All's Fair in Love and Law

';Part Three- You, Me at Six

There's a picture of Cherri on the side! :)

B. X

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Jake's P.O.V.

I couldn't stop staring at her. 

And I knew that it would draw attention. But I didn't give a damn.

She was absolutely beautiful, not beautiful in the overly made-up sense of the word, but beautiful in her simplicity. In her blonde-brown hair piled up high, exposing her long neck. In her sparkling eyes that caught the light and suggested mischief under her tamer persona. In her natural cherry red lips that begged me to have a taste. Beautiful in the way that she was. Just the way that she was. 

"Cherri?"

I found myself reaching out to her, tapping her on the shoulder and hoping for a response. She had no idea the type of power she wielded over me already. It was complete insanity the way I felt about her. I'd do anything for her to just look at me with those beautiful eyes and smile my way.

"Cherri, talk to me. Please?"

She hadn't called me like she said she would. She always called me. That's the way we were.

Our moms had been friends for a hell of a long time, way before we were even thought about by our parents. We'd grown up practically like family. Like a brother and sister, they always said. But by the time I hit the age of 13, there was no way I wanted to be considered as a brother to Cherri. No way. 

She'd come back from California, tanned, filled out at the hips, slimmed down at the waist and absolutely stunning. And that was it. No more of Cherri being just one of my friends, no more of Cherri even being my best friend. This was the girl I was infatuated with and would do absolutely anything to have. Or so I'd foolishly convinced myself. I was a coward when it came to confessing that type of thing to Cherri and I knew it. When would I ever pluck up the courage to tell her? Would I ever get the nerve?

Perhaps she was angry with me? I had no idea. Cherri was beyond me nowadays.

I liked simple girls. Girls that didn't ask for too much. Girls that were satisfied with a mutual agreement of using each other for the physical stuff and that was it. But feelings? Emotions? Those were only connected to Cherri and she was sure as hell giving me a hard time about it recently. 

She was so focused in Latin today, usually she was just chatting away to her girlfriends, or me for that matter. Was it because of what happened on Friday?

I sighed and put my head on the table, zoning out everything. I didn't care, if Cherri wasn't talking to me, if she wasn't being like she usually was, what was the point?

"Mr Banks!"

I shook my head, waking from my daydream.

"Vita non facile." Miss Crompton said, "Could you please tell me Mr Banks, what that means?"

God, I thought this woman was meant to be a pushover?

I sighed, and smiled to myself. Teachers always thought I wasn't listening, but really I had an acute sense of hearing. I was a multitasker. I could be texting my best friend Arron and listening to a lesson on Psychology or eating left over lunch whilst playing guitar.

"Life's not easy." I said, "And Miss, if I may say you've sure as hell got that one right."

The class burst into fits of laughter and I gave Cherri a meaningful look. A questionable look entered her eyes, one I couldn't quite place. Look away, baby. Come on. Look away. 

Her eyes left mine and she bit her lip sheepishly.

Good girl. 

"Settle down class!" Miss Crompton boomed, "Thank you for that wonderful insight Mr Banks. In fact, I'm sure we can find some equally as interesting comments in Page 101 of your textbooks if you'd like to turn there now."

Everyone groaned.

I waited for Crompton's voice to begin droning on again and then tapped Cherri on the shoulder surreptitiously. 

"Look Cherri, I know you're mad at me, for whatever reason, but what happened on Friday... it wasn't a mistake, okay? I need you to know that."

She turned her head slightly towards me, still writing in cursive font in her exercise book.

"Look Jake, you don't want me okay? I'm your best friend and that's it. Nothing more, nothing less. What happened on Friday was a mistake and I think it would be best if we didn't talk about it anymore...."

"Cherri, I---"

The bell rang loudly and the class' chairs scraped back in a loud collective noise.

"That's it for today class!" Miss Crompton said, walking towards the door, "And Mr Banks?"

I looked up, "Yes, Ma'am?"

"Less of the smart mouth in my classroom, am I clear?"

"Yes Ma'am." I nodded as she walked out of the room. 

All of our classmates followed swiftly behind her and Cherri strode purposefully towards the door, away from me.

"Cherri!" I groaned and grabbed her arm, gently pulling her towards me, "We need to talk about this! We can't pretend like it didn't happen. It's obvious you feel...something. Surely at least a tiny speck of something!"

A frown graced her features but she still managed to look beautiful, "Look Jake, people have been talking about us already, I don't want to lose our friendship over some silly relationship. I've told you I can't be with you already. It's as simple as that!"

"I'm coming round tonight..." I replied simply, settling my resolve on getting my girl. She'd come to see that we were right for each other. She was already working it out for herself. 

"No you're not!" she retorted, her eyes hardening. Typical. The Alonso Resolve. Many found it difficult to crack, but fortunately, I'd been around that family for too long. 

"We have an English project Cher, remember?"

She groaned, looking down at her watch, "How could I possibly forget?"

I rolled my eyes, opening the door for her, ushering her out of the room, "I'll see you at six."

"You, me...at six?" she uttered, humour coming to her eyes for a split second.

"Something like that."

She patted my chest and smiled, reaching up to kiss my cheek in a move that completely blindsided me.

"See you later, Jakey."

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Author's Note: I promise this chapter is just a filler! I just wanted to give you a view of the characters and how they react with each other, but this chapter is NOTHING special! Thanks for your love and support as always, B. X