Straight To You

forty-four

Standing in the hallway, Jack is content to remain by my side until I finish setting my books into my locker so that we can go out together after school.

"I'm not saying that it's stupid," Jack murmurs, as we're mid-conversation, glancing down at his calculus homework in hand, puzzled expression pinching his features. "Actually, I'm pretty sure it's stupid."

A laugh escapes me as I turn to face Jack, raising an eyebrow as I study him from behind the door of my locker. "Didn't you just say that it wasn't stupid?"

"I don't know!" Jack exclaims, visibly flustered. Despite his mood, he remains smiling, somehow always managing to find the good in everything. "I'm confused! Calculus is stupid. There. I said it. But it's a good thing my girlfriend is such a smart-ass." Jack smirks at me as he speaks, as if trying to elicit a rise out of me.

I merely roll my eyes at his teasing, shoving his shoulder as I say, "Keep saying things like that to me and this smart-ass isn't going to help you with your homework anymore."

"You wouldn't do that to me," Jack mumbles in a husky tone, gaze flickering from my eyes to my lips.

I smirk at his attempt to be desirable, biting the corner of my lip as I lean forward as if I'm going to kiss him, skipping past Jack's lips once he leans toward me to instead whisper in his ear, "I would."

Jack rolls his homework up and playfully slaps my butt in revenge for my playing with him, pulling me forward and leaning in close as if to kiss me for real this time. My eyelids flutter closed as I anticipate Jack's lips finding mine, only the moment never comes. The sound of someone clearing their throat next to where Jack and I stand interrupts the two of us, Jack and I pulling away from each other to see who the bystander is.

I have to admit that I'm surprised to find that it's Lucas who has approached us, a slightly nervous expression plastered across his face. I notice the way his gaze continuously shifts, his hands fidgeting at his sides. To say that I'm happy to see him would be a lie. It was one thing to have Lacey cross me, as the two of us had never really gotten along at the time of what went down during the assembly, nor did we know each other very well. But to have Lucas—someone I considered a friend and had actually dated for some time—go behind my back in an attempt to purposefully hurt me . . . well, that hurt more than I had expected it to. I'd like to consider myself a forgiving person, but when it comes to forgiving Lucas for all he's done . . . the thought alone seems much too hard to go through with.

"I see you two are back together," Lucas mutters in greeting, his glare settling on Jack. His tone is rather aggressive, which makes it obvious that Lucas isn't here to apologize for his past actions. Even Lacey apologized for what she did, which says a lot. But I suppose that doesn't mean that Lucas regrets his actions. And if Lucas can't see that what he did to me and Jack was wrong, then I have nothing to say to him.

"Uh, yeah. We are," Jack says to Lucas nonchalantly, wrapping a protective arm around my waist. Though he keeps his tone neutral, I notice the way Jack practically seethes at the sight of his cousin. I suddenly recall the fight I witnessed between the two of them not too long ago, shortly after Jack and I had split. I'd kept my presence unknown, watching the two go at each other in the hallway before going about my business. I remember how angry Jack had sounded then when he'd spoken to Lucas, and I hope that nothing will get out of hand between the two now.