Chasing Happiness (Rewritten Under My Other Story "It's Just Pretend")

Chapter 16

AN: Hey babes! I feel like this story is losing it's steam, but I'll try to save it! Anne's dress is 2, Christina's is 3, and Claire's is 4.

Jarod walked Anne to her locker.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Anne smiled warmly up at him.

"Yep! No more nightmares." Jarod sighed in relief, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend. She snuggled into his chest and encircled his waist with her arms. They let each other go at the sound of Claire and Chandler's voices. The couple glanced back at each other in surprise. Chandler was grinning and smirking per usual, but Claire was laughing and talking as well.

"Hey lovebirds!" Chandler greeted the two. Anne nudged her friend and wagged her eyebrows in Chandler's direction. Claire rolled her eyes and elbowed Anne not-so-gently in the ribs.

"Hey man," Jarod bro-hugged his friend, "You okay?"

"Yeah. And you should be going unless you want to be late for first hour." Jarod bid them all goodbye and placed a chaste kiss on Anne's lips. Chandler opened the door of their classroom as if welcoming them through before playfully shoving Claire out of the way to enter himself. She hooked her foot around his, making him stumble slightly.

"I don't need a reminder that chivalry is dying Bilyk." He sent her a half-hearted glare and huffed like a child before taking his usual seat by Ashton, Christina, and some of their soccer teammates.

Halfway through note-taking, a paper airplane poked Claire's eye. She let out a soft whimper. Cupping her eye, she looked around to find the culprit. Chandler shrugged sheepishly. She glared at him with one hazel eye and angrily unfolded the plane.

your still comin 2 the party wth me rght? ashton is comin but yeah

Yes, and Jarod's bringing Anne. -CL

no christina?

Anne couldn't convince her. -CL

She picked her pencil back up. A crumpled piece of paper landed on her desk a few minutes later and she smoothed it out.

U light up my wrld ;)

Snickering, she wrote a reply and tossed it back. He grinned and excitedly straightened the paper. He sniggered as he read it.

False, that's the sun's job. -CL

*break*

"Jarod! Stop eating the chocolate chips!" Anne scolded, "We're not going to have enough for the cookies. You ate half of the bag Jarod!" She snatched the bag out of his hands and he pouted.

"Aw come on pleeeaaassseee Babe." He pressed his hands together the way someone would while praying and gave her his best "puppy-dog" face. She crinkled her nose and squished his face between her hands.

"No. Now help me by blending the smoothie." He sighed and got to work. She molded the batter and set it on the pan. She nodded in satisfaction as she slid it into the preheated oven. Next thing she knew, fruit juice was splattered all around the kitchenette.

"Jarod! Lid on before blending! Clean this up right now!" Her hair, face, and clothing dripped in the concoction. She pulled out the tie keeping her braid together and shook out her hair.

"It's not coming out! This is all your fault!" He shook his head vigorously and the droplets came out almost completely. She glared at him, making him laugh. He cradled her face in his large hands and kissed her nose.

"I'm sorry Babe."

"No you're not."

"Not really." She flicked his forehead and ordered him back to work.