Dark Beauty

Chapter 17

‘Lucas was looking for you.’ Avery sang as I got near my locker. Jake wasn’t there, I still hadn’t talked to him since Thursday morning. 
‘Why?’ I asked. Yesterday he had sent me a message saying he couldn’t wait to see me. I was the one who couldn’t wait to see him.
‘I don’t know, but he had a big smile and he seemed really happy.’ Avery said. ‘Jake, on the other hand, didn’t look so happy, he was walking alone and I waved at him but he just waved back and continued walking. Didn’t even come talk to me.’
‘Do you think he‘s still mad at me?’ I asked.
‘I don’t know. Why did you guys fight anyway? I never saw Jake mad.’ Avery looked up from the homework she was finishing.
‘It’s kind of personal, I can’t really tell you.’ I said. I felt bad not telling things to Avery, but there were some things only Jake knew and only Jake would know.
‘Okay then.’ Avery said. ‘But please, solve this because I like spending time with both of you.’
‘I will, don’t worry.’ I said. I needed to talk to Jake. I hated the fact that he was mad at me. I had thought a lot about the fight yesterday, and I realized I was the one who needed to apologize. I had no right to ask him to tell me something so personal and then get mad when he wouldn’t tell me. 
‘Try solving it now in English class.’ Avery said. ‘And you’ll have to talk to Lucas later, because class will start in one minute.’
I had totally forgotten I had a class with Jake now. I hurried into the room. Jake was already there, but Peter wasn’t. Was he absent or just skipping class?
I stood uneasy at the door and looked at him. I don’t know why but my heart was beating so fast. I walked to our table.
‘Hey.’ I sat down and put my books on the table. Jake was wearing a long sleeved white shirt and blue jeans. I couldn’t help noticing how good he looked in a white shirt.
‘Hi.’ Jake said as he looked up from his phone.
‘I think Peter is not coming today.’ I said.
‘Yeah, I think so too.’ He answered.
‘So, did you write the essay?’ I asked trying to maintain conversation.
‘Yeah, did you?’ he said glancing up quickly from his phone again. 
This was too weird; we were talking like too strangers who barely knew each other. I couldn’t stand this.
‘Look Jake, I need to talk to you.’ I took a deep breath and looked at him.
‘What happened?’ Jake asked. I don’t know if it was my imagination but I think I noticed a worried tone in his voice.
‘I’m sorry.’ I blurted. ‘I had no right to be mad at you and I hate the fact that you’re angry at me.’
‘I’m sorry too.’ Jake said. ‘I shouldn’t have treated you that way, when you were only worried about me.’
‘You only got mad because I kept asking you to tell me.’ I said.
‘I was mad at many things. We were both wrong, so let’s forget all of this and pretend this fight never happened, okay?’ Jake said.
‘Fine with me.’ I said. I couldn’t help smiling. 
The rest of the class was like always, as if the fight didn’t really happen. 
Even before class finished, my heart was already beating fast just thinking about what Lucas wanted to talk to me. I had already imagined a bunch of terrible scenarios but I had also thought of a million wonderful scenarios. I hoped it was one of the good ones. 
‘You look anxious.’ Jake said as we were leaving the English classroom. 
‘Do I?’ I asked. I was really anxious, but should I tell him the reason why? Or would he think it was stupid?
‘Yes, you keep fidgeting with your hair and your hands are shaking a little.’ Jake said pointing to my hands which, in fact, were shaking.
‘I went out with Lucas on Saturday and I liked it a lot.  And today, before English class Avery said Lucas wanted to talk to me. I just don’t know what he is going to say to me.’
‘It’s probably nothing bad, you’re an awesome girl. I don’t think he would do anything to make you sad.’ Jake said smiling.
‘I hope so.’ I said, feeling a little more confident, Jake really knew how to make me feel better.
‘Well good luck.’ Jake said, and then he just walked away quickly.
I took a deep breath and entered the Chemistry lab. Lucas was already there and when he saw me he gave me his biggest smile and of course I smiled back, it was like automatic. 
‘Hey there, Princess.’ Lucas said as he saw me. He was always calling me princess. In the beginning of all of this, I even asked myself if he knew my name.
Some people looked at me when he said that, as if they couldn’t believe he was talking to me.
‘Hi.’ I said shyly. Even if we had kissed a lot on Saturday, I still felt quite shy around him.
‘So, how was your Sunday?’ He asked. 
‘Good.’ I said. ‘I had many things to remember and make me smile.’ I said looking at him.
‘Me too, you looked so beautiful, more than usual.’ He looked at me and smiled.
All I could do was blush. 
‘Thanks.’ I said. ‘When you say these things, I really don’t know what to say.’ 
‘Even if you don’t say anything, your expression says a lot.’ Lucas said. ‘I can see a special shine in your eyes.’ 
He was going to say something else, but the teacher has already started the class.
I couldn’t wait for class to end, because Lucas still hadn’t told me what he we wanted. However, he was being super nice to me and I had a feeling he wasn’t going to tell me to forget what happened on Saturday.
The minute the bell rang Lucas looked at me and said we needed to talk.
I just followed him. No one said anything until we got near a bench on an isolated area of the school. I hope Jake wasn’t looking for me.
‘So… I really wanted to talk to you about Saturday.’ He sat on the bench and I sat beside him.
‘I wasn’t lying when I said you made my night perfect.’ Lucas said. ‘You were already in my head, but after Saturday I couldn’t stop thinking about you.’ 
I looked at him. He was saying everything I wanted to hear. It was like I was dreaming or something, because I could never imagine Lucas saying these things to me.
‘So I figured out a way to solve the problem of you staying 24/7 in my head.’ Lucas said as he got closer to me. ‘We just need to keep seeing each other.’ 
I couldn’t believe my ears. It wasn’t just a one-night thing? I wanted to say yes immediately, but it was like I forgot how to speak.
‘I just think it’s the best way for us to know each other better in another level.’ Lucas said. ‘I don’t want yesterday to be a one-night thing.’
‘No, I mean, I think it’s a great idea.’ I smiled and then kissed him. I was so happy and I needed to tell Avery. 
 ‘Wow, I needed that kiss.’ Lucas said as he breathed hard close to me.
‘Now you can have it whenever you want.’ I said.
‘That’s good.’ He leaned in and kissed me more. 
‘I really wanted to stay with you now, but Thomas said he really needs to talk to me. Is it okay if I go?’ Lucas said as our lips parted. 
‘Yeah, I need to talk to Avery anyway.’
‘But let’s have lunch together today.’ Lucas said as he stood up.
‘Okay, but is it okay if my friends sit with us?’ I asked.
‘No problem, I really want to know your friends better.’ Lucas said then he kissed me goodbye and left.
Avery was with Jake.  I think they were looking for me, because the minute Avery saw me she started running towards me.
‘Where were you? Jake and I kept looking for you like crazy.’ She said.
‘I was with Lucas.’ I said not managing to hide the smile on my face.
‘And what did he want to say to you? Tell me, tell me!’ Avery said jumping up and down.
‘Well, Lucas just gave the best idea for us to keep seeing each other more.’ I said as Jake got closer. When I said that Lucas and I were kind dating he just stopped walking and kept staring at me.
‘OH MY GOD!!” Avery said. ‘I can’t believe you’re dating Lucas! He’s like, the hottest boy in school.’
‘We aren’t exactly dating.’ I said. ‘He didn’t ask me to be his girlfriend, but he wants to go out with me more times.’ 
‘Wow, I think my good luck really gave you luck.’ Jake murmured from behind Avery.
‘Yeah, thanks Jake.’ I said smiling.
‘I’m so happy for you! Aren’t you happy for her Jake?’ Avery said.
‘Yes, very.’ Jake said but he didn’t seem as excited as Avery. Although boys are usually this way. 
‘He’s going to have lunch with us, if you guys don’t mind.’ I said.
‘Of course we don’t mind.’ Avery said. ‘It would be awesome to be close to Lucas.’ 
‘Did the most popular guy in school agree to eat with us losers?’ Jake said in a mocking tone.
‘He did, he said he wants to meet my friends and I really want you guys to know him better.’ I looked at Jake. He seemed rather annoyed, I didn’t understand why.
‘I know you don’t like him or his friends, but he is a very nice person. I agree with you, some of his friends are jerks, but he is different.’ I said looking at Jake.
‘If you say so.’ Jake took a deep breath. ‘If you like him I think I will like him too.’ Jake gave another of his dazzling smiles and I felt more relieved. I really wanted Jake and Lucas to become friends.
They didn’t have anything to do with each other, though. Lucas was so popular and everyone liked him, and Jake, well, Jake didn’t have so many friends and some people didn’t even know he existed. However, both were so nice and kind, I think maybe they could become friends. Lucas said he wanted to know my friends better and Jake said he thought he might like him, so I shouldn’t worry about this now. I don’t know why I always worrying about what might happen. 
Like I said, I’m always worrying for nothing. Lunch was fine. Lucas sat with us, and it went great. He didn’t make any mean jokes, like his friends normally do, and he was very nice to Jake and Avery. He even talked to Jake about some football game. Jake also acted very well. He didn’t do any of his sarcastic jokes or ignore him like I thought he would do. I looked at Avery and she had the same maybe-this-would-work kind of look.
As we ate lunch we received many confused looks from people who didn’t understand what the hell Lucas was doing sitting with us. Athough news that Lucas and I were going out was already circulating through the school. I still hadn’t seen Rebecca, but I knew that she wouldn’t be very joyful that her ex and I were seeing each other. I had a feeling that as soon as she found out, she would do or say something mean, like always.