Another day at Selbrook High, what a waste of time and energy. I walk in, dreading the thought at another day here as it brings back so many horrible memories, but then I remember my new friend.
Jacob Hiell.
I was about to walk straight to the library to meet up with Jacob as it's our hangout spot but guess who decides to invade my personal space and get all close to my face?
Clarissa and her strange self.
"Hey, Valerie! How's the cancer going?" She says, acting all concerned. As I always say, she plays the part well. She is actress material.
"Oh...Hey Clarissa. Why are you asking?" I ask, restraining myself from rolling my eyes at her and trying to make the mood as awkward as I can so she can leave me alone.
"Oh, you know, because I care about you and your health." She tilts her head to the side and sticks her lip out and attempts to make a pouting face.
Girl, put that lip back where it belongs.
"Thanks, Clarissa but I don't need you checking up on me." I say firmly, expecting her to understand what I'm trying to say and leave me be so I can meet with Jacob. Also, 'Nice Clarissa' is freaking me out and making me kind of nervous. The only time she was nice was when she wanted things to go her way. 'Her way' is the wrong way, in fact if you ever come close to 'her way' then run in the other direction. In fact, sprint. Not getting involved with Clarissa is one of the best things a person could do.
Just then, I spot Jacob in the corner of my eye. In desperate need of saving, I communicate with him through my eyes and I make an attempt to ask him for help.
Poor boy. He just stared at me and furrowed his eyes in confusion. He looks cute confused. Cute in a platonic way.
Hurriedly, I just open my eyes really wide and stare at him and discreetly point at Clarissa who's just scanning my face, probably scheming another devious plan.
Thankfully I see Jacob and his long legs coming to save the day.
"Hey." He says in a deep voice, looking Clarissa up and down.
"Hi," Clarissa says in the kindest voice she could muster, "I was just asking Valerie if she's okay, you know, having cancer and all." Her wretched voice chuckles.
"Look Clarissa if you really must know, I beat cancer." I stare deeply into her emotionless eyes.
Suddenly her smile dropped. This girl is strange, I tell ya.
"Okay Clarissa, I think I'm just going to grab Valerie for a while." Jacob explains.
I feel relieved.
"Sure." Clarissa bites her lips through her words.
Jacob puts his hand out for me to take.
Oh. This is different. I'm not used to this.
I stare at his hand for a while, just contemplating whether not not to take it.
Out of impatience Jacob decided to grab my hand instead of waiting on me to decide whether to grab his.
Gosh his hands are rough. How can a 16-year old have hands as rough as his? What does he do for a living? Massage rocks?
"Why are you so scared to take my hand?" He chuckles, covering his hurt and masking it with a laugh, "Are you that uncomfortable around me?"
"No!" I plead, "No, I'm not uncomfortable around you. I just-"
"It' alright" He cuts me off, gifting me with his gorgeous smile.
Why am I feeling like this? Why do I feel...
Butterflies.
We walk over to the library together, hand in hand. We find our usual spot, two comfy chairs by the big window.
"So, who was that?" Jacob asks, a concerned look inhabiting his distressed face.
"Um, that was Clarissa." I say, avoiding eye contact with him.
"Yeah but who is she. Like I could tell she made you uncomfortable and I don't want that, okay, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."
Whew. The butterflies are back.
I gather myself and restrain myself from swooning over him and try my best to explain to him who Clarissa is and what she's done.
"Long story short, me and Clarissa were inseparable and we went to the same ballet studio, she drove our old ballet teacher to suicide, she felt no remorse, she became an attention-seeker, then when we began high school she left me out of group plans and teamed up with another mean girl and made everyone think I was a homewrecker and was trying to get with the mean girl's boyfriend. Then when I got cancer she never visited me, not once."
"You used to do ballet?" Jacob asks.
"Is that all you comprehended from what I've told you? That I used to do ballet?" I say in an annoyed tone, I mean I summarised our whole friendship just for him to ignore it and pick out irrelevant details.
"No, no I'm sorry. Sounds like that Clarissa girl is a real psychopath. I don't want you near her, okay?" He looks deeply into my eyes with a genuine look on his face and places his rough hands on mine.
"Okay Mr Tulip man, since when have you been able to decide what I can and cant' do?" I say with my head in my palm, smiling
"Since forever." The bell rings and Jacob gets out of his chair. Like before he takes his hand out for me to take and a faint smile subtly grows on his face, complimenting his natural beauty as he basks in the artificial lighting of the library.
"Shall we?" He says.
"Yes we shall."
___________
hey guys!
i hope you enjoyed this chapter
stay tuned for more!!
973 words
17/09/22
YOU ARE READING
The Boy She Saw in the Hospital
Romance"Death isn't just one thing that happens and is over with. That description fits life more. Death is eternal. I mean that's how I view it. Death brings joy and pain. In my opinion life should be viewed as death is. The end. Death is the beginning. A...
