limerence [justin foley]

chapter 6

juliette's pov

i don't know why i care so much. i don't know why i get that awful feeling when the 'date' with hannah and justin is brought up, and i don't know why i feel remotely anything in regards to justin. i don't know why i made up those stupid lies about zach and i just to try and spite him instead of telling the truth. and i also don't know why i felt so great and victorious when i saw that it did spite him in some way. i walk back to the bleachers with all the thoughts still having a raging battle inside my head.

it's currently 4pm, half an hour more and i finally get to go home. i plug my phone into the cable connected to the portable charger and begin to toy around with the different apps on my phone, hoping to somehow get my mind off the mess i just put myself in. the mental cleanse doesn't last very long, though, as i receive a notification for a text from hannah.

hannah 🌼 : fashion crisis! no idea what to wear tonight!!

ah yes, just what i needed. i love hannah and all, but i highly regret getting myself into this and endorsing the whole thing.

me: any options??

i send the text, knowing i can't really take back anything i did so i may as well help her. my phone dings again and reveals two pictures of different outfits. i examine them and send back another text.

me: go with the first. he'll love it.

who am i kidding, the boy won't give a shit what she's wearing as long as he has the opportunity to get in her pants. hannah isn't like that, though, so whatever he does try i have strong faith that she'll put a stop to it before it goes too far.

hannah 🌼 : thanks, jules. you're the best! love u! <3

me: love you 2. good luck :)

i send the final text and as if on cue, the coach blows his whistle and calls the end of practice, telling them to go and hit the showers. i spot jeff running towards me, slightly out of breath.

"i'm gonna go and hit the showers really quick," he breathes. "you hang in there." i nod and he gives me a thumbs up before heading over to the locker rooms inside. not too soon after, i spot zach walking towards the locker rooms as well. he turns his head to look at me and gives me a bright smile and a wink before heading inside.

if i'm being honest, i actually do kinda like zach but a part of me can't help but feel guilty for making up the lies to justin. if there's one known thing about liberty high and basically any high school at all, it's that rumors spread quick. i know that if i don't do something about what i told justin about zach and i, shit could most definitely go down by the end of the week.

i wait around 5 to 10 minutes before all the guys start piling out of the locker rooms and back into the school, much less sweaty and tired than they were before. i grab my stuff and go inside as well. since most of the school's sports teams had practice today too, the hallway is pretty crowded. i turn to my right and spot bryce, monty, justin, and zach. shit. i curse to myself as i rush over to them, praying that justin hasn't mentioned anything about what i said about zach and i.

"heyyy, guys!" i immediately exclaim and place myself in between justin and zach. i brush my hand against zach's, trying to hint at him to grab it.  i notice a puzzled expression flash on his face for a split second but it changes into a happy one right after. i look to my left to catch a quick glimpse of justin and i notice him giving zach and i a hard glare.

"hey, cutie." bryce winks and i give him a small, visibly uncomfortable smile.

"where's my brother?" i ask them, trying to start up some sort of conversation to draw them away of the possibility of any other conversation, specifically anything justin says.

"he's still in the shower singing his ass off." montgomery answers with a laugh.

"of course." i scoff and shake my head. suddenly, zach taps my shoulders and nears his head closer to me.

"can we talk for a sec?" he whispers and my body immediately grows tense in worry.

"um, yeah sure." i gulp and he pulls me aside a few feet away from the rest of the guys. speaking of the guys, they're currently smirking and giving us a thumbs up. all except for justin who is still evidently giving me that same glare.

"so, uh," he begins with a small, shy laugh. i'm mentally prepared for him to call me out on lying about being a relationship with him, but i'm not prepared whatsoever on what to respond.

"i'm really into you." he bites his lip and smiles, saying the complete opposite of what i thought he was going to say. oh. ok. wow. i'm kind of taken aback but part of me actually feels happy and excited. for one, i'm quite into zach too and now that i think about it, my lie could potentially form into a truth now.

"oh, wow. i-" i begin to speak and feel my cheeks slightly flush, but he cuts me off before i'm able to finish my sentence.

"that sounded a lot better in my head, god, i, uh, i'm sorry i shouldn't have put you on the spot." he stutters while running a hand through his hair and begins to turn around. i furrow my brows and place my hand on his shoulder, turning him back around to face me.

"hey, i'm into you too." i tell him and a smile immediately takes over his face.

"really?" he asks and i nod in agreement. he extends his hand out to me and i gladly take it. as we walk closer over to the boys who are all cheering us on, except, of course, justin, i stop in my tracks. zach gives me a puzzled look and i bite my lip, contemplating deeply about what i'm about to do.

fuck it, let's seize the god damn moment.

"what's wrong?" he asks me and i bite my lip confidently. without second guessing, i turn my body to face him completely and wrap my hands around his neck before pressing my lips onto his in an instant.

-