Whatever Happens

Chapter 7

"What happened?" Taylor asked, when I came through the door and she saw my face.

I was crying too much to answer right away, so I went and collapsed on my bed instead. Taylor came over and sat beside me, waiting and looking sympathetic.

"Ben just embarrassed me in front of half the campus, that's all!" I said when I was able.

"What?" Taylor looked mystified.

Wiping my face with my hands, I recounted what happened the best I could. I was still crying pretty hard, so it wasn't easy.

"Was he...jealous?" she asked when I finished.

"Yeah, right!" I laughed without humor. "He's trying to act like my big brother," I said bitterly. "He doesn't like Jackson, so he doesn't think I should either."

She frowned for a moment before raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you were right," she said. "You don't need his permission. Why don't you just go now?"

I shook my head. "I'm so embarrassed. I don't even want to think about what Jackson probably thinks."

"He knows you didn't want Ben to do that," she said. "I doubt it would affect what he thinks about you."

"I don't know..." I wiped my face again and sniffled.

"Text him," she said. "See what he says."

He probably did deserve an apology, at least. Frowning, I looked at my bag for a minute before going to dig out my phone.

When I unlocked the screen, I had a few messages from Ben and one from Jackson. Having no interest in hearing anything from Ben at the moment, I ignored his and opened Jackson's, smiling when I read it.

"What?" Taylor asked.

"He asked if I was okay."

"See?"

I smiled at her for a minute before I answered Jackson.

'Yeah. I'm SO sorry.'

'Not your fault,' he answered. 'The book's still here if you want it. I'll be in my room for a while. 2516.'

I had to think for a minute. As mad as I was with Ben for doing what he did, he might not be completely wrong either. Jackson might, very well, be expecting more than I was willing to give him.

In the next second, I decided it didn't matter. I wasn't worried about Jackson trying to force me to do anything. Even if he tried, I was completely capable of taking care of myself. And it might be nice to do some other stuff with him.

As a nice bonus, it would make Ben crazy.

'Okay. Thanks,' I sent back.

I slipped my phone in my pocket and went to the bathroom to wash my face and put a little make up on. When I came back into the room, Taylor smirked.

"Going somewhere?"

I just smiled and left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey," Jackson said when he opened his door to me. He gestured for me to come in and I complied, feeling a little nervous.

"I'm sorry about before," I said, when he closed the door and turned around.

Jackson shrugged and smiled. "You already apologized," he said. "It wasn't your fault."

"I know, it's just..."