Page 34 of The Second Kiss
He wraps both arms around me and leans his head against mine. The firelight dances across Jacob’s face as he adds another log to the fire. He’s watching us. He looks annoyed, or mad...jealous? It has to be my imagination, or the way the fire reflects in his eyes.
“If you’re cold I could take you inside,” Brad's lips are at my ear. His breath tickles. I turn to face him. It all comes back. The brain fog, the sick dizziness swirling in my stomach, Brad's smirk, Lexie's triumph.
"No!"
Everyone turns to stare. I stand up fast, bumping my wrist against the camp chair. I pull back and wince.
Jacob stands too.
“Are you okay?” Brad reaches for my arm.
“No…I mean yes.” I stumble backwards away from him. “I’m tired. I don’t feel good. I need to go.”
“I’ll walk you to the house,” Brad says.
“No, I’ll walk her back.” The even command of Jacob's voice stops Brad.
“I’m okay.” I hurry toward the house. Jacob follows me.
He doesn’t say anything until we’re standing on my front porch. “Are you sure you’re okay? Matt said your parents won't be home until late tonight. I could take you to the ER. I think Mark was right about the x-ray.”
I turn around to face him. “I’m just tired.”
He takes my hand and touches my wrist. “Does it still hurt?”
Electric sparks move from my hand up my arm. “Not as much as it did.” I'm lightheaded, but I’m not sure if it's from the medicine.
He lets go of my hand. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I wish he hadn’t let go.
He looks up into my eyes. I’m locked in his gaze. I can’t look away. He takes a breath. "There's something I need to tell you."
My heart beats faster. I lean forward, close enough to smell his cologne mixed with sweat and sawdust.
He leans in too, like he has an important secret, "You need to stay away from that guy."
“What?” I step back and blink, maybe it’s the fog from the pills, but that wasn’t what I was expecting him to say.
He takes a breath and then starts talking fast, “I know you're not used to getting attention from guys, so maybe you don't understand what’s going on, but I've dealt with guys like Brad before. He’s not the kind of guy you want to be with. Trust me on this.”
I get defensive. Maybe because this talk is about six months too late. Maybe because Jacob is implying, like Matt, that Brad is out of my league, or that I'm naive, or that I'm so starved for a guy's attention that I can't see what Brad is. Or maybe because he's right, guys didn't pay any attention to me before Brad, and I already learned the lesson he's trying to teach me the hard way. Or maybe it's been a long day, my wrist is killing me, and the one guy that I actually want to notice me still thinks I'm too young and stupid to figure out what I want. Whatever the reason, my response is harsh, "What makes you think you have the right to tell me who I can be with?"
Jacob takes a step back, stumbling, like my words actually wounded him. "I didn't...I don't...I mean, I'm sorry, Jess...I…"
"I'm sorry too." And even though I am really sorry for what I just said to him, it doesn't come out that way. It comes out like I'm mad at him, not just frustrated with myself. To keep from saying anything worse, I open the door, “I need to get inside."
"Right, okay. Goodnight, Jess." There's something like regret in Jacob's tone, like maybe he didn't say what he meant to say either, but it's too late for either of us to go back and fix the moment.
Once I'm inside I glance back, but instead of Jacob, I see Brad. He's across the yard, leaning against his truck. I know he heard the entire conversation because he's grinning like he won.
sixteen
Rumors
Jasmine is waiting for me when I get to my locker on Monday. “How’s your wrist?” She’s eyeing the cast I got after my mom forced me to get an x-ray.
“It hurts, it looks terrible, and it’s nearly impossible to write with this cast on.” I answer. “Other than that, it’s great.”
