Four Years

Chapter 2

Like fishes without water, the lot of us continued staring in the direction Jace left as helplessly and desperately as those water-robbed fishes feel when they're flopping on the ground.

"This can't be happening!" Shelley cried out.

We turned to look at her with somber expressions.

"How can he refuse me like that? I'm pretty and popular and a cheerleader for god sake! How can he?!"

Kevin awkwardly gave her side glances as she threw a fit. Savannah and I were at a loss of words because no one ever expected such a reaction from Jace. He rarely ever got mad, but just now, when he said those words, he appeared relatively disturbed. What could've been his issue? As far as we knew, he didn't even have a girlfriend.

Savannah and I shared a look before both of us excused ourselves from the table where Kevin was trying to comfort our hysterical friend after his friend's rejection. We followed in the same path that Jace took before we spotted him a few paces away from us.

"Hey, wait!" I exclaimed at his back.

Jace paused, one feet in front of the other but didn't make an effort to turn around. We hurried over to him and stepped around him.

"Uh, Jace, about what you said—"

He set his dark eyes upon mine even though it was Savannah talking. She fumbled to put up a sentence that would help our friend's predicament but to no avail.

"I refuse." He said to me. My breath caught under the intensity of his stare.

Lightly brushing my shoulder with his, Jace swiftly exited from our question and our sight. I looked over my shoulder only to see him disappearing around the corner just as a group of freshmen crowded in front of my line of sight. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why the guy who was the epitome of a gentle behavior was suddenly acting so gruffly towards us.

The bell toiled overhead announcing the end of lunch making Savannah curse softly under her breath. Her turkey sandwiches were not given the deserving treatment of awe and salivating smiles. Shelley met us halfway to our next class as she handed us our bags which we had forgotten in the cafeteria and made a beeline for her next class which was on the other side of the school.

Savannah had the same class as mine, and when we stumbled into the class to spot a mop of dark brown hair hunched over a desk at the back, I had a sudden urge to take a seat at the back. Being curious by nature, I had this undying urge to know everything about everyone, and while I knew perfectly well how this habit could push me into trouble, I made no active efforts to suppress it.

Jace kept his eyes closed as he rested his cheek on his arm, completely unaware of the two girls who had come to hound him. I felt a little bad for him; maybe we shouldn't do this. Pressurizing someone to do something never really did any good.

"Lyss, should we wake him up?" Savannah whispered into my ear from her seat behind me.

I turned my head slightly. "I don't know, what if he hits us?"

"Hitting fellow humans unnecessarily and for showcasing strength is simply an act of insecurity."

I jumped in my seat, eyes wide staring at Jace' perfectly composed face. He had somehow known we were sitting close to him and that so without opening his eyes.

Savannah and I stayed quiet throughout the class mostly because of the History teacher having eyes for a microscope that somehow picked every movement anyone made. I found myself thinking about the reason why the gorgeous guy sitting beside me would ever refuse my gorgeous friend. After I had nearly daydreamed the entire class away, I came to the realization that I was acting obsessed with this whole situation. It is never a good idea to dive headfirst into someone else' business even if that person was your best friend.

The class was dismissed in a short while, sending everyone scurrying away like trapped rats finally free. Jace patiently and politely waited for me to pack my things into my bag so he could leave. Him sitting on the inner side must be a bane for him for he couldn't move until I did. This very thought had me slightly flustered.

I got up from my seat quickly and turned to leave when my foot caught the edge of the desk causing me topple backwards and land right in front of... Jace' shoes. If anyone had felt so great an embarrassment, it was in that moment. Thankfully no one except him and my best friend were the witnesses of my hideous fall.

Jace crouched down quickly. "Jesus! Are you okay, Alyssa?"

"Oh, yeah. I don't do this often, don't worry." If only I could face palm myself so saying that.

He offered me his hand, helping me back to my feet. I let my hair fall around my face so as to hide my flushed cheeks. After a fall like that, only a fool would not be embarrassed. Jace made sure I was okay before he left me alone with Savannah.

"See, he is polite." Savannah at last spoke up.

I frowned at her. "You could've at least helped me."

"Well, Jace looked perfectly capable of helping you." Then she grinned mischievously. "Hey, maybe it's you who he's hoping would ask him out."

"Don't be stupid," I made a face at her, "I mean I think he's definitely cute and everything but let's just hope he focuses on Shelley."

*   *   *

"This is so stupid." Shelley sniffled as the three of us leaned against her car after school.

I watched as our star quarterback made an obnoxious joke to his fellow jocks before they started howling with laughter. He has also dated Shelley.

"Okay, you need to stop thinking about him." Savannah groaned, having enough of her whining. Truth be told, Shelley was sort of a whiner.

I nudged Savannah subtly. "What she means is there's no point in wasting your time after someone who doesn't care about you."

"You guys don't understand — hey, there he is! You both are my best friends right? Will you please for the last time try to convince him? Pretty please?" Shelley pouted at us while pointing to Jace and Kevin walking out of the school.

I groaned internally. The thought of talking to Jace gave me anxiety. Why is his face so pretty dammit?

"Fine, but this last time." Savannah warned her to which she nodded vigorously.

We waited till Jace and Kevin were passing right in front of us before Savannah called his name. Upon looking at the source of noise, his face went blank. I was already dreading this conversation.

"Hey, so before you interrupt and just leave. Please hear us out?" Savannah held out her hands in front of her as though trying to calm an irritated child.

Kevin glanced at Jace as Jace crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay, what?"

"Look I don't know why you're so against just one date with my friend here. She's a very nice person most of the times and it's not like she's asking you to marry her. Why won't you just accept it?"

He closed his eyes briefly before letting out a breath. "I don't want to go on a date anywhere with her alone."

"But why?" Shelley cried out like a petulant child but Jace was already starting to turn away from us.

"Wait," Savannah calmly called out. Her expression told me that she had figured something out finally.

Jace kept on walking this time without pausing.

"How about we set up a double date?"

That miraculously halted him right on his feet.

"With whom?" Kevin echoed the question on my mind.

Savannah, right then, looked at me. "With Alyssa."

"What?!" I gasped at the sudden twist of events.

Jace, at last, turned back to face us. His eyes, gripping dark orbs, onto me. I felt like a subject of dissection. How had this turned around and stopped at me?

"With Alyssa." Savannah said, this time more firmly.

His throat bobbed. "With Alyssa." He tested the words on his tongue.