Monday, January 14

Jason and Aunt (his mother) had gone in and out of my house for days resulting in endless dinners on the Levine household every day. Mom wouldn't be back for another week and while I waited for her return, I took a few days off to heal my wounds not that it was severe in the first place, but like Jason, Mrs. Sean was as protective as he was if not even stricter.

After days of lying in bed all day, I finally took the responsibility to bathe myself.

Okay, I have to admit, I'm a lazy person, but that doesn't mean I reek, I barely sweat, like literally, call me the sweat-less girl alive. I would have gone days without bathing and that's what Aunt told me for it and I quote, ‘could have been worse’ for my wounds but really, a girl covered with blood isn't pleasant in the eye and thus today she decided I would dedicate a couple of hours in a bubble bath, which I'm thoroughly fond off and wouldn't mind spending my whole life in a tub of lavender-scented soap.

I was in mom and dad's bathroom dozing off for an hour in the elegant sauna when I heard the front door slam shut. Bolting up, I nearly slipped from the tub at the gesture. I hadn't realized I was rushing downstairs (in my mother’s bathrobe because I forgot my clothes) trailing soapy water every time I took a step and bumped into Jason who was apparently shocked finding me half-naked, a bag occupying one of his hands.

He diverted his graze, obviously, he was a pure man or he was a gentleman respecting this teen’s entity, he held out his hand the bag dangling as I stared at it,

"I'm sorry I should have knocked..." he apologized, he was so… Jason...

"It's okay Jason," I replied clipping the bath towel under my armpits and trying my best to snatch the bag into my hold without making either one of it falter. "It's a good thing you did I thought I was going to pass out on the tub... Probably the heat..." yeah, that’s such a great excuse, Paige! I mentally scolded myself.

"I won't stay that long I just came over to drop that..." I peeked in the bag to see its contents and to my shock, it was one of my favorite brands of clothing - and stripes to be exact, a matching pair to Jason's. Looking back up to Jason he hid a blush rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly,

"Mom went shopping, she wanted to give you something you know how she longed for a daughter and treats you like one..."

"Thanks, Jason, please do say thank Aunt for me."

"She can't personally come over because her plane just left," he paused giving me a generous once over, "She wanted me to give you a hug for her but looks like I interrupted your,” he averted his gaze, “bath so I guess we'll have to reschedule?"

I nodded and escorted him out the front door and as he was heading out he flashed me if I'm not mistaken one of those rare winks I fell head over heels for as a child.

He shut the door behind him and finally disappearing within my line of sight. Heat surged inside me, it was a bittersweet feeling I wished I knew how to control, my feelings were beyond me and at any moment I felt like I'll die from a heatstroke, I needed a cold bath to clear my head like right now...

Wednesday, January 16

"Coincidence, I think not! Spit it out Missy you were with Jay..." I nearly choked on my drink as I hushed Angela before she could get further into the details and expose my relationship with Jason in front of her boyfriend.

Justin - my sanctuary, my only friend in Jason’s class... I mean Mr. Sean's class, and my equally attractive cousin's boyfriend - joins us with his share of refugee food on his tray.

"Hey beautiful,” came Justin flashing his girlfriend a cheeky smile I despite knowing them for so long can't get used to more or less envy them, Angela, on the other hand, takes a fry from his tray clinging against her man. “Hey Classmate, how's it going?"

"You and the hottest teacher alive were absent on the same day, and take note that he's never been absent ever in history! So tell me the truth did you two like had -." I shoved a handful of fries on her mouth, and to my surprise, she had chomped it down all at once, she was a beauty with a monster of an appetite.

Justin grimaced "I'll pretend I didn't see that..." he joked nibbling on my immature cousin’s neck, I don't think quarterbacks had a sense of what was pretty and what was not when it came to girls who had the equally same appetite, must be a law of attraction kind of thing and trust me if petite females were able to play on the football team, my cousin here would be the top quarterback.

I've known them for years, but of course not as much as I've known Jason. The two had been a couple for five years, and technically inseparable and who would have thought that long-lasting relationship only took only five minutes of wooing, and the best part is that my crazy cousin was the one who asked him out.

They looked good together, the way Justin's redhead contradicts her jet-black one like two checker pieces on a game board or charms both undeniably a match made in heaven, there was no mistaking that they weren't meant for each other. They even won last year's homecoming king and queen by a landslide - no cheating or persuasion needed, everyone seemed to love them because they were very much admired by everyone. The epitome of a perfect couple. They were sweet and loved to express themselves wholeheartedly. They were just so perfect and I envied them for having something I knew me Jason couldn't have.

Angela who was obviously blushing, shoved him, "You didn't let me finish," she scoffed the hint of her teasing seemed to still linger in her tone,

"I was going to say both of you had caught the flu..." she winked and shoved a fry towards Justin who took it in his mouth, teasingly catching her fingers and not letting go.

"It must have been hard for class 2-1 to focus without Mr. Sean around, someone had all that smoking hot ass to herself." she rubbed as a matter-of-factly.

"Don't you get Goosebumps saying that?" I retorted making a face, although I am a hypocrite myself, I can't let my true feelings show especially not in front of these two.

"She's right babe, at least consider my feelings..." Justin added, a pout playing on his pretty-boy facade.

"Come on hon, we all know you've got dibs on me, I'm just stating a fact." reassured my assuming cousin, her fingers seductively dancing on the hem of Justin's shirt collar, and if I knew correctly, that look in her eyes meant she wasn't gonna hold back a thought coming to mind.

Ever been in a situation where you are friends with someone taken and forced to hang out with them while they go lovey-dovey? I know it’s called third-wheeling, and in this case, I was in a dangerous situation right now, and god, please save me for I feel like I hear my grave calling me with these two scarring me with their whole new level of make out session.

"What I mean is, isn't it kind of weird calling your teacher hot?" I lied again. I'm seriously the hypocrite who should lecture myself and not them. I'm the one who has a thing for my hot teacher slash best friend, I'm the one who needs help because apparently, I'm getting odd dreams every night after seeing his face every day!

The crowd around us seems to grow louder, whatever the reason was, it was beyond me. It was typical, it was a cafeteria after all... but usually it wasn't this hectic unless some eye-candy walks in, and right now seemed to be that kind of situation.

"What's up with those guys?" I asked slurping down my slushy, everyone crowded and cheered as if some kind of celebrity entered the stage.

Justin shrugged "Probably the Prez."

"Who?" I leaned over to where the spotlight was and squinted so hard my eyes seemed to look like they were closed. I can't seem to see what the buzz was about, at all.

"Gosh Coz, you've been here since freshman year and haven't heard of him?” Angela scoffed, I had to roll my eyes at her “Brett Boyce the student council president."

"Brett what?" I repeated, my confused tone echoing louder than I had hoped and earning me a glare from some of those that gathered upfront - his fans I suppose - but was it my fault I didn’t really care to know who the dude was?

"Dear god Paige did you fall asleep in the tub again?" Angela teased, her scolding tone was a nuisance to me because although she was a little older than me, it doesn't mean she gets to be a smart-ass know it all lecturing me as if I'm a freaking sixth grader.

"Brett B-o-y-c-e," she spelled out, her tone almost dreamily, "you know the hottest, smartest most talented perfect man alive?" there was a hint of exaggeration in her tone, nearly drooled as she spoke highly of the guy. The fact that she said that didn’t convince me at all, Jason's more attractive despite the fact I've never seen the other guy yet.

"I should care why?" I dismissed waving my hand at the annoying fly suddenly swarming around my share of fries, "It's not something new, there are many popular kids who get the spotlight around here, and they are too obsessed with attention..."

Seemingly disagreeing with my opinion, she slapped my hand out of nowhere.

"What was that for?!" I childishly growled rubbing the already reddening spot sheepishly.

"Brett Boyce the most popular and well-known student council president, he's loved and has a lot of friends because... well he's just too perfect and he's really kind. Compared to Mr. Sean he is radiating with hotness... Well besides my hon here,” she added, “he IS the hottest man alive."

My eyes shifted to the crowd, following the object of our current conversation take form in the midst of loitering peeps and I had to admit, she was right.

This Brett guy was literally radiating with ‘hotness’ in fact the sight was blinding, he was so perfect that the light of the heavens was trailing him wherever he went and angels sang whenever he stopped walking, but then again, he didn’t stand a chance against Jason, given the fact that he's my first and only love.

"You are preoccupied with your little world that you forgot he's our classmate too..." Justin added, I totally forgot his equally charismatic presence. “Back in the eighth grade”

"Really, I haven't noticed him!" I beamed, utterly shocked, I've never seen him before and even if he was our classmate, I just didn't have a care in the world to know who he was.

"Not only that, you were sitting next to him in class as well, it looks like he's throwing a tantrum on you since you typically ignored him the whole time."

"I did?"

"Yeah remember the first day, after we got in trouble, he said hi to you and all you did was snob him by bluntly saying hi back I thought for sure you were bummed over getting scolded by Mr. Sean but you seriously didn't know he was the student council president?"

I shook my head, “no of course not. If I did would I be asking?”

"If I were you I'd watch my back,” Justin’s eyes turned slit, “of course he's nice but he has lots of pets swarming around... and if any of them where to find out that a nobody like me ‘rejected’ the student council president, let’s just say you might find yourself in an abandoned alley…"

I just had to imagine that scenario in my head, walking home with thugs following me from behind was one thing, finding my body in an abandoned alley was another. I shivered at the thought, I so did not want to die young.

"I get the idea Jus'... like I said I'm not looking forward to making new friends... so I'll be fine blending in the background."

They both sighed.

"Whatever shall we do with you Coz?" Angela tsked

"You,” I say popping my last fry in my mouth, I stood up, gathering my stuff with the very intention of leaving the two before I was forced to watch them go at it, and trust me that would have been an awkward sight for the third wheel like me. “Could start by applying me to see a psychiatrist because I might need it."

“Bye dude,” Angela formed a smile as she came back up from chewing Justin’s cheeks. She straddled over the boy, arms laced around his neck, and I was even surprised the hall monitor hadn’t arrested them for PDA.

“Au revoir mon ami”, I replied, bowing.

Justin jerked a chin at me. “À tout à l'heure.”