Page 17 of Honest With You

I playfully roll my eyes at her as I unlock my locker.

“It’s a Cali thing. A rite of passage!” She raises an eyebrow then points a finger at me. “You better tell me what’s going on before this day ends, Ava.”

I suck in a relieved breath when she turns around and crosses the hallway to her locker.

I’m switching books out when I hear something that gives me pause.

“Oh hey, Jesse!”

The mere mention of his name sends tingles down my spine. My palms start to sweat, nearly causing me to drop my book and I stash it quickly in my backpack. I shut my locker door as I suppress the impulse to rest my forehead against the cool metal surface of my locker.

I contemplate sprinting to class but I don’t want to risk getting lost in the halls and be late. So instead, I swallow a sigh. I turn just in time to see him make a beeline over to me. Over his shoulder, I can make out the surprise and curiosity registering in Vanessa’s face as she watches Jesse approach me. I completely missed the part when Dean showed up but it doesn’t even matter. Vanessa ignores him, her focus lasered in on us.

I tear my eyes away from them just in time to look up at Jesse towering over me.

“Something wrong with your phone, Ava?” He smirks down at me with a wink. He reaches over and brushes hair out of my face gently, his fingers lingering on my cheeks and forehead. His touch heats up my skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

“Are you ignoring me?”

With an exaggerated sigh, I pull out my phone and check to see that yes, itwashim that messaged me incessantly.

“Not intentionally.” I frown. “Good morning, by the way.”

“Now it is.”

Without asking, he pulls the backpack off my shoulder and slings it over his.

“What are you doing?”

“Walking you to class.” He looks over his shoulder at Vanessa and Dean, who are both openly gawking at us now. “You guys don’t mind if I steal Ava, do you?”

Vanessa is so giddy, she’s bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“Not at all. See you at lunch, Ava! You too, Jesse.” She makes a show of linking her arm around Dean’s. She smiles so wide, I’m afraid her face will break. She waves as she pulls Dean away from us.

I’m still watching them walk away when Jesse gently places a warm hand on the small of my back.

“So can I know where I’m walking you to?” Now it’s his turn to frown. “You never did send me your class schedule.”

I turn and blink at him in astonishment.

I’m trying to process what’s happening right now. Undoubtedly, he knows that by standing here in the middle of the hallway before first period with his hand on me and my backpack on his shoulder, he’s telling the whole school that we’re together.

I don’t have to look around to see we’re being watched. Just from what I can see in my peripheral, some of the kids around us have actually stopped walking and are openly staring.

“Jesse. What are you doing?” I lift my hand to take my backpack from him when he intercepts it, clutching it tightly in his. He slowly threads his fingers through mine with a satisfied smile.

I try to pull away, tugging weakly. The warmth of his fingers in mine feels so good.

Too good.

So much that it scares me.

“Ava,” He whispers, looking perplexed. “Don’t overthink it. My hand is just way too tired from texting you all morning and getting ignored.” He pouts slightly, his lips twitching as if fighting a smile. “I could use some comfort.”

Someone much taller than me almost hits me on the head with his backpack but Jesse pulls me smoothly out of the way and across the hall where he leans me back on a locker. He’s still clutching my hand firmly, his thumb stroking my wrist tenderly as he gazes down at me. He doesn’t push. He doesn’t prod. He’s content just holding my hand.

I can’t make myself look away. There’s a softness in his eyes and I wonder if he’s ever looked at anyone else like that. He wore the same expression five years ago and the thought of that, coupled with the memories of that week we bonded, makes the butterflies go crazy inside me. My heart races and my throat goes dry.

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