Mercy

Chapter Seven» Stay away

**Braxton's POV**

We stood there in awkward silence listening to the bell ring. She looked up at me with a small smile and turned to walk to the door.

"Are you coming?"

I nodded and we walked to class. I was bummed out because we were finally gonna kiss and the bell rang. I wish we just would have ignored it, but no.

We are at lunch talking about our project and I started thinking about how I'm going to possibly meet her father tonight. To be honest, I'm nervous. I haven't met any girls father since that chick in grade school. I bet Shawn has met him.

I know he has since him and Caroline have been best friends since birth. I can't help but feel a bit of jealousy again. Every time I think of Shawn it makes my blood boil and I'm not for sure why yet.

I had been zoned out for a while because I hadn't even noticed Shawn take a seat beside Caroline. I was taken out of my thoughts at the sight of him hugging her from behind, taking her by surprise.

"Hey babe, whatcha doin'?" Shawn says. There it goes again, my blood is heating up.

I watch as Shawn keeps his arm around her waist the whole time he talks to her. I noticed how he would look up at me to make sure I was watching him. I cam sense that he is doing it intentionally. I've had enough of this so I get up and excuse myself from the table. Caroline gives me a concerned look but I brush it off.

About five minutes after I had left, I felt someone approach me. Shawn. What does he want?

"Can I help you?"

He clears his throat in a loud manner and starts up, "Yeah, actually you can. You can stay away from Caroline. She doesn't need you and she certainly doesn't want you." He scoffs. "If I see you so much as look her way, you'll get what is coming for you. Got it?"

Is he serious? It's not like he owns her. She definitely doesn't lead on to have any relationship with him other than a best friend type of way. But, maybe she didn't say anything because we've never really talked about it much before. I'll just give her some space I guess.

I nod and he slowly walks away, leaving me to drown in my thoughts.

**Caroline's POV**

Schools over so I am currently searching the halls for Braxton. I can't seem to find him. He should have been waiting for me by the doors like he usually does. I give up and decide to text him instead.

Me:  Umm hey... where are u?

Braxton:  sorry had to go

He is never this short with me what's up with him?

Me:  okay? Still coming to mine tho?

Braxton:  in a little while ig

Me:   you okay?

Braxton:  yep

Me:  .......

Something's gotta give. He is acting really strange. I'll ask him when he comes over. I hope everything is okay. I was thinking we could pick up where we left off in the bathroom....

«««later that evening»»»

I heard a knock on my door and I jumped up quickly. It better be him. It's already 6:30 and I was getting anxious. I opened the door and it was him, thankfully. He wasn't smiling like normal, he was just.... standing there.

"Hey Brax! Are you alright?"

"Yep. Ready to work on the project?" He said. Why is he being like this. I have to find out what's going on, it's killing me to see him like this. We head up to my room and sit on my floor. Braxton starts picking at the carpet. That's it I can do it anymore.

I reach for his hand making him look up. "Hey, what's wrong? And don't say 'it's nothing' because I know you're lying. Is it about what happened in the bathroom?"

He just looks at me for a minute before he starts. "It's not that. I just don't want to tell you cause you'll get all mad and everything. Just don't worry about it, please?"

Okay, seriously this boy thinks I'm going to let it go this fast. No way.
"We aren't starting on the project unless you tell me. I mean it. I don't like you being this way."

He finally gives up and tells me what Shawn said to him. I love Shawn, I do but he has no right to tell the guy I like to leave me alone. I am so mad I could hit something. Braxton notices and he grabs my hands, making them stop shaking.

I look up into his beautiful eyes and before I know what I'm doing, my lips land on his. I'm taken back at first, and so is he. But soon I feel his hands gravitate to my waist and pull me closer to him. We stay connected like this for a few seconds or maybe even a few minutes. I got lost in the moment so I don't know. When we pulled away, I felt better. He made me feel better.

We sat there in silence until I suggested we work on the project. For the rest of the night there was a silence that hung there. As much as I wanted to kiss him again, I didn't want to come off too strong.

When he left I ran up to my bedroom and jumped up and down on my bed. I started dancing around like a monkey. I stayed like this all night until I finally felt a hence of tiredness. My phone buzzed as soon as I got comfortable. I looked at it and saw it was Braxton. I began to feel the rollercoaster of butterflies in my stomach.

Braxton:  I had fun tonight :)

Me:  same here

Braxton:  Idk if I'm gonna be able to listen to Shawn

Me:  Good bc I don't want you to ;)

Braxton:  okay

Me:  okay