Saved By A Bad Boy

[11]. Stuns, Puns, and Orangutans...

"You have to be missing something," Jax told me for the tenth time, folding his arms across his chest as we both stared at the blank photo album. It was like we expected it to just spill all of its secrets if we watched it for long enough, though after twenty minutes of doing nothing except looking at it, I don't think that's likely.

"I don't know what I could be missing. I mean, I've done everything she said. I've looked in the album, I've looked in the library, I've even asked you to help. What am I supposed to do? Flip through every book? There are rows and rows and rows of shelves in here. As in-" That's when I started rambling nervously for the tenth time, and also for the tenth time, Jax had to cut me off.

"Okay, I get it. There's a lot of books," he said, a small smile threatening to appear on his face. "I guess she expected you to read them all. It should only take a couple days, at your rate." I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry to break it to you, but I have more to do than joy-read," I said slowly, opening the photo album again as if answers would just suddenly appear. 

"Whoops. I forgot. You have to make time to write your instruction manuals on how to live the most boring life ever," he said with a smirk. I glared at him.

"No. I have colleges to think about and homework to do and tutoring...and...and..." I trailed off, but Jax only responded with a deep laugh.

"College? Homework? Tutoring? Damn, you're right, Alyssa. Your life is far too thrilling for the likes of me. I mean, what do I know about fun? I'm too busy driving to Seattle and going to amusement parks and parties, so I couldn't possibly understand the thrill of graphing," he explained.

"Is it so wrong to care about my future?" I seethed, but Jax continued his analysis of my life.

"Okay, tell me in vivid detail: What's it like to go into Walmart and see a row of calculators? I mean, how do you ever decide? You got scientific ones, normal ones, and graphing ones. And don't even get me started on choosing the color, though you probably have to pick gray, right? Because colors are too stimulating?"

"Alright, Jax. You're funny," I said sarcastically, but I decided to go along with his little game. "At least I care about things far more important than which person I want to bang next. I mean, who are you, the Pokemon master of STD's? Gotta catch 'em all?" Okay, why would I say that? But as I saw the look of horror cross his face, I didn't regret it at all. Serves him right.

"Okay, I don't know where you get your thinking from, but I do not sleep around," he replied defensively. "What do you think I do, make a habit of it?"

"That's exactly what I think you do."

"Well you're wrong. Girls just tell their friends I slept with them to make them feel better about themselves," Jax informed me, very firm. "And just so you know, I got checked a couple weeks ago. I'm STD free." I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, but that was weeks ago. Who knows how many girls you've been with since then. Eighteen? Nineteen?" I raised my eyebrows at him, and Jax looked completely taken aback. 

"I. Have. Not. Slept. With. That. Many. Girls," he spat.

"Really? Can you give me an exact number as to how many you've been with?" I continued skeptically, crossing my arms.

"I don't use women, Alyssa," he answered.

"You avoided my question."

"I did not."

"You're still avoiding it. You just can't give me an answer because you've slept with so many-" I began. I didn't get the chance to finish, however, because in that moment, a pillow smacked me in the face. My mouth clamped shut, then flew back open when I realized where that pillow came from.