Jesse's Girl (COMPLETE)

Chapter 28

* Catherine Continued *

The last four weeks had been exactly the same, blissfully uneventful, so much so that I often found myself feeling content.

I would spend my time avoiding Beau, which was easy enough during the classes I had with Jesse and during lunch breaks because Jesse never left my side. The classes I didn't have with him however proved to be more challenging.

At first Beau started by ignoring me, which was perfectly fine by me but when he realised I wasn't going to come crawling back he tried a different tact, he ramped up the flirting and constant attempts to get me alone and it was starting to get on my very last nerve.

During biology I'd made the mistake of letting a complaint slip out during a casual conversation with Marli, she was a kind hearted girl who, if my life was even remotely normal, I would have no problem in having her as a really close friend.

But like I said my life is far from normal, my issues are far too fucked up for most people to deal with.

Anyway I'd mentioned to her in passing about just how much Beau was irritating me.

'Jeez Catherine, some people would kill to be in your shoes! Beau is just so perfectly adorable and your complaining that he's treating you like a queen' she had huffed in annoyance as she rolled her eyes 'really? Get a grip' she scoffed.

Get a grip? Really? God these people just had no idea! No fucking clue! How is it that I'm in the wrong because I wanted a guy to simply back off. To respect my need for space. That I was not fucking interested. Just because he had the looks and the charisma it didn't make his actions ok.

Why didn't these stupid girls get it!

After that little run in with Marli it only furthered my resolve to keep to myself.

Well almost to myself.

I still had Jesse.

Each day Jesse would meet me for lunch. He would take me by the hand and walk us directly past the football team sitting by the oval while we sat alone together off to the side. Each and every time Jesse and I were together I could feel Beau's eyes shooting daggers at Jesse, but he didn't seem to care.

Every afternoon after the final school bell rang I'd meet Jesse at his car and we would head to my house, stopping briefly at his own so that he could grab some clean clothes.

We would eat dinner and watch TV and around midnight each night I would grab the spare pillows and blanket from the linen closet and hand them to Jesse. I would watch as he would make himself comfortable on the couch before I would head off to my room to sleep.

All the while barely any words would pass between us.

And it was wonderful.

I'm not saying I didn't want to get know Jesse better because I did.

I was just really enjoying his company.

Jesse didn't push or pry for information and not once did he try and ask questions about a past he knew I didn't want to discuss. Unlike Beau he wasn't constantly trying to invade my personal space or cop an 'inadvertent feel', he didn't find it necessary to tell me it was 'cute when I said this' or it was 'sexy when I did that'.

Without me saying a word he seemed to have sensed that I just needed to adjust to having someone close by, that I needed time to get used to having someone be close to me again.

I don't know how he knew but he just did.

And for that I was grateful.

What surprised me most though wasn't the fact that I hadn't had a single nightmare since Jesse started spending his nights on my couch. That and the fact that I wasn't fighting the daily urge to get black out drunk or to numb myself with drugs.

No, it was the fact that whenever I thought of Joe these past two weeks, I didn't end up a hot mess of tears and guilt and pain.

For the first time since he had died I could actually think about Joe and smile.

It was now Friday and as the last bell of the school week finally chimed all the students practically sprinted through the classroom doors as I casually made my way to Jesse's car.

Like I did ever afternoon when I reached his car I sat on the bonnet, waiting patiently for him to arrive. It wasn't unusual for me to be the one waiting for him but this afternoon he seemed to be taking a longer time than usual to join me.

Glancing down at my phone I noted I'd been waiting for about ten minutes now and he still hadn't shown up and as I looked towards the front gates I could feel my anxiety build.

'Looking for your boyfriend' Beau scoffed as he rolled his eyes and sidled up beside me, leaning casually against the hood of Jesse's car.

'What do you want Beau?' I asked with a sigh as my eyes continued to scan the school gates for any sign of Jesse.

'Im having a party tomorrow night, was just making sure you were coming' he replied casually as he glanced my way.

'When have you ever seen me at a party Beau?' I asked flatly.

'Come on babe, it'll be fun. My parties are banging' he continued on enthusiastically, his term of endearment causing a shudder to shake through my body.

'Banging' I mocked, rolling my eyes once more.

Beau pushed himself off of the car and now stood directly in front of me, blocking my view of the gates. With a hint of annoyance I finally turned my attention to his face.

'Catherine we used to have fun you and I' he said softly, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

'Did we though?' I asked wearily, desperately wanting to be anywhere but here having this conversation with him.

'Yeah we did. You used to actually enjoy hanging out with me, at least I thought you did' he started 'well until that dumbass pretty boy turned up' he scoffed.

I studied Beau's sullen face but before I could reply I saw, out of the corner of my eye, a body I instantly recognised.

Jesse was huddled close to a girl that I hadn't seen before, they were engaged in what looked like a pretty heated, but intimate conversation.

I continued to stare, watching on as the incredibly attractive blonde haired girl trailed a finger down Jesse's arm. At the sight of her touching his body I felt a hint of jealousy creep up in my chest and to make matters worse Beau turned to follow my line of sight and as he watched Jesse with the random girl it bought a very obvious smile to his lips.

'My place, 8pm tomorrow night. I'll see you there babe' he chuckled smugly as he turned and walked away.

I barely noticed Beau leave because my eyes were focused solely on Jesse and the random bimbo. After a few more minutes of what appeared to be an intense discussion I watched as the blonde haired girl sauntered away, her narrow hips swaying seductively from side to side. Her mere presence had caught the attention of several guys around her, they blatantly gawked at her magnificent body as she walked towards the side gate of the school and left.

'Who the fuck was that?' I muttered under my breath, the jealousy and a hint of anger causing my cheeks to flush.

Fuck.