, that little, nerdy, unpopular Sienna would ever be able to just 'hang out or something' with him.
Maybe this was a horrible idea. But I can't exactly back down now, can I?
"Yeah!" I continue, trying not to cringe as my voice involuntarily rises another octave. "I mean, it's a snow day. We could play cards, or watch something on TV, or make hot chocolate, or-"
"No thanks, Sandra Dee," Jase mutters, not even bothering to look up at me.
"Did- did you just- since when have you ever even seen Grease?" I ask indignantly. "And by the way, I am not Sandy."
"Chrissa made me watch it," Jase says nonchalantly, finally looking up at me, his blue eyes stormy and unreadable. "It's like her favorite movie."
Right. Chrissa. Somehow the Luna's Bakery adventure and the snow day erased from my mind that the very boy standing in front of me is dating... well, the meanest girl I've ever met. God, this was a stupid idea.
"And by the way? You're the biggest Sandy I've ever met, Red."
"No I'm not! I actually have a personality, thank you very much, I'm not just some innocent blonde airhead who feels the need to change entirely for a guy I barely know!"
Jase raises an eyebrow. "Well, aside from the blonde part, the rest of the comparison is true."
"What does that make you, then? Danny Zuko?" I fire back, a twinge of annoyance sparking in my chest. Why is this all anyone sees me as? This little 'good girl?'
Jase chuckles. "God, no. That guy has the personality of a wet dishrag."
"And... I don't see any differences there."
"You're crazy," he says, rolling his eyes, but I can see the half-smile form on his face, that perfect dimple starting to crease.
"C'mon, Jase. The resemblance is as clear as day. I mean, popular bad boy, check. Annoying, self-absorbed asshole, check. It's too bad you have a girlfriend right now or I'd include womanizer too. But, we both know that's probably going to change soon, after Chrissa catches you cheating at another party."
Oops. I meant the words as a joke, but the second I say them out loud, regret passes through me. That might've been... a little harsh. And from the flash of fire in Jase's eyes, I can tell that I've struck a nerve.
"Get out." He says the words quietly, his voice low, and for a second I don't even know if I heard him right. "What- why? I was just making a joke," I say, crossing my arms. "You don't have to get so offended. Though, if you're that insecure in your relationship, it's not exactly my..."
"Sienna." Jase's voice is hard and steely, and the fact that he's calling me by my actual name instead of 'Red' jarrs me enough to stop talking. "I'm not going to make hot chocolate with you, or play cards, or make snow angels. What are you even doing here?"
Why am I always such an idiot? I should've known this was a bad idea.
"Well, with friends like you, who needs friends?" I mutter, turning around and slamming the door behind me. "You're right. This was a stupid idea."
"Red..." Jase sighs and I turn around, though I really shouldn't. And he isn't even looking at me. Great. Perfect. Wonderful. Completely amazing. "It's not you," he says quietly. "I mean- it is but-" he shakes his head, fixating his gaze on a specific corner of the blanket like his eyes are laser beams. "I just have a lot to... think about right now."
"O-okay? Bye?" I say as I back out of the room again, not sure why my voice comes out like a question, not sure why he's telling me this or what he means or... any of it. I'm more confused than ever.
Jase spends the rest of the day holed up in his room, and the few times he does come down the only words that come out of his mouth are low grunts. And glares. He seems to be an expert at speaking in glaring. However, his little brother Evan seems to be just as bored as I am, and, after a lot of convincing, I finally agree to let him chase me with several Nerf guns.
"You've got me!" I yell, falling dramatically to the carpeted floor, throwing my arm onto my forehead like this is too much to handle. "Wow, you're fast," I tell him through shallow breaths. Apparently running up and down a mansion for 2 hours gets people kind of tired.
My phone chimes in my pocket and I pick it up to see... a text from Mayah? But before I can read what it says, my phone is rudely snatched out of my hand by Evan, who sticks his tongue out at me. "Hey! No phones during Nerf gun fights."
"Oh, I'm so sorry that I broke the sacred tradition," I say, rolling my eyes and holding out my hand, though I'm laughing. "Phone, please?"
"Nope!" Evan says, holding it just out of my reach. "We're still playing."
"Evan, please, I'm serious!" I say, giving him what I hope is a stern look. Mayah just texted me, and I need to see what about. What if she's going to apologize to me for everything that's happened these past few weeks? Or she and Cody Chasen finally got together? Or someone in her family is dying and she needs me?
I have to text her back.
"Come and get it!" Evan says, jumping up and running down the hallway- with my phone. You've got to be kidding me. "I'm going to kill you!" I yell, though I'm laughing as I chase him through the house, up and down staircases and through different rooms. I wasn't lying before- Evan is fast. And he knows this house better, knows exactly where to hide when he needs to catch his breath or where to run to make me lose his tail. By the time fifteen minutes have passed, I'm panting and sweaty- and Evan's nowhere to be found.
"Evan! Seriously, I need my phone back!"
I hear a small giggle coming from the laundry room and slowly tiptoe into there, careful not to alert him to my presence, looking around for him- until I see him hiding behind a hamper of clothes on the opposite side of the room. "Gotcha!" I yell, sprinting over to him, but somehow he's little and faster and manages to slip beside me and out the door, with me hot on his heels. "Evan!" I yell, watching him skid to a stop at the dead end right in front of me, about to reach forward and grab my phone from him when-
"Aaagh!" I scream, my head making a sickening thump against the door and then on the hardwood floor as I hit it.
And suddenly I feel so, so tired. Everything's spinning and blurry and it seems all the running I just did caught up with me because my lungs feel like someone's just set a match to them and every breath is a spike of pain-
-though maybe that's from the literal fire I was just in.
"Jesus christ," I hear Jase's voice, but spots are filling my vision and I can no longer focus on him, the ceiling, anything. "Fuck." His voice is closer now, accompanied with the sound of his steady breath next to me. "Evan. Wh- why would you do this? She's not supposed to be running, she was in the hospital for smoke inhalation just days ago! You knew this!"
"I'm sorry!" Evan says, and even from this far away, I can hear the hysteria in his voice. "Will she be okay? I didn't mean to hurt her, I swear I'm so sorry-"
"S'okay," I mumble from the floor, my words slurring together, a random bubble of giggles overtaking me.
Jase swears again, and I can practically see him running a hand through his hair. "Ev- I don't care whose fault it was. I didn't mean to yell at you. Just go get some ice, okay?"
"But that's all the way on the first floor," Evan whines.
"Evan." Jase's voice is measured and calm. "Please?"
"Butnoonegotaburn," I say, my words all jumbled together. This conversation is too much for me to follow. "We don't need any ice..."
Jase sighs, and I can feel goosebumps as he leans down to where I am, and he finally convinces Evan to leave, telling him we'll be in the TV room. "Are you okay?" he asks softly once his little brother's gone.
"Yup... just peachy," I say, my vision unblurring just enough to look up at him. "Your eyes look like sapphires though, not peaches..."
Jase sighs, swearing again, then takes my arm and wraps it over his shoulder, his own arm a steadying presence around my back as we stand up. Though the second we do, my knees buckle, and Jase has to pull me into him to keep me from falling back down. "Oh, screw it, this'll be easier if I just carry you, won't it?" he says, one hand slipping under my knees as he lifts me up, the familiar Jase scent wafting over, making tingles run up and down my body.
Jase sets me down on a couch in the TV room, covering his face in his hands. "I- this is all my fault, Red."
"Don't worry about it... I'm fine," I say, my voice sounding like the equivalent of my blurry and unfocused vision. "Nnnnever been better. My soul is shininng through."
Jase cracks a small half-smile, chuckling. "You sound like someone pressed down on the same letter key too many times while typing," he rolls his eyes, kneeling down next to me. "Can I get you anything?" he asks gently, those sapphire eyes all I can see. "Some water? Advil? Someone who isn't so out of it that he hits pretty girls in the head with a door?"
Pretty? JASE TURNER JUST CALLED ME PRETTY!
"You could give me a kiss," I say, giggling. Jase's face falls a little and he looks away uncomfortably, backing up. "Yeah, uh- I don't think that's the best idea right now, Sienna."
"Why not?" I ask, grinning. "You know you want to..."
"You're not yourself right now," Jase says, deliberately not meeting my eyes. "I should-uh- check on Evan. See if he got lost on his way back from the kitchens." He stands up and disappointment fills my chest.
Maybe Jase Turner really doesn't want to kiss me after all.
A/N: Thank you guys for reading! And thank you all so much for sticking with the story even after I took a break- honestly I appreciate all of your reads so much- there are a lot of other things you could be doing with your time so thank you for choosing to spend it with my story :) also sorry for the completely random Grease references- I'm in the musical for it right now so I guess I have it oh the brain haha
Also, I hope you enjoyed crazy Sienna... and get ready for a double update!!
Love y'alll,
-Selene