The Bad Boy • Jonah Marais

Chapter 12

I was just staring at my homework. I couldn't focus on anything. All I could think about was Jonah and hanging out with him later. The thought of that made me blush. He's come over every night for the past week and a half. This thing is still eating up inside of me but it's starting to get easier.

Then a hand nudges my arm and I hear Kenny's voice, "Ava." I saw a small smile reach his lips, "What are you thinking about?"

I blushed again, this wasn't the first time I've done this, and it's always something that makes him smile, "You're swim meet is today, I'm just excited to see you win."

He looked at me weird, "I think you mean what's gonna happen after." He laughed. Afterwards we were going to McDonalds and pigging out. Yes I have feelings for Jonah, but Kenny is still my best friend first.

My smile grew, "Yep!" I said happily.

Then Tate and Jonah walk into the library. Jonah was really good at hiding us. He barely glanced at me throughout the day, whereas everytime he walks into a room, my eyes are almost glued onto him. This must be what it's like to be one of those girls who are all over him.

Tate and Jonah see us and they come over to Kenny and I, hand-in-hand. "Hey you guys!" Tate greets us.

"Hey." I smiled at them.

Kenny makes sure to lace our fingers together, "Hey you guys, what's up?" I look at Jonah who glares at Kenny and I's hands together. Maybe he wasn't so good at hiding this. "You ready for the meet Frantzich?"

Jonah snaps out of his trance, "What? Oh yeah, can't wait."

"Wait." Tate stops everyone and looks at Jonah, "You swim?" I forgot that Tate didn't know. She knew Jonah was athletic but not that he swims.

Jonah nods, "Yeah, that's what I do after school."

"Get ready to eat my bubbles Frantzich." Kenny says getting a little competitive. He's actually okay with Jonah because he doesn't see Jonah as a threat. As far as Kenny knew, I gave up on micromanaging Tate and now I'm just a silent observer who steps in every now and then.

Jonah smirked, "Not if you eat mine first Johnson."

**SWIM MEET**

Kenny was gone for the captain's meeting so it was just the team practicing with Tate and I sitting on the bleachers waiting to cheer on our guys. Then warmup is over and Kenny and Jonah both walk over to Tate and I. Jonah and Tate walk out to the reception area and it wasn't long before Tate flung herself onto Jonah and he awkwardly kissed her nose. I shouldn't be jealous, but I am.

I turned to Kenny who gives me his swimming sweatshirt. The one he got for winning states last year with his name on it and everything. "I want you to wear this so everyone knows you're mine." He winked at me.

"Aww how cringey." I said with a huge smile on my face. "I'll be cheering the loudest for you, win or lose."

The smile on his face gets bigger and he hugs me from my waist and I wrap my arms around his neck. He lifted me up and for a second it did feel like just us. But that's just how we are. "Okay I gotta go, bye A." He puts me down but keeps his arms wrapped around me.

I smiled down at him, "Bye." He leans in and plants a quick kiss on my lips and then he runs off.

Tate walks over to me with an awkward smile and I notice Jonah glaring at Kenny, then the meet starts.

**THE LAST EVENT**

"GO JONAH! GO!" Tate and I cheered when Jonah started his last lap in the last race. He was a pretty good addition to the team, maybe this year we can win in our relays at state. "Go Jo!!" We shouted and he reaches the block where Kenny jumps in to finish the last relay. "YEAH KENNY!! GO!" Tate and I cheered with the boys. Jonah comes out of the water and I don't think I've ever seen anything hotter. He takes his goggles off and I watch the water drip down his body. Before I started drooling Tate pulls Jonah into her and they back up.

I continue to watch the race, Kenny only has half a stretch to go. "Go Kenny go!!" The boys and I kept cheering for him and he finishes his lap first. Every one of us cheering for him erupted. Our eyes locked and he smiled, then his friends went to the swim storage closet to get their time from the coach. I walked around and kneeled down, "Oh look you won." I said.

He smiled at me, "Looks like it."

I giggled and the race ends, Kenny gets out and goes over to the storage closet. I get up and sit on the diving board then turn to see Tate with a huge smile on her face, like she's expecting something but Jonah doesn't look too happy. "What's going on?" I asked them. Then Tate giggles and points to the other side.