TOUGH LOVE

THE REVEAL

"Why would you?!?" I ask even angrier.

"I was trying to figure something out, okay?"

"What do you have to figure out that involves doing that, huh?" I asking wiping my mouth.

"I can't explain." He says with his hands covering his face.

"Well you're going to have to try!" I yell at him trying to intimidate him.

"I- I" James stutters.

"Just spit it out" I say with frustration.

"I think I have feelings for you" he says.

There's a moment of silence until my laughter broke it.

I started giggling then laughing, loudly.

"Why are you laughing?" James asks removing his hands from his face and exposing the confusion that was all over it.

I tried my best to stop laughing and said

"you're obviously lying, James. Who put you up this? How much are you getting paid? Where are the cameras?" I ask him staring directly at his confused face.

"The hell are you talking about, Rider"

"Why would you ever have feelings for me? I'm the person you hate and bully. You can't like me."

"You don't know what I feel" says James stepping closer to me.

"Well can you try explaining." I had no patience. I was already hurt that I had been stood up but this... this hurt differently.

"I know how fucked up it all sounds but I thought I was protecting you-"

"FROM WHAT?!? You are the only person in this entire school that made me feel like complete shit! DAILY." I interrupted then stepped away from him.

"That was the only way I could get your attention, Rider. I probably shouldn't have done what I did and I'm sorry but when I saw you with that dirty asshole and something flipped." James said with his head down.

"So that's why you beat Daniel up?" I asked trying to calm myself down.

"Yeah but then he beat the shit of me, remember?"

"BECAUSE YOU WERE BEING AN ASSHOLE" I yell at him, making him step away from me.

"I already said I was sorry, okay"

"You were doing such a good job ignoring me these past few weeks!" I say loudly to him.

"It was hell for me. I'd rather have you hate me than not think about me at all"

"Did you ever stop and think 'Oh wow, I probably shouldn't be mean to the girl I like'? Didn't that thought ever cross your mind?" I was irritated and fuming at this point.

"Rider, I didn't think I liked you till I saw you with that loser. That's why I asked you to tell me to stay away. I knew I was hurting you and I'm sorry" he said with his eyes staring deeply at mine.

"Yeah, because sorry cures all those years of trauma you've given me. And then you had the audacity to assume I'd want to kiss you back? Well I don't and never will"

"Please, Rider-" is all I hear before storming out of the small room that I now notice is the make out closet.

A million thoughts were in my head. Like how the hell did I not cry or James is lying but the best one I had was to go home. I wanted to leave, no one would be home anyways. I went back to the gym and all of my friend were still dancing having an amazing time. Kathy came up to me and I told her that I got my period and my 'friend from the library' was going to give me a ride home. I was actually just going to walk home but if they knew that, they would get all worried and I wanted them to keep enjoying their night.

I started walking out of school when I saw a car slowly following right next to me. I was scared but then I noticed who was driving and I rolled my eyes.

"Rider please get in, it's cold out"

I ignored him and kept walking.

I heard the engine turn off, I curiously turn my head and notice that James is running up to me.

"Your car is going to get towed" I say while I'm still walking.

"No, it isn't." James says as he's putting his jacket from his tux on me.

"Why are you being nice all of the sudden?" I ask letting him put it because I was actually freezing.

"Get in my car and I'll tell you." He tells me with a smirk forming on his face. He looked really good. Gosh, I wanted to punch him.

"Nah. You're probably going to kill me or something." I say sarcastically but with fear since there was a possibility of that happening.

"Come on. We'll get something to eat and I'll explain everything."

The offer was very tempting since I hadn't eaten anything but breakfast.

"I guess... but you're going to explain EVERYTHING" I say making eye contact with his deep green eyes.

"I promise."

And with that we walk back to his car, it wasn't that far away but when we got close to it he actually opened the door for me. I had forgotten what it was like for James to be nice.

"Isn't it kind of rude that you left your date in there." James says as he puts his seatbelt on and begins to drive.

"What?" I ask with utter confusion.

"You know Daniel? You left him there." he says staring at the road.

"I didn't come with a date. I came here with my friends. I had a date but he stood me up so..." I don't know why I had told James that.

"Damn." Is all James can say.

I quickly changed the subject.

"So where are we even going?"

"My favorite place to eat, of course"

The ride was pretty short because his favorite place to eat was surprisingly really close to school. It was a burger place. We sat in a table across from each other and ordered burgers with fries and a shake.

"So who was the dumb ass that dumped you?" James asked after the waitress had taken our order.

"If I remember correctly we're here so you can explain yourself, not me." I say confidently.

"Right, should I start from the beginning?" He asks with a grin.

"Obviously." I answer with an eye roll.