Next To Nothing

Catalina Phillips

Catalina couldn't believe what she was doing right now. She had literally straddled Jackson. The boy who she had always found quite literally insufferable. And yet she had found herself here in his lap and... she didn't hate it. Kissing him felt good. It felt right. His lips were soft and incredibly warm. Nothing like Dylans. She felt his hands wrap around her back as they laid back on the bed, when Jackson sprung back up yelping.

"Shit!" He groaned. He turned and picked up the joint I had forgotten was in my hand.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry I guess I was a little caught up in the moment." Catalinas voice grew shy.

His smug smile that she'd always been annoyed by grew on his face.

"You still want this or no?" He asked, offering her the joint. She considered it, any other night maybe she would've but she realised that what she wanted- what she needed most right now, was a clear mind. This little make out session hadn't exactly helped.

"No, thanks" She met his stare. God he was pretty she thought. She leaned forward again and left a small, lingering kiss on his lips. She loved the feeling of his mouth on hers.

"You should go" She said to Jackson reluctantly.

"Yeah" Jackson replied, but he made no move to leave.

There was calming silence between the two of them. She didn't really want him to leave. She was still figuring out why. Jackson broke the silence.

"Catalina. What is going on with you?" Jacksons voice was quieter then Catalina had ever heard it.

"I mean don't get me wrong that was, incredible. But you're acting different." He looked her straight in the eyes.

Catalina pried herself off of Jacksons lap and pushed herself up against the back board of her bed. He joined her there.

Catalina didn't know why she felt so compelled to bare her soul to Jackson. He was practically a stranger. She really knew nothing about him and again he was one of the most infuriating people she'd ever had the chance to know. But sitting here with him and after everything they'd done together in the past thirty minutes, she felt like she could get away with telling him what she wanted.

"I uh don't know if you knew this about me already but I'm adopted." She said. Jackson just looked at her and kept quiet, waiting for her to continue.

"My 'mother' Jolene, she adopted me when I was a year and half old. She never really kept it a secret. Told me everything as soon as I was old enough to understand. Even told me about my parents, apparently she knew them. Told me how, when and where they died too. I don't think she realised how upsetting that was to a nine year old. God sometimes it really pisses me off that I never got to know them. Jolene has been great but, the second she told me she wasn't my real mother well, everything changed for me. I haven't been able to look at her the same way since. Anyway every single year, on the 21st of December I mourn the parents I never knew."

She felt his hand at her cheek before she saw it. His hand wiped away the tear that had fallen. She'd never told anyone about any of this before, not even her closest friend Eliza. It felt good. It felt freeing.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea." Jackson whispered. He cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at him. He smiled a sincere smile but she could feel him pulling back. Like her own story had hit a nerve. Jackson dropped his hand and looked down.

"I really should go. Before my dad kicks up a storm." He said as he got up and walked toward the window he had previously entered.

Catalina didn't know what she had said but she wished she could reverse time and take it all back. She shouldn't have said so much all at once. I mean seriously how had she expected it to go down? They didn't like each other let alone bare their very souls. God she was an idiot. She had an abundance of things she wanted to say to him but all she could muster was-

"Yeah, okay."

"I'll see you later." Was all Jackson said as he crawled out her bedroom window and down the tree. He wouldn't look at her.

Catalina walked over to the window and watched him walk away. She waited thinking maybe he would turn around, maybe come back and kiss her again. But he didn't even turn to look at her.

Catalina walked over to her bed after turning the lights out and laid down under her soft bed spread. She pulled the blankets around her as tight as she could and touched her fingers to her lips. What had she done?

***

A whole week had passed since Jackson had jumped through Catalinas bedroom window. They hadn't spoken, looked at each other or kissed since. She couldn't stop thinking about the feeling of his lips on hers. The weight of his hands on her hips. He was seriously nothing like Dylan. Then again Dylan was as bad as you could get.

Catalinas ex-boyfriend was to be considered a sight for sore eyes, and her pore eyes had to see him every single day. Of course it only made sense considering he was now dating her closest friend Eliza. It wasn't Elizas fault. She didn't even know. Eliza came after Catalina and Dylans time together. Catalina could've said something but, when she heard her friend gush over her first love and found out it was Dylan, she just didn't have the heart to say anything.

"Hi sweetheart" Elizas charming voice carried through the small canteen area in their high school. She made her way toward the table Catalina was sat at, Dylan in tow.

"Hi" Catalina muttered back. She really wasn't in the mood to sit around Dylan right now.

"Brighten up a bit why don't ya Cat." Dylans voice cracked through Catalinas ears like a loud, stupid, fucking annoying ass drum.

"Fuck off Dylan." Catalina usually had a better filter when it came to these things but she really wasn't having it.

"Guys, please. The hostility between you two has gotta stop I mean, where does it even come from." Eliza cut in.

"Baby, it's not my fault your friend is a 'Debby Downer'." Dylan voice was easily her least favourite sound.

"You're right Dylan. I just need to shut the fuck and smile. I'm so glad you were here to make me realise that. Thank you!" Catalina had learnt the use of sarcasm quite well. She quickly stood up and tried to convey and apology to her friend through her eyes before grabbing her stuff and walking away.

***

The rest of Catalinas day was a drag. All she wanted to do when the final bell of the day rang was buy a huge tub of cookies-n-cream ice-cream, snuggle under her blankets and watch twilight. All that went out the window when she received a text from Jackson.

'Meet up at yours?' was all it said.

She was so annoyed at him she almost said no. But she soon realised she could use him to get her frustration out.

'My window. 7:30." Was all she wrote back.

She couldn't wait.

Authors Notes:

I hope all you readers out there are loving these two as much as I am!

Remember to vote and comment if you can.

ty <3

(Word count - 1257)