Living (RedRibbon13) **Complete**

9. Something like...love?

Chapter 9

Something like... love?

Her eyes widened and she felt her throat go dry. She panicked even more when she realized that she wanted him to close the distance. She looked up at his sparkling eyes, they were glowing mischievously.

Jake smiled shyly when she pushed him and started eating, muttering something about stupid teachers under her breath. He could see in her eyes that she wanted him as much, was confident that he'd convince her that she deserved it, sooner or later. He looked at her face with a smile on his lips, his eyes glued to her pink lips.

The tension was getting thicker in the car and Amanda couldn't take it anymore. It felt too hot in the car, she could hear her heart beat or maybe it was his. She was afraid to even look at him. She didn't want to see those sinfully sexy eyes again. She knew she'd just grab him by the collar and kiss him if she saw that look in his eyes again.

She got out of the vehicle and stood leaning on it, watching the field. She tried concentrating on the horizon, disappointed that the kids were now gone. They would be a great distraction from him.

She stilled when she heard his door open. He came around and stood by her side. She refused to acknowledge his presence and concentrated on her food. She felt his hand crawl down her wrist as he stole one of her cookies but she didn't react.

The silence took her back to the events of the day and she tried hard to keep her face hard. She thought about her friends, wondering if Ryan and Sarah talked it through, if Christian got out from the mess without getting in too much trouble, then she thought of the inevitable, the whole school knew and that meant all the parents and the school board would know.

"Will they ask me to leave the school now?" she found herself asking her favorite teacher.

His head snapped in her direction, and he moved in front of her so that she could see in his eyes that he would never do that to her, "You know that I would never tell them, right? And even if they find out or something, they cannot ask you to leave. You have the right to education in any school you choose. No one can make you leave."

She smiled sadly. He had no idea what happened in school today, "But I know they will request me, tell me how all the parents would pull out their kids if I stay. They'd call my dad and plead with him." she sighed and looked away from his eyes. She was getting a feeling that she'd get lost in those eyes if she stared any longer.

"They can't do that to you. I'll fight the whole system and all the parents if I have to. Did you change schools in the past because they asked you to leave?" he asked as understanding dawned over him.

"Yeah, once. Other times it was because I couldn't take the looks and treatment anymore. I decided not to tell anyone when I joined Mid Town. It was going fine till yesterday."

"And it will be fine, I told you that I won't tell anyone." he said getting a little disappointed that she didn't trust him.

"It's not you, Mr. Crosby. They already know." she said her voice drained.

"What? How?" Jake asked shocked by the revelation. Then he realized why she was running out of the school earlier. They must have done something terrible to her. His fists clenched. 

 "What happened in school today? What did they do to you?" he asked, his breathing coming out in short pants.

She shrugged not sure if she could tell him. She couldn't help the tears when she thought about it.

"I don't know how they found out. Sarah found out and confronted me in the morning but I know she'd never do that to me." she said wiping the tears, and steeled herself when she looked up at him again, "But they made me a tramp, Mr. Crosby. Like always, I'm the slut who is trying to spread my virus to all of them. The sad part is I haven't even kissed anyone.  I never accepted when the guys asked me out. They know the truth. Why couldn't even one of them step up for me?" she asked, eyes boring into his.