A Hint of Color (boyxboy)

Chapter 8

In the morning, I realize Jude sent me a text last night.

Thanks, and I'm sorry.

I respond by telling him it's okay, but he doesn't reply.

On Monday, I try to act normally in Art, but I still feel bad about Friday night. At lunch, he sits next to me like usual, which makes me feel a bit better.

"Aren't you eating?" I ask, realizing he didn't get any food today.

Jude looks around and then shakes his head.

"Did you forget money?" asks Taylor.

"We'll spot you if you did," I add.

Jude smiles, and to my surprise, speaks to everyone. "No, I'm just not hungry. Thank you."

Nadine watches him in amusement. "That's the longest sentence I've ever heard you say." Jude blushes.

She's right, though, I think he's only ever said hello and one word at a time to them.

Evynne laughs softly.

Jude seems to relax a little and then gets out his sketchbook. I was a bit worried after what happened on Friday night, and he still looks a little nervous, but it seems like he's getting along with us just fine.

-----

We have a fire drill during Physics, so I trail behind everyone at the end of the line as we head outside. Suddenly, I realize someone else is behind me. I glance back and see that it's Jake.

Wonderful.

He doesn't seem to be pleased to be near me either, and the rest of his friends are up at the front of the line.

I look at my phone to distract me. There's a text from Evynne.

Jude's pretty cute. Know if he has a girlfriend?

I try not to laugh. So random. Evynne's sweet, but I can never tell if she's serious when she talks about boys. Jude is really cute though.

I don't think so. He's shy though, so go easy on him...

I like a challenge.

A challenge?

He's mysterious. [;

Jake steps on the back of my shoe and I shoot him a glare, even though it was probably my fault for walking slow while texting.

"Calm down, it was an accident." He rolls his eyes and we continue to walk. Once we stop outside and our teacher takes attendance, I feel his eyes on me and glance at him.

Jake narrows his eyes and my heart hurts for a moment. I haven't been this close to him in a year. The last time I saw his face this closely, his lips were against mine.

"Stop glaring at me all the time like you hate me," he says.

"I do hate you," I say without thinking.

"No you don't," he says quietly. Jake looks around and then meets my gaze again.

He's right. He hurt me, and he hangs out people who hate me, but I can't hate him.

I sigh.

"I still think about you," he whispers, so only I can hear him.

I bite my tongue. Hell no, he doesn't get to say that. Not when he distanced himself from me and sided with people who regularly try to mess with me. "You haven't said a word to me in a year. What am I supposed to say to that?"