The Surprise of a Lifetime

Chapter 6-Xander

I knew that she was Lane's roommate, so I'm not shocked to see her. What I am shocked about, is that she was out with Axl. Of all people, it had to be Axl. I slowly stand from Lane's desk chair, I stand their awkwardly and attempt to speak, but no words leave my mouth.

Jane speaks first, "Xander? What are you doing here?" She sounds surprised, I was sure that Lane would have told her that we know each other through, mutual friends.

As she stands there waiting for a response, her back pressed almost all the way to Axl's front, I suddenly find my voice to speak.

"I'm waiting for--"

"Janie! I didn't think you would be back so soon!" Lane says, coming out of the bathroom with Fin.

"It's already eleven, what do you mean?" Jane's shoulders drop slightly which shows she's more comfortable now than when she walked in.

"We were just about to leave," Lane goes on as if Jane didn't speak. Lane's eyes are going back and forth between Axl and me, and suddenly, this room feels too small for all of us to be in it. "You guys want to come with?" I thought she felt the tension in the room but her asking if they wanted to come, just shows that Lane really doesn't understand what the hell is going on between the three of us.

"Actually I--" Jane starts to speak but at the same time Axl says, "sure." Jane looks back at Axl and a quick moment of silence passes between them, like unspoken words only they can understand. I'm instantly jealous.

Jane eventually turns to face us and slowly nods her head. She then looks at Lane quickly and it's their turn to communicate silently. All of these unspoken conversations, I want that with Jane.

"Great! you don't need to change do you? Cool, let's go!" Lane doesn't give her a chance to answer before tugging her out the door, Axl, Fin, and I following close behind.

***

"Can we go now?" I hear Jane shouting to Lane over the music.

"We just got here, Janie." Lane shouts right back to her.

Jane doesn't say another word but settles into the stool she's currently occupying in the kitchen, right next to Axl. My stomach tightens as I see her lean closer to him. Axl leans over to whisper into Jane's ear but somehow he doesn't need to shout and she hears him just fine. She giggles and I'm annoyed that I can't hear what he's just said to her.

I look down at the beer in my hand and try to focus on anything other than the two of them getting cozy in the kitchen of this random frat house.

"Xander." I hear my name in a sing song nasally voice. I tense up and instead of looking towards the voice that's just called my name, I look towards Jane, hoping she's too busy to notice the scene that's about to go down. To my horror, Jane and Axl are both looking in my direction. Correction, they're looking in the direction of the voice. Fin and Lane have both disappeared to god knows where so there's not much help from them.

Arms snake over my shoulders and around my chest, constricting my movement. I'm still staring at Jane and her face has gone completely cold, stone like.

"Izzy." I hear my voice says, but it doesn't sound like my voice, it sounds like someone else in the distance. Axl says her name at the exact same time as I do.

"Why the long face boys?" Izzy says to both Axl and I. "Never thought I would see you both hanging out together." She smirks, her grip never loosens from around me.

"We're not hanging out. We're here with some mutual friends." Axl says, his arm snakes around Jane's waist and I feel myself tense. My sudden jerkiness has Izzy loosening her grip, probably in surprise, and I'm able to break free of her grip at that point.

I can feel her eyes on me but she doesn't try to wrap her arms around me again. "Right, June, is it?" She says, addressing Jane.

"It's Jane." Jane's voice is hard and emotionless. Something has happened between these two girls, I just know it, I spare a glance towards Izzy. I don't like the way she's eyeing Jane.

"Right, Jane." Izzy's eyes roam up and down Jane's body, "wow, freshman 15 is really hitting you hard, isn't it?"

My head snaps towards Jane to see the expression on her face. I want to go to her, tell her not to listen to Izzy, but for some reason I can't move. That might have something to do with Axl and the way he pulls her closer, arm still around her waist. Jane's face is still emotionless, but she hugs her jacket closer around her, trying to hide her body I'm assuming.

"Izzy." Axl gives a growled warning. Izzy laughs and holds up her hands in surrender.

"Just an observation, brother. Something between us girls." Izzy focusses her eyes back onto Jane.

"I--I have to go." Jane jumps off the stool, startling Axl, and rushes into the sea of people.

I make eye contact with Axl, and for once, I think we're on the same page about Izzy. We both look at her and she feigns innocence. "What?" She asks, as if she genuinely has no idea of what she just did.

"You're a bitch." I hear myself say, surprised at my own words. I have never called a woman out of her name like that before. I expect Axl to defend his sister but I hear no remarks from him.

Izzy's smile drops as she looks at me in shock. "Did you just--" she starts but doesn't get the full question out.

"Yeah, he did." Axl says, now standing next to me, a united front.

"And you're just going to let him?" Izzy snaps out of her shock and goes immediately into rage.

"You deserve way worse for what you said to Jane right now. What has she even done to you? You've met the girl one time and she was nothing but nice to you, just because you're having a bad day and feel insecure because Xander no longer wants to be with you, doesn't mean you can take it out on other girls who have nothing to do with your situation. I have defended you against a lot, I've even fought Xander for you, but no more Izzy. You are a grown adult, act like it." And with that last blow to Izzy, Axl walks out of the kitchen.

I stand there with the biggest smirk on my face, unable to help myself. Izzy watches him walk out and when he's completely out of sight, she turns to me. "Xander, I--" Izzy begins.

I hold my hand up to stop her, "save it. I've told you more than once already, stay away from me. If there was even the smallest chance of me hooking up with you again, which there never was, but if there was, it's gone now with this little scene you just pulled. I agree with your brother, grow the fuck up Izabella, this shit isn't funny or cute." I begin to brush past her but she grabs my wrist to stop me.

"Xander come on, it was a joke." Izzy says with nervousness in her voice. I take a deep calming breath before turning back towards her.

I yank my wrist out of her grip, "the fact that you think that was funny should show you why no one wants to hang around you." I turn and walk away, not letting her stop me again.

I search for Jane everywhere but I can't find her. There's no way she left the party, right?

"She's gone." I hear Lane say behind me, I turn to look at her, "dude, what the hell happened?" She asks, taking a sip from her red solo cup.

I don't answer her question, instead asking her one of my own, "where'd she go?"

"Axl found her and they left, that was maybe 10 minutes ago." She chugs the rest of her drink before speaking again, "what the hell happened?" She asks again.

"I—" I begin but abandon all explanation and instead provide one word, "Izzy."

Lane nods in understanding, "well, it's been a long night. Just have fun, talk to Jane tomorrow. I'm sure everything will be fine." And with that, Lane walks into the crowd, to go find Fin, I'm sure of it.

I sigh and decide that's my cue to head home. Lane is right, everything will be fine.