Best Friend's Brother: Chapter One

Stood Up and Asked Out

I shot up off of Nathaniel with wide eyes and heavy breathing. He groaned and opened his eyes to see me pacing in front of him. When I realized he was watching me, I bolted to the door and started running back to the safety of my house.

He freaking kissed me! This was not part of the plan! Shit, this isn't good. If Alexa finds out, she'll put my head on her wall. 

I flopped on my bed as my phone rang. I picked it up and pressed answer before looking at who was calling.

"Jessica?" I heard Katie weakly say. I was tempted to hang up but decided against it.

"I'm sorry Katie, I was overreacting and overly exhausted in every way possible. I'm so sorry," I said as my throat got tight and my heart started to hurt.

"It's fine, I know you're going through one of the hardest times in your life. That's not why I called though..." Katie trailed off.

"Katie, what's wrong? Was it Conner?" 

"No, it's Nathaniel. I don't know what happened between him and Alexa but he has been moping around the house all day, and he never does that..." Katie said quietly like she was trying to keep it a secret that she was talking to me.

"Is Nathaniel around, and that's why you're speaking so quietly?" I asked hoping that was the case.

"Yeah, do you know what happened or if it was or wasn't Alexa? I hate Alexa just as much as you do, but I hate seeing my brother like this," she said with sympathy lacing her words.

"It was Alexa. They had a huge fight last night, and Alexa didn't like the way Nathaniel was talking about me. He was defending me like he didn't care about Alexa at all. Almost like the only reason he got together with her was to get that information out of her..." I processed then it clicked, "He wanted to figure out what the beef was between Alexa and me because even I didn't know. Katie, do you think he was planning this whole thing? Get with her enemy to get the tea?"

"That is what he would do, I mean, why else would he go for Alexa? She's not his type but why is he dragging himself around the house like he just got his heart broken?" I could hear Katie's confusion. 

"Maybe to make the illusion real? Make it seem like he was really into her so you wouldn't get suspicious?" I guessed.

"That's a good point... I knew that he didn't actually like her because he likes someone else."

"Who?" I tried to pry. 

"That's not my place, doorknob," Katie laughed, and I huffed making Katie laugh more.

"Fine, I'll get it out of him somehow. Do you want to go to Kendall's Koffee with me?"

"Now?" Katie said as if she was surprised.

"No, next week, yes now, you doorknob!" I laughed, and Katie said she would meet me there.

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I sat in the booth in the far back corner that faced the rest of the shop as I waited for Katie. I glanced at the clock that read 12:46 P.M. Classic Katie, half an hour late. I took out my phone and started scrolling through my Instagram that consisted of the usual aesthetic photos and collages from tons of different accounts.

I heard someone sit down across from me and looked up expecting Katie, but it wasn't. It was my friend Matt. He gave a tiny wave and a smile, I returned the gestures.

"Hey, Jessica. You're in my Chem class, right?" He asked, and I nodded, "I'm used to you sitting in front of me. I would always play with the ends of your hair."

I nodded and laughed a little.

"How've you been? I haven't been able to talk to you lately," I gave him a smile.

"It's been a little rough lately, but I'll be okay," I said, "I've become the laughing stock of the school. It's all thanks to Alexa who can't seem to leave me alone."

"That really sucks," He said and gave me a sympathetic smile. I noticed that he wasn't wearing his work clothes.

"Were you waiting for someone?" I asked gesturing to his attire.

"Yeah, but he didn't show," he smiled revealing his braces, "then I saw you over here and decided to come and say hi. I hope that was okay."

"It's fine, my friend didn't show up either," I took a sip of my hot chocolate.

"Do you want to do something next weekend with me?" Matt asked out of the blue.

"Like what?" 

"I don't know, something," he chuckled and shrugged, "We could go to the falls and take some pictures, it's beautiful at the beginning of Autumn. We could go to an arcade, or a movie, whatever you want to do. I just want to do something."

I smiled, "Let's go to the falls, that sounds fun. Plus I could get some aesthetics because why not?" I lightly chuckled and we finalized our plans for next Saturday as today was almost over. We were talking about everything under the sun for only God knows how long. We were talking about our "love lives" when Matt brought up the comic.

"So," Matt started, "who was that comic for? If you don't mind me asking?"

I looked out into the coffee house to avoid eye contact for a moment, "It was actually for you," I said in a low whisper.

"Really?" He asked as if he thought he was being punked. I gave him a slight nod, still not making eye contact. I felt his hand lightly touch my chin and forced me to look at him. He smiled at me, "I was hoping it was."

I gave him a confused look, "Why?"

"Because I really like you too."

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Monday morning rolled around, and I bumped into someone as I walked in the double doors of the school. I turned to apologize and saw Nathaniel looking back at me. I froze as he took a few steps closer to me. He began to wrap his arms around me, but I dodged them, no matter how badly I wanted to be in his embrace.

"Nathaniel, no. If Alexa sees me hugging you, she will put my head on her wall. I already am dealing with enough, and I don't have the energy to deal with her." I explained. 

Nathaniel nodded and rolled his lips in, "What about what happened on my couch? What was that?"

"I don't know! You tell me!" I exclaimed but kept my voice low, "You have a girlfriend yet once you have a fight with her and I try to comfort you, you kiss me."

"You kissed back," Nathaniel countered.

"That's not the point! You kissed me first, and you are in a relationship. Serious or not, that isn't what you do when you're mad at the other person!"

"What if I told you that the only reason I'm with her is to make you jealous?"

"I would say you're a liar because if you were really trying to make me jealous, you would've known that it would've killed me more to see you with Autumn than Alexa. Every time I look at your face, it kills me because now I have this thing hovering over me every time I see Alexa. You cheated on her with me," I paused to take a breath, "I won't stand with being a rebound, Nathaniel. I'm either the first choice or not a choice at all."

I turned back around and head to my first-hour class, ignoring the look I got from Mr. Heart for being barely ten seconds late.