Kisses from Karma

Chapter 1.4 The Switch

I carefully arranged my textbooks in my locker according to my schedule. Jesse’s stuff were neatly kept in my bag that hung on my back. I didn’t know whether to look forward or to dread seeing Jesse today. Should I act as if nothing happened? Would that make me look cool or conceited? Or maybe I should start a small talk about it. Maybe not. Or maybe I should confront him about him going through my phone.

                Last night, I woke up three times with a smile on my face and I would fall instantly back to sleep again. It was as if even in my sleep, I was aware that I was wearing Jesse’s hoodies. This morning, before I got ready for school, I stared at Jesse’s message again. ‘Good night, Stalker. :*’ it said. My stomach would go fluttery every time I think of the kiss emoticon part.

                I shut my locker and yelped in surprise to find someone leaning on the locker next to mine.

                “Hey, Stalker,” Jesse said, his arms folded in front of him. His brown hair was damp and a little tousled, as if he just got out of a shower. “You slept early last night?”

                I waited for my heartbeat to slow down—which was taking much longer than it should considering that I was just a little stunned. “No. Why?”

                “Well, you ignored my text,” he said, his voice flat, his expression blank. “Or maybe you just didn’t get it.”

                Oh I got it, alright. I stared at it for ten whole minutes. I answered silently. “You went through my phone,” I said, trying to sound accusing. “You didn’t just get my number without permission, you went through my phone.”

                “Well, it’s not my fault you didn’t put a passcode to it,” he said. I was relieved when I saw the corner of his mouth hint a smirk.

                “Well, you shouldn’t pry into people’s phones whether they have passcodes or not,” I said, crossing arms in front of me.

                “Same as with people’s lockers, right?” he replied, his leer fully visible then.

                I shot him a glare and looked around to check if anybody heard. “I thought we were through this!” I hissed. “Can’t you just forget about it?”

                He laughed, and his eyes twinkled. He shook his head. “Never.” I can’t help but notice how the little freckle on his left cheek near his mouth makes his lips look a little redder. “But don’t worry, because unlike someone I know—whom I refuse to name, but let’s hide her under the alias Kallie Welch—I respect other people’s privacy. I just put my number in, saved it and dialed it so I have your number too. ”

                He straightened up, he put both his in his pocket and he came closer to me. He gazed down to me, his long lashes dancing above his eyes. His irises were lighter than I remembered, or maybe I just saw them better in the morning light.

                I cleared my throat. “Anyways,” I flung my backpack in front of me and unzipped it, “here’s your stuff. I washed your hoodie just this morning. And thanks.” I took out Jesse’s things and transferred it to his hands.

                He sniffed at his hoodie. “It smells good.”

                It smelled better last night, I thought.

                “The office wants you,” he said. “Mrs. Dabney asked me to get you.”

                My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Really? Why?”