All eyes on you.

Chapter 6

The walk back to school was a peaceful silence.

As we entered the front door we started to head back to the table to see the group before the bell rang, I spotted Jess in the distance.

Her eyes locked on mine, full of spite and hatred. As if she was about to launch herself towards me.

Joey sensed my apprehension because he spoke up.

"Possessive."

"Huh?"

"She's um possessive" he mumbles. "About the people she cares about you know."

"Yeah, that only seems to be you." I whisper, then instantly hoping he didn't hear it.

But of course he did.

"Hey. Jess isn't going to hurt you. You're alright."

It's the way he says it. They way he glues his eyes onto mine like I'm the only person in the room. The sincereness in his voice, it makes me feel protected.

Like he won't let anything bad happen to me.

We reach the table and give each other a small nod as we both sit back in our seats at either side of the table.

"Are you okay Em?" Ty asks, looking genuinely concerned. My heart softens at the nickname he uses. "You looked upset when you were talking on the pho-"

"Emily's fine." Joey interrupts. With slight anger in his voice. The whole table looks straight at him. His voice doesn't sound like he's up for debate.

"Uh thanks Joey." I mumble.

"Thank you Ty, I'm okay." I give him a gentle smile to try and convince him, hoping he will start talking about something else.

"Was it with your boyfriend, you know because you said you were going to pho-"

"ENOUGH" Joey interrupts. Clear anger in his voice as he stands up from his seat to make his point clear.

"If Emily wants to talk about it then she will"

"Jeez Joey I'm only making sure she's alright fucking hell." Ty groans.

I glance at Tom who looks clearly uncomfortable sitting there whilst Joeys having a go with Ty.

He mumbles something about going outside to play football and Ty voluntarily leaves with him.

Leaving Nathan, Jason, Jess and me. And Joey.

"How was your McDonalds Jess?" Joey asks, trying to get her out of her daze.

"Fine." she comments with her facial expression the exact same. Impassive. Staring at the clock behind Joey up on the wall.

I look over to Nathan and Jason, puzzled at what's going on.

They give me a small nod, as if to signal that this happens and I shouldn't say anything.

Then a thought came into my head. Maybe she's I don't know... bipolar? Something?

"Do you want to go for a walk Jess?" I ask gently. I could feel Nathan and Jason shooting me glares of what the fuck are you doing.

The table falls silent. So obviously Joey is the only one that can deal with her when she's like this. The others just stay out of it.

But I wanted to help.

After a good 10 seconds of silence.

"Ok." She answers. No emotion or anything attached to it but her reply was enough.

Joey who was staring at the floor instantly looked up his face moving straight to Jess'.

"Jess I can take you home if you want it's fi-"

"Joey no." she answers back rudely. She stands up from her chair.

"I'm going on a walk with Emily."

"But Jess, I can take you on a walk if you want, it's okay. The boys can look after Emily."

"NO JOEY." she shouts, causing everyone's heads to jerk around to look at our table. Again.

Joeys face that was full of concern for her in that moment, where she was in her vulnerable state, his face instantly goes back to looking cold, stoic, and expressionless.

He doesn't want people to see he's hurting inside.

But I can see through him.

I slowly stand up from my chair, my cheeks burning from everyone staring at me intensely.

I slowly grab my bag and begin to walk away.

With Jess.