I don't own Night World. Sorry about the late update; decided to have a Pirates of the Caribbean day and couldn't tear myself away from Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom :P
And wanna know something interesting? I'm guessing a few of you are Maximum Ride fans, and some must have read Nevermore the day it came out, or at least known the release date was yesterday (6th August). It was released four days earlier in the UK. XD Aha, love being English...
Chapter 9
Have I mentioned before that I hate weekends?
Strange, I know, but the build-up of emotion just isn't worth the break. I pretend that I'm ill and don't see Hugh on Saturday, and Sunday, as I do usually, and protest vehemently when he offers to come round. I then spend the entire time sitting up against my door, so that my parents can't come in, and hugging a cushion for comfort. Right up until Sunday evening, when I come down.
"Are you feeling better?" mum asks as I walk down the stairs. Well, okay, I stomp, but walking's more normal.
"Yeah. I'll be able to go to school tomorrow," I answer, going straight to the kettle to make some tea. Which helps with my nerves, fuelled by the fact that I'll see Blackthorn tomorrow.
In a classroom, full of kids. Who can never know what happened between us.
And I'm becoming so weird, that I actually like the sound of that. I'm suddenly struck by visions of me and Blackthorn brushing our hands together accidentally-on-purpose, exchanging glances that say everything we need to say to each other, meeting in a secluded corner to talk... or more...
I'm distracted, and yanked impolitely out of my daydreams by the kettle making a loud ping.
But no. Of course it won't work like that. He'll have to be completely business-like, not treat me any different to the others. Though every time he does look at me, we'll both be remembering the kisses, the way we both just knew that it was right...
"Can you make me a coffee, Jez?" I hear suddenly from the doorway.
I jump violently and yelp, turning to see dad leaning against the door frame, a rather amused expression on his face. "What were you thinking about?"
"Umm, just performing. On a stage with thousands of people watching." Having aspirations like I do really helps sometimes.
He smiles and says, "Oh, it'll happen, Jez." I smile back at him and make him the coffee.
I hardly sleep at all that night, and give up at around five in the morning, to instead do some revision. For English, of course. I suddenly want to impress him, which is stupid, as he did say that he liked me as I was. Well, his exact words were, 'it's who you are. The way that you look, what you say. You drive me crazy.'
Not that I care that much. I'd be fine even if he wasn't attracted to me.
But he was.
The time goes so slowly, and I instead throw the book aside and lie on the floor, watching the ceiling and just replaying those moments we had together in my head.
The only thing that I wasn't sure about was Hugh. I couldn't very well stay with him when every time I looked at him, I would be wishing he were Blackthorn. But if it didn't work out... how could I know whether it was just a crush, because he was so off-limits? That coupled with his looks could make any girl want him.
I still haven't come up with a definitive plan of action by the time that I have to get up from the surprisingly comfortable floor and make my way downstairs. I spend some time choosing the right clothes (this time a sweatshirt which is actually quite flattering, oddly, and my favourite jeans) and putting my hair up in a loose ponytail, which is already half-falling-out when I have to leave. I drag my feet as I walk down the road, nerves twisting my stomach even more than the Monday after the first time we kissed.
I actually see him when I go in through the gates, but refrain from running up to him, as I am very much tempted to do. He doesn't even look at me, but I suppose he was just being over-cautious. Or maybe he just didn't see me. I'm jiggling my leg nervously all throughout registration, and my knees are shaking slightly when I walk into the English class and sit down in my seat, keeping my head ducked down.
And when he walks in and starts the lesson, I get more and more angry.
He's reverted back into ignoring me. As before, if I put my hand up, he doesn't choose me. He pretends I don't exist again. Even though I spend quite a bit of the lesson just glaring at him. Well, if he, the adult, was going to be childish, there was no reason why I shouldn't.
So I rock my chair back, as all the teachers hate, and do everything to the extreme, including even a bit of whistling (which is akin to blasphemy at my school). He doesn't respond in any way, though. And as I'm not one of those idiots who act up in a way that impedes everyone else's learning, I don't take it higher than that. But I can tell it does annoy him, as he starts clenching his jaw and glaring out of the window.
"Did you insult his family again? He was fine with you last week!" Julia whispers to me. I shrug my shoulders.
And, as before, he shoots out of the door before I can talk to him. Everyone has noticed his odd behaviour; they keep on exchanging glances with each other.
I'm distracted for the rest of the day, and before I know it, I'm stumbling into my house, the memory of his lips against mine impeding my balance. I hardly even remember the bike to Val's house – just suddenly find myself before his front door, and fetching the key from the plant pot.
I shoot a quick glance over my shoulder to look at the bike (to make sure it's actually there) and let myself in. I twist a strand of hair around my finger as I make my way to the door that leads to the garage.
Only Hugh is there, and I feel kind of awkward as I lean against the wall. "Jez!" he cries, standing up and rushing at me to kiss me. I let him wordlessly. "You're alright, then." His smile morphs into a frown. "Why didn't you call me?"
"Just been busy," I say, looking down.
He puts a hand under my chin and lifts up my face so that I look at him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Yes, there is something–"
"No there isn't, Hugh!" I almost shout, stepping away abruptly. "I don't need you hanging on me all the time. I have my own life to lead, you know."
"Jez, calm down..."
"I am calm!"
"It's alright, Jez!"
"Just leave me alone. I don't need this right now."
But he steps forward and hugs me instead, ignoring me when I try to push him away. It suddenly all bowls over and I start sobbing into his shirt. Yes, me. Jezebel Redfern, sobbing. That is what the absolute moron Morgead Blackthorn has degraded me into; someone who sobs.
And I truly believe, at that point, that Blackthorn never really cared for me. He probably just uses those moves on every girl he can. Maybe he even kidnaps them and murders them. I actually dodged a bullet there.
Anyway, where is he right now? Not helping me, because he doesn't care. No, it's Hugh holding me, letting me cry, doing nothing but stroking my hair to help me calm down. So of course it's Hugh. He's the right one for me, the only one I should need.
