I'm Waiting | ✔

Chapter 9-

Vanessa's POV

"What's up?" I ask when Sasha sits down beside me.

He looks exhausted, a frown on his face and his shoulders slumping as he drops his ballet bag with a thud. "Jenna's what's up."

"Still not forgiving you?" I lay a tentative hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sure she'll come around soon."

"You think?" Sasha doesn't brighten at the statement; it's obvious that he doesn't believe a word that I just said.

"Yeah, I do," I say, forcing enthusiasm into my voice. Is it wrong that I'm glad she hasn't come around? "She can't hold a grudge forever."

"Have you ever seen her hold a grudge on anyone before?"

"Well...no."

"There you have it." He closes his eyes, an expression of pain coming over his features. "Can I tell you something? That you won't repeat to anyone else ever again?"

"Of course! I won't say a word," I promise him.

"It hurts to know that the girl you like is giving you the cold shoulder," Sasha says tiredly.

I take a moment to process his words. "You've got a crush on Jenna?" I try not to let the disappointment and hurt leak into my words. What he's saying right now is only confirming my fears.

"Yeah. I do." A car honks—his ride. "I've got to go now, but thanks for being there, Vanessa." He gets up, slinging his bag over his shoulder easily, his muscles in his shoulder flexing as he lifts it. "See you tomorrow."

I watch as he leaves, studying his every move with a crease between my eyebrows, thinking about what he said.

It hurts to know that the girl you like is giving you the cold shoulder.

Am I that girl for Beckett? I'm practically doing the same things as Jenna!

A wave of guilt crashes over me. Is how Sasha feels, the way Beckett's feeling right now?

I look up, straight into brown eyes.

~

Beckett's POV

She's so beautiful. I stare at her, admiring everything about her.

She's deep in conversation with Sasha right now, who looks weary. Whatever they're talking about seems serious. She reaches out and touches his arm.

A pang of jealousy races through me, just at the fact that my best friend has the girl of my dreams reassuring him. I feel my jaw tighten, and have to remind myself that he likes Jenna.

But that's not the case for Vanessa. Her face lit up when he came over, and she is practically glowing as she speaks to him. I'm pretty sure that she likes him.

I look away, my eyes fixing upon Carly, who's currently whispering angrily to Austin Malone and his new girlfriend, who seems frightened at what she's saying.

I glare at him for a couple of moments before a car honk draws my attention. I glance up, seeing my best friend quickly bid goodbye to Vanessa, then dart into the car. I don't get a chance to wave, not that I would.

I observe Vanessa, who's watching Sasha carefully as he gets into the car, thinking deeply about something. A crease between her eyebrows and her lips, which are pressed into a thin line, show nothing except the fact that she is thinking at all.

But then she looks up.

She glances up, and our gazes lock, a million different emotions coursing through hers. Remorse, sadness, guilt, faith. It's hard to tell what's going on with her, so you have to know all of the signs. She's biting her lip, showing that she's anxious, nervous. It's the only thing about her besides her eyes that let you know anything, anything at all.

I'm really tempted to go over to her. Like, really tempted. I'm just not sure she would appreciate that. Right now, she either needs space or someone to talk things out with. I can't tell which, and I'd rather not get a dart thrown at my heart for caring, not like last time.

I want to be that person that she talks things out with. The way it was last year, when she would open up to me, letting her guard down just enough for me to tell what was going on. I have to wonder what makes her so guarded, honestly. Carly always can be read like a book. You just have to know the signs. With Vanessa, you won't be able to tell unless she's talking about it with you. Even the signs with her are concealed, biting her lip, pressing her eyebrows together. You won't be able to tell unless you know her well, and are looking really hard.

I feel like I know her really well, but at the same time, I don't. She's a pure mystery to me, and it kills me just to know that anything—anything at all—is bothering her, making her life difficult for her in any way, shape, or form.

Should I care this much for her? No. But do I? Yeah, I do.

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Author's Note-

Hey! So, here's that chapter you all have been requesting.

Today I'm doing mass updates--pretty much all of my stories, if you want to check some of them out.

For voting: I just wanted to let you know that I really prefer that you vote based on how well written you thought the chapter was, not because of something else.

Just wanted to give you a big thanks for supporting me. We're practically to 3K reads, guys!!!

Love,

Owl~