Remember This✔

Chapter Thirty-Five

The next day at lunch, Molly listens as the people at her table discuss homework projects and their favourite assignments. She stares at her phone as she puffs with boredom.

Halloween is fast approaching! Lauren texts her. You picked your costume yet?

Three days! Molly texts back. I can't wait. No, I think I'm just going to buy something from the store. Have you?

"He keeps looking at you." Louise nudges Molly's shoulder and points her eyes towards a table at the front.

Molly meets the warm gaze of an attractive guy with dark hair wearing a leather jacket. He sits with other attractive guys, most of them are tanned and physically fit. "I doubt he is."

"Well he's definitely not looking at me," Louise laughs. "Unless I've suddenly lost fifty pounds in the last ten seconds."

The others at the table pause their conversation to listen. The awkwardness is unsettling but Molly smiles through it, trying not to blush.

"Jack Walters," the skinny guy at the table, Henry, says. "You could do worse."

"If he comes over here and starts talking to us because of you then I will actually faint," Sammy says, she's incredibly superficial and she's already got a mirror in her hand as she pouts her lips. "I've had a crush on him since forever."

"Oh my god he's getting up!" Louise says as she squeezes Molly's arm. She runs a hand over her auburn hair, flattening it back. "He's walking over. Act cool. Act cool."

"I don't get what the big deal is," Molly says. "He's just a person."

"A person with influence. That means something."

The others nod and Molly sighs. She plays with her fingers as Jack crosses the cafeteria and hovers over her.

"Hey," he says. "Can I sit?"

"Sure," Louise answers.

Jack shoots her a look of confusion and then pulls the chair out next to Molly's. "I heard you were going to that party on Saturday and I wondered if you're going with anyone?"

Molly doesn't know what to say. How does he know about the party? How does he know that she's going? The only person at school that knows about it is Charlie and she's never seen him talk to anyone else at school. She was supposed to be going with him, he was the only reason that she said yes but it suddenly dawns on her that Charlie isn't the only guy in the world.

"No," Molly whispers. "I'm not."

"You want to go with me?" Jack smiles widely. "Camilla's practically inviting half of the year so I wanted to ask you before anyone else did."

"Camilla?" Molly says. "She's going?"

"Yeah, she has a thing with the party host. I don't think he's aware of it though." Jack laughs to himself and Molly scrolls her eyes around the cafeteria, finding Camilla waiting in the line at the counter.

"Interesting," Molly says.

"Is that a yes? Don't leave me hanging."

"Uh. . . okay?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Jack chuckles.

"Telling. Yes, I'll go with you."

"Okay, great. What's your number?"

Molly unlocks her phone and slides it over into his hand so he can copy it directly into his. She glances at the others at the table who are hanging on to every second as though they'll disappear if they miss it. He leaves it on the table and stands up.