Chapter ten:willow reunion

Jay was looking at me through the branches of the willow. And it wasn't like any other boy. He wasn't just looking at me, he saw me. It was as though he was staring into my mind, or soul of whatever. The very first time since coming to this school, I felt unsure. I was insecure. ME. I was the cool, relaxed popular girl. Not a star struck girl asking herself," Am I good enough for him?"

I stuttered," U-uh, hey."

He smiled, and sat next to me on the bench," I was hoping this was the school you came to."

"I, well, it is."

Right as the words left my mouth I blushed furiously. Stupid stupid stupid. He smiled," So I've noticed. Anyway, how have you been?"

He looked a little gloomy as he said," I missed you. A lot."

HE FEELS THE SAME WAY. "I've missed you too!"

I exclaimed a little too quickly. He nodded, and scooted closer to me, and our legs wee brushing. "I wish I never had to go to Stepping Stones. Things might have turned out differently. We might have turned out differently."

I blushed again," What do you mean?"

His smile was quirky and mischievousness," Well, you and I were getting pretty-"

The bell for school rang and he groaned," Fuck."

I flinched at his careless language, "No, no it's okay, we still have plenty of time, the first day they don't count tardies."

He nodded, "Okay, well...I just wanted to say, we could have become great friends."

My heart sank horribly, "I thought we were already great friends?"

He let out a short humorless laugh, "Uh, you call me going psychotic and you ignoring me 'great friends'?"

I looked at the ground and picked at a hangnail when he said 'ignoring me'. "I-I wasn't allowed to talk to you."

His eyes pierced me with a stare," And you were going to let your special rules keep us from staying friends?"

I couldn't look him in the eye," Well, I guess, I was a little scared of how you were acting."

He let out a deep sigh and shoved his hands deep in his pockets," What the hell Lia! I heard you were the 'oh so brave beautiful and popular girl' at this school. Well, now I feel like when the guys were talking about the hottest girl in school, maybe they were talking about a different Lia Connelly."

I felt like I had been slapped across the face. The guys had contests about who the hottest girl in school was?? And I won??

I was utterly confused," What? They said that? Why are you yelling at me?"

My lower lip trembled and I saw Jay's chocolate eyes soften a bit." You're still scared."

"Of course I'm n-"

He reached for me and I flinched, proving what I was about to say was wrong. I felt ashamed and embarrassed. His eyes widened and filled with an emotion I couldn't decipher. "Why?"

He whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you."

His voice was soft, and his eyes were almost pleading. He reached out again, and his hand ran gently across my jawline, pushing back my wisps of hair. I shivered from my hairline, down my spine, to the tips of my toenails. He leaned forward, and I swear I thought he would kiss me. My eyelids fluttered to close, but then he pulled away, and casually said," Well... see you later."

I was frozen solid on that cool stone bench, his hot minty breath still lingering in the air, and waiting or a kiss that never came.

I probably would have waited there forever, if the tardy bell hadn't rang just as Jay walked around the corner and out of sight.

I don't normally swear but...

Shit