Always Been You (16 page)

“You’re still thinking about what Hannah and her group said about me, aren’t you?” I sighed.

“Of course I am!” he yelled, throwing a rock in the ocean. “I still don’t like the idea they’re saying all these stuff about you! How come I’ve never heard any of these rumours until now?”

“Because the rumours only started right after New Year’s,” I said.

“But they weren’t at your house on New Year’s!”

“I know they weren’t, but like I said, rumours spread around.”

“So, you’re telling me that just because I chose to kiss you, those bitches chose to spread nasty things about you?”

“Yes.”

“But there’s nothing wrong with wishing my best friend a Happy New Year! How could they blame you when I was the one who made that decision?”

“To them you can never do anything wrong. No matter what you do, the girl you choose to be with will be the one getting all the slack. I know you don’t like it, but it’s not your fault these girls are crazy about you.”

“It still doesn’t make it right, Jenna.”

“And why not? This situation is exactly the same when I asked you about Amber, remember? I asked if you were bothered by her lies, and you told me you were fine with it.”

“It’s not the same!”

“How can you say it’s not?” I said, slightly taken back by his tone.

“Because they shouldn’t be talking about someone I care about!”

“So it’s different
because you didn’t really care about Amber?”

“Yes! It really bug
s me that you never did anything to them!”

“Except be your friend.”

“Then I hate the idea you’re on the receiving end because one of them likes me!”

“That’s why I just ignore everything they say.”

“How can you sit by and let them say this about you?” he yelled at me.

“Because I’m not letting anything they say bother me and neither should you,” I said calmly. “If you want proof, just look behind you.”

Jacob turned his head and loudly growled. His hazel eyes, which were usually bright, had darkened to pools of tar once his gaze landed a few metres down the beach to where Hannah and her group were staring at us.

“If people are agreeing with what they’re saying, shouldn’t there be more people joining in order to spread even more rumours about me?” I continued. “If that’s true, then why are there only four of them? It’s probably because people aren’t really listening to what they have to say. A lot of our classmates know that most things they say aren’t really true. And do you think I even care about the dirty looks they’re giving me right now? I don’t. Know why? It’s because we have friends who know the truth about us. That’s much better than any stupid things going around about me. But if you do want some of them to come true, like me being pregnant with your kid, then we should go and find a secluded spot around here and get to it.”

I had to bite the inside of my cheek at the look on his face as he began to swallow convulsively and tug on his shirt. When a snort slipped out of my nose, Jacob then realised I was only kidding, and he finally laughed.

“I guess a kiss is out of the question then?” he smirked.

“What do you think?” I smirked back.

“I guess not, but next time I want to be an ass towards any of them, you better let me.”

“I promise I won’t stop you.”

“When did you become the smart one in this relationship?”

“I’ve always been the smart one, Jacob.”

“If you’re the smart one, then what am I?” he asked with confusion.

“The astonishingly dim one, obviously,” I said.

“I may be dense, but I’m not stupid,” he grumbled.

“Hey, you two,” said Nikki.

“Does this mean it’s safe for us to join you now?” asked Amy.

“Yeah,” said Jacob. “Sorry about my attitude.”

“No problem,” grinned Katie.

“We know you needed to let off some steam,” said Devon.

“Especially dealing with those airheads,” said Alex, jutting his thumb in the direction to where Hannah and her group were still trying to listen in.

“At least you now know you’ll always have Jenna to help cheer you out of it,” Matt whispered to him.

“I know,” Jacob whispered back, breaking out into a huge grin.

 
Chapter 11

Bizarre Conversations

It was a perfect day to end Spring Break. The air was warm, the sun was bright, and there was barely a wisp of cloud in the cerulean sky. For many, this would be a great time to be outside enjoying the nice weather before heading back to school. Regrettably for me and Jacob, we were stuck in the overcrowded mall, trying to find the perfect birthday present for Matt.

I thought searching around a huge mall like Metrotown would be easy, but when we came out of another store with nothing in our hands, I honestly thought it’d be better to just quit and take in a movie instead. However, right as I was about to suggest my idea to Jacob as we headed into another store, a group of girls following us in caught my eye. Immediately, the thought of what Jacob had asked me earlier in the year popped into my mind.

I still found it weird that Jacob had wanted me to help him find his perfect girl. If I had agreed to it, I wouldn’t know how comfortable I would be to see him with someone I chose. And if he kissed her? Just the thought of that made me frown.

“Jenna, are you all right?” Jacob asked me with a hint of worry. “You have such an apprehensive look on your face like something bad will happen. Want to talk about it?”

“It’s nothing really,” I said, trying not to let my fear bleed into Jacob when his eyes suddenly went wide. “What is it?”

“Is it me, or are those girls following us?” he whispered in my ear.

“You’re not seeing things,” said. “I think they’re interested in getting to know you.”

“And you can tell just by looking?”

“I’m a girl, or did you forget?”

“Of course I know you’re a girl. But seriously, how can you tell by only looking that these girls want to get to know me?”

“Look at the slack-jawed expressions on their faces,” I said. “I also think one of them wants to take you into her bed so she could have her way with you.”

His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and his jaw dropped open, looking thunderstruck at what I just said.

“Just kidding,” I chuckled. “I only know this because I’ve seen that goofy look before.”

“Oh, really, when?”

“Nikki and Devon had the same look. Remember New Year’s?”

“I forgot about that.”

“Not very perceptive are you?”

“Jenna,” he sighed. “Can you at least stop picking on my abilities to read emotions and try to answer my question?”

“Sorry,” I grinned. “Anyway, you know how when you like someone, you either get really shy all of a sudden or become really happy when that person is around? It’s a sure sign they’re interested. Like the time when I liked y—”

I quickly clamped my mouth shut, but it was too late. Casting a sideway glance, I knew by the expression on his face Jacob had heard what I said. He even winked at me.

“Hey, let’s go check out another place,” I said gaily, trying desperately to change the subject.

“Wait a minute,” he grinned, as he followed me out of the store. “What did you say?”

“N…nothing,” I said curtly. “Now let’s get going before the mall closes on us.”

“We still have about five hours before that happens,” he said. “You’re just trying to avoid answering me.”

“Am not.”

“Are too. Now stop stalling and tell me what you said.”

I found the air-conditioned mall very hot all of a sudden, like the temperature had risen several degrees. Of all times, I had to pick this moment to bring up this particular conversation. I felt like kicking myself in the head.

“It must be something good,” smirked Jacob. “Your cheeks are turning red.”

“Why are you forcing me to tell you when I know you heard what I said?” I muttered.

“Because I’d rather hear it from you in case I heard wrong,” he grinned.

I sighed. “I was going to say that I too used to look at you the same way. But that was a long time ago. And don’t look so smug about it. I know you know every girl in school has had a crush on you at one point during the years.”

“Gee, I didn’t know that.”

“So cynical,” I grinned.

“What about you?” he grinned back.

“What about me?”

“Did you have a crush on me too?”

I tried to keep my blush to a minimum, except once I saw a broad smirk on his face, my cheeks instantly burned even hotter than before.

“You did!” he yelled triumphantly. “If it makes you feel any better, I liked you too.”

“What? When?”

“Back in tenth grade.”

“Me too!”

“Huh. If we liked each other, how come we never did anything about it?”

“Um, it wasn’t right for me to say anything, since you were going out with Ivy,” I said. “I wasn’t going to tell you anyway. I was too nervous around you. But just so you know, I’m not one of those stalkers like some. When I first met you, I sort of had an idea you hated girls who followed you around like a lost puppy.”

“Is that why you started seeing Riley?”

“Stupid as it sounds, it was my way of forgetting. It was hard to be near you since you’re related to Matt, and I’m good friends with him.”

“Truthfully, if you told me, I would have broken up with Ivy for you,” he sighed.

“Really?”

“Yes, really. As soon as I went out with her, I quickly found out she was one of those girls who only wanted a good-looking boyfriend.”

Even though his nearness and scent was making me a bit befuddled, I actually felt relaxed at how easy our talk was going and started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” he asked me.

“This strange conversation we’re having,” I said.

“I know, but I’m glad we’re able to be comfortable like this, even though what we’re confessing would normally make others feel embarrassed,” he grinned, grabbing onto my hand. “Especially now that I know you had a crush on me too.”

I rolled my eyes and tried to swipe him with my free hand, but he smiled disarmingly and captured that one too.

“Any…anyway,” I stuttered, surprised as I stumbled with my words. “I think it’s harder to say something when you like the person because you see things that aren’t really there. When you do realise it, it’s painfully obvious if they don’t like you back. They look apologetic, like they know how you feel and are sorry about it.”

“You did that to me once,” he answered.

“You did too,” I answered back.

“Same year for you?”

“Same year. I think it happened right before we started ignoring each other.”

“And now we’re talking like nothing ever happened between us since the first time we became friends,” he grinned, letting go of my hands and placing an arm around my shoulders.

“And now that you got your answer to my question, what do you want to do about these girls?” I asked, shrugging off his arm.

“I thought they would’ve given up by now,” he murmured.

“I think they’re watching to see if we’re an item.”

“It’s getting really annoying. No matter what anyone says, I really don’t like this kind of attention. I’d rather go for a girl who understands me and likes me for who I am, not because they see me as a guy who everyone thinks is handsome. Hey, I got a great idea. What if we just start dating? It’d make it easier on me and then at least girls would know I’m taken.”

It felt like the air had rushed out of my lungs.

“Jacob, we can’t pretend to be a couple when you want to avoid feeling uncomfortable,” I said, trying to hide the disappointment in my voice that the only reason we would date was to get him out of a situation. “Sooner or later one of us is going to be seeing someone. How would you explain our situation to the person that we’re dating on why we’re always acting like we’re an item?”

“It wouldn’t be right,” he said. “That reminds me, how are things going with you and Aaron?”

“We mostly hang out as friends, like you and me,” I said carefully. “Why do you want to know?”

“Just asking.”

“Or making an attempt to distract me so you can avoid answering my question,” I said. “So what do you want to do with these girls be—?”

Jacob suddenly grabbed my hand again and bolted out of the store we were in. With me in tow, he continued to run through the mall when he abruptly wrenched me to his right. Grabbing me around the waist, he then backed into a wall and pulled me flushed against his body. Since I was facing him, I wasn’t exactly sure where we were, but from what I could tell, the space Jacob had chosen to hide behind had hardly enough room for one person, let alone two.

“Ja—”

“Shh,” he whispered, his hot breath tickling the edge of my ear.

“Where do you think they went?” one of girls asked.

“I think they went down this way,” another girl suggested.

“Then let’s go before we lose that hottie,” the last one said.

Jacob snorted quietly at this causing me to giggle against his chest. Once the girls had receded to a safe distance, he then poked out his head to make sure the coast was clear and removed his hold on me. Quickly shuffling out of our cramped hiding spot and back into the brightly lit mall, I thought we would continue our search for Matt’s gift when Jacob grabbed my hand again and tugged me to the left.

“Um, Jacob, I don’t think a jewellery store is a good place to hide,” I said.

“We’re not hiding,” he said. “I just need your opinion on my Mom’s birthday gift, and I wanted to see what you thought of it before I bought it.”

Jacob tightened his grip around my hand and was about to bring me to the nearest display case when we were unexpectedly approached by an elderly clerk.

“And what brings this lovely couple in today?” she asked us. “Looking for a special ring for your fiancé?”

“Um…no,” Jacob replied quickly, looking at me for help as I tried not to blush. “W…we’re not dating actually.”

“And why not? You two make such a handsome couple. I bet your children will be beautiful.”

“W…we’re still in h…high school!” he stuttered.

“Oh, my apologies then. Are both of you single though?”