Sunkissed Serendipity

Chapter 68

Julian

I'm walking away with a small smile on my face as I head to my first class. I'm already running behind. But then my steps falter when I overhear the conversation.

"Uh, we should head to class," I heard Isla say, and she sounded nervous. It made me want to grin, knowing that it could be a reaction to my kiss.

"Wait," one of her friends says, someone I actually don't know the name of. There seems to be a chuckle, and then, "What the hell was that?"

"Uh," my girl said, nervous. "It's an inside joke." The kiss was. I sometimes kiss her out of the blue in the way she kissed me the first time. It was a thing between us.

"An inside joke?" another voice says. There's a snicker, and then, "With who? How do you even know him?"

"From the party," Isla briskly answers.

"And he just casually kissed you?" comes another voice. "A perfect stranger?"

"It's just something he does," Isla says.

"But what? Do you even know him?" comes the first voice again.

"It's nothing," Isla says quickly. "Just a joke." Then she adds, "Let's get to class."

My smile drops from my face, and there is a pang of hurt in my chest that I didn't think I'd feel again. As I run a hand across my face, I cannot even think about the conversation I've overheard.

What the fuck was that?

•

The conversation stayed in my mind the entire day. I went from classes to classes, hoping that I wasn't in any class with Isla. I wanted to see her, but I also didn't. Her words were wrapped up in my mind, and I couldn't get them out. Get the feelings that came along with it out either way. I couldn't understand what it meant. I tried the entire day.

Isla had texted during the lunch hour, saying that she wanted to see me. I left her message on my phone, not having bothered to even open it.

It's nothing.

The words come back to be quick. And then the panicked words that followed.

Just a joke.

What did it mean?

I didn't know how to make sense of it as I drove home. Unfortunately, I didn't have any classes with Isla, and the few times I saw her in the hallway were brief. She hadn't seen me, so I walked right past her.

When I get out of my car, Jack gets out as well. I close the door, feeling myself grow frustrated around the words in my mind.

It's nothing. Just a joke.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

It's nothing. Just a joke.

It's the only thing on my mind. Everything else had been cleared out other than these words. It's nothing. Just a joke.

I feel my hands fist up at my sides, but I unfold them. I plant them on my jeans-clad thighs and take a deep breath out of my nose. I try breathing again. I try to erase the words that were in my mind.

It's nothing. Just a joke.

My hands fist up again in anger, but I unfold them. I got a hold of my emotions, and I was strong enough to not let emotions take over. I was strong enough to not let those words take over.