Like Cats and Dogs -Jori

Hershey Kisses in a Cupcake: Chapter 25

{~~~~TORI~~~~}

Jade's been giving me space like I asked her to. Real space. She doesn't try to hold my hand. She doesn't call me. Or text me. She barely talks to me at all.

I hate it.

It's awkward. And tense. And I'm absolutely miserable.

I just...god, I miss her. I miss her so much.....all the chizzin' time; and it's driving me absolutely wonkers!

The only reason I haven't completely lost it is because I get to see her almost everyday at school. It's not a lot, but it's something. And there are other little 'somethings' that help as well. Like the fact that when Jade does talk to me, she struggles with calling me Vega. She'll get half of the word "baby" out before she corrects it. I don't remember her having that struggle with her ex. When she stopped dating him, she always remembered he was Beck. She never accidentally called him babe. Well, not to my knowledge anyway. It makes me feel special. I'll admit it.

Another thing? She stares at me. A lot. These long, intense, longing-like stares. She doesn't even look away when I catch her. Which is all the time because I'm always staring at her too.

In fact, I'm staring at her right now. I can't help it. She's standing in line for the grub truck so it's not like she can see me do it. And it's not like I'm staring at her, staring at her. I was just thinking my random Jade-obsessed thoughts and my eyes just so happened to unconsciously wander over to where she is.

And now that I'm consciously aware of the fact that I'm staring, my eyes wander again. Not away, downward. I can't help that either. Jade really does have a nice-

I feel a sudden, and sharp, pain to my side.

Reflexively my head whips around to the left side of me so I can glare at my jabber. Melissa.

All at once I'm aware of everyone around me. Of Cat and Robbie arguing...or foreplaying. I can never figure out what's up with those two. And Beck and André are loudly conversing about some videogame...or is it a movie? Know what? It doesn't matter.

"Stop staring! It's creepy." Melissa says once she's got my attention.

I glare at her some more before speaking. "Ow." I say slowly; deliberately drawing out the "w" at the end.

"You're welcome." She smirks back before making a gesture toward the right corner of her mouth.

Apparently, I'm drooling and she wants me to wipe it away.

Fine.

I wipe the back of my hand along my bottom lip and then clean my fingers on Lissa's pants.

She stares at me, mouth open. You'd think she's momentarily forgotten how to talk. I mean, the effort to do so is plain to see as her lips start making random shapes while not emitting a single sound.

I smile at her. Totally amused.

All of a sudden she remembers how that hole in her face is supposed to work. "OH MY GOD!!!" She screams. "ICKY, I SWEAR TO DAN AND HIS FATHERFUCKING MAMA...."

I tune out the rest – She's not gonna do anything but scream at me and try to clean her pants – and I opt to look at Jade again.

Dang it! She's not ordering food anymore. She's on her way to our table. No more booty views.

Wait. No. I meant...Ugh, Can I be any more pathetic?

I look down at my food and start pushing it around some so it looks like I've been eating the whole time. While I'm arranging and rearranging the food on my plate, I hold my breath, anxiously waiting for Jade to choose her seat. There's an empty spot in front of me; between Cat and Beck. And there's an empty seat right next to me.