Page 24 of Withered

“What’s wrong?” I’m as confused as hell.

“Nothing.” She’s still laughing.

“What do you mean, nothing? You are laughing as if I told you a joke.” I ask her if she is more confused.

She calms down. “Okay, but why are you thinking about him?”

“I am not.” I immediately answered, defending myself.

“You sure? Because it sure as hell doesn’t sound like that.” She asks me again. I can tell she is smirking on the other end.

“Okay, maybe I am. But I can’t help it. All I am worried about is that I have a competitor now,” I state.

It’s a half-truth and a half-lie. It is true, though. I don’t care about anything else he does. It is his life, and he can do whatever he wants to. My reputation is at risk now. All my life, I worked hard for this position, and I can’t let it go into the hands of some delinquent. I sound so stupid now, but I just cannot help this feeling.

“Chill, Rose. You just concentrate on your work, my nerd. Why think about someone who isn’t worth it?” She says that, and that hits me hard.

She has a point. I don’t even know anything about him, and I am thinking about his stupid ways. Pros of knowing your best friend almost your entire life.

“I got it. Thanks, Kristy.” I smile even though she couldn’t see me. I get it; all I have to do is ignore it. I have to just tune things out.

“Anytime, Rose.”

We hang up. Things are best ignored for a while, as they may turn out well in the end. Who knows?

As I keep my phone on the bedside table, I see some movements from the corner of my eye. When I look out the window, I see Jake opening his; mine was already open. Why did I keep it open when I knew this evil stayed right across me?

He smirks at me. “Hello, Rose.”

“Hello, Jake.” I don’t even spare him a look, although the urge to wipe that smirk out is too strong.

If today wasn’t enough, he is adding to it. Some days, things just take way too much of my energy.

Hesmirks,“What?Nothappy to see me?” After messing up with my head, like hell if I would.

I clap my hands and say, “Oh Jake, you’ve no idea how delighted I’m because of your presence.” I glare at him. “You’re the last person I would like to talk to on this planet,” I reply with sarcasm.

When he just chuckles, that annoys me further. “Oh wait, actually, you’re the person I wouldn’t talk to at all.”

I’m getting angry, something he brings out of me.

“What’s with the attitude?” He chuckles again, sensing my icy tone. He raises an eyebrow and glances at me as if I'm his prey.

I dodge his question by asking, “Any specific reason you want to take my precious time?” I want to addagain, but I stop myself.

Just when I think I should ignore him, he shows up in all his bad-boy glory. He’s wearing the same clothes he wore to school and looksfresh. I, on the other hand, look like I just ran a marathon when I got home.

He mutters something under his breath that I don’t catch and glances at me. “Feisty, I like that. Anyways, I just want to say congratulations as you topped.”

I almost scoffed. “Oh really? I could say the same to you.”

My body is in a different mode, and I don’t get it. I don’t gethim. It’s as if he just flipped a switch inside me. We barely know each other—no, we don’t know each other—and here he is trying to build a civil conversation. It makes me want to laugh, cry, and shout. All at once.

“Well, you didn’t say anything yet.” His voice was laced with a casual tone.

Earlier he was standing straight, but now he is leaning against the wall, exposing his muscles, and my gaze is drawn to them.Snap out of it, Rose.

He raises his eyebrows, and I say, “I don’t want to.” Never have I spoken to a person like this. But then again, this is Jake we’re talking about. He brings out a whole new side of me. A side that I don’t plan on seeing. A side that I don’t like.

---