It's All Fake

32.

After that night, Julian and I barely said a word to each other. We wouldn't even look at each other. He'd just brush my shoulder everytime we crossed paths in the hallways, avoid my every attempt to approach him and, the worst part, he wouldn't even let his friends sit with me and Amanda even when they wanted to, which by the way, was everyday.

To be honest, I kinda missed him. I miss his lame jokes, his lame innuendos, his idiotic way of cheering me up and his ki-

"Hey!"

I jumped and snapped out of my thoughts and turned to look at Amanda. "What?"

"The bell just rang. I'm going ahead. I'll see you later, okay?" She said.

I smiled at her. "Yeah. Sure."

She left while I headed to my locker, the hallways starting to clear. I sighed and rummaged through my things.

"Claire."

I froze. I recognized that voice. I turned around slowly, dreading what I was about to see. "Jack... what are you doing here?" I asked.

He exhaled and pursed his lips before saying, "I came to see if you were okay. I saw you crying at the party and I... I thought you were crying because of me and I just wanted to say I'm sorry. And that I... " Oh, no. Please. Please, don't say it! "I still love you." And he said it.

His tone, his expression and most especially, his words made me angry. I scoffed in disbelief. "You're sorry? Really? You're sorry? What the fuck, Jack?! Were you really sorry when you fucked Julian's girlfriend? Or the fact that you've been going around town with Stacey Mavericks acting like you're not sorry at all. And to think I actually trusted you." I rambled.

"Claire, listen to me. I love you."

"And that's suppose to make everything better?" I snapped. "You listen to me, Jack. I actually liked you. Even when everything and everyone was telling me not to because things like these always happen but I took a risk. For you! I let my guard down and for what? A cheating asshole?" I paused to gather my bearings. "Now I realized how big of a mistake that was."

And just like that, ladies and gentlemen, I caved.

"Claire, I'm sorry, okay? Please, just give me a second chance. I'll do anything." He begged and grabbed my shoulders.

"No, leave me alone!" I pushed him away and gave him a disgusted look. "You disgust me, Jack Morgenstein." I said and did the only thing I knew what to do at that very moment.

I ran.

I couldn't breathe. I was suffocating. And the fact that I was running was only making things worse. And when did I even start crying?! It didn't matter then, because during those moments, I felt alone. Like everyone was out to get me and there was no way ou-

I bumped into someone and landed in their arms. And, surprisingly, I immediately felt safe. And there was only one person who could make me feel that way by just hugging me. That someone took hold of my shoulders and made me look up.

"Claire? Claire, why are you crying?" Julian looked so concerned, it made me want cry even more and curl up in his arms but I couldn't stay.

I had to get out of there.

I looked up at the boy who held me like I was his world. But what I saw made me realize something. I was staring at the boy who now held my heart in his hands, the boy who made me feel like time stopped with his kisses, the boy who made me feel safe just by hugging me, the boy I was falling for.

I was falling in love with Julian Turner.