Pay the Price

Chapter Nineteen: Coming Out

Tony must've heard me, because I could hear his footsteps thundering behind me. A hand grabbed my cardigan and I gasped at the force of the halt.

"Tony, let go!" I squirmed.

I couldn't get away from his grasp and he shoved me against the lockers, holding me there. I could see Blair flick her hair and dash off, but other than that, the body in front of me was blocking most of my view.

"What are you doing here, isn't there French?" Tony asked, lowering his voice.

At least he seemed less mad. I turned my face so I didn't have to look at him. "I came to make up, to try and be friends again. How am I supposed to do that when you're chewing on the face of the girl who took Jack away from me? You knew how much that had hurt me!"

Tony sighed and, surprisingly, grabbed my hand. "Jenn, I'm sorry. I-"

"No." I pulled my hand away and tried to leave before he could catch me. Unfortunately, Tony put me back into the first position. "Tony, I- I came to tell you that I want to be your friend, again."

Tony looked up slowly, his eyes instantly locking with mine. "What about more?"

"What?" I jumped. "What do you mean, you said you didn't like me?"

Tony grabbed my hand again. "Okay Jenn, here's the thing. I like you, I just didn't want the commitment. I was scared, but now I know, I do like you. Please, can we... try?"

I smiled at the thought of Tony Anderson, the bad boy, the player, the guy that I live with, liking me. I looked up, smirking. "No."

"What?" He asked, shocked. "But, before-"

"I know what I said before. Tony, I gave you your chance, but you turned it down. There someone I'd rather be with."

As I walked off, Tony called. "And who would that be?"

Without looking over my shoulder I smiled. "Easton."

-

"Thank you, Ms. Miller. And you were Easton's partner, correct?" Ms. Samson gratefully took my paper with our introducing paragraph and fourteen line poem.

Easton was smiling from the back row and I couldn't help but blush a bit. What is happening to me?! Before I never liked any guys, and now I've fallen for the two most 'playerish' boys I possibly could like. Something told me that Easton would be willing to give that up, even though Tony wasn't.

Class went by quickly. We worked on a small essay assignment while Ms. S marked our poems. That's what I liked about her. She would get things done right away, and we would most likely get our marks before the bell.

"Okay, when I call your name, one partner come forward to get the grade." Ms. Samson called. She had a pair of old bifocals and gray hair that was put into a clean bun on the top of her round head. She was wearing a plain, purple and white picnic patterned dress and black flats.

"Easton and JJ." I stood and grabbed the paper. "Very good job, I can see you really helped Easton. I'll have to put you two together more often." She chuckled.

I smiled at the thought of doing every project with Easton. I wanted to be with him, I really do. And, I'm ready to admit it.

-

"You must get sick of me showing up at your house all the time." I blushed when Easton led me to the living room.

He smiled. "Actually, I don't mind at all." Easton cleared his sports magazines from the couch and told me to sit. "What's up?"