Remember Me

37

The rest of the week is uneventful, and school rolls around on Monday and we're sent back to school. Next week is the boys first game and Reece leaves to "train."

In physics, we're supposed to get into pairs and do a lab for the rest of the week together.

Most people turn away from me in fear.

Pussies.

"Jake, do you have a partner already?" Girls bat their eyes and look up at him.

He looks to me with terrified eyes.

It clicks and I feel like I'm already friends with him when I grin and yell, "Jake! Partners!"

The girls clamp their mouths shut and scatter away.

"Thank you," he laughs, and I take I seat next to him.

"No problem," I say, smiling.

"Why's everyone scared of you here?" he asks.

I shrug. "It's a long story. The first day I got here I screamed at Reece. I also slapped a girl. I got a bloody nose once," I sigh.

He chuckles and smiles at me. He turns kind of sheepish and he shifts in his seat so he's facing me. "During a lacrosse game, some girl said something about Ellie. You dropped your stick, took off your goggles, and towered over her. One of the highlights of that year."

I laugh. "Man. I guess nothing's changed, huh?"

He shakes his head and looks genuinely happy. "Guess not."

"Can I hear some more?" I ask.

Still with a huge smile, he tells me more stories about myself.

Apparently, one time someone made fun of a girl for not being able to afford the school trip and teachers had to hold me back from fighting them.

Another time, Jake accompanied me to one of my brother's baseball games. I got into a verbal altercation with a mom in the bleachers.

I'll never remember these things, or Jake at all, but maybe we can reform the bond.

I try to imagine how Jake is feeling. I'm talking to a stranger, but he's known me for almost five years and he's forced to talk to me like I have no idea who he is.

The bell rings, and I'm feeling glad with how the class went. I'm feeling good about many things right now. Just a sort of overall contentness.

When we separate paths and I gladly say goodbye to Jake, I'm extremely happy to see Reece waiting for me today.

I notice that he wore his white sweatshirt that I bought him for the Secret Santa, and I make a noticeable smile at it.

"We have a test today in history," he says, almost like he enjoys ruining my mood.

My smile drops and I groan. "I forgot about that."

"We can study at lunch," he says.

I nod gratefully.

I'm about to walk into the cafeteria when I feel a tap on my shoulder.

My head turns and I halt. It's Hess, staring at me with a hesitant look on her face.

"Can I talk to you?"

Reece, who is about a foot taller than Hess, stands beside her with his chin up and his eyes staring down at her. It was intimidating.

"I'll meet you in there," I say towards Reece, walking away with Hess.

We walk around the corner of the hallway and we awkwardly stand there.

Um, she did not just call me out just to not say anything, did she?

"You and Reece like each other, right?" she starts with.

"I... guess? I like him, sure, but you'll have to ask Reece," I say, which is partly true.

She laughs. "I think everyone knows he does. It's kind of obvious."

I blink awkwardly and try to think. I guess I only see the Reece around me, not when he's not with me.

Something about him softens when he's with me, and he smiles and my heart melts. I don't think that happens with anyone else, does it?

"I'm sorry, Hess. You told me you liked him, but I couldn't just turn off my feelings. I hope you can understand."

She nods. "Yeah, I was more angry because I knew he liked you and not me. I was just jealous."

I nod slowly.

She continues, "Plus, I like someone new."

My eyebrows shoot up and I laugh. "That's fantastic," I say.

She smiles and nods. "So, yeah. Sorry I was a bitch, but we can forget about that now."

I don't think I'll ever forget. We slapped each other, so.

I shrug. "I guess."

"I have to go get something from my last class, so I'll see you later," she says, turning around and waving.

I furrow my eyebrows and wonder to myself what the hell just happened.

I turn around and walk back in the direction I came.

Whatever. One more mistake from her and I'll be damned, because she will be ended. Sorry, Hess. You're on probation.

The first corner I round, I take a few steps before I hear something.

Right next to my ear in a husky voice, Reece says, "Ivy."

I jump in fright and turn around. "Jesus Christ! Are you trying to give me a heart palpitation?"

He smiles and shakes his head.

We're alone in the halls, so it's dead silent.

He's looking at me with a huge smirk and knowing eyes, and it takes me a minute to realize.

"Wait, how long have you been there?" I asked frantically.

He starts walking ahead without me and I run towards him. "How long were you there?!"

He shrugs. "Not that long," he says, grinning.

Reece grinning is such a rare sight. It takes my breath away how he could go from a 10 without smiling and then he smiles and he's still a 10, maybe even better.

I realize I'm staring and he starts smirking at me again, so I force myself to look away.

I can not believe he potentially heard me say that I liked him. Maybe it is obvious, but I've never told him. I've said it out loud, like, twice.

"Um, Reece."

A girl appears in front of us, looking confident and flirty. She's gorgeous, curly blonde hair and tan skin. What the hell? Is it legal to be that pretty?

"I was wondering if you were free Friday?" she asks, smiling and twiddling with her thumbs.

My eyebrow twitches.

"I got plans," he says, pushing my shoulder forwards and walking towards the lunch room.

"Saturday?" she asks hopefully.

"Plans." She's about to say something, but he cuts her off. "I'm into someone. Sorry."

My eyes widen and I look up at him while he pushes me into the lunch room.

He looks down at me with a straight face, as usual, but he looks happy.