Found her

Chapter 26 | Finals

S A D I E

I tap my pen anxiously against my paper, groaning internally.

You know this Sadie, I tell myself, Come on, think.

'Twenty minutes left, students.'

I hate finals. Mid-term exams, I don't mind, but finals? I hate finals. They are so stressful, and I can barely take it.

'Last exam. Come on, just this question and you can go home and throw away your textbooks.' I mutter to myself.

My leg anxiously bounces up and down.

Sadie.

His voice penetrates my brain.

You are okay. Calm down. It's okay.

Luca's voice has always been able to calm me down someway or another. I close my eyes and rethink our conversation from yesterday.

'When you feel anxious.' He told me. 'Deep breath, count to ten, and think about the beach.'

'The beach?'

'You told me the beach calmed you down.'

'It does.'

I picture the beach. The waves crashing against the rocks, seagulls soaring above. I can feel the wind on my face. The cool, refreshing feeling hits something in the back of my head.

'Oh! Oh!' I exclaim quietly, grabbing my pen and jotting down the answer. I sigh in relief, turning to Jax, who sits a few rows beside me. He gives me
thumbs up, his eyebrows raised.

'You good?' He mouths.

I smile and nod, looking at Aleena on my other side, only to see her spinning her pen between her fingers, her legs crossed at the ankles. She sends me a questioning look.

I nod. She nods back.

I'm so glad I went to Dip that day. I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't met Aleena. She was exactly the girl best friend I missed my whole life.

'Pens down!'

I grin.

***

'WE FINISHED JUNIOR YEAR!' Jax runs to me, wrapping me in a suffocating hug. I laugh as he twirls me around, before putting me back down. 'Celebration?'

'Can't. I have to pack for the beach house. I can't wait.' I squeal.

'Anderson?' Jax turns to Aleena.

She shrugs. 'I'm all packed.'

'Great! Say, we'll meet you at Dip?'

'More milkshakes?' A voice draws from behind us.

Aleena groans.

Elliana comes into view, smiling. 'Long time no see, Jaxon.' 

'Elliana, stop.' Jax tries to walk away, but Elliana wraps his arm around his wrist.

'But Jax, we were perfect together...'She pouts, sticking her lips out obnoxiously. Aleena rolls her eyes.

Jaxon looks unfazed by Elliana. 'You broke up with me after I told you I loved you, and now, you're telling me we were good together? You never even loved me!'

The smile on Elliana's face vanishes. 'You think I date for love?! Babe, I fuck and date for popularity. You were a football player, you gave me the publicity I needed.' She smirks, tilting her head to the side. 'I don't do love, Jaxon.'

Aleena makes a noise from beside me.

'Oh, and advice? No girl in her right mind would date you, Jaxon, so drop the 'sunshine boy' act. Girls like bad boys.'

Jaxon just shakes his head, but before he can descifer what's happening, Aleena runs towards him and presses her mouth to his, wrapping her arms around him.

My jaw drops to the floor.

She breaks away for a second, just to give Elliana the middle finger. 'I have a thing for sunshine boys.'

Jax grabs her jaw and pulls her in for another kiss. I cheer alongside many students around us, someone even whistles. Elliana just snarls and pivots on her heel, walking away from the two that are still attached to each other.

'Oi! Keep it PG, lovebirds!' I call, a huge smile breaking on my face.

Ever since Jax saw Aleena at that coffee shop, he knew she was the one. He would sit and rant about her for ages, kicking his legs like a six-year-old with a crush. Jaxon's love life with Elliana has been close to perfect, but he wasn't as happy as he is when he is with Allie.

They break apart, putting there foreheads against each other. I've never seen them so happy.

My phone rings, and I look down to see it's Lucas. I answer the video call and point the camera towards Aleena and Jax, who are now kissing again.

Lucas grins. 'He finally put his big boy pants on and kissed her then?'

I shake my head. 'Aleena kissed him.'

'Oh. Of course. It's Aleena.'

When are you going to kiss me, Lucas? Look at me and tell me you like me the way I like you?

'Princess? Are you with me?'

I snap out my daze and look back at him. He's sitting there, his hair wet, looking absolutely breathtaking. 'Huh?'

'What are you doing today?' He repeats.

'Oh. Nothing. Packing for the beach house, we leave tomorrow, don't forget.' I remind him.

A whole month, just us: Lucas, Matheo, Joanna, Aleena, Jax and I. We can do whatever we want, no parents. I can't wait.

'I won't forget, Say.' He smiles, and my stomach tingles. 'I have to go help Matheo pack, see you tomorrow?'

'See you!'

Jax and Aleena come walking towards me, Jax's arm slung over Allie, and she's rolling her eyes over something he says.

'Say, I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Aleena Disney Anderson.'

Aleena raises her eyebrows. 'You never asked me to be your girlfriend.' She states.

'Fine. Want me to get on one knee-'

'Jaxon Williams don't you dare.' She hisses. Jax just grins, giving Aleena a peck on her forehead.

Something pulls at my chest.

Jealousy.

When am I going to be loved like that? A voice in my head asks.

I just grin. 'Alright, lovebirds, I'm heading home, you go to Dip.'

'You'll meet us there, right?' Aleena asks, Jax just eyes me wearily.

I nod. 'Later?'

Aleena nods, Jax still looking at me weirdly. A few seconds later, he lets go of Allie only to come forward and hug me.

'I love you. Y'know that, right?' He whispers in my ear.

I nod, smiling. 'I know, Jax. I love you too.'

'He'll come to his senses one day, I promise.'  He says.

I look at him, spluttering. 'How...? I- How did you know?'

'You've been my best friend for more than eleven years.' He shrugs. 'Alright, we better get going. Finish packing and meet us there, okay?' He gives me a look.

'Yeah, Yeah.'

'Sadie. We want you there.' Aleena says.

'Yeah, this-' He says, gesturing him and Aleena. 'Changes nothing here.' He points at us three.

It does.

It changes everything.

You got your girl, Jaxon.

You got her.

'Yeah, I know.'