Summer in Love - Seasons with Sadie series

Bruises and Beaus

"So you're all going to the welcome back to school party right? You know I can't be the only one there I'll die. I can't dare to relive tenth grade when I was all alone ugh." Naya whines picking at the grass.

Jackson and I sit beside each other with Stasi sitting cozily on his lap. I fidget and toy with the last baby carrot in the plastic ziploc bag.

"You remind me everyday why you're a drama major N." Stasi rolls her eyes.

"Well not everyone can be a music major and international pop star like you now can they?" Tess sarcastically chips in.

"And unfortunately not everybody can stand your wit besides me because you're my best friend Tess." she blew a kiss in her direction as Tess threw her middle finger back at her. Female friendship, love to see it.
"Of course I'm gonna be there Naya I wouldn't miss it, it's our last year and we're the seniors, plus Jackson has been chosen to be the headliner for the party anyways." Stasi beams and leans further into Jacksons chest.

I tilt my head to my left, and speak softly, ''Are you really headlining?''

Jacksons eyes soften as he turns my way, Stasi is lost in a conversation surrounding the party, ''Yeah...yeah I am.''

My chest caves in and my eyes sting at the news. All Jackson ever wanted to do was sing, he just never gave himself the credit he deserved and now he can show the rest of The Academy just how talented he is. ''I'm really proud of you Jackson.'' I whisper. He smiles back at me, the sides of his eyes crinkling at the motion. We stare at each other for a minute, it feels as though we are falling back into the memory of our first day at Pegtown High. Back when we were strangers, that part is also starting to feel all to similar as well. We sit so close together but we could not be more separate from each other's lives.

''You're going too right Allister?''

''She has too. She's attached to The Academy's royalty Noah Hunt, you're basically gonna be an honorary guest.'' Naya says.

"Naya stop with the exaggerations, if anything she's gonna be going because it's her first and last opportunity she's gonna get to be there, plus she can't miss Jackson's performance, she'd be a shitty friend if she did.'' Oh so she is gonna acknowledge that Jackson and I are friends. Love that she's calling me a shitty friend if I don't attend this party.

I clear my throat loudly, ''It seems like you guys can come up with the answer as to if I'm gonna be there or not without asking.''

Tess chokes on her water whilst holding back a laugh.

''I will be going. I won't be going as somebody's guest Naya, and I won't just be going to support someone even though I'm excited as hell to watch them perform,'' I eye Jackson, in my short glance I catch Stasi's glare burning into me. ''After all Jackson is the person I came here with, he follow me all the way to Amsterdam, so why wouldn't I follow him to his opening show.'' I feel Jacksons presence penetrate next me, I feel him.

''Anyways, now that that questions been answered,'' Stasi loudly claps her hands together, bringing the attention back to herself, ''What are we wearing?''

Tess groans.

~~~

The rest of the school day ran by smoothly. But I am sure as hell exhausted from the all the classes, my fingers are numb and aching from the hours of sketch training we had. It's all worth it though because of the end of the day I get to come back home to the biggest bed I've ever slept in in my entire life, as well as a fridge stocked with an entire stores worth of food and snacks.

I lug my body over the gravel, my hair swinging all over the place and my blazer slipping down from my heavy shoulders. I spot Martin standing by the Aston Martin waiting for Noah and I's arrival. I wonder how long he waits there for us. It would be funny to imagine all the chauffeurs standing here like robots for eight hours straight waiting for their sixteen bosses to order them around. The thought actually starts to get sad if you think about it for too long. But the Hunts have always been good to Martin.

Shuffling gravel sounds behind me. I swivel and my chest collides with Noah's. ''If I didn't get a closer look I would have mistaken you for a zombie there babe.'' He slings my bag off my shoulder and onto his. He moves with so much energy as if he hadn't given it all to me a few hours ago.

''I'm guessing all the rumours are true that all the drama majors do make funny faces in the mirror and watch drones fly over their pretty heads. Explains why you've got this excess energy.''

''Oh you know why I've got this excess energy...'' he speaks lowly clearing his throat.

I stop in my tracks and dramatically gasp, ''You sucked it out all out of me, you sex vampire.'' We chuckle.

''Oh yeah I definitely sucked it out of you.'' he reaches for my neck. I pull away from him, spots on my skin feel beaten and tender, like a bruise, no no, more like a damn...

''Oh my god Noah you gave me a hickey!'' I cover my neck which at this point I assume is covered in purple and red marks. Noah continues laughing at my state of shock and panic. ''Noah stop, these aren't gonna go away for days, I can't go to the party tomorrow like this, they're gonna think I'm a middle school hooker.'' It seems that my stress is only adding more humour for this curly haired boy. He slings his arm around my shoulder as we make our way to the car. The parking lot is still full of students lingering around their cars, talking and blasting music out their speakers.

''I think they're cute.'' Cute, what the fuck?

''It's almost like you planned this all for a little chuckle. How do you feel about me wearing turtle necks this entire summer huh?'' I smile innocently. His smirks begins to drop.

''Makes me feel like raiding your closet and leaving you with that little red bikini you wore last July to wear for the rest of the year.''

''You would really let me walk around in that at during the winter.''

''Fuck yeah I would. There's no need of you ever feeling like you'll get cold when you're gonna be in my arms 24/7 anyways. There's no way I'd ever let you go.'' He squeezes me in closer and lifts me up in his arms. ''Ever.''