affinity

36. you like her

Stuart's P.O.V

"Hey hey! Why are you running?" Jennie stops me as I catch myself from crashing into her.

"Where is Stella?" I ask breathlessly as she frowns at my state.

"Why? What happened?"

"Nothing, it's...just I need to see her." 

"She's with Lori and Jordan. And...if you don't mind me asking, why do you always search for Stella?" She asks, raising her eyebrow in a questioning manner.

"It's because I don't want her to do anything stupid. Last time she got angry, she hit her hand on a rock." 

I remember the bloody rock I found by the creek that day.

"Yeah I know. But hey? She's still got me and I'm always there to lower her temper so don't worry, okay?She's a tough cookie." Jennie says and pats my shoulder to calm me down.

I hear Milo and Jessica laughing nearby and see Jennie's smile turn into a slight frown. Milo's smiling and talking while Jessica is trying not to laugh so hard.

I'm surprised to see Milo so confident, flashing his whites as he jokes around with her. It's hard to believe he was once tongue tied to see her, much less have a conversation with her.

"Milo STOP IT!!! That's hilarious! I can't believe you actually did that." She giggles as Milo shrugs, grinning again.

"At least you like it. Stella and Gus always groan when I tell them. They just hate that story. Jennie just sits there and doesn't react at all, but I'm glad someone likes it. So...what do you want to do?" Milo's voice interrupts us as he and Jessica walk past us to the creek.

I look over at Jennie whose head is lowered and she's moving her foot back and forth. Then something occurs to me.

The way she looks at Milo, laughing and joking.

Jennie likes Milo.

I mean I can't be 100% sure but I can see that look on her face when she saw Milo with Jessica. It's the same expression I saw on Stella's face when she saw Eric with Luna.

I can tell she feels uncomfortable looking at Milo getting close with Jessica. I see her fiddle with her fingers, nervously putting strands of hair behind her ear as she fixes her glasses on her nose.

I decide to say it anyway.

"Jennie?"

She looks up, "Yeah?"

"You like Milo don't you?" I blurt out and she stares at me as if I caught her stealing.

"What? No! how can you say that? Are you like...crazy or something? Why would you think I'd like that brainless nut job?" She speaks so fast, I feel like she is trying to do a tongue-twister.

"Whoah! Jennie! Calm down. Relax. It's okay. I know you like him. I saw that look on your face when you saw him with Jessica." I say and she frowns at me.

"Can you stop ruining things Stuart?" She lets out a sigh and walks down to a tree to sit down by it.

Ruining things? What did I do?

I walk over to her and sit down next to her comfortably, "Ruining what?"

"Just...You don't need to ask so many questions, okay? I've known Milo since I was in grade 3. And..."

"Jennie come on, stop lying." I say and she looks at me with her eyebrows furrowed.

"I do know him since grade 3." She says as I shake my head. "No not that. Stop lying about your feelings for Milo."