Page 21 of XO

“Then forget I said anything.” Jacob stands and shrugs on his Panther’s jacket. His tone is dismissive, and for some reason, it makes me feel small like he’s lording something over me, or that I’m too stupid to understand what he’s not saying.I didn’t even agree to be Kevin’s date, so why has he now got his knickers in a twist?“See you at rehearsal.”

“Yeah,” I say as he walks through the door. “Looking forward to it.”

I once again roll my eyes at how Jacob Lynch has managed to get under my skin and all without even trying. Everyone seems to have an opinion, but no one wants to share it.

On my way to class, I mull over the possibilities Jacob has planted in my head, but I don’t have time to propose my own ideas and possible solutions because I never make it to next class.

~

The rest of the day is especially heinous. After collapsing in the corridor, only a few feet from history class, the school nurse was called to escort me to sickbay. She and Mr. Johnson—who I decided I needed to have words with, just not at that particular point in time—picked me off the floor where I was curled into the fetal position, clutching my stomach and sobbing, much to the horror of onlooking students who’d gathered outside their classrooms. Whatever was taking hold of my insides had come at full force and was virtually incapacitating me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Nurse Meyer attempted to get hold of Mom, who not surprisingly, didn’t answer her cell, and my dad was across town held up in meetings. With a hot water bottle on my lower back and cup of cold tea next to me, I nursed the waves of pain. Somehow, I have to make it home, and I dread the thought. Still shy of getting my license, the bus is my only option. I manage to get word to Jacob that I won’t be attending rehearsal—dammit, more ammunition for him—but heard he gave no reply. For some reason, his non-reaction made my heart sink. His hot and cold attitude toward me is more than I can handle right now.

Hate me or like me.

He can’t do both.

When the bell rings signaling the end of the day, the sick room door bursts open, and Jacob’s presence fills the space, concerned eyes observing my curled-up position.

“Can I help you?” Nurse Meyer asks without turning to see who she’s addressing.

“It’s just me, ma’am,” he replies, all too familiar with the nurse who’s repaired him many times after games.

“Jacob,” she exclaims with a smile that lights up the room. She turns in her chair and ushers him in. “Big game next week. Are you nervous?”

He shrugs his sturdy shoulders. “The Giants may have beat us last time, but we’ve got them covered. Mr. Johnson’s been brought in to help us strategize. Got us watching the last game and mapping shit… sorry, stuff out while Coach Carter deals with technique.”

Through my wincing, I can’t help but be impressed. There seems to be so much more to Jacob than meets the eye.

“Well, that sounds wonderful, dear. What can I help you with?”

“I’m actually here to pick up Rosie,” he says which takes me by surprise.

“You are?” I barely manage, my heart performing a somersault.

His smile is small but genuine. “Can’t leave you stranded, can I?”

Well, he could. He doesn’t owe me anything.

Without another word, he strides over, slides an arm around my waist before lifting me to my feet. “You’re shaking,” his gentle voice rumbles against my ear. I can’t reply because I have no energy to. Instead, I allow him to lead me down the hall, ignoring the curious stares of onlookers. It would look a bizarre sight—the school’s hero and heartthrob practically carrying home the crippled art nerd no one has ever paid any attention to. But I’m too sore to care.

“You’re not going to like this,” he says softly. “But the Dodge is in the shop getting all new tires. So, I’m busing it home with you.”

“That’s more than helpful.” I barely manage the words because as slow as it is for me to walk with Jacob’s help, I’d never make it to the bus if I were to do it alone. And as it is, we arrive a little too late as the bus doors close and starts to move away from the curb.

“Wait here,” he says, ensuring I’m safely latched onto the no parking sign. He runs to the bus and with a flat palm, bangs on the side to gain the driver’s attention. When the bus comes to a sudden stop and the doors reopen, Jacob returns and once again hooks his arm around me. “Don’t worry…” he quips, sensing my relief, “… I would have piggy-backed you home.”

I smile, and my heart skips a beat at his sudden care factor. We awkwardly climb the bus steps, ignoring the gawking from onlookers. When I see every seat taken, I almost cry. I’ve used every ounce of energy just leaving the sick-room, and now I have a fifteen-minute ride home in a packed bus.

We’re three-quarters of the way down when Jacob spots two freshmen who seem hell-bent on avoiding eye contact. Pissed, Jacob’s having none of it.

“Move,” he orders, and I suspect he would have asked nicely had they had been decent human beings in the first place. Unimpressed, the two slide from their seats and enter the aisle where we wait. They move to hold onto a handrail while Jacob lowers me onto the seat. He opens the window, and the breeze hitting my face is a welcomed sensation because it still feels like I have an angry fire-breathing dragon inside of me. I take comfort in having Jacob so close, his thigh pressed against mine, his arm resting across the backrest where his fingers gently stroke my shoulder. To an onlooker—who doesn’t know I’m being attacked by some heinous affliction—we might appear to be an affectionate couple. And it appears, some feel the need to speculate as such.

“Must be his new bit of ass on the side.” I hear one boy, I’m certain it’s Xander from the basketball team, say to the boy next to him. I feel my cheeks redden, and although they’re probably saying it quietly enough to be a private conversation between the two of them, I feel Jacob tense so I know, like me, he’s heard every word.

“From a cheerleader tothat. Who the fuck is she?”

This doesn’t hurt me like it would others. I’m no cheerleader, looks or personality wise. But when I see Jacob’s leg bouncing in agitation, I’m suddenly flooded with a feeling of shame. He’s risking his reputation to help me out. Only a small handful of students actually know of my existence, and then to compare me to Chelsea, it must have Jacob considering the consequences of his actions.

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