Jason had to show extreme restraint for the entire following day. During class, in the halls, on the phone, Jessica kept bringing up Bradin. 'Oh My God, he was so sweet!' 'He actually sang for me!' It was as if the past few weeks hadn't happened.
Now that she was talking to Bradin once more, Jason had to deal with both the artsy, cute, shy-guy thing Will had going for him as well as the popular, attractive, witty charm Bradin symbolized. The two were quite different and yet Jessica liked them both. Would Jason actually be able to beat down both guys?
In his eternally frustrated mood, Jason's wrath for Bradin was larger than it had ever been. Bradin was a bigger threat than Will, so it was time for drastic measures.
"You want me to conspire with you in getting rid of Bradin Westerly?" Will raised his eyebrows. He shut his locker and faced Jason with surprised amusement.
"If you want Jess, there's no other way. The guy's freakin' untouchable!" Will replied.
"I thought you two were just friends?" Will frowned.
"We are. Thanks to Bradin." Jason rolled his eyes.
"And me." Will pointed out. "Look, it's no secret that you don't like me. I've seen your sad attempts at separating Jess and me. I don't doubt you tried to get Bradin's help with outing me. Somehow, this kind of leads me to believe you're not exactly loyal. Once Bradin's gone you'll turn your back and screw me over. Besides, Bradin's just friends with her."
"He sure as hell doesn't want to be only that," Jason said.
"Jason, I'm secure and moral enough to trust that things will turn out the way they're supposed to." Will shouldered his backpack and shut his locker.
"You know who Bradin Westerly is. When he wants something, he normally gets it. Especially when it comes to girls." Jason put a hand out to stop Will from leaving.
"What is your deal? If you cared about Jessica you wouldn't be standing here like a selfish jerk trying to sabotage her newly kindled friendship with a guy who was really important to her. Can't you see how happy she is? And you're trying to convince me to help you wreck that? Jess is my friend-I'm not doing anything of the sort. So piss off." Will fixed Jason with a look and stiffly walked around him and out the door.
Jason stared after him with a disappointed look on his face. His plans wouldn't work. But hey, all it took was a little adjusting… Maybe he wouldn't do so willingly, but Will would end up being of aid in this ordeal after all… Jason smirked and strode off to locate Jessica.
Jessica was lying on the grass mundanely. Even the sky was proving uncompromising. It stayed a mild blue and was completely cloudless. She stuck her hand out and reluctantly pulled the nearby binder towards her. She gave the binder a dismal frown and sighed in a defeated fashion.
"I guess we should probably get working." She let out, relenting at last.
"Considering we've been here for ten minutes and I spent double that persuading my aunt to let me do this, I'd say yes." Bradin answered from a spot somewhere beside her.
"How'd you convince her, anyways?" Jess asked, holding out a blank piece of paper in front of her.
"Remember, I'm tutoring you?" he chuckled. "And Miss Bailey cornered me to do it-"
"Except I don't think bothering her all lunch hour about how much you could aid me in History qualifies as being cornered," snorted Jessica.
"Hey, I heard you were having trouble and I happened to mention that I had a shining towards the subject. If Miss Bailey would have heard my comment and taken it upon herself to appoint me to you, who am I to argue?" he smiled.
"She thinks you're a fruit." Jess grinned. "I'm one of her best students."
"You were having trouble. No more of this one of the best, no no, Bradin Westerly shall help you become the best," Bradin said.
"She's even giving you extra credit, isn't she?" Jessica laughed.
"Just a little," he said smugly.
"Clever little weasel, aren't we," she propped herself up.
"My aunt can't very well forbid me to comply with a reasonable request from one of teachers but she stated very clearly that I only have forty minutes on Monday and only Monday. Oh, and she says she wants to see your improvement. Somehow, she's got it in her head that I may not be genuinely helping you academically." Bradin told her.
"Well, History was your best subject, wasn't it?" Jessica faced him.
"Yup. Best in my class. And that's my one and only subject I can boast that." He laughed. "Come on. Let's discuss Stalin."
The two poured over the textbook and he made a sincere effort to help her out with her homework questions. He was not a dishonest person, or at least he tried not to be. And he had been a big enough ass to his aunt lately, he did not want to further disjoint the dwindling trust she held for him. He was going to tutor Jessica. It was just a very nice addition that this was also opportune moment to spend time with Jess. He still had to prove that he wouldn't do anything ass-like to her. Bradin had to pat himself on the back, though. His letter had been effective… the way she was looking at him now made him want to cheer.
Looking at the girl beside him now made a small smile form on Bradin's lips. She was adorable- she was biting her lips and scanning for the answers with a look of pure hatred for her teacher on her face. Her hair kept being pushed into her face by the wind and she was impatiently flinging the strands back. She was quiet now, full of concentration.
She glanced up when she felt his eyes fixed on her. Bradin smiled and put on his sexy pout, posing for effect. The sun brushed down on his soft hair, lighting up his entire form. He relaxed on the grass and casually and subtly rested his arms upon the ground and flexed them so his muscles were visible. He looked like a Greek God and he knew it and would flaunt it as much as he could.
"Yes, you look like a model. Are you going to preen all day?" Jessica laughed teasingly. "I'm afraid your magnificence won't make me drop everything and make out with you, much as you may wish."
"Aw. All the other girls seem to fall under it," Bradin stuck out his lip and grinned.
"Too bad for you- I'm not all the other girls," she flicked his arm. She was being sarcastic and unfazed, and distinctly unimpressed. Ha. Inside she was trying to keep herself from doing exactly what she had mocked. He was gorgeous. When he made a conscious effort to appear that way, how could anyone not notice? However, it was in his moments of complete unawareness, when he wasn't trying, that was when he was truly beautiful. She loved him. Jessica blinked. Those thoughts had entered her mind unbidden. No, it wasn't love. It couldn't be love. Attraction was all it was, she told herself. Any straight female looking at this hunk of perfection in such clarity would be lead to believe they were in love. She didn't even know if she liked him that much, love…whatever. He was hot, though… Jessica really appreciated the effort he had exerted into spending time with her. He was making it up to her in every way he could, trying so hard to be perfect. He had made it up already, though. She couldn't hate him now if she tried. God, why'd he have to be hot and sweet? And super smart too, considering the 94 average he had garnered from his History class in grade ten.
