Crossing Hearts- A Maidstone Love Story

Chapter 11

Jasper reached home, his head pounding slightly from the stress of the day. He barely registered the sound of the door closing behind him as he trudged down the hallway and headed straight to his room. The cool, quiet space was a relief, a sanctuary away from the chaos that had consumed his day.

He tossed his school bag onto the bed and quickly stripped off his uniform, replacing it with a pair of swimming shorts. After rummaging through his mini-fridge, he grabbed a can of beer and a cigarette from a pack he'd stashed away. He needed something to take the edge off, something to help him forget the mess he'd created.

Jasper made his way outside to the pool in the backyard, the water shimmering under the late afternoon sun. He slipped into the pool, letting the cool water wash over him as he cracked open the beer and took a long sip. The cigarette was next, and he lit it with a lighter he kept hidden in his shorts' pocket, the familiar burn of smoke filling his lungs.

For a few minutes, everything felt blissfully numb. The tension in his muscles eased as he floated on his back, staring up at the sky. But the peace didn't last long.

He heard the front door open, followed by the sound of footsteps and voices filtering through the house. Jasper didn't need to look to know who it was. Casper, their friends, and probably Alessia and her crew too. He sighed, taking another drag from his cigarette, knowing the confrontation he'd tried to avoid all day was inevitable.

The group made their way through the house, calling out for Jasper as they searched for him. It didn't take long before they found him in the backyard, lounging in the pool with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

"There he is," Casper said, relief and exasperation mixed in his tone as they all gathered around the edge of the pool.

Jasper didn't bother sitting up. He stayed floating on his back, letting the water support him as he took another sip of his beer.

"Jasp, what the hell, man?" Dylan asked, his voice laced with concern. "Why'd you go to isolation? And why are you out here drinking and smoking like this?"

Jasper sighed, finally sitting up in the water to face his friends. His gaze shifted to Alessia, who was watching him with a mix of worry and confusion. "I just needed a break, okay? Today's been... a lot."

"Yeah, we get that," Casper said, sitting down at the edge of the pool, dangling his feet in the water. "But going to isolation all day? Ignoring everyone? That's not like you."

Jasper took a long drag from his cigarette, the nicotine helping to calm his nerves. "I needed to get away from everything, from everyone. And I was pissed off, alright? Pissed off at how things went down last week, pissed off at... well, everything."

Alessia stepped closer, her voice softer than the others. "Jasper, you could have talked to us. To me. Why did you shut everyone out?"

Jasper looked at her, the alcohol making him more honest than he intended. "Because I was mad at you too. Mad that you didn't want to tell anyone about us. Mad that you didn't listen to me in PE. And I was tired, Alessia. Tired of pretending that I don't care about any of this."

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of their implications. Alessia's eyes widened slightly as she realised what he'd just said. "Wait... you mean... us?"

Jasper blinked, realising his slip-up, but the alcohol had dulled his ability to backtrack. "Yeah. Us. I told my parents about us because I'm done hiding it. And honestly? I don't care if everyone else knows too."

There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone processed his words. Alessia's friends exchanged looks, surprised but not entirely shocked. Finally, one of them, Emily, spoke up. "You two are... dating?"