3, 2, 1…
Right on time, Rose turned the corner and made her way down the street, blissfully unaware that she was being watched by Jake, sitting at his usual spot from behind some bleachers.
She was blissfully unaware of a lot of things. The Huntsclan, dragons, an entire magical world existing all around her, Jake.
He had spoken to her once, running into her a few days after the Homecoming dance.
"So, I guess I'll see you around?"
"Yeah, see you. I'm Rose, by the way."
"Jake. Jake Long."
She waved goodbye to him as she approached her parents, throwing herself into their loving arms before jumping into the car.
He didn't see her much at school, it seemed as though most of her classes were on the opposite side of the building from his, but he had inquired about her casually to a few other students. Rose Morrison was her full name, and she had a twin named Emma who Jake thought he spotted in the cafeteria once. It made him wonder why, before his wish, there hadn't been an Emma Morrison at the school and his best guess was that perhaps her family hadn't left Connecticut originally, staying in their hometown in the hopes that their stolen daughter would one day return to them.
Jake wanted to talk to her again so badly, but found himself avoiding her whenever he saw her coming. Something held him back, something nagging in the back of his mind to just let her be. Don't drag her back into the world she so desperately wanted to get away from.
He decided that for now, he wanted to ignore that nagging feeling, and he stood up, making his way over to the street where she was walking. Her back had never seemed so intimidating before. His heart was pounding as he got closer to her, and closer, and closer, and—
"Hey, there!"
An all too familiar voice called out from behind him and he turned around. Nigel stood there waving, but Jake quickly realized he wasn't waving at him.
Rose had turned, also, and smiled. "Hey yourself."
Jake frowned. That phrase seemed to be her signature response, and it was something she had said to him numerous times. He felt a twinge of jealousy.
Nigel made his way past Jake and up to her. "It's Rose, right?"
"Right."
"Well, I just wanted to give you this." Nigel smiled, and Jake noticed as a single rose manifested in his hand behind his back, and he presented it to her, along with a button with his picture that said "Vote for Nigel. "I'm running for class President. I'm hoping that I can count on a vote from a lovely lady such as yourself."
Jake could see her blush, and giggle. Something that, before, would've brought him nothing but joy, but right now he felt hurt. A feeling he knew wasn't fair to her. She doesn't remember him from before. She isn't his girlfriend.
But still. He was hurt.
"Oh, thank you!" Rose said. "I was actually thinking of voting for you, anyway."
"Lovely! Much obliged," Nigel flashed her a charming smile and winked. "S'pose I'll see you at the election ceremony tomorrow, then?"
"Right. See you then. Good luck!"
As Nigel walked off, Rose noticed Jake standing several feet away, staring at her. When their eyes locked, she gave him a small smile and waved. Jake pretended not to notice as he shoved his hands into his pocket and turned to cross the street, not realizing the hurt expression that crossed her features as he ignored her.
