Don't Expect me to Fall in Love

Chapter 8

Hey lovelies !

This is a longish chapter so you are very welcome. I updated quick even though my last chapter has gotten quite a small response. It's all good though.

I know most people aren't going to update often because they have plans during the break or whatever, but lucky for you I am quite the opposite. Too much spare time for me= more story for you.

If you like it so far give me a sign. (Such as voting or commenting) that'd be fantabulous. Fricken fantabulous.

******

I come home to an empty apartment besides Princeton unsurprisingly. Not to mention thankfully (like I said before, my mothers room is not sound proof and even in her forties she unfortunately still enjoys those....... sexual pleasures... Ew)

"Why are you home so early?" My brother asks me, looking up from a bowl of cereal.

"I missed you," I say both cheekily and sarcastic, "why are you home? I thought you were at a friends"

"I was."

"And?" I urge him to tell me more.

"That's none of your business," he says uncomfortably reminding me of something Jessie said only twenty minutes ago.

***
"Sorry," I say genuinely because I sincerely am.

His face is filled with so much hurt and he stays there for a couple of seconds.

I don't say anything, knowing anything I say won't make it any better. We aren't even friends.

He sets his head on the table and mumbles, "too many things."

I start putting my hand on his shoulder to console him, then stop myself halfway.

It isn't my place right?

I honestly do not know what to do in this situation.

After a few minutes his head shoots up, "this is your fault," he tells me with hate in his eyes, "You really need to get your head out of people's business. Honestly."

I flinch at the comment even though part of me knows he's just saying it in the heat of the moment.

"Really. You are selfish," he says and I try to keep my mouth shut.

"And rude. No one likes a gossip queen you know," he goes on. That's enough.

"You are an idiot," I say, "and a fricken buttface. I did you a favor by bringing you here."

"I never as--" he starts.

"Say thank you," I say.

"You--" he starts again.

"Say it," I tell him once more.

He looks at the ground, "thank you."

"It was a pleasure. Now get in my car so I can take you home so you can start to scheme how you are going to breakup with that ho people call Sidney," I say.

His expression softens a bit.

When we pull up to his house after a silent ride he gets out without another word.

****
"Actually it is my business," I tell Princeton.

He looks at me sheepishly.

"Spill," I urge.

"I puked in front of the girl I like so I ran home," he says in five seconds flat.

I can't hold in the laughter, "ha-ha- why did you puke?" I ask in between chuckles.

"Brooklyn bet that I couldn't drink a gallon of milk in two minutes and you know the rest," he says.

I giggle even more.

"Glad I could entertain you," he says glumly munching on coco puffs.

It means more than you think buddy. After the series of events from tonight, I am emotionally drained.

"Hey," I say side hugging him, "she probably thought it was cool. When I was your age, boys who could drink a lot of milk and keep it down were losers," I smile at him,

"Thanks granny," he says sarcastically.

"Your welcome sonny," I play along, pinching his cheeks.

***

On Monday I am surprised to find Jessie his usual Smart Alec self. I expected it to be more awkward with what happened on Friday but he acts like it never happened. It slightly gets on my nerves but I am more relieved that I didn't have to share my thoughts from that night.

***
The next couple weeks are a blur. Just normal stuff, plenty of work, plenty of homework and plenty of housework.

Super cheesy I know, but the highlights of my day are when I walk to the arcade with Princeton and he tells me all of his girl drama.

Apparently his crush has forgiven him for the barfing incident and he's invited to her birthday party next week.

I miss the simplicity of seventh grade.

***

"Hi Beth," Jessie greets me when I walk into drama, not smiling, but speaking to me like I'm an actual human being.

"Hello Jessie..." I say conscious of whatever scheme he might be planning.

We go through the entire period of drama without exchanging insults. Which is weird. We actually don't speak at all. It's interesting because that's our usual fighting place.

When it's time to go, he lets me out of the circle before him, we walk at the same pace to biology and he opens the door for me. I raise my eyebrow at him and he shrugs.

This. Is. So. Sketchy.

"Help me understand why you are being pleasant?" I ask him in biology.

"I see you walking to the arcade with your brother a lot," says Jessie.

"Okay..." I say acting as if the comment creeped me out.

"It made me," he goes on.

"What?"

"It made me want to be, how do I say this? It made me want to be more open minded to you," he says. He looks troubled, like really deep in thought. His eyebrows knit together.

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"Because you really can't be that awful if you walk with your brother to the arcade every day," he says plainly.

"Uhh, well put," I say sarcastically.

"Just let me finish," he looks annoyed, "you aren't a jerk to him like you are to me. You actually look like you like him, like you guys are friends. And I respect people that get along with their siblings. It's hard,"

He says something else that catches me completely off guard, "I thought it was cute."

He doesn't smile at the comment, he looks almost pained to have said it. His stare is so intense, I can't seem to stop myself from staring back. And it seems like he is worried about what I'll say next.

I open my mouth to respond, but my heart is fluttering like an effing hummingbird at what he just said to me, although I'm debating on whether it was an actual compliment or not.

****

What do you think?