17 Reasons Why

Chapter 2

He cares about me? That's literally bull. And he tells me this now?

Literally all I'm actually thinking about right now.

I walk towards the bathrooms and splash my face with water to cool off. I'm all hot-headed after that aggravating conversation. I start to hear Stacy softly speaking.

"Claire, you in here?"

I run into a stall as quietly as I can.

"Clara Marie Johnson- I know you're in here!"

She used my full name! That's not good!

I still remain quiet as she walks by my stall, with her loud heels. Then I hear a long pause.

Suddenly, the door to the stall (that wasn't locked) flings open and I see Stacy's heel from kicking the door open.

"GURRL, get over it! He's a jerk and you shouldn't believe him when he says he cares about you!"

I look at her, astonished by the fact that she yelled at me.

"You're just jealous!" I say with a concerned look on my face.

"About what?"

"About Josh and I," I forcefully say as I walk out of the bathroom. Before I walk through the doorway, I give her the finger.

•••

"Hey, you alright?" Josh asks as I walk out of the bathroom, putting his arm around my shoulders as we walk.

"Don't touch me," I say as yank his arm off of me.

He looks at me for a second, concerned. There's a long pause until I finally talk.

"Whatever the hell your act is right now, it won't work."

He looked surprised, still, but I had to be mean with him because he was just trying to trick me. Or so I thought.

"I wasn't joking about what I said earlier. I do care about you! I've just been too shy to talk to you once we started school, and it was too late for me. So I just tried to stop thinking about you, and that failed."

I stand there for a minute, confused. I started to walk away, but he grabbed me and put his lips against mine. His lips were literally as soft as butter. Damn.

Oh no! Why am I falling for him? I want to pull away, but I can't...

I finally pull away.

"This isn't right."

I pick up my bag and head to class.