Sucyu

Been a while

I hesitantly stepped out of my car, smoothing my school uniform down. In front of me was Jared's house. My sister had called me just twenty minutes before, asking me to go pick up her stuff from her Ex's house. Nothing else. She hadn't told me why they had broken up, when, just that she needed me to her stuff up.

I pull my dark green blazer tighter around me to ward off the bite of the freezing winter wind. Mary janes click against the concrete and my skirt whips around my knees as I approach the house. I quickly ring the doorbell. Some of my chin length brown hair ships into my eyes and I use one hand to try and keep it out of my face. The door whips open revealing Jared with a furious look on his face. I quickly scan the interior of his house, and notice a great deal of boxes piled up beside his door. I glance back at him, my blue eyes meeting his dark brown ones. His face morphs from anger more bitter than the wind, to sheer surprise.

"Lainey?" his shock sounds through his voice and I belatedly realize that we haven't spoken much in the months since he graduated high school.

"Hey," I mutter somewhat sheepishly.

He stares at me for a moment before his face once again changes into concern. "Come in, Come in! You must be freezing out there," he briskly moves to the side to allow me access to his house. I step inside, surveying the house with some amusement. It looks cleaner now that my sister has moved out.

"I wasn't expecting it to be you," he states, still somewhat surprised.

I turn and grin at him, halting my survey of the house. "I wasn't expecting it to be me either," My grin falls somewhat. "Wh... What happened, Jared? Ellie called me a little while ago asking me to pick up her stuff, and," I pause again, eyebrows furrowed. "When did you guys break up?"

He stares at me for a long moment. "She didn't tell you? We haven't been together for almost a month now." he looks almost as though Ellie had kicked his dog. "She cheated on me," He takes a labored breath, chocolate brown eyes staring at the floor. "On our anniversary."

"Oh... " an ache of sympathy floods through my chest. "Jared..." My eyebrows draw up in concern.

"It's fine... I'm more upset by the fact that I'm not upset by it," He reasons with a gentle smile.

I rest a hand on his shoulder, "What do you mean?"

He takes a deep breath, placing his hand on top of mine. "I mean, it started a few months back... I just stopped feeling the relationship. I... I didn't really love Ellie like that anymore." he pauses for a minute, "I don't know why it suddenly changed. The only really big change that happened around then is that y..." He trails off, looking pensive about something. "Anyway, I guess I'm really just upset that it took me this long to figure out that I didn't want to be with her anymore. I'm really just upset that I wasted all of my time." He waits for a long moment. "Hey, you came to pick up her stuff, right?" he scans me up and down for a moment before nodding his head. "You're definitely not dressed warmly enough to be outside for very long. You stay here, I'll take the boxes out."

I purse my lips at him crossing my arms, as he starts putting on a coat. "I can handle a bit of cold."

He grins at me like he's got a trump card up his sleeve, and gestures out the window. Outside is a blur of white moving at an incredible speed. I give him an upset look before grinding out a "Fine..."

He grins smugly and grabs the first box. "I'm probably going to be cold when I get back, so would you mind fixing some hot chocolate for when I get back?"

I roll my eyes and walk into his kitchen, starting to fish through his cupboards.

About twenty minutes later, Jared enters the kitchen, snow still stuck to his coffee brown spiked up hair. My mary janes click against his kitchen tiles as I near him, absentmindedly brushing it off his head with a fond smile. I look up at his face for a moment. His cheeks are a little flushed, likely from the cold, and his eyes are wide, allowing me to admire them. He has flecks of gold circling his pupil, and they slowly fade out to a rich melted chocolate. My heart starts beating a little faster, and I become hyper aware of our proximity. "Oh, sorry," I joke with a wavering laugh.

"It's fine," His voice sounds a little strained, but his smile is warm, and reassuring. "Got that hot chocolate for me?"

I huff a laugh and turn, grabbing the hot chocolate. His is in a Batman mug that I had recognized as the one I gave him for his nineteenth birthday. He smiles and takes it out of my hands.

"How'd you know what my favorite mug was?" He asks with a teasing grin.

"Because I know we share a favorite superhero, you nerd." I grab my own Harley Quinn mug and take a sip out of it. There's a line of froth on my upper lip, but I quickly lick it off.

Jared smiles at me, "You should probably get going now,"

I glance over his shoulder at the snow with furrowed eyebrows. "I don't know, it seems like it might be a bad idea to drive right now..."

He follows my gaze outside and purses his lips. "Yeah, you might be right..." Concern filled chocolate eyes meet my own, "You haven't been driving very long either, have you?"

I shake my head no, instead I pull out my phone, letting my parents know that I have to stay over due to the snow storm. "So," I glance up at Jared, "What now?"

"Wanna watch a movie?" He asks with a smirk that tells me that he knows something I don't.

"You're making me nervous with that look on your face," I mutter, "But I'll tentatively say sure."

He grins and walks into his living room with his hot chocolate. He settles on his plushy red couch and I follow suit.

"So, what are we watching?" I inquire.

"I was thinking we would watch It." a shit eating grin is shot my way.

"You know how much of a coward I am..." I say with an amused grin. Don't get me wrong, I love horror movies, but I was also a complete scaredy cat.

His smug grin widens, "How could I forget after the look William had on his face after you practically jumped in his lap while watching Saw III."

My face lights up pink. William and I had both been quite flustered once the heat of the moment had gone away. "I didn't mean to..."

Jared grins, and turns of the lights via remote.

Before I know it he's starting the movie. I immediately grab a fluffy blanket and roll up in it, my face only barely peeking out the top.

Fifteen minutes in, the biggest jumpscare yet flashes on screen and I yelp, flinging myself towards the brown haired boy next to me. I squeeze my eyes shut and burrow as close as I can.

"Um... Lainey... It's over..."

I crack an eye open and look towards the voice. Jared's face is inches from mine, andI belatedly realize that history has repeated itself. I'm sitting on his lap staring up at him. My eyes flick all over his face as my cheeks heat up. His jawline is strong and his nose is straight. All in all his face is nearly perfectly symmetrical. My eyes suddenly flicker to his mouth, and I can't seem to peel my gaze away as I imagine what it would be like to have his lips against mine.

"L-Lainey?"

I glance up to meet his eyes, and suddenly I don't have to imagine anymore.