The Bad Boy's Nerd

24. Love Lead The Way

A/N - really love this song, and I felt like it went well with the chapter. Incidentally, I'm totally addicted to it, it's on repeat, I crie. 

Chapter 24

   "How about this Sunday?" Jenny asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

   "Sure, I'm always free," Kate laughed.

   "Yep," I chimed in too, as we made our way from Kate's locker to mine.

   The light conversation continued as we talked about our classes and homework, and which shows we were going to watch instead of doing that whole pile of work. Approaching my locker, I noticed Ian leaning against his talking animatedly to Connor.

   As soon as Connor saw us, he grinned and ran to Jen, instantly tickling her and then showering her with kisses. But I wasn't focused on any of this, I could only watch as Ian turned around, a lazy grin creeping onto his face once he locked eyes with me. I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest, the way it was thudding against my rib cage. Every time I saw that smile Ian had just for me, it was like I was falling for him all over again.

   We looked at each other for a couple of seconds more, lost in our own little bubble as we drank each other in, like it was the first time we were seeing each other. I loved that feeling, like nothing was never old or boring or monotonous with him, everything we did felt like it was new.

   Snapping out of it, I walked forward to my locker, my grin growing as I got closer to my Ian. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, I opened my locker and took the books I needed.

   "Is that really all I get?" he pouted, his arm around my waist, playing with the hem of my shirt.

   "Yes, it is," I nodded, smiling brightly at him.

   "Good thing you're cute, then," he chuckled, rubbing his nose against the tip of mine lightly and then placing a feather-light kiss on my forehead.

   "Are you implying that I have nothing more than my looks?" I deadpanned as we began to walk to towards the doors.

   "Wow, I really need to get myself a guy," Kate groaned behind me.

   I turned around to see Kate leaning against a locker, looking between Connor and Jen, and Ian and me. I laughed and then pulled her towards me, linking arms as the three of us walked together.

   "Just 'cause I have some loser guy doesn't mean I forget about you," I laughed, nudging her.

   "Amen," she exclaimed, looking up at the sky. "So Ian, I heard you haven't asked your lovely little girl to prom yet?"

   Ian looked down at Kate and then me. "Well, not yet, no," he said, scratching the back of his neck with his hand.

   "All the better for me then. Alexis, will you go to prom with me?" Kate asked, grabbing my hand and batting her eyelids furiously.

   "Oh my, I thought you'd never ask," I blushed, fanning my face with my hand.

   "Hey, she's still mine," Ian said defensively, wrapping his arm securely around my waist and pulling me into him.

   "Apparently he only likes me for my looks," I sighed, looking over at Kate.

   "You and I both know that's not true," he mumbled into my hair, slipping his hand into mine and entwining our fingers.

   I couldn't fight the smile that was creeping up on my face, so I buried my head into his shoulder, tightening the grip he already had on me. I could hear his chuckle rumble through his body and the smile grew bigger.