Cheek to Cheek

Chapter 9

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The next day, Tabby came to my locker, a fake smile plastered on her face. Her eyes said it all: hurt, betrayal, confusion. I attempted to ignore her mixed array of feelings as I closed my locker to look at her.

“Hey,” she whispered. We looked at each other straight into each other’s eyes. Her lips twitched. Her eyes twinkled. She was trying not to fall apart. Without realizing what I was doing, I wrapped my arms around her. She nuzzled her face into my shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” I heard her whisper. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t need to say anything right now. I just had to be there for her. Louie hurt her enough already. Once she was done, she lifted her face off and sniffled. Her eyes still twinkled, but she hadn’t been crying. Instead, she smiled again, this time a little more sincere, and wiped her nose with her sleeve.

“Come on,” she said, grabbing my arm and yanking me forward, “We better get to class. I’m already on my third tardy. I so don’t need another detention.”

Linking my arm through hers, we walked to chemistry.

“I was thinking last night, and you were right. Louie is a total jerk. I could do better,” she said. I looked at her sideways.

“You sure? You don’t seem so positive,” I asked, but she flipped her hand in the air.

“Ah, screw him. Screw guys, in general. All of them are jerks,” she said, trying to reassure herself more than me. I looked ahead.

“Amen to that.”

We walked in to chemistry, releasing the link on one another, when I quickly looked for Jack. He was in his seat, peering down at his lap and smiling to himself. The teacher didn’t notice. I wanted to catch his attention, so I followed Tabby to her seat, flipping my long, wavy hair as I passed his desk. Looking up, he realized it was me and smiled.

“Hey... Carol?” he asked. I giggled.

“Kat,” I corrected him, “Hey yourself.” I looked at Tabby, who was staring at me, waiting for my next move. She tapped the desk in front of her and mouthed ‘Get on his desk’ as quietly as she could. 

I tucked my hair behind my ear and smiled at Jack again, who was back to his phone. I straightened my skirt out the best I could. I put both of my hands behind me on his desk and tried to hop on. The desk slipped from beneath me as if it had wheels, sliding away from my body. The desk knocked Jack’s phone out of his hand, and it fell to the ground, coming apart. I tried to catch my balance in a rather unattractive pose, almost falling on to Jack’s lap. 

I looked up to find Jack’s face a few inches apart from mine, stunned. The blood rushed all to my face; I could feel my face heating up. I tried to smile and laugh off what had happened with a few other people who had been watching, but my laugh turned into a mix between a cough and a gasp. I bet I sounded like an animal. I straightened my posture and adjusted my skirt, Jack’s eyes never leaving mine. I smiled at him one last time, waved my fingers at him, and quickly walked to my desk as the bell rang.

Once at my desk, my head collapsed into my arms from the shock of embarrassment I had just felt.

“What was that all about?”

I looked up to find the humored tone belonging to a smirking Jake. My face flushed even further. I shook my hair a little for it to fall to my face.

“Oh, you saw that?” I tried to say, pretending to giggle. Jake’s eyebrow rose in anticipation for my answer. I looked down and pretended to find something interesting in my fingernail.

“Oh, nothing,” I said, “Just... trying to get Jack’s attention. Like always.” I scrunched my nose in an effort to appear cute, trying to avoid eye contact. He already knew I liked Jack; I might as well have been honest.

“Well, you certainly got mine,” he said, “I got a great view of your-”

“Shut up,” I hissed, pulling down on my skirt. At that, Jake laughed and shook his head.

“Man, I’ll never understand why girls wear slutty clothes if they don’t want guys looking,” he said. I was not wearing slutty clothes. I looked down at my skirt to find that it had been high up above the waist to make it appear shorter. My shirt had thin straps to hold it up and had somewhat of a low-cut to reveal some cleavage, which had been helped by a push-up bra. Looking back down at my clothes, I realized I did look just a tad bit slutty. I usually didn’t dress like this. I had only started doing so to get Jack’s attention because he seemed to like girls like that.

“Hey, I’m joking,” Jake said, breaking my trance. I stared at him for a few seconds.

“About the slutty clothes, I mean. You’re not a slut. If anything, you’re like the total opposite of one.” I nodded, signifying thanks, but still glanced down. After another few seconds, Jake placed his hand on my desk.

“I mean it,” he said. I looked at him and smiled, shaking my head.

“I get it, don’t worry,” I reassured. He smiled back and retrieved his hand.

“Okay, good. I don’t want you to think you’re a slut. To be honest, I consider you very sexy in a classy way, babe,” he said. I just laughed again, pulling my hair, not knowing what to say.

“Thanks... I guess?” I stated. He nodded, smirking, his eyebrow raised up seductively.

“And I also like your ass. Just saying,” he said and winked. I pointed my finger at him accusingly. He raised his hands up in the air in defense.

“I’m just saying!” he claimed. I shook my head.

“I thought we discussed this already,” I said. He shrugged.

“Hey, you said I couldn’t touch. Doesn’t mean I can’t look,” Jake said. I still had to grin at that and give him credit. Boy knows a way with words.

“So uh...” he said, patting the desk in front of him, “Want to give me a show like you did over there?” I glanced at Jack and remembered the humiliation that had just happened a few minutes ago. I groaned, slouching down into the desk even further.

“What am I, a stripper?” I barked at Jake. Jake laughed, obviously pleased by the idea.

“Only if you want to be, babe!” he exclaimed. I looked away in disgust.

“Ugh, creep. And stop calling me babe.”

Jake adjusted himself in his seat. “Whatever you say, babe. Just remember the offer is always open!” My teacher just arrived with his overflowing binder in his arms, ready to start the lesson. As he turned the projector on, I grabbed my own notebook from my bag. He started the lesson in no time, and in no time, I was bored out of my mind.

After ten minutes of lecturing, I went back into my bag to find something small to occupy myself with. Not finding anything, I settled myself back into my desk. As I did so, I noticed a note sitting on my desk that had not been there before. Cautiously, I grabbed it. I fingered the handwriting on the front that said “Babe ;)” and rolled my eyes. Glancing at Jake, I began to open it. Jake wasn’t paying attention. I looked down at the scribbled writing.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

I suck at writing. I think you’re cute. (Told ya)

Not touching your butt sure is a bummer,

but is it okay if I then got your number? (Holy crap, it rhymed!)

I tried to stifle a laugh. Quickly, not looking at Jake, I crumpled up the note as fast as I could and threw it into my bag. I waited in anxiety for the rest of the period to go by, not making eye contact with Jake. When the bell rang, I ran out once again, not looking at Jake, Jack, or even Tabby. I just rushed out, hoping he wouldn’t follow me.

Why, oh why was I the player’s new target?