Boyfriend ¥ Jori

{Pt. 4} Stop Pretending

"Good morning, boys, girls and Robbie." Sikowitz greeted, pushing through the door to the back of his classroom. He stomped barefoot up to his mini stage, throwing his satchel down and clasping his hands together. Robbie threw his hands up into the air out of irritation and everyone chuckled to themselves.

I stretched my neck attempting to look behind me, seeing Jade's chair still empty. After yesterday, I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't come to school today. Still, I hoped to see her face. I wanted to make sure she was okay. Not that she'd tell me anyway.

Right as I gave up waiting for her and turned to face the front, the door opened and in she came. She threw herself down on one of the chairs and dropped her back beneath her feet. "Nice of you to join us, Jade." Sikowitz acknowledged her arrival, before continuing on with his teachings. Jade simply rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

Her irritated eyes eventually locked with mine once she spotted me staring and I smiled at her. Unsurprisingly, she replied with a look that basically said "what are you staring at?" and turned away. I sighed and turned to face the front once again. Even if she wasn't in a good mood (not that she ever was) I was glad that she was here.

After the relatively boring lesson, Sikowitz excused us and everyone began packing away their things. I noticed Jade quickly grab her bag and practically sprint out the back door. I followed her without thinking, catching her by the wrist once we were out in the hall. "Jade, where are you going? Are you not eating lunch with us?" I asked, pulling my bag back up my shoulder after it had slipped down.

She let out a long sigh and gripped the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Why would I do that?" She asked, causing my eyebrows to furrow. Wasn't it obvious?

"Because you're our friend? Because you always sit with us?" I replied, though it was more of a question than a statement. Why wouldn't she sit with us? When had Jade ever not sat with us? "Why wouldn't you?"

"How many times do I have to remind you that I am not your friend?" She corrected, crossing her arms once again. I groaned, frustrated and rolled my eyes.

"Since when has that ever stopped you from sitting with us before?" I questioned, automatically crossing my arms too. She made me feel defensive. I didn't understand why I was so desperate for her to sit with us anyway. I just didn't want her to feel left out. At least that's what I told myself.

"Vega, I don't want to sit with you." She told me, before yanking her wrist out of my grip. I stared at her in silence for a moment, genuinely just confused.

"Where else are you going to sit?" I asked, realising she didn't exactly have many other friends. She was mean to people and they never took the time to see that she had other sides to her than just the aggressive one.

"I'll find somewhere." She stated, before she spun on the heel of her platform boots and began walking away. I panicked, practically diving forwards and gripping her wrist once again. She groaned in the same way she always had and I felt my stomach tighten.

"Jade, what is going on?" I questioned, spotting her angry expression when it was too late. She pulled her hand away and used it to grip my forearm, pulling it towards her until my body stopped merely inches away from hers.

"No one at that table wants me there." She almost whispered, her face filled with annoyance and something that looked like embarrassment.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned, refusing to move away from her. I stood my ground and straightened my back, attempting to seem somewhat confident.

She went quiet for a moment, her irregular breathing and killer grip on my arm being the only signs she was still conscious. "They tolerated me because I was Beck's girlfriend and since I'm not anymore, no one wants me around." She told me, the unbothered facial expression and hurt look in her eyes contradicting each other.