Teasing Me as You're Loving Me

Chapter 18. New friendship, new things, new feelings.

✎ᝰ. 𓍢ִ໋🀦 ✎ᝰ. 𓍢ִ໋🀦 ✎ᝰ. 𓍢ִ໋🀦

"Get up Layla!" I groan, tossing my hand across my head. Hands shake me awake as I open my eyes and see Jayre with an annoyed look on his face. Gosh, I can't find the energy to keep my eyes open as I stare up at him. I raise my eyebrows, I would try asking him why he was waking me up, or complain about how early it probably is, but I am literally about to pass out to sleep again. I see Jayre roll his eyes.

"Layla, wake up, come on. I have something planned this morning. Don't sleep on me!" I almost laugh at the last part, who knew Jayre was a drama queen? I grunt as I force my body to sit up. Once I was finally sat up, I peer at the clock on the table, it was 5:01 in the morning! I whip my head to face Jayre who was sitting on the edge of my bed.

I let out an exasperated sigh, "Jayre who wakes up at five AM?" I throw my hands up in frustration, groaning. He just smirks though.

He clicks his tongue before saying, "You have ten minutes to get ready." he said that with a cocky smile. I want to lay back down, but I know I wouldn't fall asleep, so I get up and head to the bathroom. I close the door behind me as I reach for a pouch I left near the edge of the mirror I was facing. I open it up and start to work on my so-called natural makeup look, whatever you call it. After I was done, I reach my hand in the pouch to pull out a pastel pink clamp to hold up my hair. I take one last look at myself in the mirror, scrutinizing my outfit; a cat necklace that I wear daily, white with a bit of pink air force 1s, denim shorts, a pink crop top with the words "loml" and to top it all off, some pink heart earrings.

"Where are we going exactly?" I ask Jayre as we step outside, he smiles, and I begin to realize that over the past few days I've been hanging out with Jayre, that his smile has creeped it's way into a must see in my everyday life. I don't mind it though, surprisingly.

"To try something new in our new friendship!" he says and I'm still trying to get used to the fact that Jayre is a morning person, and is usually sleeping by 9. While I am a night owl, and usually wake up at 12, PM. And it's technically my fault, I mean, I'm the one who sleeps at 4 AM, so...

I huff a laugh, "Okay scientist, what is this new thing that you're bringing in our new friendship?" I ask. He shakes his finger at me with a taunting smile that i've grown to love.

"You'll have to see for yourself!"

✎ᝰ. 𓍢ִ໋🀦 ✎ᝰ. 𓍢ִ໋🀦 ✎ᝰ. 𓍢ִ໋🀦

"Uh? What is this?" I ask Jayre as we board the boat with bright orange life vests. I mean it when I have not the slightest clue on what we're supposed to do. We're standing in front of a literal inflatable circle. Jayre smiles at me before grabbing my hand and jumping onto the thing, I scream.

"Oh shush, just grab those black handles, tightly by the way." I settle next to him, grabbing onto the black handles. Jayre's hand lands on mine as he flashes me a smirk. "Get ready!" I notice a string that I assume will be pulling us but before I even prepare myself, we dart off to the middle of the ocean.

I scream, and I don't stop. I clamp my eyes shut, pulling my legs to my chest as my hand's grip tightens. I hear laughing but I don't bother opening my eyes, the rush is too much. The inflatable thing bounces on the waves, tossing me and Jayre around. I feel him bump into me several times, and I swear my voice cracked after the last scream.

Once we got off I clutched my chest with my hand. "What the hell were you thinking, dragging me onto that thing!" I complained, to which Jayre just chuckles.

"You must be an adrenaline junky or something." I say with an exhausted tone. Jayre shrugs and we walk, side by side.

It's a few minutes before Jayre speaks. "Are there any turn offs I should know?" he asks and I blink, surprised.

I think for a moment, "Not liking my friends." I say at last. "My friends are very important to me, and if you don't like them or don't treat them nicely, we might not work out." Jayre nods to this as if taking note.

"Why?"

"No reason." he says and I don't know what's going on with me when I don't believe him. It might be the coolness of his face, the nonchalance laced in his words, but it doesn't feel right. I get snapped out of my thoughts though when the main men themselves meet me and Jayre face to face.

"Layla! There you are! We haven't seen you these pasts days." Wacky smiles and falls into step beside me as he places his arm on my shoulder. I see the glare he casts at Jayre for a split second and I elbow him in the ribs.

Zander approaches us warily with a scowl on his face when he comes close to Jayre to get to Wacky's side. I look at Jayre to see him with a blank expression. "So, now we're all here, why don't we all go hang out?" I suggest, mostly to save us all from an awkward situation.

"Sure." Zander says at the same time Wacky says "Okay!" I look up at Jayre, waiting for his answer. A nod is the only answer he gives me.

I am now suddenly very aware of the tension between my Wacky and Zander and Jayre. Because for the first time,

I want them to like Jayre.

✎ᝰ. 𓍢ִ໋🀦 ✎ᝰ. 𓍢ִ໋🀦 ✎ᝰ. 𓍢ִ໋🀦