Closer - Noah Centineo/Peter Kavinsky

Closer (Part 34)- forgetting feelings

I'm alone at the punch bowl when Jess creeps up to me without Yazmin by her side. I jump at the sound of her voice almost dropping the plastic cup I was holding.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were so easily spooked," she giggles, grabbing a few pretzels from the table.

"It's fine," I grin while getting my breath back. "Are you enjoying the dance?"

"Yeah, it's fun. Everyone's great, well except I ran into this one girl and she was just a total bitch about it," Jess explains, rolling her eyes.

I take a sip of the punch with raised eyebrows. Yeah, it was definitely spiked. "Who was she?" I ask with a cocked head.

"Hmm, hold on, let me check if I see her," she replies, scanning the dance floor. I turn around to look with her, wondering who it could be, since our school is prone to having impolite and arrogant, well like Jess said, bitches. "I don't think she's- oh wait, she's going to our table," Jess exclaims, pointing to the sidelines next to the floor.

I follow her gaze to the one person I knew it could've been. Cindy was walking towards our table, or better said, towards Jay. She was wearing a hot pink dress with drastic cleavage showing and a motivated look on her icy face.

Jay's sitting with Seth and Yazmin, laughing about something Yazmin said, but is interrupted by Cindy's arrival. From where I'm standing, I can't hear exactly what they're all saying but I can guess, since Jay takes her hand going to towards the dance floor. I notice Seth and Yazmin fist bumping each other while Jay walks away.

Seth's gaze suddenly catch mines and he gives me a thumbs up before I quickly look away pretending like I didn't see him.

I turn to back to Jess who is staring at me. "Oh yeah, that's Cindy. She's kind of a brat," I explain, while the cup that's slightly shaking in my hand meets my lips again.

My eyes try to not to meet the "lovely couple" on the floor but fail. He spins her around the dance floor while she giggles with an enthusiastic smile on her face. He's great at dancing which I've never came to see before tonight.

It feels wrenching. My whole body crumples around itself and it takes all my self control not to physically lash out and lunge at them. I don't even have the right to. But, it still hurts.

Jealousy really was a bitch. Or more like Cindy Letterman.

"So, when are you gonna tell everyone you're in love with Jay?" Jess suddenly questions with raised eyebrows.

I whip my head back to her, horrified. "I am not in love with Jay," I scoff.

"Seriously? I might be a lot of things but I'm not dumb," she snorts, pushing my shoulder lightly. "I mean come on, it's obvious"

"I really don't know what you're talking about," I insist, shrugging my shoulders. I try not to meet her eyes fully because I feel like I'm under observation.

"Elle, I'm not even part of the group and I see it. I know, you're with Seth but the way you guys act around each other is more friend material than relationship material. I see the way you look at him when you guys just danced. Hell, I think he even looks like that to you. You don't look at Seth like that," she confides, giving me a sincere look.

Those sentences are enough to shut me up and I don't know what to say. There's no point in arguing with her after she's made good points. However, I don't want to confirm it either because it would make it seem too real. And that feeling was scaring the shit out of me.

"You always sneak glances at him. But, don't worry. I'm the only one who notices, I think. I'm very observant," she explains.

"I don't really know what I feel," I admit, looking back at Jay who's back is to me still with Cindy. I feel my heart tug at the sight of him.