Jay stayed a little longer and we cuddled on the couch watching TV. When my dad came home Jay moved farther away from me.
"Jay, what a surprise," my dad said. "I thought you'd be at practice."
I looked at him and he had a suspicious look on his face.
"My leg is still messed up a little so I didn't go," Jay said.
"Amore, when you have company I would appreciate a heads up," Dad said turning his attention to me.
"Sorry, he surprised me," I said. "Is that my food?" I stared hungrily at the bag of food and shake my dad was holding.
"Yep, burger and a large shake just for you." He walked over to me and placed my food on the coffee table. His eyes darted to the necklace on my neck. "Where'd that come from?"
"Jay got it for me."
My dad looked at Jay who smiled charmingly.
"You know her birthday isn't until another couple of weeks right?" Dad said.
"I know and I already have other gifts I plan on getting her, sir," Jay said. "I don't need a special occasion to buy her things. She can get spoiled seven days a week if she wants."
I couldn't help but smile. My dad, however just shrugged.
"I guess you're right about that," he replied. "Amore, I take it you don't want to hang out with me anymore."
"Why don't you watch tv with us," I suggested.
Dad gave me a knowing look and shook his head.
"No, no I'll let you two have your time together," he said. "I'll be in my room if you need me. My door will be open too." He narrowed his eyes at Jay and my face heated up in embarrassment.
After he left I opened the bag of food and ate some fries.
"You want some?" I offered a fry to Jay.
"Nah, I'm good," he said. "I want some of you." He inched closer to me.
"My dad is here calm down." I giggled and took a bite of my burger. It was so difficult to eat with only one arm functioning. Sauce from the burger ended up dripping onto my shirt.
"Looks like you need to take that off," Jay said.
I rolled my eyes playfully and dabbed at the small stain with a napkin.
"You just want an excuse to take my clothes off," I said.
"So." Jay smiled and lifted my shirt up. I swatted his hand away.
"Seriously stop."
"Let's go to my house."
I gave Jay a look and moved my gaze down to his pants.
"You really are horny huh?" I laughed.
"I don't see how that's funny," Jay said.
"Well it is to me especially since my arm is broken. I would look funny having sex like that."
Jay chuckled and nodded.
"That would look kind of funny," he said.
"Well you're the one who broke it so don't expect to get any from me anytime soon."
"And I'll just get some from someone else then."
I glared at him.
"That's not funny," I said.
"Who said I was joking?" Jay said.
I sighed and put my burger back in the bag. All he ever did was ruin my appetite and my mood in general.
"Jay, don't say stuff like that it hurts my feelings," I said. I looked down.
Jay didn't say anything and instead pulled me into his arms and started kissing me. We were interrupted by the doorbell ringing. I pulled away.
"Don't answer it," Jay said.
"I'll be quick," I said. I got up and walked to the front door. I opened it and smiled when I saw Kendra, Chantel, and Yasmine standing on the porch. Yasmine was holding a Walmart grocery bag.
"Your brother told us what happened to your arm," Kendra said. "We decided to come over and cheer you up."
"Aww, you guys didn't have to," I said.
"And we got you snacks," Yasmine said. She waved the bag in her arms.
"Jay is here though," Chantel said. "He parked in your driveway like he lives here or something."
"He came to apologize-." I quickly stopped myself.
"Apologize for what? He stay apologizing for shit sounds toxic to me."
"We can leave if ya'll our having your moment", Kendra said.
"No, don't do that," I said. "I want to hang out with you guys."
"Girl, where'd you get this?" Chantel gaped at the necklace on my neck and touched it.
"Jay got it for me," I said.
"Okay, it's cold out here can we come inside or not?" Yasmine whined.
I stepped aside and they walked in. When we walked into the living room Jay already had an annoyed look on his face.
"I knew I heard ya'll annoying ass voices," he said. His eyes flickered to Chantel.
"They just came here to comfort me since my arm is broken and all" I said.
"That's crazy how your leg got messed up now it's her arm," Chantel said. "Now you need to be the one taking care of her."
"I was until ya'll showed up."
"Boy, please. You were probably yelling at her for even breaking her arm. Anyways, how'd it happen anyway?"
"I fell," I said.
"Mhm, Chris said that but..." Chantel didn't finish her sentence.
The room got awkwardly quiet for a moment until Yasmine pulled out a box of hot chocolate from the Walmart bag.
"Who wants to make hot chocolate?" she asked energetically.
"I do, it's cold as hell," Kendra said.
I looked at Jay from the corner of my eye. He was clearly frustrated our moment had been interrupted but I couldn't keep choosing him over everybody else.
"I want some with extra marshmallows," I said. "Go in the kitchen I'll be there in a little."
I waited until all three of them were in the kitchen before facing Jay.
"Do you want hot chocolate?" I asked hesitantly.
"No," Jay said. He stood up and walked up to me. He kissed my forehead which I wasn't expecting. "I'll head out."
"Okay?" I was shocked that he wasn't mad but I smiled.
"You coming to school tomorrow right? I'll be here to pick you up."
"Okay, baby."
Jay smiled at me and calmly walked away. I walked with him to the front door and watched him go outside to his car then drive off. When I shut the door I exhaled deeply not realizing how nervous his presence and reaction had made me. Jay not getting mad at me for once was something I would need to get used to.
***
Girls time was much needed. We drank all the hot chocolate our stomachs could handle before they all headed home. I was happy when they left as I could finally wipe this makeup off my face. After cleaning my face I patted it dry and stared at my reflection. The bruises were all still there and honestly looked much worse. A knock on the door made me snap out of my thoughts.
"I gotta use the bathroom," Chris said from the other side of the door.
I opened the door avoiding Chris's gaze but he grabbed my arm. I jumped and quickly moved my arm out of his hand.
"Why are you grabbing me like that?" I asked.
"I need to talk to you," he said.
"About?"
"Let me pee first."
I sighed and walked to my room and wait for him. A few minutes passed and he emerged. He closed the door partially and sat on my bed.
"What?" I asked.
"Amore, what's going on?" Chris asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You're not yourself. I want to know what happened to your face and don't tell me you fell either. I want to know the story."
I sighed softly and played with the necklace around my neck. There was no point in me telling Chris the truth. Things between Jay and I would be going good from now on so there was no need to start any problems. Chris was smart though and his brotherly instincts were starting to kick in I couldn't hide the truth forever.
"Chris, there's nothing more to tell you," I said. "I lost my balance on the stairs and fell."
"What happened to you and Jay playing around?" Chris questioned.
"We were and I lost my balance. Why don't you tell me what you're thinking instead of asking me questions."
Chris nodded.
"I just don't think you're being honest why I don't know," he said. "I don't want to jump to conclusions but this whole broken arm thing just doesn't add up."
"You just need to trust me," I said. "Please. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
"What did Dad have to say about your face though? Your arm?"
"Nothing and don't bring it up either."
Chris sighed and stood up.
"Alright," he said.
But I knew my brother. He as stubborn just like me and he wouldn't stop until he got answers.
The next morning Jay picked me up and he surprised me with hot chocolate from Starbucks. It definitely put a smile on my face. I put Jay's letterman jacket on and sat back in the seat. I had been missing so much school lately I was becoming lazy.
"Have you been studying for finals?" I asked Jay.
"Nope," he said.
"What are you trying to do after high school?"
"Make money."
"No college?"
"Not right away, no."
"Well, I'm going."
"I thought we were living together."
"I never even agreed to that." I glanced at him and his face remained undetectable. He didn't give me any response so the only noise in the car came from his radio. I was relieved when we finally reached the student parking lot. I stepped out of the car and Jay took my hand as he led me to his group of friends.
"Babe, it's cold out here," I complained. The heavy letterman jacket was warm but it didn't prevent me from shivering as the wind picked up around us. It looked like it was going to rain later in the day.
"I'll keep you warm don't worry," Jay said.
I blushed and Jay held me against him.
"Can I sign your cast?" Darius asked.
I looked at Jay from the corner of my eye hoping he would answer for me. After Chris had told me about Darius liking me I couldn't help but feel awkward. Jay's jealousy was probably justified if his own best friend had feelings for me.
"Um, sure," I said softly.
Darius smiled and he took out a pen from his backpack. He caressed my arm gently and slowly wrote his name on it. Something about the way he was holding my arm made me shiver. Jay looked down at me and I gave him an innocent look. The rest of the team took turns signing my cast by the time the bell rang it was decorated with various names and silly messages. I realized I was missing the most important name.
"You're the only one who hasn't signed," I said to Jay while he walked me to class.
"Seems like you got enough signatures on that thing," he said. His tone was cold.
"But only yours matters." We stopped by my class and I looked up at him with a smile.
"I'll do it later." Jay pecked my lips and walked off down the hall.
I sighed for the hundredth time and went into class. I took my seat next to Naomi.
"Hey, how's your arm doing?" she asked
"It's still hurting," I said.
Naomi looked uncomfortable and guilty as she stared at the names written on my cast.
"I don't know if it's my place but why are you still with my brother?" she asked. "After what he did to you."
"It's complicated," I said. "But you're right it isn't your place because if you were really concerned then you would have told me about his anger issues long ago. Instead of keeping me in the dark."
Naomi's face deepened with more guilt and she opened her mouth to say something but the tardy bell rang and the teacher soon walked in.
"It's not that simple," Naomi said a few minutes into the lecture.
I turned my head to her.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"If I had told you about my brother's issues beforehand would that have mattered to you? He's hurt you on multiple occasions yet here you are still with him."
"So you're putting the blame on me?"
"I'm just saying."
I didn't reply. Maybe she was right. Destiny had warned me, Jay had even warned me himself unintentionally by the way he acted when we first got together. But it was so easy for people who weren't in my shoes to tell me to leave or question why I was still with Jay. They weren't the ones in fear, they weren't the ones being beat on and bullied by someone who was supposed to love them. No one knew how it felt. And it's not like I hadn't tried. My attempts at breaking up with Jay had ended in me with a broken arm and Naomi had the nerve to victim blame me. I was quite frankly tired of people in my business. Her, my brother, my friends, everyone was getting on my nerves. Maybe I would be better off keeping to myself lately. I felt like no one was on my side.
While Mr. Kim was distracted I gathered my stuff and walked out of class. I found myself walking to the bathroom. I went into a stall and started to break down. I had makeup on and knew it was being ruined and it made me cry even more in frustration. I heard the sound of the door opening as someone else walked into the bathroom. I tore some tissue off and used it to wipe my nose and muffle the sniffles.
"Are you okay in there?"
I was startled the voice belonged to Chantel.
"I-I'm fine," I croaked.
"Amore?" Chantel walked into the stall next to me and the next thing I knew she was standing on the toilet and peeking down at me from the other stall. I snorted at how nosey she was.
"I'm having a bad day," I said.
"It seems like you have a lot of those," she said.
I looked at her and her expression turned serious.
"Your makeup looking crazy," she said. "I have some in my backpack if you want to fix yourself."
"Thank you," I said. I unlocked the stall door and walked out. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw how streaky my makeup had become. The bruise by my cheek was now peeking through. Chantel and I washed our hands then she dug in her backpack for her makeup. She passed me her concealer and a beauty sponge.
"I just bought that so you don't have to worry about germs," she said as I grabbed the items. "But you owe me a new one."
"Okay," I said. I put some concealer on the back of my hand and started applying it to my face.
"You need to carry emergency makeup with you," Chantel said after a long silenece. "I learned that freshman year. I used to cry in bathrooms."
"I never took you for that type of person."
"Yeah, well when you have the whole school calling you the freshman hoe of the year you tend to cry a lot. That's why I can't wait to graduate and leave shitty high school behind. The shitty teachers, shitty boys."
"I hear that," I mumbled.
"Why were you crying though?" Chantel asked.
"Do you honestly care?" I asked.
"I do actually. We're friends aren't we?"
"Friends who get into fist fights."
Chantel laughed.
"I didn't know you had hands like that," she said.
"That's what anger will do to you."
"Why don't you use that anger to fight Jay then?"
The mood returned to being serious and I avoided eye contact with her. Chantel ignored my clear discomfort and filled the silence.
"Everyone else in this school may be clueless but I know what's been going on," she said. "I'm literally about to be voted the 'Biggest Gossip' in the school yearbook this year, you don't think my nosey ass knows."
"How?" I asked.
"It's pretty obvious to me plus I already told you when I used to like Jay I messaged his ex and she told me about him."
"She just told you just like that?"
"Well we actually used to be friends so it wasn't hard to get the information out of her. When she moved schools we fell off."
"So you've known this whole time and have only been making it harder for me? All those times you got Jay mad at me or caused scenes and for what?"
I looked at her and frowned.
"I was just trying to give you a reason to stop seeing him," Chantel said. "So you could see how crazy he is."
"That's the dumbest shit I've ever heard Chantel," I said, shaking my head.
"I know I have a big ass mouth. My intentions are good I'm sorry if they ever seemed otherwise."
I finished fixing my face and held her items out to her. She took them.
"I'm sorry I made it harder for you," she said. "At first I was jealous of you and wanted you to suffer, but after you beat my ass I kind of realized how fucked up that was of me."
At this point I wanted to beat her ass again but instead I took a deep breath. I was confused and annoyed.
"Thank you for your honesty I guess," I said.
"No problem," Chantel said. "You sitting with us at lunch?"
"Maybe."
I walked out of the bathroom and into the hall. I felt like having another breakdown but I kept myself together. I found myself walking in the direction of Jay's first period class. The door was opened slightly but no one saw me since they were taking a test and everyone had their head down. I stood hidden and watched Jay as he took his test. He looked focused and handsome. As if he felt me watching he looked up but I quickly moved out of sight and pressed my back against a locker.
"What you doing?"
I jumped at the sound of Darius's voice. He was walking down the hall with a hallpass swinging in his hand.
"You ditching or something?" he asked.
"Obviously," I said quietly.
"Ain't this Jay's class?"
"It is, I don't know why I'm here though. I got bored."
"When you ditch you supposed to go off campus not stay on it."
I laughed.
"I don't really have anywhere I can go. No car."
"I got a car."
I hesitated.
"I wasn't really planning on not going to all my classes," I said. "Just this one. I'm having a bad day."
"Let me make it better then," Darius said.
"How are you gonna do that?"
"By buying you a stack of pancakes."
"I prefer waffles."
Darius gave me a weird look and shook his head.
"Pancakes are better," he said.
"You can't convince me of that," I said.
"I can if you let me buy you some."
"Fine but we have to be back by brunch."
Darius smiled widely.
"Fosho, meet me at the back entrance when the late bell for second period rings," he said.
"Okay, see you then," I said.
Darius headed back to his class while I wondered the halls. Jay made it a habit of always walking me to all my classes so I made sure to go back to my first period. I don't know why I had agreed to eat pancakes with Darius but something in me wanted to. It was just food with my boyfriend's best friend who happened to like me. The more I thought about it the more wrong it did seem.
The bell rang and everyone exited their classes. A few minutes later Jay approached me.
"Hey," I said.
"Hey," Jay said. He took my hand and we started walking towards my next class.
"You know you don't always have to walk me," I said. I knew why he did it though. Just another part of his control game.
"You don't like walking together?"
"No, I do. I just don't want you to always be late."
"It doesn't matter my teachers understand." We stopped in front of my English class. I gave him a kiss. "You not gonna go in?"
"I am," I said. "I actually need to use the restroom."
Jay scrunched his eyebrows and stood closer to me. He grabbed the back of my neck and rubbed it while looking into my eyes.
"You know I can tell when you're lying to me," he said. "You get the most scared look on your face."
That look was out of fear of him not just because I was lying. I bit my lip.
"I-I'm not lying," I said. I moved Jay's hand and held it. I felt his grip tighten and I stared up at him. "The truth is, I don't really want to go to class."
"You want to leave?" Jay asked.
"Yeah, but I probably shouldn't. I'm still a little behind on some assignments and material."
"I have another test this period but how about we sneak out for brunch?" Jay suggested.
"Okay, we can do that," I said with a smile.
Jay kissed my forehead and I watched him walk away. Once the coast was clear I sarted to walk in the opposite direction to the student parking lot to go meet Darius. I only hoped I would make it in time to meet up with Jay .
Hi, everyone I'm so sorry for this late update. I'll be updating another chapter sometime this week please continue to support any way you can: voting, commenting, and/or adding to your library to stay updated. :)