I heard everything.
I'm so happy that Karlee was protecting me but then again, this is trouble. What if they found out that we were just pretending?
I rushed to the place where they were talking. I was hiding on the other side when I saw Jaz punched the wall behind Karlee.
Jaz walked in my direction. Blood dripping from his hand.
He stopped in my direction. Looked at me and smiled.
"Be ready to be amazed."
I know exactly what he meant. MORE TROUBLE.
He walked past me and went to his car. I walked in Karlee's direction.
"I'm sorry for causing this mess. I will reject him properly tomorrow."
Karlee looked at me, smiled, and ruffled my hair.
"It's ok. We'll just have to do better next time so he will stop pestering you. Anyways," he grabbed my hand and held me in the other direction.
"We have to play the part, or else he will start doubting us." He smiled again.
Karlee looks better when smiling.
But he only smiles around me and my friends.
The next day, Karlee picked me up from my place, How did he know?
Mom was excited to see me with a guy but then she asked if it's the same guy who asked me for a date. I told her, "no mom, it's Karlee. My friend"
I went to his car and opened the front seat door.
"What's this?" I asked him.
"I'm picking up my girlfriend. I told you we have to play the part. If he sees us in school together, he can't get near you." He was driving easy. Playing some rock music.
Up close, he looks a lot better than Jaz, his face looks more defined and his skin looks soft---
WAIT! WHY AM I CHECKING HIM OUT?!
I know my face looks red now. I looked in the other direction so he won't see me blushing from embarrassment.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
"Nothing. I just remembered something." I made an excuse so he won't ask anymore.
When we arrived at the school, he dropped me off at the entrance and said that I should wait for him. He will just park the car somewhere.
I waited beside the entrance.
I saw Jaz walking towards me. When he's close enough, he stopped in front of me and looked at me for a while.
"Jadis!!!" Karlee shouted not so far from us.
Saved by the bell again.
"Karlee" I waved at him. Jaz walked past me.
"I told you" Karlee smiled when he held my hand and walked past Jaz.
The whole school was looking at us. Are we such a weird couple that they can't believe what they're seeing?
"Jadis!!!!!" Heleina and Chloe said.
What is this again?
They were running towards me... Giggling and smiling like crazy people.
"Hey, what's up?" I tried letting Karlee's hand go but he grabbed on my hand tight and pulled me back a little.
The girls were looking at my hand, our hands.
I turned back and saw Jaz grinning. As if he's onto something.
"Wow. Congratulations!" Chloe said then hugged me.
"I don't understand... Why congratulate me?" I'm so confused and clueless about what they are talking about.
"I think you girls have something to talk about. I'll see you at lunch, babe" Karlee winked at me and left as if he knew what was happening.
The girls giggled and squealed like little kids.
"I didn't know you have a thing for weird guys, Jadis. But he seems nice and cute" Heleina said while looking at him as he walks away from our direction.
"Yeah. He's part of the band too. The band where Jaz is. That means you can stay closer to him while dating Karlee."
Oh no. Girls... Can you stop involving me with Jaz already?
Honestly, why do they think I would get along with that guy.
***vibrates***
A text from Karlee
Don't worry about anything. Just follow my lead. *wink*
end of message
Why is he doing this to me? I'm in a lot of trouble already.
After school, band practice happens more often than it should. It's as if Jaz wants to keep Karlee away from the Jadis which is me.
Jaz would keep an eye on Karlee and correct him more times as if he always did the wrong things.
But Karlee would just apologize and smile at me.
Karlee would notice him looking at me as if he's planning to use me for something.
On breaks, Karlee and I would talk about the music we're playing and just insert some planning on how we can avoid Jaz from pursuing me.
"Dylan!" Jaz called me by my other name.
Shit. No. I'm not ready for a conversation today.
"Y-y-yes?" don't stutter
"Can I talk to you for a while?" he looked at me and for a moment I thought he's having some suspicion towards me being someone else.
"I... Sure. What is it?" I sat on the bench far from him and looked down.
"I just want to know if you have a thing for Karlee. You know... Like... You like him..."
Huh? Weird questions
"Well...hmmm....he's... He's nice. He's a good guy. I like him maybe... I don't know what to say"
He smiled after hearing that I liked Karlee.
"Great! Good job! Please continue that. You look good together."
"Oh. No. I am not thinking about it that way. I mean... He's got a girlfriend, I heard she's from the taekwondo team. I don't want any trouble."
"Oh, no, no, no... It's fine... Just continue what you keep on doing with him. I mean I'm just asking as the band manager too. I need to know what's the real deal with my bandmates. You know, that's part of the job."
He patted my head and left.
He was whistling.
He seemed to have found what he was waiting for to happen.