Young Lust

12 - "Permission to Like You?"

At school the next morning on the way to my locker, I was walking absent-mindedly and I bumped into someone.

"Sorry," I grumbled and kept walking, but he shot out his arm to stop me.

I looked up at him and realised it was Tom who I'd bumped into.

He held up a gift bag. "You left this in my car,"

"Oh, crap, sorry, thanks." I put it in my school bag.

"Don't mention it. Hey uh, I heard you got a lift home last night."

"Don't mention it," I echoed.

"Why didn't you let me drive you home?" Tom frowned at me.

"I dunno, I guess I didn't feel like human interaction." I shrugged and leaned against the lockers.

"And yet you hitched a ride from Johnny,"

"Well, technically no because he wasn't driving. But yes, I hitched a ride."

"You barely know them, Jade. They could've been axe murderers for all you know." Tom leaned against the lockers too now.

"But they weren't. Plus, you guys are friends with them so they couldn't be any weirder than the guys, right?"

"True," Tom nodded, "but they're still pretty off, I think. I never really took a liking to them."

"Oh," I sighed. "So, is... is Steven here today?"

"Actually, I haven't seen him. I saw Brad and Joe though. And Susan." Tom rolled his eyes. "Are you two, you know, okay?"

"Uh..." I shrugged, raised my eyebrows and shook my head all at the same time. "I don't see why not. I probably shouldn't have left like that though, I kinda feel bad."

Tom looked over my shoulder. "Don't worry about it," he answered and pointed behind me.

I turned around and Steven was at the other end of the hall, looking stormy.

"Okay, I'm gunna go apologise and say happy birthday. Thanks again for giving back my gift."

"I thought I told you not to mention it," Tom chuckled and went in the other direction.

I turned back to Steven who was getting closer, and I advanced towards him.

He eventually saw me approaching and his face relaxed from its vexed expression.

"I'm sorry for being a jerk last night. Happy birthday," I pulled the gift from my bag and handed it over.

"Wh- well, thanks." Steven smiled as he opened the gift bag. "Man-jewellery,"

"Seriously? Before yesterday I'd never even heard of the term "man-jewellery", and now you're like the third or fourth person I've heard say that."

"Really? Must be a Boston thing," Steven laughed softly.

"Listen," I returned to the original conversation topic, "I really am sorry. I don't know what my problem was."

Steven put on his new wrist band and admired it. "Don't worry, no harm done. I'll back off, then."

"Oh, no, that's not what I was getting at," I frowned.

"Are you saying you give me permission to like you, Jade?" Steven smiled his goofy side-smile.

"I'm sure you'd do whatever you wanted to do with or without permission." I smirked.

"I'm taking that as a yes!" Steven lifted his arms in a fake cheer.