"I think I'm going to have the spaghetti," Jackson mused as he folded up his menu and placed it on the table top. He turned to Simone with a giant smile on his face. "What are you going to have, babe?"
Hearing Jackson call a girl 'babe' was definitely weird. Actually, so many things about this entire situation were weird. For instance, the casual way his arm was looped around her tiny shoulders. Also how she leaned into him, her hand resting on his knee. How she looked up at him admiringly and batted her eyelashes. If you glanced at them you'd see a young couple in love.
When I looked at them I felt nauseous. I was trying my hardest to push those feelings aside but curiosity was gnawing at me. Why would Simone even come over to me and so obviously flirt with me if she was so happy with Jackson? My subconscious was screaming suspicions at me. Was she using him for a free plane ride and a place to stay?
"I think I'm going to have..." Simone giggled a little as she searched the menu. "Oh I don't know! It all looks so good. What about you, Wesley?" Her eyes met mine and she gave me a sickeningly sweet smile.
"Pizza." I replied, rather coldly. I looked away from her, back to the table of four girls. I saw her pout from the corner of my eye.
Jackson shot me a confused glance. I shrugged back just as he opened his mouth to say something. Simone quickly jumped in before he got the chance. "I bet the pizza is delicious here." She replied sweetly, pretending like my sudden attitude wasn't annoying her. I could see it in her eyes though as they searched me, she wanted my attention again. "I guess I'll have... hmmm.." She hummed, her fingers skimming against the glossy pages.
"Would you just pick already?" I snapped with a loud exhale.
"Wesley!" Jackson exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock at my rude behaviour. I swear to god, Jackson acted more like my mother than my own actually did.
"Jackson, its fine." Simone muttered, her hand reaching out to be placed over his on the table. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. She looked down at her lap, avoiding my angry gaze.
"No, it's not fine. Wes, what's your problem?" Jackson demanded.
I could just tell Jackson right now that his perfect little girl friend completely hit on me when he wasn't around. I could do that and Jackson would suddenly have no reason to be mad at me. I could do that, but I wouldn't. Jackson was my best friend and I wanted him to be happy. The last girl he had really liked and gotten close with was his lab partner. She led him on for months and in the end he found out she was really trying to get to me. As annoyed as I was at Simone, there was no way I could be the reason for Jackson getting hurt again.
"Nothing, sorry." I shrugged, turning to her. "Take your time, Simone, really." I let my voice sound sincere, even though inside I was bubbling with anger. I didn't trust her; she'd given me reason not to the minute we met.
Simone smiled a small thank you. "I'm ready to order now, anyway." She kept looking down at the table, still unable to meet my eye. A small twinge of guilt rocked through me.
We gave the waitress our orders.
"So, Simone," I began as the waitress walked away with our menus. "Jackson and I have a baseball game today. Jackson wants to miss it to spend the day with you. But I don't think you're the type of girlfriend who won't let a guy hangout with his friends, or are you?" I had started out trying to be nice, but somewhere by the end of it I'd ended up coming off as a dick again. Oops.
