Here Comes Trouble

Chapter Six - Opening Up

Justin's POV

Life with Selena isn't going as bad as one might've expected. One meaning, me. After the first few days coexisting with the criminal, I pretty much resigned myself to living the next two years in agony. But with weekly 'family nights', the occasional dinners together, and driving to school, I really got used to her--for lack of a better term. If it weren't for her constant need to humiliate me every second of the day, I might even...like her.

Ryan got along with her unsurprisingly well. He always did like girls who were more challenging than not. If it weren't for Alexis, his kind of girlfriend, and this, Jace(?) than I would think they're dating. I'm not entirely sure she doesn't have a thing going with some of his friends, however. One of the twins--I can't be bothered to differentiate the two--touches her a lot and laughs at all of her antics.

Mere is oddly suspicious of everything she does, though. Watches like a hawk anytime Selena is anywhere in my vicinity. I would ask her about it, but if there's one thing Meredith hates, it's getting cornered. And I'd rather not lose my best friend over something stupid I don't even have a basis for.

Currently, I'm doing homework at the coffee table, while Selena is lounging on the couch, and flipping through channels way too fast to even resister what's on screen.

"Lena." I groan, throwing my pencil down and pinching the bridge of my nose. The nickname has started to roll off my tongue easier and faster than her name. I would be grossed out that we've gotten 'nickname close' but it feels too natural to raise an eyebrow at.

She rolled her eyes at me, but stopped restlessly pounding the remote's buttons. The absence of a biting sarcastic comment, or even a frustrated huff stop me from continuing on with A.P. Chem, though.

Come to think about it...she's been oddly resigned all day. Smiling only when spoken to, didn't systematically destroy an innocent bystander with words, she even let my dad walk out of the house without so much as a glance at his hideous yellow shirt and green tie. And as I study her more, I can see the soft frown pulling at her lips, and the way her fingers ring in her shirt, almost unconsciously.

I start to worry.

I don't really know what I'm worried about, whether it be that a sad Selena is somehow scarier than an angry one. Or that I have no idea how vindictive she can get when upset. Or maybe--maybe I'm just worried because she's sad. Maybe I should start admitting to myself that I don't hate that snarky brunette.

But today is not that day.

"Selena?" I mumbled, scooting over to the front of the couch, and a seat away from her head. Her hair is sprawled messily under her, face contorted with focus, as if this episode of House Hunters is giving a lecture on quantum physics.

After a minute, and a poke in the cheek, she blearily blinks up at me, confused and hazy for a moment. When the glass sheen of hesitance wiped away, and her eyes shone with recognition, she turned her head toward the ceiling.

"What do you want, Justin?" Her voice was hollow, like the words were pulled from her throat, rather than spoken. She sounded...resigned.

I sighed, trying to think of the best way to go about this. The fact was, Selena had to be handled delicately, like a bomb when anything personal came into the mix. I didn't want to push her away, or get a knee to the jaw.

But honesty is the best policy.

"What's up? You're not the type of natural disaster you usually are."

Her eyes twinkled playfully, rolling down to mine, "yeah? What's the difference meteorologist?"

I snorted, happily. A joking Selena was familiar territory. Something I could navigate with my eyes closed. "Normally you're something like a earthquake or tsunami. This more...tornado, harsh storm, type deal."