Blackbird

You Don't Know Me

Forks, Washington

I held a tight grip around my disposable coffee cup as I walked briskly and rather quickly ahead of Meredith.

And Nixon.

My mother's lovely gesture of brewing a cup of coffee to-go for Nixon allowed him to walk with us to school. Together. So, as a result, I took my long legs as an advantage and widened my strides as I, rather furiously, walked further and further ahead of them. I felt bad for Meredith. Her attempts to keep up with me were struggling. She didn't want to be left walking side by side with my potential stalker either.

As she managed to jog in her heels behind me, she reached my side, breathless.

"Okay," she panted, "as much as I hate you for leaving your best friend behind, I think it's only acceptable that you make it up to me by getting in my car and driving to school instead of-"

The sound of a crack and thump cut her off. Meredith gasped and abruptly stopped walking. I turned around, rather irritated that we gave Nixon enough time to catch up with us. She took off her shoe and analyzed the broken heel.

"Instead of walking..." she slowly and defeatedly finished her sentence while she stared at her precious shoe with a look of despair.

I heard Nixon holding back a laugh behind us. I just rolled my eyes and ignored every bit of his existence. Why did this boy revolt me to no end? I was afraid to find out.

"Maybe you shouldn't wear heels and fancy skirts and blouses and blazers to freaking school, Mer." I snapped out of no where.

Meredith slowly adverted her attention to me and I swore I saw her almost growl in anger. Was I intimidated? It's safe to say, when Meredith is mad- she is mad. Especially when it comes to her heels.

So yes. I was a tad bit terrified.

"Jess, if we keep walking, there's no doubt that we will be late for first period. If we just drive, we'll get there in five minutes with enough time to sneak into our classes before the teachers arrive." Nixon effortlessly shrugged.

He was right. Walking would take another ten to fifteen minutes. I knew this choice was absurd but I just needed to let my anger out by some kind of aerobic exercise.

And I hate exercise, the only form of it I'll accept is speed walking. So walking it is, walking will do. I seem to be a pro at it, anyway. Just give me a creepy yet unarguable gorgeous boy to boil my blood for some unknown reason and I'll be striding my legs in the blink of an eye.

Wait, did I just refer to Nixon as gorgeous?

"Yeah, I hate to admit it, but he's right."

Meredith looked at me with pleading eyes. They cried out 'I will personally murder you before Nixon even gets the chance to, if you don't get your ass in a car, pronto.'

I huffed and rolled my eyes, grabbing Meredith's arm which held the broken and worthless shoe.

"Fine,"

I confidently dragged Mer behind me and swiftly walked by Nixon without the slightest eye contact. Though, something felt strange as I passed by him. I looked down at my arms to witness goosebumps and hairs sticking up on their ends. I wasn't cold, considering Forks isn't the warmest of places, I've certainly grown accustomed to the weather here.

Then what could it be? I swear this boy is going to make me go insane.

I stopped in my tracks as my grip on Meredith loosened. I turned around to face him, the boy who showed up in my life and made everything one hundred times more confusing and weird. The boy who somehow looked breathtaking while doing it all.