I Like Me Better When I'm With You | Ackley Bridge

30|'When You're Ready'

I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing and answer without looking at who it is. "Jordan?"

"Hey baby." I sigh in relief at the sound of my boyfriends voice.

"What happened, Jordy? I was calling all night."

"I know. I know. I'm sorry." He says quietly.

"It's okay." I reply. "Tell me what happened, please?"

"Meet me at school in ten, okay? I'll explain everything."

"Ok -" He hangs up without another word. What happened?

I jump up of the sofa and quickly head upstairs to get changed.

♡♥︎♡

I slowly walk through the school gate and take notice of the abandoned playground. It's so weird to be here early. I don't think I've ever seen this place look so bliming depressing.

I carry on walking, looking for any sign of my boyfriend before I stop dead in my tracks at the sight of him, hunched over on one of the outside lunch benches. "Jordan!"

His head snaps up to look at me, and I hear him mutter quietly, "Belles..."

I slowly open my arms and watch as he starts to jog up to me, so I meet him halfway, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Baby..."

"Please, don't." I feel him shake his head in the crook of my neck, and my heart breaks at the pain in his voice.

"Okay, okay. It's gonna be okay." I whisper to him in understanding, holding the back of his head gently. "Whatever you want."

Gradually, we drifted back over to the lunch bench, and I sat with Jordan's head in my lap whilst I run my fingers through his hair softly.

"I'm sorry." Jordan speaks up after some time of silence.

"Don't be." I shake my head. "I know you'll tell me when you're ready, I'm not gonna rush ya. It takes time. You need to take your time, when you're ready, I'll be here, okay?"

"Okay." He slowly grips my hand, and he brings it to his lips, placing a small kiss on my knuckles. "Bella, I..."

"Izzy? Jordan?" The two of us look over to the car park and see Mr Bell and Mr Simpson looking at us.

"Alright, sir." I nod at him, and he copies my actions.

"Wha-what you doing here?" Mr Bell asks, confused. "You're never here on time. Neither of you."

"Felt like it." Jordan answers bluntly, picking his head up off my lap and going to move completely away from me, but I stop him by tightening my grip on his hand before he can fully pull away.

Jordan looks a little taken aback at my actions but I simply wink at him with a small smile on my face before turning back to Mr Bell, who was silently watching our interaction with a skeptical look plastered on his face.

"Right..." Mr Bell nods slowly. "Well, Izzy, how're you feeling? I noticed you ain't been in school the last couple o' days."

"Oh. Oh, right." I start faking coughing. "Yeah, no. I'm still pretty out of it. *cough cough* I ain't coming in today."

"You're already in." Mr Bell says and motions around us.

"Yeah, but -"

Jordan cuts me off, "It's my fault, sir. I asked her to meet me here even though I knew she were ill. I just wanted to see her."

"Wait, so...." Mr Simpson trails off pointing between us.

"What's going on here? With you two?" Mr Bell asks, equally as confused.