[Jessy's POV]
"I'll be stealing your girlfriend today," Jessy said sassily to Alex when it was time for him to go home with Otto. "We're going to the mall together to eat waffles and you can't come."
Alex and Otto had started walking to school together as a precaution to keep Thomas off of Otto's back. It had worked wonders, but had become unnecessary after a few weeks because they hadn't seen as much as a hint of Thomas' presence.
Yet, they kept walking to school together. Jessy could only guess that it had turned into a habit.
Alex had joined their little gang of friend so naturally, that it felt as if he'd always been there. That, plus the fact that he lived REALLY close to Otto, had caused the two of them to spend A LOT of time together on school days.
It was starting to get to the point where Jessy was starting to feel like a fifth wheel. Any more of this and she might start regretting that she'd set them up on their initial date.
So she'd called a girls only day.
"Did I anger her somehow?" Alex whisper-asked Otto loudly.
Not the reaction she was going for. Jessy had hoped that Alex would react more along the lines of: "She's not my girlfriend!" (Denial.) Or: "I want to come too!" (Jealousy.) Both were strong signs of a growing romantic relationship. But Alex didn't respond to stupid name-calling and he didn't seem to mind sharing Otto. They had somehow settled on a close brother and sister relationship, and it was driving Jessy insane!
"It's a girls day out," Otto said with a wide smile to Alex's slightly worried expression. "In case you hadn't noticed, Jessy is a very jealous person and she doesn't like sharing her best friend. So today will be all about recharging our best-friends-bond."
"Ohoo! Sounds like fun," Alex laughed. "Well, I'll be going home then. Enjoy yourselves!"
Jessy waved back as Alex waved goodbye and left.
"This is terrible!" she thought. No stretched greeting, no lingering glances... terrible! But that the boy didn't make a move, didn't mean the girl couldn't be moved!
"You're crazy for not dating the boy you know?" Jessy said with a sly grin.
"Oh no, Jessy. Not this again! That's the first thing you say? I can't believe you!" Otto complained. "It's not going to be matchmaking talk the whole afternoon, right?"
"It won't?" Jessy asked with a cute pout, internally cursing once more. But when Otto gave her an angry glare, she continued; "Ok! Ok! I won't."
"Good," Otto said, clearly content that she'd won the argument. "Now that that's settled; I need to go to the toilet before we go."
"Ok, I'll wait here," Jessy confirmed and went to sit on the bench next to the toilets for a while. She thought about checking her phone to kill time, but that idea was soon forgotten as she spotted Thomas reentering the school. By the way he was looking around, it was clear that he was searching something. Then their eyes met and he made himself a way through the remaining crowd towards her.
"Thomas?" she asked internally panicking but hoped the emotion on her face could pass for surprise. "Can I help you?"
"I saw Alex leave without Otto," he said. "I need to talk to her, is she with you?"
"W-With me?" Jessy stuttered in fear. "No, she isn't here. I don't know where she is."
"Who are you waiting for?" Thomas asked, not fooled by her obvious bluff.
"LINDSEY!" Jessy shouted and fought the urge to facepalm herself. Could she be any more obvious?
"Do you take me for a fool, Jessy Thompson?" Thomas asked in a menacing voice. "Are you going to let me talk to her or will I have to force my way passed you?"
Jessy didn't answer. Normally, she would have thrown a scene. She would have threatened him to turn him in if he dared to try anything, would have blocked his way so that he wouldn't be able to get to Otto, would have shouted loudly so that Otto knew he was here.
But she'd seen the determination in his eyes. She knew he wouldn't stop until he'd talked to her.
She could stay to chaperone the situation, but if Thomas got violent, there was no way she would be able to stop him.
So she slowly and carefully inched away, and once the gap was too big for him to grab her, she ran away as fast as she could, leaving a dumbfounded Thomas behind her.