The Reasons Why I Need You

6. How Old Would You Be If You Didn't Know How Old You Are?

Jared's POV

     "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are," I ask Emma.
     "Ugh, another one of your random deep words. Just like every typical player," she scoffs.
     "Why do you hate me so much," I ask her.
     "You can't just, come to a school and think you own it. It's cocky behavior that turns me in the other direction."
     "So you're saying you're gay," I say jokingly knowing she isn't. I've seen her looking at my body, a lot.
     "Excuse me," she snaps looking like she's disgusted. Maybe that wasn't the right thing to say to a girl if you want to get her to like you. Good going Jared.
     "I was just kidding," I say trying to brush it off.
     "It's also those kind of things that piss me off. You think you can joke around offensively to a person and expect them to like you," she says glaring at me. "Not in my book."
     "I'm sorry I'm sorry," I say putting my hands up in the air. "Guilty as charged."
     "Can you be serious for just one moment? You treat life like it's a joke," she scoffs at me.
     "What if it is?"
     "Jared please, it needs to be taken seriously. Life is too short."
     "Exactly! Life is too short, you need to live it and have fun! Tell you what come over to my house tomorrow. I'll pick you up after school and we'll have some fun."
     "Umm, no. Getting in a car with you is setting my life up for disaster," she says before laughing harshly. Ouch. Does she really think that low of me?
     "Come on Emma, the deal is I'll leave you alone after prom. Not before.
Unless you fall for me," I say winking at her.
     "I'm never gonna fall for you."
     "You will."
     "No I won't."
     "Then come over to my house."
     "Why?"
     "If you're scared you're gonna fall for me, then you won't come to my house. It's that simple sweetheart." I couldn't resist. I love calling her that. Her reaction is priceless.
     "Jared, stop calling me that. And fine. I'll come over because hell no I'm never gonna fall for you. Never you," she says glowering her eyes at me. Geez, this woman was ruthless with her hate towards me.
     "Let the games begin," I say winking at her. She needs to know I'm not giving up until she falls for me. By then she may have me wrapped around her finger, or I'll kindly friend zone her. That simple.
      "Relating to the topic from your so deep words earlier, I think you act like you're fourteen. An immature boy trying to act mature. As for myself, I'm the age I am now. Taking life one step at a time," she says looking as if she made the truest statement of the century.
      "Emma, sweetheart, you need to live life. You're hiding and watching everyone else live but yourself."
      "So?"
      "So you need to act like you're 'fourteen' and have fun. You haven't been taking life one step at a time because everyone else has done that for you."
      "What? You're not making sense Jared."
      "What I'm saying is, you haven't experienced anything because you've been watching people do it. You think you're so experienced yet you haven't even done the same things those people have. Whether you like it or not I'm going to be around until prom."
     "But why me Jared? Why am I so damn special that you won't leave me alone," she asks utterly annoyed that I called her out on her boring life. As much as I like her I am not going to lie and say her life is eventful. She's a wallflower that needs to get off the wall and bloom.
      "Emma, I have my reasons of why I 'won't leave you alone.'"
      "Then what are they?"
      "You have yet to know why sweetheart."