The Story of Him and Me

Chapter Five

"I'm so sorry I did not reply last night," Jasper apologised as if it was okay. It wasn't. Not in the slightest bit. I felt stupid for on waiting his reply last night. And the worst thing was, he saw my message.

I only gave him a look, then proceeded to look at the whiteboard where Mister Castro was already discussing about vectors. I couldn't grasp the words that he was saying. He was drawing lines on the board in different colours, which made my head slightly ache.

Jasper did not seem to nag me with his useless apology and it was a breather because last night I dreamt of him. I dreamt that he was kissing me, and he told me he loved me.

I almost believed for it to be true. But when I woke up and reminisced the dream as if it was a memory that had happened, I was crushed. I had no idea why I felt that way because I had no feelings of him or whatsoever. Then why did it hurt?

"Partner yourselves up," Mister Castro announced, snapping me from my thoughts. "We will have a seatwork based on my discussion."

A series of groans, not surprisingly, echoed inside the room but my classmates already looked for their partners. Mary-Kate and Patricia partnered themselves up which left me no choice but to turn towards Jasper, who was staring at me, and ask if he had a partner.

"Do you have a partner?" I asked.

He did not answer.

"Do you have a partner?" I reiterated as calmly as I could but I still got no reply from him.

"Who has no partners? Raise your hands," Mister Castro said and I raised my hand all too abruptly. Jasper did as well, a smirk imprinted on his lips.

It was only Jasper and I who had no partners and I was unsure which was more infuriating, the fact that he ignored my inquiry or the fact that we were the only ones left to be partnered with. The latter made my blood boil.

"This will be due tomorrow," Mister Castro said, distributing photocopies of the activity. "Make sure you and your partner would contribute equally to the activity."

I was the one who grabbed the photocopy vehemently, prohibiting Jasper to look at it. We were sprawled on the tiled floors. He was lying on the ground whilst I read the contents of the activity. More like problem solving.

"Are you still mad at me for ignoring you last night?" he asked, his voice tentative. I stared hardly at the paper, still ignoring him as I covered the paper on my face to hide my expressions. I held the paper a little too tight, creasing it in the process.

"Yes," I replied, then, coldly, turning my back around him. "You just don't do that to me. You just don't take people for granted Jasper. I, too, have a life."

"I'm sorry," he said solemnly. I removed the paper covering my face and looked at him. His face, which was of devoid of emotion on normal days, showed remorse. I almost melted at how sincere he looked. But I was frightened of what the two of us were becoming. We were becoming more than mere acquaintances.

"Okay," I whispered in reply, handing him the physics activity. "You have to do seventy-five percent of the work in order to make up for what you've done."

"Not a problem."

---

I was placing the last notebook in my locker and as I slammed the locker door shut, Jasper's presence caught me off guard. I almost screamed at the uninvited presence and he chuckled at me, the crinkles visible in his eyes.

"I am really thinking now that you are in love with me that's why you keep on following me," I said, glowering at him for frightening me.

He shook his head slowly and replied, "And what if I am?" He sounded like he was taunting me, which caused a ruckus inside my chest. My heart was loudly slamming on my ribcage whilst butterflies swarmed on my stomach. What was he doing to me?

"You're not," I answered as calmly as I could. "Don't you have a love life to focus on?"

He shrugged his shoulders. I headed towards the exit of the building of my homeroom, and Jasper followed suit, his body right beside me. I paced myself faster but he still caught up with me. His athletic skills benefitted him. "My sister listens to Taylor Swift," he said. His voice was very deep, like the depth of a Mariana's trench. "She adores Our Song."

I gave him a smile. His sister was adorable, then. "Our Song is cute. Reminds me of couples having theme songs of their love lives."

We walked some more, until we reached the blue school gate. Were we going home together? I wanted to ask him that. But I opted for another, "What song do you listen to Taylor Swift?"

"The Story of Us," he answered briefly. "It sounds so fairytale-esque yet realistic."

"Someone could relate."

He shook his shoulders noncommittally. "Maybe."

"Do you think your story with Cassidy is ending soon?"

There was a pregnant pause that hung through the air. We were already walking at the sidewalk, waiting for the stoplight to turn red so that we could cross the street. "I think the story of us would."

I choked in my breathing. "Funny joke."

He grinned. "Jokes are half-meant, Alice."