Just Once (Book 1 in the Just Once Series)

Chapter Three

Brook’s POV:

What in the hell had possessed me to ask him to hang out with me!?

I mean its one thing to keep my distance and it’s another think entirely to decide to hang out with him.

But damn it to hell, I just thought; if I can get over these feeling I have for him, it would make my life a lot easier.

I chastised myself all day, knowing I should have thought about my words before I said them.

“Hey, babe,” Rick said as he met me in the cafeteria. I smiled and let him drape his arm over my shoulders as we came in.

I was starving.

“Hey,” I answered as I looked up at him.

He leaned down and kissed me. His lips framing mine as his hands dropped to my waist.

 I looked over his shoulder as he closed his eyes and caught Jack watching us.

Blushing, I pulled back quickly.

“What’s the matter?” Rick asked now and I looked at him.

“Nothing,” I lied quickly and he frowned.

“Is this because I didn’t pick you up this morning and you had to walk?” he asked with a hint of humour in his voice.

“No, I’m just hungry and I didn’t walk in, Jack gave me a ride,” I said now and he frowned.

“Yeah, Jack gave you a lift in,” he muttered sarcastically.

“Well he did. I don’t see why you have to be like that about it,” I snapped now, before heading to the line and buying my food.

“I would have given you a ride in, you know that,” Rick said as we left the line, our tray of food in our hands.

“Yeah, I know that,” I said now as we reached the table our friends sat around.

“Hey, guys, you all ok?” I asked as I sat down, I was answered by various yeses and I took the seat next to Larissa, my best friend.

“Hey, haven’t had a chance to speak today, you been ok?” she said as she took a bite of her pizza slice.

“Yeah, it’s just so damn hot,” I laughed and she nodded in agreement, her mouth too full to speak.

“What are you planning on doing for your birthday then?” she asked, before taking a swig of water.

“A meal with the family,” I said and I felt Rick turn towards me.

“You’re shitting me, right?” he snapped angrily.

“No, I’m not shitting you,” I said now and Lee, a friend of Rick’s laughed.

“Yeah, she isn’t fucking you either,” the rest of Rick’s friends laughed and I looked away.

If I was honest, the only friend I had at this table was Larissa; the rest were Rick’s friends, but he got pissed at me when I sat at the other table.

Before I started dating him, Larissa and I used to sit with Jack and the others. They were my friends and at times like this, I missed them all like hell.

My eyes travelled over to my old table to see them all laughing at something Frankie had just said. He was a damn genius, but he wasn’t half funny.

Kristy and Jane poked each other across Ken, who looked as if he was on the verge of smashing their heads together and I smiled. He’d do it too, they should know better before getting into an argument and poking each other whilst sitting on opposite sides of him.