His Little Brother

Chapter Thirteen

As she and David continued to discuss the paper, Jazz tried her best to ignore the way her heart felt when she caught Dylan looking at her a few times. Everytime he caught her staring back, he made a funny face that made Jazz laugh. The only problem is that David kept asking her if she was alright and scolding Dylan for distracting her.

"I think we're just about done with this Jazz," David finally told her as he packed up his books.

"Yeah, we did good today," she smiled, watching Dylan from the corner of her eye again. He looked so cute in his glasses, she couldn't help it. 

David laughedquietly, and she looked up at him. "Yeah, thank God you were my partner, Jazz. I think if I was working with anyone else, we wouldn't have finished this quickly."

"I...I doubt that, but thanks." Jazz told him nervously, packing her own bag.

"I mean it. Listen..Jazz...I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me this weekend?" David asked her, looking over his shoulder at Dylan.

Jazz heard Dylan cough.

"Ha...hang out?" She barely got out, her throat dry all of a sudden.

David smiled at her warmly. "Yeah, just hang out. We can go to the diner and get something to eat. That's only if you want to." Jazz felt like she was having an outer body experience.

Was David Cunningham really asking her to hang out with him? She thought to herself.

She couldn't bring herself to respond. She didn't know if she even wanted to respond until she felt a small tap on her shoulder.

"Of...of course I would love that, " she finally got out when she felt Dylan standing next to her.

"Really?" David smiled at her.

I'm not sure, she thought to herself, but instead, she told him, "Yes, really. Sounds great."

He seemed surprised at her answer, but smiled at her again. "Okay, cool. Well, I can call you with the details," he smiled before looking over at Dylan again.

"Sounds good to me," Jazz said, trying her best to seem calm.

"I'll talk to you soon then. I'll also try my best to get this finished," he gestured to the portion of the essay he'd been typing.

"No problem."

"Okay then, kid, you ready?" he motioned to Dylan, who was standing quietly next to Jazz.

"Sure, I'm coming."

"I'll see you soon, Jazz," David told her before walking out of the library.

She stood quietly, not sure what to make of what just happened.

"So, how does it feel?" She finally heard Dylan ask, as he packed up his own books.

"How does what feel?"

"Being asked out by your crush?"

Jazz sighed. "I...I don't know. Surreal, I guess?"

"I still don't understand why you're so surprised," he told her, taking off his glasses. 

"David hangs out with girls like Fiona."

"And?" Dylan placed his bag on his back and looked at her. It was as if Jazz was seeing him for the first time. She took in his Lord of the Ring T shirt to their matching sneakers. His wavy hair was growing out, and she willed herself not to touch it. His hazel eyes stared directly into hers, and her heart did jumping jacks. 

"Jazz?" he finally said again, standing closer to her this time. She could smell the scent of his body spray. It smelled like pine. 

"It's...it's just surreal that he would want to hang out with me. That's all," she quickly told him, moving away. 

"Why do you do that?" he asked her, looking serious.

"Do what?"

"Downplay yourself," he told her plainly.

"Downplay myself?...I guess I don't see it that way."

"That's the way I see it," he told her. "Stop doing it, please," he told her calmly.

"Doing what?"

"Making it seem like you're lucky that David wants to hang out with you. He's the lucky one."

"Are you upset?" Jazz asked him, searching his face. She noticed a few freckles over his left eyebrow.

"No. I'm fine. Just a bit tired I guess. I'll see you later Jazz," he told her before walking away.

"Wait..." she said quietly, but he was already out the door. 

Jazz sat back down in her chair trying to figure out what just happened.

She didn't know how long she sat there trying to make sense of it all before Mrs. Cooper interrupted her from her thoughts. "Are you okay, honey?"

"Oh...yeah...I'm fine. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You just seem like you have a lot on your mind."

"No...it's just that my friend...I think he's upset . I don't know why."

"The young man who walked out a few minutes ago?"

"Yeah, his name is Dylan."

"Oh, I didn't know you two knew each other. He's the one that donated all those books for the book drive."

"Huh?" Jazz dropped the books that she was placing in her bag.

"But he gave me books already?" Jazz told her, but it sounded more like a question. 

"Really? Well, he brought even more. He came in about three or four days before the book drive with a ton of books. He told me that he wanted to help out."

"I...I didn't know. He donated so many already."

"He seems like a really nice young man."

Jazz smiled weakly. "He is."

"Are you okay, honey?"

Jazz sighed. "Not really, Mrs. Cooper. I feel confused."

"About what?"

"I guess....about what my heart wants. Have you ever felt that way?"

"I think we've all felt that way at some point in our lives, honey."

"So what do I do?"

"You have to take each day at a time, and listen closely to what your heart is telling you."

"What if you're not sure what your heart is telling you."

"Take it a day at a time, Jazz. I think deep down you already know what it's telling you."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Jazz smiled weakly when Mrs. Cooper hugged her.

Her heart was telling her that she liked Dylan, a lot.