“And somehow, always ends up by your side in every situation. Besides, I heard he punched Blade Topper in the face because of you…” She bites her lower lip, excited, and I frown, astonished.
“Hewhat?!You know what, it doesn’t matter, because he doesn’t like me. He likes that I’m not into him. The moment thatswitches, he switches too.” I shrug carelessly after telling the tale as old as time.
If there’s one thing Jake West lives for, it’s the thrill of the chase. Particularly to do something stupid as riding a bike, jumping from Mailview’s high board while drunk, getting into some fights — apparently — and so on.
I know the only reason he keeps bothering me after all these years is that I couldn’t give a shit about him, and that strikes some nerve within him that he can’t contradict even if he wanted to.
“I just- Didn’t expect my first kiss to be with him, which is stupid because I’m the one who told him to kiss me if someone doubted our relationship. I just didn’t expect it to be so-“
“Heavenly? Miraculous? Hot?” She wiggles her eyebrows at that, and I grab another pillow.
“No, I’m just trying to deal with it, my own way.”
She smiles tightly and then hugs me.
“I know you struggle to see it as a good thing, but in my point of view, you got the greatest first kiss any girl that has ever laid eyes on that boy could wish for.”
But am I one of those girls?
* * *
Evil Spawn
Evil Spawn:how are u doin?
I look at the text and wonder if I should respond. My finger slides, andshit, I marked it as read. Oh, who am I kidding? I don’t wanna deal with this. I turn off my phone and close my eyes again.The sleeping pill is taking its time to take effect…
Evil Spawn: really? ignoring me?
I roll my eyes at the phone and turn it off once more. I get another notification, and within seconds, I hear screaming from outside.
What the hell?
I move to the window and open it, andOh my god…
“You just have this effect on me! I wanted to say this for years! I’m desperately in love with you, Madelaine! I just can’t take it anymore!” He pretends to stab his heart, and someone from the house next to mine opens their window and curses him out. He apologizes with his hands and thencontinues.
“Madelaine, love of my life, please talk to me, I’m going crazy!” He proclaims, waking more people up.
“Would you shut up?!I’m going, just please, for the love of god,shut up.” I order, and he smirks and zips his lips.
Oh, I hate him.
Thank god Allison could sleep through a hurricane because she didn’t wake up, so I silently put on my flip flops and go downstairs. I take about two minutes to reach him, grinning at me through the other side of the gate.
“Are you out of your mind?” I whisper-yell as I unlock the gate.
“You weren’t responding, so I had to take action.” He shrugs as if he didn’t wake up half the street.
“What do you want?” I cross my arms, letting him in. I close the gate, and he waits until I’m finished and walk to the garden.
“Look, if this scheme is going to work, we’re going to need to be honest with each other. So, before I ask you anything, do you still wanna do this?” He asks, hands in his pockets, and I look up to the sky, as if the answer is written in the stars.
As much as I don’t like the idea of us together, I have to admit it hasn’t been that bad. I could really see an interesting summer ahead of me and all due to his craziness, so…
“I’m still in.” I sigh, and he presses his lips.
“Okay, so, we have to be honest.” Pause. “Earlier, in the ice cream shop…” My eyes catch his in the darkness of the night, and I hope they don’t let the panic I’m feeling right now show. “That was your first kiss, wasn’t it?”
