Down By The River, By The Woods

Chapter 4

Alex's P.O.V

God! What Jay sees in Ariana, I don't know. Honestly, if she walks into your math class wearing a blinding,flashy pink top and hot pink pants and matching stilettos in,guess what, hot pink, you'd wonder too. Comfort clothes she calls them.

It seriously looks like Barbie puked on her. Not that I have anything against pink, I just have a problem seeing so much of it together.

She then looked around the class searching for an empty place.

I gulped realising that the seat next to me wasn't allotted. I prayed that her eyes would skip past the seat. I had no intentions of sitting with Jay's airhead, blonde, gorgeous girlfriend.

But BAM!  She notices the empty  place next to me and her face lights up with a smile and she ramp walks up to the seat. I internally groaned and outwardly smiled at her. All the boys she passes on her way to the seat were staring at her like she was a goddess . I turned to Ryan and Andrew, sitting two seats behind me, who gave me pitying looks.

This was going to be one LONG class.

***

"Hey! How was math you guys!" Jay asked Andrew, Ryan and me as he set down his lunch tray next to mine.

"I can't believe I messed up another quiz!"Ryan groaned.

"I know right?  Math should be illegal! " Andrew added.

I sighed and said "It  could have been better."

Jay gave me a smile  and said "Why? You couldn't have messed up that quiz. You love math! "

"The quiz?  Oh, that. That was good.. great in fact." I replied distractedly.

Jay turned to Andrew and Ryan and asked "What's up with her?"

Andrew smirked and said "She had to sit through an ENTIRE math class next to your girlfriend. No offense, but she asked so many questions, Alex was about to cry of relief once she heard the bell. "

Jay to my surprise laughed and said "Wow I pity you... "

I wondered what that was all about but just grinned back at him.

"Hey, so it's just you and me today evening right? " he asked me.

Andrew butted in saying "Yeah! Me, Marcus and Ryan are going shopping. Fun, fun, fun!"she added sarcastically.

"Marcus, Ryan and I." Marcus corrected

Jay, Ryan and I just laughed. Once we were done laughing I turned to Jay and said "Yeah. I guess.. Wanna do something together? " I asked.

He grinned and said "Sure. You and me haven't hung out in, like, forever. Wait for me after school. "

"Actually, give me a few minutes.. I have some stuff to do."He added

"OK. I'll see you."I smiled

"God!  Will you two stop flirting? " Ryan said..

Jay and I simultaneously said "We're not flirting! "

"Yeah.. right," unfortunately the bell rang, saving him.

***

I trudged down the hallway checking my phone and obviously bumped into someone.

"Oh My God!  I'm so sorr-" I trailed off as I realised who I'd bumped into.

My wonderful-but-not-so-wonderful- ex-boyfriend Chris Jones.

"Alex! Hey! " He said flashing those gorgeous dimples reminding me of old times.

"I've been meaning to talk to you! "

I haven't.

"Chris,there's nothing to talk about. It's over. "I sighed and said.

"No seriously! I'm really sorry! It wasn't what it looked like! Come on that was like 2 damn weeks ago! "he said/yelled.

"Oh yeah?  So you weren't making out and doing God-Knows-what with that random blonde at Marcus's party?  Cause that's what it looked like me! Were you showing her how the insides of a mouth looks?  I mean seriously?! "I snapped. I had started shouting by the end. Good thing the hallway was empty.

My eyes were already filling with tears and my heart tugged painfully at the memory.Unfortunately the cheating wasn't all that inspired me to break up with him.

"You weren't going to be coming to that God dammed party! How the hell is it my bloody fault you decided to pop in without telling me?! " he yelled.

" So this was MY FAULT? YOUR DECISION TO CHEAT ON ME, IS MY FAULT?! " I yelled.

"Alex please.. " he begged.

"Alex? " a new voice called sternly "Why are you talking to this jerk?" I turned to see Jay.

By this time, the tears were halfway down my face.

"Lexi, oh god, don't cry." he said much more softly as he's pulled me closer to him. If I wasn't bawling my eyes out I would have enjoyed that.

He then turned to Chris and said "Get the hell out of here and AWAY from her! " he yelled. "or do you want me to punch the lights out of you again? Isn't getting beaten up once in two weeks enough? "

Chris looked at me, then glared at Jay and said "Alright Jason, I'll go. But just this once for her. "

"Like you ever cared about Lexi, don't you dare talk to her again. " Jay scoffed.

"Lexi," Chris snorted. At this, Jay took a step towards Chris but I pulled him back.

"He's not worth it, Jay." I sobbed.

Chris gave Jay one more glare and then sauntered off. Jay just pulled me closer wrapping his hands tightly around me. I cried harder as I held onto him in the empty hallway. School had long emptied out except for the few practices in the gym.

"Hey there, cherry," I smiled hearing the childhood nickname he'd kept for me "Do you want me to punch him again? "

I laughed this time and looked up at him, "No Jay, it's okay.. but can we go get some ice cream? " I asked hopefully.

He chuckled and I felt the comforting vibrations as I held onto him. "Of course,Alex. Anything for my cherry. "

My heart stopped at the way he said my cherry. I mean, he was probably just teasing me, but still.

"Come on now. " he said taking my hand and curling his fingers around mine. I sighed with the tingles the mere touch gave me,and looked up at him and said "Thank you, Jay."

"Remember, I promised to take care of you forever and ever? Well I'm keeping that promise. "he said reminding me of the time we first met.

When I'd first met him, after looking at his green eyes and brown hair I had wondered out loud  if he was a goblin. He had just flashed his adorable dimples and laughed at the thought.

At that time my seven year old self had been scared of goblins. I had later asked him if he would protect me forever and ever, and he replied without a thought the affirmative.

I remembered that he had asked me to wait for him after school and decided to ask him what that was all about.

"Why'd you need to stay back?"

"Its nothing," he shrugged. I looked at him and raised my eyebrows.

"I broke it off with Ariana." he shrugged, again. I raised my eyebrows, again.

"What? We were never going to work anyways."  he smiled at me and we started the walk towards the car.

Yes. No, that's rude. Stop being so rude, Alexandra. Its not cool.

I smiled at him, maybe just a little too happily, and started to tell him how he did the right thing and stuff.