I looked at the clock that was in the classroom watching the hands slowly move.
Ten more minutes. Ten more minutes and then class ends. Then two hours until I'm supposed to meet Zach in the club room.
Why there? I don't know. All I know is that he's mad, I'm mad, and we need to settle things.
If there's one thing I hate, it's drama. And he needs to know the shot load amount he just caused. I didn't want any of this to happen.
But that's the way things ended up.
I anxiously waited for class to end and once it did I got up and went straight to my locker putting some things in there. I quickly moved around the students in the hall in search of Ashley. After running around a bit I found her at her locker about to leave.
"Ashley!"
She turned around and looked at me for a second before a large smile played on her lips.
"Oh, hey Jessy. Did you need something?"
"Uh, yeah. Can I have the keys to the club room?"
Ashley looked at me confused.
"What for?"
"There's a game in there I want to play that I don't have at home."
Please buy my lie.
"Sure. Just give them back to me tomorrow. Oh speaking of which, tomorrow is the big game before Thanksgiving. Do you want to watch it with me and AJ?"
My face fell a little.
"The football game?"
"What other game is there?"
I thought about Emma and her little group. My stomach turned at the thought of me running into them again.
"Um no thanks. Hard pass."
"Oh, too bad. Well," she handed me the keys and turned to the side, "Have fun with that game."
I smiled and nodded my head.
"Yeah. Thanks."
She walked off and I sighed clutching the keys to my chest.
I went straight to the club room and unlocked it, getting into the dark empty room. I closed the door behind me and turned on the light before turning around looking out.
I yelped seeing a figure on the couch.
"Jesus Ian! What the fuck are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same."
"But how did you get in here without the keys? It was locked."
He lifted his hand showing what looked like another key.
"I made my own copy."
I rolled my eyes and dropped off my bag in the corner of the room. I stared at Ian, arms folded. I was anxious and confused.
"Why are you here?"
He can't be here. Not for long. Just not in general. He has to leave.
He got up and walked up to me while shoving his hands into his pockets.
"I wanted to see you."
I froze.
"Me? Why?"
Please dear lord tell me it isn't what i think it is.
He smirked and stepped closer to me.
"I wanted to ask you something."
No. Don't ask.
"W-well I need you to first tell me what gave you the bright idea I would be here."
He pulled out his phone and I saw a text from Ashley.
Dammit Ashley! Please tell me this ain't happening. I need to find a way to distract him and get him to leave.
"Well, what is it? Do you want to borrow a game or something?"
He stepped even closer. I stepped back.
"No. I wanted to borrow something... else."
The way his eyes wandered made my skin crawl. I didn't want this right now. I never saw him in that way and I couldn't now with how things were.
I looked to the side as I stepped back more.
"Well, what is it? Spit it out already. I kind of wanted to be alone here."
Please just leave.
"All right. Will you go to the Winter Formal with me?"
I slowly looked up to him, shocked in place.
I know Ashley said he had a thing for me and that he was probably going to ask but I didn't think he actually would. And this was probably the worst timing.
"W-what?"
"Will you," He stepped closer to me, "go to the Winter Formal with me?"
I looked down not wanting to look him in the face.
"B-but you know I don't like dances. And I thought you didn't like them either."
"Yeah, you're right. But, I'd love to be with you. Think of this as the stepping stone to our relationship. If you don't want to go to the dance just at least say yes to me, then we can work on where to really go and what we can do."
I didn't like this at all. He was just a friend to me. If anything, the only person I'd feel comfortable actually going out with is... Zach. But even then I wouldn't do that. They're just friends. Nothing more.
Ian gently placed a hand on my shoulder and another on my chin to raise my face up to meet his gaze.
He looked like he really wanted me.
But I didn't want him.
"What do you say, Jessica? Will you go out with me?"
No.
I can't.
I don't want to.
I looked to the side, feeling tears play in the corner of my eyes.
"C-can you give me a while to think it over. I don't like just jumping into things."
He slowly let go of me, sighing a little.
"Yeah, I know. I'll give you until after the break. Give me an answer by Monday afternoon, okay?"
I nodded my head not wanting to talk. He smiled and kissed the top of my forehead before grabbing his stuff and leaving the room. I fell to my knees after he left.
What. The. Fuck.
I never wanted any of this. Why was this happening now? It was as if some switch flipped and the universe said it was my time to suffer.
I was upset, angry. And it didn't help knowing I had to confront Zach later. I just wish I could've gone home.
I just need to wait for a couple of hours. Then I can get at least one thing back to normal.
***
I looked at the clock in the club room and saw that practice for Zach should be over by now. I turned off my phone and started to put it away when I heard the door knob of the door start to jiggle like someone was about to come in.
I watched it, sure enough I'd end up watching Zach come in and close the door behind him. He turned around and faced me, he looked sweaty and tired. I mean, I would assume so from practicing the last couple hours.
I got up and looked him right in the eyes.
"I'm here. what did you want to talk about?"
Please let's just get this over with. I'm tired and frankly too much has happened today.
"I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I'm sorry for how I acted last night and today."
I sighed and shifted on my feet.
"Is that it?"
He looked at me as if there was more but he kept silent. He opened his mouth but nothing came out and just looked to the side.
"There's nothing else. Not really anyway."
"Well it sure as hell shouldn't just be that. Do you know what kind of shit you just got me into with your little stunt at lunch? And what for? To say sorry? To get all upset over some friends of mine?"
"Well, I'm trying to just look past that and go ahead and say sorry."
"You think that's good enough? Your demon of a girlfriend almost beat the shit out of me with her little friends! What do you have to say about that?"
He looked as if he was actually confused.
"Emma knows you were hanging out with me. Hell, I'm not surprised she's known about us since middle school. Next time you do something don't think about yourself."
I got cut off by my phone ringing. We both froze at the sound and I took it out looking at who it was.
It was Ian.
Really? Now isn't the time for this!
"Go on. Answer it."
He sounded pissed. I mean, I was too but I've never heard him this mad before. I slowly lifted it up to my face and accepted the call.
"Hello?"
"Hey, beautiful. I forgot something in the club room. You think you can get it and give it to me?"
I looked at Zach nervously.
"Can't you get it yourself? And how do you know if I'm still in there?"
"Because I do. And besides, I can't get it myself since I'm a little busy here."
"Busy with what?!"
"That doesn't matter. Just get the thing. It's my black controller. I'll send you my address."
"But I'm busy myself," I muttered, gritting my teeth.
"Sure you are."
The way he said that gave me chills. I looked around the room as if that could give me answers as to why he said it like that. He ended the call and I groaned as I received a text from him with his address.
"Who was that?"
I looked back at Zach almost forgetting he was even here.
"It's none of your business."
His eyes hardened.
"Was it him?"
"So what of it was?" I asked, matching his tone.
"What did he want?"
"He left something in here."
Zach walked up to me.
"Did you meet up with him here while waiting for me? Don't bother lying. Why else would he leave something and know you're here?"
"Why does it matter? He's a friend."
"Did you see him earlier today?!"
Zach's voice boomed throughout the small room and for once I was scared of him. I opened my mouth and tried to push something out. I felt like I was going to cry. Again.
"He asked you out, didn't he?" He asked, lowering his voice but the anger was still clearly there.
I froze, feeling my breath hitch in my throat. Zach sighed at my reaction.
"Are you... going to say yes?"
I looked off to the side.
"I don't know. He gave me a week to think about it but honestly, I don't feel that way about him."
Zach stayed still.
"Guess there's nothing left to talk about."
I stood there with his words starting to feel things get even more tense.
I didn't want this.
"Sorry for yelling earlier. All I really wanted to do was just fix things between us. But I think I only made things worse."
I walked up to him.
"No, no, no! Don't say that! We're good, I promise! I forgive you. It's fine. Everyone makes mistakes."
I have to do something. I have to at least make one thing right.
Zach looked over at me and smiled, making my heart twist. I couldn't tell what kind of smile that was and I didn't like how anxious I was.
"I'm glad you're not upset. I don't think I could handle playing video games by myself."
I laughed nervously as if hoping that would lighten things up. I was so exhausted and just wanted to go home.
"Yeah. Nothing feels worse than a robot beating you," I said practically under my breath. Zach laughed and I quickly looked up at him.
"Hey, who said anything about me losing to an AI?"
I laughed a little.
"C'mon, I know you. You suck at games."
Zach walked up to me and held me in a loose choke hold.
"H-hey! Let go of me!"
"Take it back! Say I'm good at games!"
"But you aren't!"
He tightened it a little and started tickling me.
"Ahahaha! S-stop! Ahaha! Pl-please! Have mercy! Hahaha!"
"Say the words!"
"Okay, okay! You're good at games! You're good at games!"
Right after I said those words Zach let go of me, letting me catch my breath.
"God you smell."
Zach chuckled as he made a pose.
"All from practice."
I laughed a bit from his comment and stood up after catching my breath. Zach smiled at me and turned to the door.
"Should we leave? I gotta drive you home."
"Yeah. I think it's about time we left."
Zach nodded his head and headed to the door when I looked over to where I thought I saw Ian's controller and picked it up before shoving it into my bag. I threw my bag over my shoulder before walking up to Zach ready to leave.
We started walking to his car when Zach looked at me.
"So we're good?"
I smiled.
"Yeah, we're good."