A Spring Formal to Remember

{Chapter 4} Four different thoughts

It was the next morning, the whole club had met up in the music room. The two singers were awkwardly standing next to each other. The whole club had noticed a tension between them but decided not to interfere.

Hailey decided to be the first to break it, "About last night,"

Jake sheepishly looked away before muttering, "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I don't even know why I said that."

"No, no, it's okay. I love you too, you're my best friend. So you're really important to me." Hailey gave a small smile to him when he looked at her.

He returned the gesture before feeling Milly manhandle him.

"Gah! Milly! Get off!" Jake hissed trying to get the pink haired devil off him.

"Neva eva!" She said clearly enjoying his suffering.

Hailey and the rest of the club laughed at him, he enjoyed hearing her laugh. It made him feel all warm and gooey inside.

"Jake?!" He heard multiple people yell his name.

He shook his head before answering, "Yeah definitely, I agree."

"Were you even paying attention?" Zander scoffed.

"No sorry." He admitted a bit guilty.

"What was so important about the wall anyways?" Milly asked.

Jake turned a little red, "uhm, flashbacks of embarrassing moments from middle school. He hesitated causing them to be come suspicious.

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It was second period, Jake had been sitting with Hailey since the incident with Drew. He looked at him sadly, feeling bad about how their friendship ended.

"You okay?" Jake heard someone say, it was Hailey.

He gave a disappointing smile. "Yeah, just thinking."

She turned her head in the direction he was looking glumly in. She felt bad as she thought maybe the club was a reason their friendship got all messed up.

"About Drew?" She asked, she noticed how he winced when she said Drew. "Hey it's okay, you have us now." She put her hand over his.

Jake noticed and felt his heart beat increasing, what's going on? He looked over at her and saw a small but bright smile.

It made him have a shade of pink cross over his cheeks. Hailey didn't notice but she continued writing for the essay that was due on Friday. Their hands stayed put with her occasionally subconsciously rubbing his with her thumb.

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At the end of class the two walked out making small talk. "I'll see you in science." Hailey said when they got to the hallway where they would split ways.

"Okay, love ya." Jake waved walking off.

"Love you too..." Hailey muttered watching him go talk with Lia.

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"You two a thing?" Lia asked smirking to herself.

Him and Lia had stayed friends and talked regularly after everything that has happened. She found herself different friends and has been a lot happier and a better person.

"No!" Jake turned a bright red at her suggestion.

Lia rolled her eyes, "You both literally said, "Love you." How does that not look like a relationship?"

"We're just best friends that's all, okay?" Jake sighed.

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Jake spent a majority of the day thinking about his best friend. How she talked, laughed, and acted. He turned red thinking of his own thoughts out of embarrassment.

Him and Luke were science lab partners. Luke had quickly noticed how distracted Jake actually was.

"Jake? You good?" He asked nudging him.

Jake sighed, "Sorry, just things on my mind right now."

Luke noticed how his face was a tad red. He looked to where Jake was so distracted by.

He grinned, "Oh, I see."

"What do you mean?" He answered really confused.

"You like Hailey." Luke smugly replied.

Jake's face dropped, it reminded him of what Drew said. He began silently crying.

"No, no, no! Don't cry! I'm sorry it was just a joke." Luke said rubbing his back.

"Heh, it's okay. It just brought back memories of someone." He awkwardly admitted.

"How so?" Luke asked and Jake turned to Drews direction and sadly smiled at Luke.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Luke apologized again but Jake kept reassuring him and they continued to work.

But things popped into his mind, Hailey. Why was he thinking about her all the time? Maybe because she's just his best friend. Yeah that has to be it. Jake concluded.

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The rest of the day was a blur for Jake, he had the thoughts in his head going a hundred miles an hour. He wanted to know why he's been feeling so strange.

He knew he didn't like Daisy after talking with her in his last class. But couldn't quite put a finger on it for Hailey. He tried to think about all the ways he saw her.

He first thought of the annoying nagging club president. His face scrunched up when he thought of her making him practice longer just because he messed up once.

He groaned and decided to think of something else. He thought of how timid she was before they sang. Even though she was able to overcome her stage fright she still would panic. It made him worried about her.

His mind wandered and thought of her as his best friend. She was funny, witty, and kind. The way she took care of everyone and how genuine she was. Jake sighed, she was an amazing person. But it didn't satisfy his mind, it had to be something else.

He thought long and hard but couldn't put it in his head. It started to give him a migraine and make him feel lightheaded. But he wanted to know how he really thought of his best friend.

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Jake felt a hand on his arm, it was Hailey. "Are you okay? You're worrying us."

Jake looked around and saw Luke and Zander with similar expressions. He realized he spaced out during their break period. He took out his phone and turned on the camera to look at himself.

He looked pale and weak, no wonder why they were scared for him. "I'm fine, just dizzy." He sighed.

They hesitantly nodded before continuing conversation, but Jake noticed Hailey moved her hand to intertwine with his.

He felt his face warm before realizing, he thought of her as something other than a friend. He realized that he had a special place for her in his heart, he wanted them to be more than just best friends.

But knew that she wouldn't see him the same. So he chose to just act normal, like best friends.