𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 // 𝐁.𝐇

14

-Monday-

I'm breathless as I try to regain my breath, my heart is exploding in my chest and I can hear him trying to catch his breath as well.

I have no idea how we ended up back in the closet, no clue how we always get here.

Today's he was a little more aggressive than usual but I don't question anything, I was never one to like gentle.

"I have to get back, I'll see you around." I say fixing my hair so that it covers my neck. He left one too many hickeys and I don't want to have to deal with unwanted questions.

He doesn't reply and I take that as my exit, opening the door to the closet and walking out as if nothing happened.

Unfortunately for me, Steve is waiting for me at my locker and he spots me, a frown forming in his face at the sight of seeing Billy Hargrove leaving from behind me.

I close my eyes, take a deep breath and head on over to my locker.

Steve rolls his eyes but still waits for me to open my locker to begin talking, "So you and Billy huh?"

I scoff with a small smile on my lips, "What? No, of course not." I open my locker and take out everything I'll need for homework.

He doesn't say anything but shakes his head in disapproval, "Sure."

I scoff and roll my eyes, "It's not like tha-"

"Oh yeah? Than what's it like?" Steve raises his voice and I'm surprised but nevertheless I grab my bag and swing it over my shoulder.

I swallow a gulp, "Don't raise your voice, you're going to draw attention." I say and look him in the eyes, "What you saw back there is nothing, it meant nothing, alright?"

He doesn't look convinced, "Just like us?" He says in a quiet voice.

My brows scrunch in confusion, "What do you mean?"

He closes his eyes for a second, "It doesn't mean anything like we didn't mean anything?" He asks again and then I finally get it.

I sigh, "Steve, I thought we went over this-"

He scoffs, "Look maybe you've never had feelings for someone but they don't usually go away just because the other person doesn't feel the same."

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer to me, "I don't want our friendship to end because of me, so please don't let me fuck this up." I say as I look him in the eyes.

He looks lost I thought for a couple seconds, he opens his mouth to say something but quickly shuts it.

"Please tell me what you're thinking, I know I can't force feelings but I can't let our friendship go to shit because of that." I say chewing on my bottom lip.

Once again, he looks as if he's going to say something and once he does, I wish he hadn't.

He takes my arms off him, "I'm sorry, I can't do this. I can't be around you and not want to be more than just friends, I can't torture myself for you anymore. I'm sorry Lia." He finishes, grabs his bag, and walks away.

A gulp goes down my throat as I feel my heart shatter and the urge to cry clawing at me. As always, I plaster on my fake smile for the on lookers and pretend everything is fine.

I sigh when as I realize I don't have a ride back home, just fucking great.

I chew on my bottom lip and head over to the lot, hoping to catch Jonathan and ask him for a ride. The breeze of the wind causing shivers down my spine and I wrap my arms around myself.

Luckily, I spot Jonathan with his camera at hand and Nancy at his side. They seemed to be talking so I take my steps slow, hoping they can finish their conversation once I reach them.

As I near them, I'm stopped, "Hey Lia, I didn't catch you at lunch," Tina says with a bright red lollipop in her hand.

I clear my throat, "Yeah I know, I wasn't hungry." I smile as she smacks her lips together causing her lip gloss to stretch.

A small frown makes a way to her lips, "Oh, well anyway, I know it's the beginning of the week and all but on Friday I'm having my birthday bash." She smiles excitedly and I'm not about to burst her bubble of happiness.

"That's great, I'll make sure to be there, promise." I say holding up my pinky and interlocking it with hers.

"You better come!" She giggles and I only smile back, "Well, I should get going, my parents will kill me if I'm late for dinner again." She finishes, gives me a small hug and is off to her brand new cherry red car.

Once I turn my head to Jonathan's direction, a frown forms in my mouth as I'm disappointed to see his car is no longer there and neither is he. I huff and look around the parking lot, hoping to spot a familiar face.

With an eye roll, I give up once I see no one. Well, that was until I saw the familiar blonde hair and muscular body leaning at the end of the blue Camaro, with a cigarette on his lips.

I lick my lips and breathing in and exhaling, I begin to walk over as he looks at his watch and rolls his eyes. Is he waiting on someone? Not knowing wether to interfere with his plans of whoever he's going, I doubt wether to go or not.

Then, my head clears and remember his little sister, max, he always drove her to school so it was obvious he'd drive her back.

Regaining my composure, I take a deep breath in, plaster on a small smile and head on over to him.

God, he was breathtaking.

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