Serena

T h r e e

The rest of the afternoon quickly goes by and soon it was the last class of the day before we went home. As I make my way to environmental science, it dawns on me that Jake would be in this class as well, and when I step through the threshold, I'm surprised that he has saved me a seat next to him at a workstation.

I bite the inside of my lip to fight off any sign of reaction and debate whether or not I should take up his offer and sit with him. I don't want to give him any false indications such as the two of us being friends, but then again I also didn't want to have to face the embarrassment of finding a seat and wondering who would unwillingly have to take the last seat by me. There was also the fleeting thoughts that he only was using me for company until he found a friend group.

Sighing, I stride towards him before hopping into the tall black barstool at our table. Before us are two gas burners, a microscope, a clear tupperware container filled with slides and petri dishes,  a worksheet that I assume would be our warmup, and a steel sink to my right.

"Hey Carter," he greets, calling me by my last name.

I nod my head, dig out a pen, and begin on the worksheet. It was a word search of science terms that ranged from easy ones like "beaker" to harder ones like "manufactured capital."

Our teacher, Mrs. Pyatt, greets us when the bell rings and puts on a video as we continue working on our papers and I decide that I liked her.

A few minutes of silence between Jake and I go by before he speaks up again. "So what are you doing after school?"

My body goes slightly rigid as I rack my brain if I had therapy today before remembering that I didn't have to go back until tomorrow. "Nothing really, probably homework," I answer, sounding indifferent.

Jake nods his head and runs a tanned hand through his tousled curls. "Wanna hang out or something?"

I jerk my head up before turning to him, an unsure look undoubtedly plastered on my face. "Why? You don't even know me," I answered, sounding colder than I had meant to. "I could be a serial killer or something," I add, trying to lighten my tone.

He doesn't seem phased by my sudden attitude though and simply shrugs, circling the word "renewable energy" on his paper before replying. "Well I'd like to. I mean that is kind of the point of people hanging out when they first meet right? And we are neighbors after all. This way it won't be so awkward when I come over and ask to borrow a cup of sugar or something," he says.

It took me a moment to realize that he was joking about the last part and I let out a breath of air from my nose. Pursing my lips, I feel my eyes narrow a fraction as I study the profile of his face.

He had a cute button nose and perfectly sculpted lips as well as a strong jawline. With each blink, his long eyelashes bat his cheeks and I wonder how they refrain from getting tangled. The curve of his cheekbones are somehow both sharp yet subtle and I know a few Victoria Secret models would kill for them.

Safe to say, he was a total babe.

"Are you sure you want to do that? Get to know me I mean," I ask carefully. More so out of my own insecurities than anything.

Jake's eyebrows furrow together and he looks up at me. "Um, yes...?" He asks, unsure if it was a trick question or not.

I sigh and shake my head, remaining silent for the rest of sixth period. He had tried a few attempts to talk to me but I had ignored him, knowing that becoming friends with Jake Steffey was probably a bad idea—not that he was a bad person or anything, but I knew that it'd end up bad one way or another.

There was also the whole trust thing, as placing my trust into people was pretty much shot now. The only person I could truly depend on was Aunt Tess and myself and maybe even Lee...maybe. We used to be really close but when I left school our friendship sort of fizzled out along with many other mediocre ones I had to the point where she was pretty much the only one I had left.