Tender (Book 1 - Complete)

Chapter 15 - Lynn

I don't sleep well. My mind's too wrapped up in Jamie's words. They hurt. Bad. As hard as I try not to take them too personally, I can't help it. I'm trying to be understanding. I'm trying to grasp the level of guilt he's suffering. I'm trying to see things from his point of view. But the truth is, he's wrong. Sure, I might have been the reason he was hurrying back to class, but I wasn't the reason for him running late in the first place. Had he been a little more responsible that day, he would have been back at school before that little boy ever tried to cross the street.

As my thoughts come to this conclusion, I find myself wishing that I'd thought of it sooner. Maybe then I could have put Jamie in his place. But, the minor hurt that I feel from his words is nothing compared to the hurt and loss he's dealing with. When I consider this, I find myself brushing off his statements. I'll get through this. I don't even know Jamie well enough for his words to have cut me that deeply.

I get that he's lashing out because he's hurting. Maybe he needs this—that one person that he can fully express himself too. Maybe I can be that person for him. If I'm available to prevent him from keeping his anger from getting bottled up, then maybe he'll find healing quicker.

Sleep follows soon after this realization, but not before I grasp what I've sentenced myself to. This is going to be hard, but I know myself. I'm not weak. Words hurt me like they would any normal person, but I've always gotten over things much quicker. Maybe I was made this way so that I could be that shoulder for people in need of a good vent session. I think Jamie could use one of those.

———

The next morning, I find Justine and Rosa huddled near the school's entrance, their voices low as they whisper among themselves. Justine spots me from the corner of her eye and a smile shoves its way onto her lips as she waves me over. Whatever they were talking about before seemed serious, and I can't help but be slightly curious.

"What's going on?" I ask, sliding my bag off my shoulders and propping it against my legs.

Justine shoots Rosa a mischievous grin and then pulls me into their huddle.

"Remember that guy who likes you?" she asks, her words quiet but oozing with excitement. "The one I heard those two girls talking about?"

"Uh, yeah?" It sounds more like a question but she's definitely piqued my interest.

"It's Gregory Davies."

Oh Jeez.

I feel my brows lift in doubt as my gaze jumps from Rosa to Justine. Greg is one of the cuter computer geeks. He's a special case because somehow he wears his intelligence like a fashion statement. It looks good on him—real good. Last semester, we were assigned to a group project with two other people from our Algebra II class, but Greg and I seemed to click really well. He was funny and kind, but once the project was over, we just seemed to naturally fade. I never realized that he still even cared who I was.

"Really?" I nearly stutter, my eyes wide as I strain to pull this information into my brain. "You're sure?"

"Yeah." Justine almost looks offended that I'd doubt her investigative skills.

"I was there too," Rosa confirms.

"Where? What do you mean?" I know the bell is going to ring soon, but I'm too distracted by this conversation to care about being tardy.

"I confronted those two girls about it," Justine explains. "The ones I heard talking about you. They said that he'd actually told them straight up that he likes you."

"This is crazy." I'm in shock for two reasons. One: I'm always doubtful about guys liking me. Probably because I've never had a boyfriend, and I've most certainly never had a guy show interest. Two: Why him? I feel nothing for Greg. Sure, he was a friendly and highly attractive guy, but that doesn't create instant feelings for someone... at least, not for me.