Dark Beauty

chapter 27

'Why do you look so happy?' Avery asked as I got by books from my locker.
'I don't know.' I said 'Maybe I just woke up like this.'
'Same answer as Jake.' Avery mumbled. 'He is also smiling a lot.'
'He is always smiling.' I said.
'Just when he's with you.' Avery nudged me and gave me a suspicious grin.
'What are you trying to say Avery?' I asked. 'Since I met him he is smiling, so stop thinking whatever it is that you're thinking.'
'Okay, okay, forget it.' She said.
I don't even know why I was so happy. I had gone out with Jake, but it was only friends going out, I just missed having a very good time with a friend. And what did Avery mean with, "Jake only smiles when you're around"? She's crazy, he is always smiling.
I was deep in my thoughts that I didn't even notice that Lucas was calling me from his locker.
'Hey princess, how are you.' He shoved some books into his backpack and closed his locker.
'I'm fine and you?' I smiled.
'Did you go out with Jake on Saturday?' I froze, not that I had done something wrong but because Lucas is really jealous and I didn't want to start a fight.
'I asked you a question.' Lucas stared at me.
'Yes I did, we were just hanging out.' I explained.
'My friend saw you two and said you seemed really happy.' He mumbled.
'We had a really good time. What are you trying to get that?' I asked.
'It's been a long time since I made you smile. I haven't been a good boyfriend or a good friend. I'm sorry.' He confessed. 'Come to my house tomorrow after football practice. We can watch the movie of your choice, and talk about anything you want and then we can order something to eat, or I can cook something special just for the two of us.'
I couldn't hold my smile. It's been a really long time since we've spent time alone.
'None of your friends?' I asked.
'Just the two of us. I'll take you home after. Please!' He took my hand in his. 'Let me show I'm not a bad boyfriend'
'Of course I'll go Lucas.' I smiled. 'You're not a bad boyfriend, no one's perfect.'
Lucas pulled me in and kissed me, a long perfect kiss 'We can do more of that at my place tomorrow.'
I just smiled and kissed him a little more until the bell rang.
'You look even happier than this morning.' Avery said as I sat for Lunch.
'Lucas said he was sorry for the way he's been treating me these last days.' I took a bite out of my salad. 'I think we are in peace now.'
'These days? I'd say he's been this way for months, but I'm happy for you.' Avery added.
'What are you happy for?' Jake sat on the chair next to me.
'Lucas was making amends with Leila for being a Jerk.' Avery explained.
'What did he do?' Jake asked.
'He said he was sorry and we're going to spend the afternoon together tomorrow, just the two of us.' I explained.
'Shouldn't that be something normal in a relationship, spending time alone with your boyfriend?' Jake asked.
'Lucas is very busy with football and stuff.' I tried to explain, but he was right. We used to spend all afternoon together when we were having all these projects and exams, but it's getting harder now. 'And he said he might cook something special for me.'
'I'm not even going to say what I'm thinking.' Avery said.
'Will it make me sad or angry?' I had a feeling it would.
'Yes.' Avery mumbled.
'So don't.' I smiled. 'I'm happy today, let's leave it at that.'
'I'm going to get more juice.' Jake got up. 'Want something?' He asked.
'No, thank you.' Avery and I said at the same time.
'So were you happy in the morning because you went out with Jake?' Avery lifted an eyebrow.
'What are you talking you about? I always go out with Jake.' I said, trying not to blush.
'But this time it was like a date.' She said.
'It was a FRIEND date.' I emphasized the friend.
'Who are you trying to fool, me or yourself?' She said taking a sip of her juice.
'No one, stop imagining things.' I said in an irritated tone. What was wrong with her today? Why did she keep insinuating that I liked Jake? I was dating Lucas. Besides I would never risk my friendship with Jake. He would never like me that way! He saw me as a friend and I saw him as a friend.
'Then just one question.' She said. 'If you had to save Lucas or Jake from a falling off a cliff, who would you choose?'
'I would save...' But I cut myself before answering. 'What are both of them doing on a cliff?' I asked 'That would never happen, so stop bothering me.'
'Okay then.' Avery said, still with a malicious smile.
No one said a word until Jake came back.
'Why the silence?' Jake asked as he came back with his cup of juice.
'Nothing.' Avery opened a big grin.
'Were you girls talking about how I'm the best thing that happened to you guys?' Jake joked.
'Something like that.' Avery said.
'Yeah, you're a blessing in our lives.' I joked too, however I felt my heart beating faster.
'In Leila's, not in mine.' Avery smiled at me.
'I'm going to talk to Lucas, meet you guys in the field.' I quickly got my stuff and headed to the door. l had seen Lucas leaving the lunch room some minutes ago.
'Hey Lucas, wait up.' I shouted. But I don't think he heard me, because he entered the boys' bathroom without even looking back.
I was going to wait for him, but instead I went to the field to meet Jake and Avery. The truth is, I didn't really want to talk to Lucas. I just wanted to get out of there before Avery talked more nonsense but sitting here alone made me think. My answer to Avery's question was going to be Jake without hesitation. My brain didn't even think about Lucas! What is going on with my head lately? I tried to take my mind off Jake, but my brain just replayed what Jake had said in the cafeteria. Even if he said it as a joke, he was right, Jake was one of the best things that ever happened to me. He is the first person I met that can see ghosts like I do and he was the first one to be nice to be in school. I didn't even notice I was smiling until Jake showed up.
'Must have been good with Lucas.' He teased.
'I didn't find him.' I looked up at him. 'Where's Avery?'
'That's why you're smiling then.' Jake smiled. 'She said she was going to talk to the girls from the book club.'
'Oh yeah, I forgot she had other friends besides us.' Avery used to hang out with the girls from the book club, but she said she never had a great connection with them. Now and then she still hangs out with them though, since she is still in the book club.
Jake sat next to me. 'So, are happy with Lucas?' I looked at him. He normally was just criticizing my relationship with Lucas.
'I guess.' I thought about it. Lately my relationship with Lucas had been quite frustrating. Lucas seems to be so annoyed lately, but then he would apologize or I would and it was all good.
'If he makes you happy more than makes you sad, it means the relationship is working.' Jake sat down next to me, waiting for me to say something.
'You're right.' I said.
'When haven't I been right?' He joked. 'I had a lot of fun on Saturday.' He suddenly said, changing the subject.
'Me too.' I said. What I didn't tell him was that I had been reliving it in my head since I got home that day. I couldn't tell him that though, he would find it weird. I thought it was weird.
'I forgot to ask, was it better than going out with Lucas?' He asked.
'I haven't thought about it.' I lied.
The truth was that it had been more fun than any date with Lucas. I'm not sure if it's because I prefer going out with Jake or if it's because he took me to all those nice places. It couldn't be that, I mean, Lucas took me to his family yacht for our second date. Wow, that seemed so long ago. It almost seemed as if it was another relationship because the Lucas from then doesn't seem to be the Lucas from now. Well, Lucas said he was sorry, and I was trying my best not to get him mad at me. Maybe we could go back to the way things were when we didn't fight so much.
The problem is, I could never imagine Lucas taking me to those amazing places that Jake took me, or treating me the way Jake did yesterday or even saying the same things. I didn't want to admit it, but I liked going out with him, not because of the places but because it was Jake. Once again I had to ask myself, what the hell is happening to my brain?!