Life's Fear

Chapter Forty-Four

After informing Jason of my dad's antics the previous night, he'd been oddly caring the next day.

Not that I was disliking it at all, because I most certainly wasn't, but there was something in it that reminded me it was all my fault. As part of human nature, Jason would be thinking that he was the true perpetrator of all of this, but in reality, it was me. I was his daughter. I was the one he was disappointed in. There was no way around it.

Max was even making more of an effort with Jason, astonishing not only me but him too. Whenever he cracked a joke, she would always be the initial person to laugh, catching Jason off-guard usually, staring at her with wide-eyes as she turned to me with a grin. Sometimes, however, it was difficult to determine whether it was a sincere grin or not, so if she was only pretending and not acting genuinely, she was exceeding in that department.

"I think she likes me as much as you do," he joked at the end of the day, grinning before leaning in to kiss my forehead as we stopped at my locker.

"In your dreams," I joked back, letting my cheeks warm up from the affection. I loved it. I loved every second of the affection Jason supplied me with copiously.

He chuckled.

"Do you want to come with me and visit Scarlett tonight after school? It wouldn't be for long of course because you need to be home."

He leaned back against the adjacent locker, kicking his leg up. People didn't even bother glancing in his direction as they sauntered past. I just couldn't get my head around it, though Jason always acted nonchalant. He either didn't care or he was just such a good actor.

The last time I saw Scarlett, it was for her pretend funeral. No matter how bizarre yet rewarding the experience was, would it be a little awkward seeing her again after that? I mean, she did let herself get somewhat emotional during it. It was amazing to be a part of – for her to want me there. But I would never want to do it again.

"How about tomorrow?" I asked. "I want to be home before Dad gets back just so he doesn't think something is going on. He knows Mum and I went and saw you at the weekend. That's when he threw the bottle in the study. Plus, Kendall is waiting for me outside."

He nodded, his jaw set momentarily until he let himself relax, and a smile toyed at the corners of his lips. "Okay, thank you. And I'm sure your mum will put your dad in place."

"Yeah," I breathed, and that was all I said on the matter.

Together we walked out into the parking lot where I saw Jesse waiting for me. This struck me as odd as Kendall said she would pick me up from school. I'd started walking to school now considering Jason would be waiting only down the street for me. Dad would never ask why I didn't get a lift, because he wouldn't know. He's out the door before I make my way downstairs, so none of it concerns him. Mum said she wouldn't notify him. She likes Jason now. Definitely. No matter what it caused between her and Dad, she liked Jason.

"I thought you said your sister was picking you up?" Jason quizzed, staring perplexedly in Jesse's direction.

Jesse was sat in the car, hands gripping the steering wheel. He didn't bother trying to locate me in the crowd. He just sat motionless, his gaze in front of him. If it were Kendall right now, she would be leaning against the driver's door to the car with her phone in her hands. Her fingers would be working at speeds scientists were still trying to figure out. She had a lot of practice with that phone of hers.

"She was," I replied slowly, approaching Jesse. "What's going on?" I asked him.

Jason stepped up to my side and stuffed his hands in his pockets. We weren't even holding hands whilst we'd been walking, I suddenly realised. It made me sad knowing I'd squandered away time when we could have been just touching. I mean, no one knows how long they're going to get with someone unless they're a dick/bitch and use them for a bet or something. I didn't want to waste time with Jason when we could be doing something worthwhile and building on our foundations.