In Omnia Paratus (AU) - Book 2

What do friends do?

"We need knew friends because they are idiots. All idiots." Matt snapped as I stepped inside the room. I frowned at him, I had no idea what was going on and why I wasn't invited to this little lunch thing.

"Calm down." I quickly smiled taking his arm as we sat down together on the sofa

"No, Jenna." He lashed out standing up leaving me sat alone. "They're idiots. You should of heard what they were saying, all bullshit."

"About me?" I asked raising my eyebrows. He went quiet then and sighed like he was sorry for shouting. He came over and sat next to me taking hold of my hand.

"Yes," he paused, "but it was all lies."

"By what I've heard I don't think they're lying." I shrugged my shoulders.

"What?"

"Needy? Controlling? I should of realised it sooner." I shook my head feeling a bit embarrassed about the whole situation.

"What are you talking about?" Matt asked and I just stared at him hoping he'd just shut up for a minute. "Oh Jen." He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and we sat back on the couch. "You are neither controlling or needy I'm sorry you heard what they said."

"It's true though, isn't it?"

"No, look Jen, what they said is because of some weird idea that Lily put into their heads. She's brainwashed them into thinking you're this horrible person. They all know you're not. We just need to give it some time."

"I hate that. "Oh we just need to give it time Jenna." Time is not going to fix this but, going and slapping Lily might." I said angrily.

"Hey hey calm it. Let's go back to lesson and then we'll talk about this. We don't need your dad coming down tomorrow into a bigger mess than this already is. Nor my parents." Matt laughed as we stood up.

"Alright, let's go." I smiled holding his hand on the way to English.

- - - - -

"Guess who hasn't done her article?" I smiled at Matt as he walked into my office, he sat down opposite me.

"Who?"

"Lily." I smirked. "My excuse to bombard her later on tonight."

"Nice." Matt smiled kissing me quickly. "I'm going home tonight remember to pick up the parents so I won't be around but if you need me call me." He smiled.

"Yeah are you leaving now?" I asked.

"Yeah I just came to say goodbye." He kissed my cheek before saying goodbye and then leaving quickly.

- - - - -

I realised that once Matt had gone home I literally done nothing to do. It was only 6 o'clock and I didn't want dinner yet nor did I want to have it out with Lily at the moment.

Dorm was the only place I had to go and luckily Lily wasn't there when I got there. I didn't do much, I sat and did some work then watched tv until I got hungry and went out to get some dinner. Alone.

"Hey ace." Richard bumped into me straight away.

"What did we say about the nickname, huh?" I smirked at him.

"Sorry. Jenna." He joked speaking all formerly and out of character.

"Oo full name." I winced grinding my teeth as if the name bothered me or something.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes. "So we still going away next week?" Richard placed an arm around me, but only in a friendly way.

"You were invited." I smiled suddenly remembering the stupid trip we had planned and how awful that was going to be now.

"Good, you'll text me the details?" He asked swiftly.

"All of them." I sighed.

"You alright? You seem down." He wondered stopping before I could even walk in to the canteen.

"Yeah I just had a huge fight with Lily and uh she's turned everyone against me-- hey you wouldn't mind if you came with me to get dinner would you, just so I don't look like a loner?" I asked gently.

"Hey I'll sit and eat with you if you want as well." Richard smiled down at me like my knight in shining armour.

"Oh there's no need I'm going back to dorm anyway." I smiled nervously. "It would be awkward anyway--"

"Would it? I mean we always said we were going to be friends..." Richard shrugged his shoulders.

"Well ok then. What do friends do?" I asked.

"Well they hang out, watch tv and eat." Richard laughed.

"That's what we did before, how will this be any different to dating?" I laughed back at him.

"I don't know." He frowned.

"Oh we don't make out all the way through the film." I pointed out.

"Oh what's the fun in that?" Richard joked. "Come on let's go get dinner and then we'll hand our at your place you can even call that boyfriend of yours."

"He's gone for tonight, gone to get his parents." I shrugged.

"Ah-- same for Molly." He smiled.

- - - - -

"So turns out she doesn't really need us?" Olivia frowned seeing Jenna walking with Richard into the canteen to get food. They watched as they stood by the tills and Richard even paid for her food.

"You don't think they're--" Lucy started.

"Cheating?" Lily wondered. "No, they wouldn't do it in broad daylight. Someone would talk."

"Well maybe they broke up with their other halves." Olivia suggested.

"After that speech Matt just gave us? I don't think so." Lucy laughed.

"They're leaving." Lily said through gritted teeth.

"Probably going to your dorm too." Olivia smiled.

"Shall we?" Lily grinned.

- - - - -

"So we're going to this cottage thing, I've got pictures on my laptop if you want to see where we're actually going?" I asked Richard as we flopped out on the sofa after eating.

"Yeah that would be cool." He smiled.

"Okay..." I got up slowly and went round to my desk then got my laptop and sat down with it on my lap. "Right so there's like 50 bedrooms in this place by the way so it is huge." I joked before feeling him lean in next to me to read the website I'd brought up.

"Well everyone's chosen their rooms so yours would probably be uh... This one here." I pointed as I scrolled through the photos.

"That's nice, when are we going?" He asked feeling his warm breath on my neck.

"The Tuesday after parents weekend. We break up school tomorrow obviously but we thought everyone might need a day to get sorted and send some of their stuff back home with their parents this weekend." I explained.

"Sounds good, and how long for?"

"The morning of Christmas Eve." I explained.

"Oo I don't get to miss my parents big Christmas Eve party, wow anyway we could delay getting back?" He joked.

"I'm sure there will be lots to drink there." I smiled tapping his cheek. "You'll have tonnes of fun."