Needing Adelaide | ✓

04 ~ Rules and Rumors

Jonathan

    I shouldn't even be surprised. This is exactly why I didn't want to get involved with Adelaide. I knew the moment she heard the rumors about me she'd be afraid of me. The look in her eyes when she saw me proved it. I heard Cara and her posse talking shit about me before, but when I saw Adelaide sitting with them in front of the school I froze in my tracks. The way she looked at me screamed guilt. I didn't think she was like them. Guess I was wrong.

Shit, it pisses me off. She better leave me the hell alone for real this time. I get home in record time and make it inside my apartment before Adelaide gets home. If it's up to me, I'd never see her again. She might've been attractive and interesting but if it means she'll treat me the way they do, no thank you.

✰✰✰

This calms me down. Not as much as working out but enough to get me to tomorrow without punching something. The cool night breeze tussles my hair and brings a wave of peace along with it. Tonight is my only night off work this week and this is how I'm deciding to spend it. Nick invited me out to the club but obviously I refused. I'm not in the right mindset. Not after what happened earlier today with Adelaide.

I pull out my cigarettes and stare at the box. I quit 6 months ago and haven't smoked since. I bought these before then and kept them in my top drawer. I want to smoke. It's the first time I've actually considered it. Adelaide has too much of a influence over my mental state.

I first started smoking when my parents got divorced and Mom moved away to France with my little sister, Jaylen. That was four years ago. I quit because when I surprised Jaylen in France for her 6th birthday, she caught me smoking. She made me promise I'd stop. I'd do anything for her. I take one out of the box and bring it up to my nose and take a light whiff. I sigh with longing. I can't smoke it. I won't. Jay never said anything about a little Fault in Our Stars metaphor action. I slip the cigarette into my mouth and reminisce about when I use to smoke to relieve stress.

"Hey Jonathan, can we talk?" I hear from behind me, fumbling with my box of cigs and dropping them off the roof. So much for peace and quiet.

"Go away Adelaide."

"Jonathan, come on, please turn around and talk to me. I—" I cut her off.

"Adelaide. I don't care what you have to say. We aren't friends. We're barely even acquaintances. We're neighbors. That's. All."

"But Johnny I—"

"Addy, just go away—"

"I don't believe them!"

I freeze. I turn around so fast I probably have whiplash. Adelaide is practically fuming. I've never heard her yell. It sounds.....wrong. "You don't believe who?"

She sighs with relief. Stepping closer she confesses, "Cara. And those other girls. Or whoever else says these things about you." I look at her confused.

"And why is that Adelaide? Is it really so hard to believe? That I am capable of those things?" I question, genuinely wondering what she thinks about me. Do I really want to hear the answer?

She hesitates and looks away. I laugh and turn back around, "That's what I thought. Well. Do what you will with the information. I am not confirming nor denying." I hear her breathe a small intake of breath.