Am I in Love With a Criminal

Chapter 3 - Holly

As Jesse and I sat here I thought about him maybe missing me at school. But I doubt it. He's probably found a girl that would actually suit him. What could I give him? Hand me down clothes probably. That made me think about dad. The way he would buy things from the thrift store not because we had to but because he wanted to save money. He thought he could save the world, by creating things that were Eco friendly and safe. Yet here we are with him six feet deep and us having to buy from the thrift store. I wish he was still here, but you can't control a car accident. However the man who hit him could've just called a taxi and not driven at all. It made me wonder if dad would still be alive if that hadn't of happened.

I was jolted from my thoughts by Jesse who was lightly shaking my shoulder. "Hey Holly, you good," he said my name with such ease and comfort. I was brought back to the real world and I wiped my face. My hand came away wet. I must have been crying. "Yeah" replied, "just lost in thought I guess." I stood up and walked to my closet. I grabbed dad's jacket out and put it on. I looked at Jesse and saw he looked a little jealous. He was probably wondering why I was wearing a men's jacket. "It's my dad's" I said to him, I looked down and corrected myself "was." Jesse had understood what I meant and he stood up next to me. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. I knew he meant it.

"I should go now it's getting late," he said. I nodded and showed him out the door. Mom called out to me and I rushed in to see her. "What's wrong," I said concerned. "Nothing," mom replied. "That boy's cute." "Mom," I said laughing, "he's just a friend." I looked out the window to see Jesse walking down the street with his headphones on. "A really good friend," I whispered.

The next few days I stayed with mom helping her. There was still no sign of Ace. He's probably drug dealing somewhere dodgy with his mates. Vanessa had sent a few warnings and threats so I just blocked her. I don't even want to see her again but I know I have to. Unless I get mom to home school me.

I waited another day until mom was fully better before I asked her to be home schooled. I hoped she'd say yes because I couldn't dread going back to that wretched place. I hyped myself up before going to the kitchen to talk to mom. "Mom could I talk to you please," "yeah sure, what's up." she said, sitting down at the table and gesturing to me to join. I told mom all about the threats and Vanessa pinning me against a tree. I told her about always getting embarrassed and not being able to do my work in a school environment. "By the end mom was nearly in tears. "Honey I'm so sorry that all of this has happened but I don't have enough money to home school you." She said sadly. "What if I got a weekend job to help out with bills and you could ask for a raise or get a better job." "We could try, I suppose but not yet." mom said, nodding. "I'll work for a bit while you go to school for a little longer so we have some money saved up in case this doesn't work out." "I threw my arms around mom "thank you" I said gratefully.

I walked with Jesse to school the next morning and I told him the news. He was happy for me but he also seemed a little upset. "Don't worry we can still see each other and be friends." I said reassuringly. Before we reached the school grounds I gave him my number. I then stayed behind as he went in. I waited and stood there for a few minutes before following. I couldn't take any risk of Vanessa seeing us together.

That day I could feel Vanessa's eyes following me everywhere I went. I even saw her trying to fall in front of Jesse for his attention. I laughed when he just walked around her. He looked back at her on the floor and smirked. Vanessa got up and ran past me, clearly she was crying because you could see the whole bottle of makeup coming off her plastic face. In maths Jesse and I sat at the back of the classroom and passed notes. I copied his work when he let me. Vanessa who always sits at the front with her friends had no idea that Jesse and I were doing this. Until I saw her friend look back as he handed me a note. Shit! I saw her lean over and whisper to Vanessa. She looked over her shoulder at me and did something unexpected.

She stood up and pretended to trip. Mr Wilson spun around and looked at Vanessa who was fake crying on the floor. Damn, those years of her doing drama were paying off. Mr Wilson helped Vanessa up and asked her to ask someone to take her to the nurse. I glared at her as she glared at me. "I choose Jesse" she said as she stared into his eyes. "That bitch" I mumbled. I knew it was coming and I hated it.

Jesse gave me a look as he went to help Vanessa. She clung on to his arm as they walked out of class. I felt my blood boil and I had a feeling I rarely felt, jealousy. When Jesse and Vanessa entered I saw a faint lipstick mark on his cheek. My heart dropped when I realised it was the same shade as Vanessa's. I felt anger, jealousy and betrayal. I guess Vanessa does get everything in the end. I avoided Jesse the rest of the day, although it seemed as if he was trying to follow me. I didn't want to talk to him, I didn't even want to see him again. After school I left immediately sprinting home before he could come after me.

When I got home I ran into my room. Homeschooling couldn't come any quicker. Lee called me that night to check on me. "Vanessa's a pick me girl, bitch who doesn't deserve anything." she said over the phone. "I know," I replied, sighing. After the call ended I turned my phone off. I wasn't going to school tomorrow, I couldn't bear seeing Jesse or Vanessa.

That night I forced myself not to dream about Jesse. However I couldn't help it. I dreamed that he and Vanessa never met. I knew I was being selfish, but I also knew that I was catching feelings and falling for him. I awoke at around two in the morning to what sounded like a police chase. I heard sirens and screeching of tires. I looked out my window to see smoke in the distance. That looked far enough away to be the local cafe. I called Lee instantly because she lives next to the cafe. She answered and panicked. "Somebody broke in but when they couldn't take anything so they burnt the place down. The police are pursuing him now". "I'm so sorry," I said quietly.

The next morning I stayed at home and watched the news. Apparently the thief didn't get caught and the cafe was completely burned down. My heart sank for the owners and for Lee. It must have been so traumatising to see the building two doors down from hers burn. I wanted to do something to help but I didn't know how.

That night I decided to go to the playground. To clear my head. When I got there I saw a swing moving, someone was on it. As I neared I saw it was Jesse. I gasped and turned to walk away. He must've seen me because I heard him come up behind me. I felt his soft strong hands grip my wrist. "Let go" I said without looking into his eyes. "Let me explain please" he said to me pleadingly. "Fine," I said , rolling my eyes. We went back to the swings and sat down.

"So explain," I said, already annoyed. "I guessed from the look on your face when I walked into class that day" he started. "You must've seen the lipstick on my cheek, but it's not what you think." He sounded so sincere I knew he was telling the truth. "When I was taking Vanessa to the nurse, she pushed me against the lockers and tried to kiss me. But I moved my head in time so she only got my cheek. I was so mad at her but I couldn't do anything. I didn't have time to wash it off so when I came back you saw it." I connected the dots in my head as he finished the explanation. I looked down at the well worn bark, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry" I whispered. "I Know Holly." I loved it when he said my name.

We then got up to leave but he grabbed my hands on the footpath below a streetlamp. he gazed into my eyes and I stared into his eyes. I noticed now that they were a deep ocean blue, partly shielded by his wavy black hair. "Jesse...." I started, but at that moment he lent down and kissed me.

It was my first kiss and it was perfect. He placed one hand on my hip and the other on my cheek. When he pulled away I noticed his eyes looked happier. "What was that?" I asked. "Something I wanted to do for a long time." he replied, looking at me lovingly. I then wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you" I whispered into his ear. His arms wrapped tighter around me. When we were released we went our separate ways.

That night I couldn't stop thinking about our kiss. My lips still tingled where his touched mine. And as I was thinking about every little detail, I couldn't help but remember the faint smell of smoke on his sweater and of course my mind went straight to the worst scenario.