Daffodil Sprouts🌼

Ch. 9 ' There goes Home-training.

Jason drags me out of the café. I'd struggle, but it would be of no use. He doesn't stop until we're many meters away from the door.

"You were talking to my friends like that?" he growls.

"They asked for it," I say, my voice just as venomous.

"You shouldn't have been standing there."

"It doesn't matter if I was standing there or not. They didn't have any right t—"

"We're leaving," one of the guys passing says. "Join us when you're done with the dumbass."

There goes my home-training.

I tear at him. Unfortunately, Jason pulls me back in time. My foot misses the boy's butt by a few inches. I free myself and glare at Jason.

"Come on," he shouts.

"No, I'm not coming onto anything. He called me a dumbass. If you aren't going to do anything about it, then don't interfere with me defending myself. What kind of stepbrother are you?"

Jason's jawline suddenly looks sharper. His eyes cloud and the colour appears russet instead of the normal honey.

I try to steady my breathing. Why did I shout?

"Yesmi," he says, his voice calm and thin. "Don't ever say that again."

Something hooks my throat. I clear it. "What?"

"The stepbrother thing."

Yeah, I'm nothing to him.
I turn to leave, but his hand finds it way around my arm.

"Leave me."

"What happened was all your fault. If you hadn't pretended to fall—"

"I didn't," I yell.

"Oh, really?"

"Leave my arm. Leave me alone. I don't want to see you, and I don't want to talk to you," my voice cracks towards the end.

"I'm sorry."

I stop pulling. "What?"

"I'm sorry. Stop being a cry-baby."

"I'm not crying, and I'm not a baby." I pause to make my voice sound fiercer. "Don't call me a cry-baby."

The word is in my 'Don't call me that' vocabulary. 'Baby', especially. It took me many years, five actually, to stop Grandpa and Grandma from calling me that. My struggle to stop them from treating me like one has been futile.

Grandma bathed me up to the age of thirteen and would've continued if I didn't report her to a teacher at school. She never agreed to stop dressing me, up to the day I flew here. Felicie suffered the same fate anytime she slept over.

Felicie. Her pink braids come to mind. Her wide, exotic smile, the way her nose crumbles anytime she's about to cry. I sniff. The last time we spoke was Friday night. She told me not to call, that she would call me when she's ready. When she's sure I'd have settled down and would have a lot of stories to tell her. Her way of making us get used to not having each other around. A teardrop splashes on my cheek.
I already have enough stories, Whitie.

"I shouldn't have come," I mutter.

"Agreed."

I wasn't expecting a reply from Jason. The effect is unexplainable. "What?"

"I agree. You shouldn't have come. If you feel like you're going through way too much here . . . you can always go back."

Unsympathetic is the word. Funnily, I don't feel anything.  Upset, annoyed, sad, amused. No. I stare vacantly, swallowing.

"Am I such a nuisance? That you want me to leave."

He releases my arm, his hand retiring to his side pockets. His eyes are like that of a statue's; emotionless.

"Yes and no. Yes, you're that much of a nuisance. No, I don't want you to leave. Stephanie is happy, that's why. Aside from that, of course I want you to leave. I regret you even came in the first place."

"What exactly have I done that's s—"

"Have you seen the bump at the back of my head," he says.

My mouth dries up. It feels like a heavy rock has been dropped on my vocal cords.

"Have you?"

I press my lips together and look down.

"You should see— ouch. It still hurts."

My eyes dilate. I look at everywhere but Jason. "I'm . . . I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter if you're sorry or not. As long as it hurts, I'll continue being harsh and will constantly regret your presence. Because if you never came, I wouldn't have gotten it."

"I understand."

The day I fell on my butt, it wasn't directly Dad's fault, but his actions led to me making the move that hurt me. I glared, and eyed, and humphed all the while my butt hurt. Jason is being nice sef.

"Jay, why are you still here?"

Two tall, slim girls cat-walk rapidly towards us. A look at their legs tells me about four inches of their height is fake. One is blonde, while the other is a redhead.

"Sophie." Jason waves.

When they reach us, both girls give me a once-over. The blonde does it with a smile, while the redhead does it with a scowl. The scowl still showcases her beauty, though.

I sigh, so far all the girls I've come across are pretty as hell and slim; except thick Sam. Sam has mad curves, curves that even the pleated skirt failed to hide.

The redhead is the first to speak. "Why are you standing close to him?"

Bella. I immediately know it's her.

Jason and Sophie roll their eyes simultaneously. Clearly a mutual habit. Their reaction makes me chuckle. They're used to her attitude, after all.

"He's also standing close to me," I say.

Bella's brows draw together. "What a fool." She faces Jason. "Did you just turn her down? Never seen this one before."

"N—"

I eye her. Another mannerless person. "So stupid."

Her fake lashes dart up, revealing her ice-blue eyes which glows in the noon sun. She's glaring at me, but all I can think is 'nice eyes'.

"How dare you?"

"You were fine with calling me a fool, but can't tolerate the same being done to you?"

Sophie steps in-between us. She smiles and takes my hand. "Hey, nice to meet you."

Her hand is cool. Uncomfortably cool. I force a smile. "You too."

"Pardon my friend." She glances at Bella, who is now busy with Jason. "She's in a bad mood."

Wow.

Sophie's demeanour surprises me. That she's friends with Bella surprises me even more. At the same time, I've never heard a quote like, 'Birds of different feathers don't flock together.'

"Oh." I try an understanding nod. "People can be very rude when peppery. I'm a good example myself."

She chuckles. "You're a new student, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm . . . "

She doesn't know the relationship I have with Jason? If he didn't tell her, why should I?

" . . . a new student."

She smiles. "See you around."

I smile back. I want to say bye to Jason, but there's a high chance he won't return the gesture. I retreat from the trio, hoping I can find the way to my locker.

• • • • • • • • • • •

Random question: Who misses Felicie?
I do😫.

❤❤ Thanks for reading.