I guess it's Fate

Chapter 9

Elizabeth POV

Schoolwork has been difficult for me lately but I have organised study sessions with Jack so we can help each other and it is a way for us to spend time together. I have been wanting to talk to him about us but it's never the right time. I want to tell him that I really like him and I want to be with him. I am completing my homework when I hear a noise so I look outside to see Jack standing in front of my house, throwing rocks at my window. He smiles when he sees me and waves. I open my window and ask, "Why are you here?". "Come with me for a walk and we can talk about us", he says. I shake my head, "I can't leave, it's late. I won't be allowed to go out", I say with a frown. "Don't be such a good girl and come down", he says. I would love to go but it's 8 pm and my parents will figure out I'm gone and then I won't be able to hang out with Jack at all. "I'm sorry, I can't", I say and close my window. He frowns and walks back to his house. I don't know why but I break down in tears. He probably hates me now that I turned him down. My phone buzzes so I jump up to get it from my desk, hoping it's Jack. I smile seeing Jack's name at the top of the message. 'I understand', the message says and I sigh in relief. 'I'm glad. I thought you would be mad', I reply. My phone buzzes again, 'I could never be mad at you, baby', he texts and I smile.

The next day, I wake up still feeling stupid because I denied Jack yesterday. He told me it was fine so I'm not sure why I'm still annoyed with myself. Today is Sunday so I can relax as I am ahead of my school work. I walk downstairs and see my dad making eggs and bacon which smells good. "Good Morning Lizzy", he says to me and I smile. He slides a plate with eggs and bacon across the bench and I thank him. While I'm eating breakfast, my phone buzzes with a message from Jack. 'Good morning Elizabeth. I ask you to kindly accompany me at dinner tonight at the finest restaurant', he says and I laugh. The text is so formal and sounds so stupid, I can literally hear a British accent while reading this text. 'Why is your text so formal ', I reply back. 'I do not know what you mean, Elizabeth', he texts and I start to become confused. What is up with him? This is not conversation text, this is smart ass British text and I hate it. I decide to not think too much of it and reply with a yes to going to dinner with him. "Everything alright?", my dad asks me with a concerned look. "Yeah, it's just that Jack asked me to go to dinner with him tonight at the finest restaurant and he made the text so formal which isn't like him", I tell my dad and he laughs. "What's so funny?", I ask confused. "I know what Jack is doing because I did the same thing when I was trying to date your mother back in high school", he says with a laugh. 

"Well, what is it?", I ask.

"He is trying to impress you with fancy crap so you'll think he's a prim proper guy that get give you everything you want even when he can't".

"Why would he do that?'.

"He might think you don't like his fun, edgy self so he's changing to the opposite from his true personality to impress you, thinking you're into guys with proper manners than more over the top guys".

"I like him just the way he is".

"Tell him that sweetheart. All he needs is reassurance from you", my dad tells me and I nod. I knew last night would come and bite me on the ass. He is acting so stupid because I denied to sneak out with him. The prim proper guys piss me off and he knows that so why would he change to someone like that.

At 6 pm there is a knock at the door. I stand from the dining table chair and walk to the door. I open the door to see Jack in a grey suit. "You look beautiful, Elizabeth", he says and I thank him. I am wearing a red lace dress with black heels, half my hair tied in a ponytail and the other half sitting against my shoulders. At dinner, Jack and I are eating our meals in silence which is very odd of us, we are usually always talking. I need to confront Jack because this whole changing to impress is pissing me off. "Jack, I'm going to say this in the nicest way, what the fuck are you doing?", I ask and he stops chewing his food. "Eating", he says confused and I shake my head. "No, what are you doing? Why are you acting like this?", I say and he looks down. "Jack, listen to me, I like you just the way you are. I only denied to sneak out last night because it was late and I didn't want to get in trouble but that doesn't mean I want to be with a guy who follows all the rules. Those guys are no fun. If you think I'm into guys like that then you really don't know me at all", I say and look deep into his emerald green eyes. "I hate being like this. I just thought it would impress you but I seem to have thought about the denial last night a little too much", Jack tells me and I nod. "Elizabeth, will you do me the honour of accompanying me for a stroll in the park", he says and I look at him with the most serious expression. He laughs and stands to grab my hand and we leave the restaurant after paying for our meals. 

As we are walking through the park, Jack mentions me wanting to talk to him about us. I look at him then look away. It's now or never Liz. I open my mouth to start talking but am interrupted with sprinklers in the park turning on and spraying water all over us. Jack turns to me and bows, asking me to dance. I curtsey, taking his hand and we dance in the spraying water. Jack tucks my hair behind my ears, taking my face into his hands as he kisses my lips. "Let's go", he says to me and takes my hand, leading us away from the water. I shiver from the coldness so Jack wraps his jacket around my body to keep me somewhat warm till we arrive back to my house. "Tonight was a total bust. I'm sorry for acting stupid", Jack says to me. "It's fine", I say. "So your not mad?", he asks and I giggle. "No, it's all good. Dancing in the rain made up for it", I say and Jack smiles.

At my front door, Jack kisses my lips then trails down to my neck and I laugh because it tickles. He laughs with me and kisses my lips again. "Goodnight", he says as I give his jacket back to him. "Goodnight", I say and watch him walk away. We got interrupted again so we didn't get to talk about us and I really need to. Maybe it's a sign, I shouldn't tell him. It's probably better this way, we won't end up together anyway in the future. I like things the way they are and if we start to date and actually commit, everything will change. I know we act like we are dating but it's different. Jack and I have strong friendships and the romantic things we do doesn't count. I just know that if I commit, I'll freak out and leave. I can't do that to Jack so it's safer for him if we just stay friends.