I Dare You

Chapter 6

COLE

The entire next day I spent waiting patiently for Jess to come to school, but she never came. This went on the next day, and the next, and the next till the point where she hadn't come to come for a week. I was so worried at this point, 'what if it was something related to that call? Is she fine? Should I have done something? Could I have helped her?' There were so many questions in my head and it was driving me absolutely crazy!

A few days into the week, I found myself actively looking for her, for the simplest reason. To relive at least some of my past, from the mere sight of her. She gave me hope. It was like every time I saw this girl, there was a different emotion in me that I can't express. I was always compelled by her and that wasn't good. This wasn't going the way it should.

I met her once, after 10 years! I hardly know this girl! What the hell was wrong with me?! I'm giving this random girl the power to destroy me, being so vulnerable with her after spending like 2 hours with her? No no no, this is not how this is going to go.

So from the next day onwards, I stopped. I restricted myself from looking for her, thinking about her, just anything about her was not going to enter my head and I was pretty darn determined this time.

I can't give just anybody such power over me. 

So the next week, when she finally came to school, I did my best to avoid her the entire day, trying to dodge her every step of every way.

And then came lunch, the part I dreaded the most. 'Why?' you ask? Well, it gives her free entry and me, no way out, just freaking great!

So as I suspected, she walked right up to me, but with two other guys beside her. Both dressed up in suits, looking like some sort of businessmen. I was so confused...who were these guys?? But then my eyes fell on her, and I was speechless. I could see her anger fuming off of her and I was pretty terrified but damn, did she look gorgeous. 

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

"Uh- I haven't. Who are they?"

"Not important, and I'm not stupid. Just tell me."

"Nothing! I'm not!" I really hoped that I was a good liar for my own sake, because I certainly did not want to die at the age of 16. But thankfully, she didn't question me further. Instead, she got her food and sat with us. Both Chase and Jayden looked at me with puzzled expressions but I didn't know what to tell them because I had no clue what was going on myself.

Everyone had only one question in their heads right now, 'What the hell was going on here?'

There was some awkward silence in the start but she surprisingly went ahead and made the first move.

"Hi, I'm Jess." They were confused all right, but introduced themselves nontheless, while I just offered a simple smile, still trying my best to avoid any communication, even if she was right in front of me.

But after a bit, I couldn't take it anymore. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" she spoke with furrowed eyebrows.

"Oh please, you know exactly what I mean. You don't show up at school for a whole week and you're sitting at my table now? Why?"

Well this seemed to tick her off but I could tell she was trying to hide her emotions. I guess I was just really good at reading people.

"Well, you won't tell me what happened, maybe they will. Plus, you can't be so mad about me missing school. I mean, it's..well, school."

But what they didn't know was that something actually did happen. I've been avoiding it, trying to ignore it like it will all go away but it won't. I didn't even get a chance to talk to Chase or Jayden yet, and they were my best friends. My grandmother had passed away last night and I had shared innumerable memories with her, many of them including Jess too but I didn't think we were that close for me to talk to her about all this and I needed some time to get my emotions in order before telling the others too, so I decided to just drop it for now. Just for now.

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(just realized all my other chaps were like reallyyyy short so sorryyyy. will try my best to make them as long as possible)