Broken Wings

Chapter 17: School

"I go out of my way for you." - Daniel Skye

I shut my eyes as Jesse drove us back home the next day. The next time I woke up, I was in my bedroom. Great, that trip got me this exhausted?

I sat up and yawned of tiredness. When I got downstairs, I found Paula cooking up breakfast for us.

"Good morning, Sasha," she greeted me happily.

I tried to smiled back before heading off to the bathroom to shower. I was way too weary to grin happily. As I let the water splatter over me, a flashback came to me. Of course, it was about me and Luke. It would always bring me back to our first kiss.

Everytime I think about him.

Even though Jesse helps me keep my mind off him, he still appeared in my head once in a while.

He didn't even know we had moved back to Florida. But did it really matter if we were never going to see each other again, anyway? All I could hope for now was that Jesse could fill that black whole in my heart that still ached.

I gulped the lump in my throat before climbing out of the shower.

Paula let me stay out of school until the second semester started. I was starting Western High School in two weeks. Unfortunately for me, Jesse didn't go to school. After begging for a year, he got his father to let him do homeschool instead. I didn't bother considering asking Paula the same because I knew she'd never let me. It was enough that she let me stay home for two months without school.

As I got dressed in jean shorts and a white tank top, I couldn't help to think maybe, just maybe, Paula would eventually give in and let me do homeschool like Jesse did. I managed to convince her to let me go to college after all.

"Mom?" I called as I walked into the kitchen.

"Yes, Sasha?" She was putting toast and bacon onto two plates.

"Um, you know how Jesse does homeschool?"

"Yes, I do. Why?"

"Well, I was just wondering because since he is, could I...? Maybe?"

"You want to do homeschool as well?"

"Yeah..." I trailed off nervously, biting my nails.

"Oh, sweetie. I don't think so."

"But Mom─"

"No buts. I can't let you because I'm not a teacher. And I wouldn't be much help."

That's true. My mother didn't go to high school. She finished at grade eight.

"Jesse's dad hired someone to help him a couple times a week."

"Did he now?"

"Yeah, maybe you could find someone to... you know, help me."

"Look, honey. Go to Western for a couple of weeks and if you don't like it, then maybe you can do homeschool."

My face lit up. "Really?"

"Yes, but I really want you to try your best to make friends, okay?"

Maybe life could get easier now.

Just maybe.

☆☆☆☆

"You're doing homeschool as well? How come?" Jesse asked when we met later that afternoon at the B.C. cafe.

"I said I might. Because I never get any friends at school..." I shrugged. "So I don't see the point."

"I wouldn't."

"Why not? You are."

"Yes, but homeschooled kids aren't as smart as the ones that go to an actual school."

"So, you're telling me I'm not smart?"

He chuckled. "That's not what I said."

I expected him to say more but he didn't. Something was obviously bothering him.

"What's wrong?" I questioned after a whole minute passed.

"Nothing, why?"

"I can tell something's wrong."

"It's nothing. I'm just... tired from the trip in Miami."

"Mmm." I could tell it was something more than just that, but I decided to let it slide.

But when I asked him about it the next day, all he said was, "I told you, it was nothing."

"It's not nothing, Jesse. I know you better than that."

It went on like that for the rest of the week. Every time I asked him, his every answer was, "nothing, just tired."

On Saturday, I walked over to his place. We were on the coach, being lazy while watching the Hunger Games series and eating chips.

There was distinctly something wrong with him, he wasn't his happy old self.

"Seriously, Jesse! Just tell me what's going on!" I yelled at him.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" His voice was almost too rough.

"You have to tell me so many times until you tell me the truth."

He sighed. "Sasha, I am telling you the truth."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I don't believe you."

"Sorry, hun. But it is." He pulled me in and pecked my lips.

Jesse's father told me he was out with a friend when I went to his house again the next morning. That was unusual. Jesse didn't have any friends, but I didn't try to let it bother me. But somehow, it did, I was disappointed.

After supper, I texted him but I got no reply that night. I worried over him for the entire night. I knew he was keeping something from me. Something he didn't want me to know.

When I checked my phone on Monday morning, there were two new messages from him.

Jesse: Sorry, I was out with a friend. Forgive me please.

Jesse: I hope you do. Goodnight. ;)

He had texted me at eleven last night, when I was already asleep.

I decided to forgive him when I would see him again.

Sasha: Can you meet me at the Dania beach?

Jesse: Of course. Be there at 10.

He had better explained to me how he met this new friend of his.

"So, who's this new friend of yours?" I questioned when he met me by the shore.

"Um... uh... he's n-not new. He's an old friend. We... uh... we used to hang out all the time but... uh... um... then he and his family moved to um... Japan for two years and they moved back here about a week ago."

What was with all the hesitating? Was he lying? I decided to go along with it anyway.

"Oh, I see. What's his name?"

His face suddenly fell, like I had just said something wrong. "Uh, his name i-is Alex."

"Alex," I repeated.

"Mhm." He nodded, hesitantly smiling. "Come on, let's do something fun."

He stood up and held out his hand for me to take it. I took his offer by setting my hand in his. I still couldn't get over how big it was, how big and muscular he was altogether.

We walked into the water and started swimming once we got in deeper. Even though we talked and swam together, something still seemed to bother him. He was obviously not still tired from the trip to Miami. Maybe it was something about his friend that bothered him.

I decided it was best to not nag him about it and tried having some fun in the water like we always did.