Tuesday: December 7th, 2015

When you're bored, it's amazing the things you can notice. Laying on my bed, my eyes were fixated on a slight crack running down the middle of the ceiling. A small part of me began to worry about the reality of it caving in on me during my stay, but the other thought relished in the little bit of excitement that might come with such an event.

On the seventh day of Christmas, I was bored out of my mind. The house was echoingly empty with the little ones at daycare and the adults at work. And within me, I was also empty. Jojo and Ria were having them-time. Mum was already asleep. Rowan... well you know. And Jasper... Wait. Why is he even in my mental list?

The glimmer of hope and warmth that had permeated through me yesterday at the thought of the competition filling my days was replaced by a chasm of despair. I felt like over the past week too many things had disappointed me.

To make matters worse, I had finished binge-watching all of my movies and shows lined up on my Netflix list. And now that I was laying here staring at a stupid crack in the ceiling, I lacked the will to search for more options on the streaming service. Right now, nothing sounded fun.

Just as I began to ponder the thought that maybe the crack had widened during my period of inner turmoil, a shrill ring from my phone on the bedside table dragged me out of my mind.

"Hello?" I said, not bothering to check the caller as I brought the phone to my ear.

"Hi, Zara," the female voice started.

Eyebrows furrowing, I said, "Who is this?"

There was silence for a moment. "It's Clare. Did you not save my number? I thought your dad gave it to you the other day."

I sat up and pulled the phone away from my ear, confirming it was indeed her. "I did. Just didn't check who it was when I answered."

"Oh. Well, I was calling because I have a favour to ask."

A small part of me still bitter about the idea of having a new family urged me to say I don't owe her any favours and she should do it herself. But I knew she didn't deserve that when she had tried so desperately to be kind to me. Also, the favour was most likely going to get me to stop staring at the growing crack in the roof. So I said, "What do you need?"

"I've been asked to stay late and I don't know if I will get time to stop at the shops on the way home. Me not being home means your dad will be juggling both kids when he gets back, so I don't want to ask him to do it—"

"You want me to grab you some things?"

"Would you mind? I'm really sorry to ask this. I'll give you the money for it when I get home, of course. It's just that we need nappies for Hunter and these things can't really wait so—"

"It's okay, Clare. Just text me the list and I'll grab them. Where's the closest shop?"

She heaved a sigh. "Well there is a Co-op nearby, but they are a little pricey."

"I can travel a little bit if you want. I don't mind the excuse to get out."

"There's an Aldi in Loughton and they do a good bulk deal on nappies."

"No trouble. I'll get them shortly."

"You're a gem. Thank you so much Zara."

∘◦ ❈ ◦∘

Seven items was all I had to get. Nappies, formula, milk, bread, laundry detergent, wet wipes, and toothpaste. As I loaded my trolley full of the random products, I ignored the judgemental looks some of the grandmas shot my way as I pushed past them.

I knew what they were thinking. 'Oh my gosh, does that young girl have a baby?' I mean, have they heard of step-siblings and half-siblings? I knew it was the hair, makeup, and nose ring that added to their assumptions though. A girl who looks like me is surely a rebel. Little did they know I was the top of my chemistry class back home...

But as I began walking down the bread aisle, my gaze locked onto a familiar dark-haired boy in uniform.

You've got to be kidding me, I thought. He's everywhere!

Eyes wide, I turned on my heel, prepared to lap the store to avoid him.

To my dismay, my sudden movement was too noticeable.

"Zara?" he asked behind me.

I paused in step, wondering if I should acknowledge him or just keep walking like I never heard him. I went with the latter.

Yet as I continued to push my trolley forward in a brisk pace, he was suddenly alongside me.

"It is you," he said.

"What do you want, Jasper?" I hissed, pulling my trolley to a pause.

"To ask if you've thought about the competition?"

I came to a stop and turned to look at him. "I told you yesterday that I won't do it with you."

A pleading smile spreading across his face, he then said, "I was hoping you'd change your mind after thinking about it."

"I don't want to see you more than necessary," I replied, not even holding back from letting the venom slip into my tone.

Face falling, a familiar look returned to his eye—the very one he sported when I caught him crying just before I found him crying. "Okay," he whispered, then turned to leave.

My heart throbbed with guilt that I had caused such a look of despair to wash over him—even though I had every reason to be mad at him after the prank he pulled. Which is why, after he took a few steps away from me, I called out, "That's it?"

Glancing over his shoulder, he cocked his head at me.

"The Jasper I knew would stop at nothing to convince me to do things I didn't want to do. I guess my friend really is long gone."

Turning back to my trolley, I continued to walk down the aisle, ready to grab the last item on my list. But suddenly a figure by my side was keeping pace with me. "If an ounce of your friend is still here... would you do it with me?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"If I do it... you owe me explanations, Jasper," I sighed, coming to a stop again.

His gaze dropped as he mumbled, "Why I need the money is off limits."

"Okay. But can I at least hear what on earth I did that upset you all those years ago?"

"Let's just leave that in the past, Zara. Like I should have."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Then no deal."

Lips pressing together, he then said, "What if I tell you after the competition?"

"After?"

"It's just... for the competition, you and I have to act like a couple. And I don't want any... bad moods clouding that."

Heaving a sigh, I said, "Fine. I do the competition with you and you owe me explanations."

"Just the one."

Shaking my head, I turned on my heel again, ready to leave.

"Zara," he groaned.

"Don't you have actual friends you could ask to do this with you?" I countered, deciding I would keep walking to the nappy aisle this time, letting Jasper trail along.

"I'm... between friends at the moment."

"What does that even mean?"

"That this girl and I broke up and they have all taken her side."

"What about the people at the party?"

"I was just invited to fill numbers."

I finally turned down the baby aisle and Jasper's brows furrowed as I stopped in front of the nappies. But if he wasn't giving me explanations then I didn't owe him any either. "Perhaps you shouldn't have broken your girlfriend's heart if you needed one to do the competition with you."

"She dumped me," he said quietly.

Glancing his way, I pulled the pack of nappies off the shelf that Clare had requested and threw it into my trolley. "Is that why you were crying?"

His lips pressed together as he looked away.

Heaving a sigh, I turned to face him. "You want me to act like your partner in a competition where we may have to hold hands and kiss, then you have to open up to me. If you want me to do this competition with you because we were once friends, then you need to talk to me. Because otherwise all you will be in my mind is the guy who led me on at a party."

Gaze finally cautiously meeting mine once I finished my rant, he said, "I wasn't crying about her. I have... stuff going on at home that I don't talk to anyone about. And I'm not going to be telling someone who was supposed to be my best friend but then up and left with no warning."

"You said you weren't surprised that I just disappeared."

"I was, Zara. Despite everything that happened, I thought I'd still see you at school even if it was awkward."

"Awkward?"

He looked to the ground. "Will you do the competition with me or not?"

I pondered it for the moment, the dollar sign large in my head. We would have to split the money, so if we won that would be £1500. It would be just enough to get an old beat up car... To really stick it to Rowan that he left me for a petty excuse. Which is why I mumbled, "Fine."

His face lit up like it was actually Christmas day, and he said, "Thanks so much, Fish."

Grimacing, I then said, "Rule one though. You do not call me that stupid nickname."

Smile dropping he nodded, and said, "Noted. Sorry, Zara."

"I guess I'll meet you at the booth tomorrow for sign up?"

"Yeah. But I can't make it until about midday each day by the way."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"I have classes in the morning for the rest of this week then a couple of exams..."

"So you mean I have to do the riddle part on my own?"

"No. I'll be there. Just... we will have less time."

"Jasper..."

"It will be fine, Zara. With your brain in the mix, we will ace this. The Zara I remember was never afraid of a competition."

As his eyes twinkled at me with touches of the old Jasper, I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth creeping up. "Very well. Midday at Hyde Park then."

"Spectacular." He continued to walk alongside me as I pushed my trolley to checkout. "Why all the baby stuff by the way?"

"Shopping for my 'step-mum'... who isn't actually married to my dad but does have a kid with him."

"You have a half-sibling?"

"Step-sibling and half-sibling."

"I always thought your parents would be together forever," he said softly, mind evidently going back to the days of our youth.

"Me too. But now I can't even imagine a time of them together."

"I'm sorry, Zara."

Shrugging, I said, "It's old news now. Anyway, you can go now."

Biting his lip, he nodded. "See you tomorrow." Then he took off out of the shop. All the while, my brows furrowed as I watched him leave, noticing he didn't buy anything. Why was he even here? Our old school wasn't in this area.