I'm sorry I took so long with this and that it's so short but I've barely had a second to myself of late. I'll try to update this soon if I possibly can- at least once before Christmas if I can.
Chapter 2
He told me later that I'd terrified him, though he didn't look scared at the time. Instead, his expression seemed more indignant. Raised eyebrows, thin lipped: Who the hell are you and why are you bothering me? I heard him thinking along those lines. After all, I had my friends and he had his family. The two didn't mix, though there was no bad feeling. We'd probably have been great friends if there hadn't been so much emotional barbed wire. Well, maybe.
"May I help you?" he asked. His voice was a hoarse whisper, quick like sand as it slips through your fingers.
Smoothing my red jumper out, I glanced around quickly to look back at my friends. Her face a flurry of horror and surprise, Lauren leaned forward, mouthing something I couldn't hear over the chatter. Angela leaned forward, cheek in hand, propped up by her elbow. Her rosy mouth was open slightly. A table away, Mike had turned around to look, holding his sandwich up mid-bite. People were starting to look. Trying to smile, I nodded to the Cullen boy. Had the room been that quiet a few seconds ago?
"Yeah, actually," I said breezily. If I'd had my hair down, I could have wound my hair around my fingers. I'd have looked more casual that way, less bothered what he said. "I was wondering if you were free Satur-"
"No!" At the shout, the room became totally still. Staring at him, I tried to think of the right thing to say. Normally if a boy wasn't interested, he'd say he was busy, or at least turn you down quietly. Realising how loudly he'd spoken, he glanced down at the red apple on his tray. "I meant to say..."
"It's fine," I lied. Raising my eyebrows, I stepped back and brushed imaginary specks off my jumper in an attempt to keep some dignity. No need to shout, I only asked. "Bye." Without another word, I darted straight back to my table and sat down, picking my fork up as though nothing had happened.
"I'm really sorry, Jess," Lauren said sheepishly. "I didn't think you'd actually-"
"It's okay."
"No it's not. Is there anything I can do?"
"There's no need," I glanced up at her and smiled. Knowing Lauren, I'd be hearing apologies until Christmas. "Tell you what, if you really want to help, then Tyler's over there. You know what to do."
Accepting her penance, she nodded.
"I'll ask him some time this week." she replied.
"You'll ask him tommorrow."
"Bossy." She stuck her bottom lip out like a six year-old, then relented. "Fine, tommorrow. Will you please bring some donuts in so I have some consolation when he turns me down?"
"I'll make some to celebrate with," Angela offered, pulling the pencil from behind her ear to write down a reminder.
"How many times? He won't," I promised. "He'll only say no if you keep pouting." I added with a little chuckle. See? Not bothered by the stinking Cullen boy. Not. Bothered. At all. In fact, had it not been for two odd incidents a few days on, he'd never have passed my mind again.
The chapters will hopefully get a bit bigger as the story progresses. Questions for anyone who has time to answer them:
1) What are your opinions of Jessica and Lauren so far?
2) Who or what would you like to see more of?
3) I'm going to bring Bella in soon. Any thoughts?
