Dark & Light

~Chapter Seven~

Paige's POV

***

No way.
Jack wasn't asking this.
Of course he is. Jack is Jack, simple as that.
Chris-he wouldn't admit anything. Would he??
Nah, he won't. I was sure of it, for three reasons:
First off, to admit you like someone, you actually have to like that person. Chris does not like me. Strike one.
Chris would have to admit to smartie-pants Jack he does. And Chris won't. Strike two.
If Chris admits to ever liking me (he won't, but) terrible things would happen. Surely Chris is aware of what could happen as a result. So again he won't admit to anything.
Strike three.
This possibility had just...struck out.
"So," Jack repeated, "do you two like each other?" He looked from me to Chris, Chris to me. He stared intently into my eyes to the point of making me feel uncomfortable. Don't look at me. I'm not admitting to ANYTHING here.
"Well?" Jack let out cooly, though I could tell our silence was beginning to irk him.
Chris raised his eyes slowly, which had been formerly staring downcast, and met mine, then Jack's. No way he's gonna say anything but a simple no from his end. Stop secretly hoping any different.
"Well, Jack. I do like Paige. I don't know about her liking me, but I certainly like her. Does that answer your question?"

He didn't just say that.

OH MY FREAK CHRIS REALLY JUST SAID THAT.

Jack, from what I could see, looked positively stunned that Chris had admitted to anything of the kind like this. He quickly covered up his confusion though.
"Uh...wow, man. Well," he said nervously, glancing quickly at his wristwatch, "I should go. Got...stuff to do."
He practically flew out of the booth, and gave us both a quick goodbye. And left.
Totally unlike calm, cool, and collected Jack, and so I was worried.
But not worried enough to forget what Chris had just admitted though.
I turned slowly to him, but he was nervously typing away on his phone as if composing a message was dependent on his life at this moment.
Oh don't be Mr. Phone Obsessed again. Not right now. This is the moment where you confess your love and hold my hand and kiss-

HOLY STARS ABOVE. I DID NOT JUST THINK THAT.
DID. NOT. HOLD OFF ON THOSE STUPID, CRAZY THOUGHTS THERE.
WHERE THE HECK IS MY DEFENSIVE SIDE EVEN GOING? DOES IT EXIST EVEN ANYMORE?!

My insides were screaming at me (figuratively speaking) at what I had just thought, hoped, Chris would do. What was happening to me?!
"Paige..." His sweetly soft voice called to me and woke me from my frantic thoughts.
"Sorry about that whole thing with Jack. I just told him I liked you because, well, uh, to get rid of him. Maybe he'll back off and away now that he thinks I like you."
I gulped. "What do you mean?"
"I just said what I did for show. Well, actually not. I do like you. But as a friend, that's how I meant it," Chris assured me.
Friend zoned. "Oh," I voiced softly in keen disappointment.
"I thought that'd be the best way to keep him from bothering us," Chris continued explaining.
"Oh, yeah, right. Of course." I agreed and formed a small smile.
Inside I was hurting. Crying. Trying to get over the fact that my life tends to be extremely stupid and pointless. This is what happens when I hope for anything whatsoever.
He hadn't even meant what he said.
I almost had a freaking heart attack then he friend zones me right after.
He has no idea what is the result of what he said anyway, though.
Ugh. Chris. How could you do this. And... just how could you do this...
I bit my lip to hold the bitter tears back, and flipped open his math textbook to help him with his math problems. That's all he needs help with from me.
I'm nothing more than a math tutor to him.
Then I caught myself wondering something.
Why the heck is the fact that Chris thinks of me only as a friend bothering me so much?