Chapter 41- Stone

 "Lena! Come on we're going to be late!" I yell laying my hands on the bathroom door to get as close as I can without actually opening the door. She has been in there for two hours now, and the damn shower has been running the whole time! Walking over to my desk again, I play my turn... I've played four games of Chess against the computer and lost each of them. I've been ready for the past three hours, it took her a full hour to get out of bed, and now the past two hours have been pounding on my bathroom door and chess.  "I'm eating breakfast without you!" I yell leaving my room.  

Making my way down to the kitchen I grab a package of apple strawberry cream oatmeal. Pouring it into a bowl and adding the water, I click the buttons on the microwave and wait.  I planned on doing a bunch of stuff with her today, but if she takes much longer we wont be able to do much. I really wanted to go swimming and see if we could go riding, but now I don't think we'll have enough time. Maybe just one today, including we have the musical. Once the microwave beeps, I grab my bowl and stir it up. Plopping into one of the chairs, I eat my cereal, while everyone is is busy running around trying to get to where they want to. With school being cancled for the week I'm sure lots people are going out, or throwing parties. Anne and Rachel sweep into the room, and Rachelle makes Anne's breakfast for her. Anne just sits across from me and glares. 

"So... you and Jake are going to go out right?" She roles her eyes, but jealousy is leaking from her voice.  A couple people stop  and look at the two of us, listening in. I take a deep breath, this is practically world war three going on now. "What about Jason?" 

"Just shut up." I get up, putting my bowl in the sink. Now the kitchen is quiet. "Get over yourself." I add leaving the room. No way am I up for that today. I want a nice fun good day, and causing a war with Anne doesn't sound good or apealing.  I meet Lena coming up the stairs, and I drag her out to my car wanting to avoid Anne. She complains about wanting food, but I tell her she should've got ready faster. 

"Well what are we gonna do today?" She asks, leaning against my car. I cross my arms unsure. What should we do?  "We should go see that guy... the tall blonde you're friends with."

"What?" I cough. Tall blonde? That's Jake. 

"Yeah... you can hang out with red head boyfriend.. and I'll just hang out with blondie." She shrugs with a smile. I shake my head, this is unbelievable! 

"Jake ... blondie... is my boyfriend." I say, and she laughs then stops looking at my serious look.  "Seriously." I sigh. 

"I thought you and red head had a thing. I mean your kiss was like  holy shit! And the way you too looked at each other!" She places her hands over her heart, and shrinks her knees.  

"No." I say wanting to clear it all up. "Robbie is just a friend. Jake is my boyfriend.  Now what do you want to do today?" I begin naming of things we could do. She doesn't seems interested in any of it unless it involves seeing boys. Although it's illegal for her to have anything to do with any of the boys here, I'm getting the feeling that isn't going to stop her. 

"Let's throw a dance competition!" She says, pulling out her phone. "You make sure people show up, and I'll do the rest!" she walks away texting a mile a minute. I lean against my car scratching the top of my head. She dances Juiliard, why does she want to do more dancing? I send out a mass text to all my contacts. We walk around the school grounds while she keeps pulling her strings to get a Dj and  drinks. This isn't going to be as fun as I thought it would be having her here.

After another three hours are wasted planning we go back to the dorm for lunch. I make macaroni with hotdogs in it, we play a couple cards games and chat about boys. Mostly about Jake. I grit my teeth unhappily at all her questions. It's almost as if she doesn't care I'm with him, I'm actually assuming she doesn't care because she is trying to get as much information out of me as he can.

"Paige!" Jayla yells running in and squeezing me. I almost choke on my food as she squeezes me. "What are you doing? Why aren't you with Jake?"

"I'm eating.. and I have a ... friend here. I didn't want to be rude. What are you doing here?" I explain sitting up. Lena is looking Jayla up and down, I don't like the look on her face.  "Oh.. Jayla this is Lena. Lena this is Jayla .. Jake's little sister."

"Oh hey! You look just like your brother Jake!" Lena shines, and it automatically turns Jayla off. She doesn't like the way she said Jake's name either.

"No.. I think she looks like me." Jason rounds the corner. I look down at the table, rubbing my eyes. What in the world is going on? Jayla and Jason? No word from Jake...? "Paige.. a word." He says, I get up and leave Jayla alone with Lena. Hopefully they wont kill each other. But what on earth does Jason want from me?  Stoppping outside on the dorm stairs, he looks out at the yard.

"What?" I ask, leaning against the railing.

"About yesterday." He begins. "I didn't mean to piss you off or anything... but Paige Jake is bad news. You know that. What are you doing getting involved with him?"

"It's a long story..." I say, not really wanting to talk about this. "To long to explain to you right now... and frankly it's none of your business." I add. He stands up straight giving me a stirn teacher like look.  "Oh don't even try to pull that you're older and wiser crap right now." I mumble shaking my head.

"Have you guys had sex yet?" He asks, and now I give him a stirn face. 

"No.. but if we had it would really be none of your business!" I scold, walking down the stairs away from him. I'm lying but he doesn't need to know that. "What is Jayla doing here?" I ask, lets change the subject. 

"Turns out she is still out on break... so our parents thought she should come here and spend time with her brothers. I know how much you like each other.. and Jake is missing in action so.. I heard you're having a party."

"I'm not.. Lena is. She just wants me to invite a bunch of guys." I role my eyes.

"Like Jake?" He catches on.

"It doesn't matter."  I shake my head. "What do you want Jason?" I ask.

"I want you to understand Jake is dangerous. You need to drop him, and forget about him Paige. He is just trouble. I'm being serious, I haven't said anything to your brother yet but I will if I have to." He threatens.

"You're threatening me now!" I growl, standing up straight. He just nods. "You wouldn't."

"Oh so you do care if your parents know... so.. you do know Jake is bad news." He says

"Jason.. It's just to early for our families to know..." I try to reason with him.

"My family knows." He raises his eyebrow.

"Yeah.. well I get the feeling that's your fault." I say hotly. He nods, I shake my head again. "What ever. This conversation is over." I turn heading back inside.  

"You know I'm right... Jake has been awol since you two came out officially. You've fought, and hell Paige I'm guessing he hasn't even said a word to you since musical practice yesterday!" I walk inside not replying. He is right. Jake hasn't said a word. I sent him a goodmorning text this morning, and he never replied.  "You're only going to hurt yourself in the end!" He yells as I make my way upstairs, but he doesn't follow me. Why is it that everything he has been saying makes sense?! 

*******

All damn day I've been running around setting up for this dumb party. Now finally getting a slight break, I look at all the work. It looked good the split second before people arrived which was like two minutes after it was completed. I can't believe the teachers were okay with this. Apparently they think it's some fundraiser for the musical, and that we're only drinking fruit punch. I'm guessing some teachers know that isn't true, but they haven't came forward at all. Leaning against the wall, I look at the crowd of dancing teenagers.  

Lena dashes towards me with two drinks in her hand, and she is practically forcing one down my throat before she even says hi. I take the cup away from her promising to have fun, and not mope.  I dump it out when she isn't looking, I convince her to go away only after pointing out Jake's group of friends to her. Jake wasn't with them, but they're all there. Wyatt seems to be leading the pack tonight. I wonder how he is doing. Him and Carmen split, and it seems like he took it okay... but this could just be for show and not what he is really feeling.

  I walk around to all the servers... yes Lena hired drink servers... telling them all about Jayla. No way do I need her to be running around drunk. I'm not sure if she is here, but she was hanging around while we were setting up so just in case.  

Once I'm back in my spot against the wal,l watching the party in full swing,  I realize that Jake and I have some chatting to do. When ever I see him again. Who knows it could be days at this rate. Not even a text, or a word from Wyatt about his whereabouts! He probably took another girl to the private beach... that's a whole day thing easily for him. Kicking off the wall, I head for the door. I've had enough for tonight. 

"Ah-!" a half yelp thing leaves my throat as I get grabbed from behind. A hand covers my mouth, and pulls me back. Once I've stopped moving I'm behind the building where no one can see. I turn ready to fight, my arm already in the swinging motion. My arm comes to a holt seeing a bright smile with puppy eyes and shaggy blonde hair. 

"You instinct is to fight?" He crosses his arms, looking down at me. 

"You should know that." I mumble taking a couple steps away from him. "So.. what do you want Jake?" I ask. I don't know how to act right now. Cold shoulder? Mad as hell? Sad? I'm not good at this feelings and relationship thing. 

"Don't be mad please." He says quietly reaching for me. "Jason... stirred up trouble at home.. I had to go back an-"

"Seriously?" I say. "Jason..? Is he just the root to all of your problems?" I stand up straight, pulling back my shoulders. 

"Most of them... yeah." He nods, and I actually laugh. Definately not a funny good laugh. "Paige, I told you Jason and I don't get along... He is trying to get me kicked out of sch-"

"I don't want to listen to anymore stories Jake." I interupt again. "I just want the truth."

"I'm telling you the truth, Paige!" He whispers, walking over to where I now stand. "Where is this coming from?"  He grabs my shoulders.

"How many girls have you brought to your private beach? Did you have flowers and romantic things planned for all of them.. or was that just me?" I snap. His hands drop from my shoulders. 

"Jason." He mutters in disgust, so quietly I barely hear him. "See what I mean! He got rid of me for the day so he could mess with your head. You're letting him ruin this."

"You didn't answer the question Jake." I stay calm. No tears and no more snapping. 

"One." He holds up his hand with his pointer finger out. 

"One?" 

"One girl." He looks at the ground, and takes a couple deep breaths. "You. You are the only person I've brought up there." He seems to be calming down as well. My head is spinning. One girl? Then how does Jason know? Which one is lying? 

"But... Jas-"

"He is stirring up trouble." He sighs, and now looking at him my nerves go up and my wall starts to shake. His gaze is icy cold, and his eyes are filled with hurt and anger. "You believed him. You let him wiggle his way in. Now we will never work." He shakes his head and now he is the one with the not so funny laugh. He walks away, and doesn't look back.

My heart is thumping so hard in my chest it feels like my it's breaking through my skin. I've got goosebumps from his coldness, and fear trembling through me from his stoney eyes. My breath is caught, I feel like I'm not breathing. I can't move as I watch him just walk away. He doesn't look back.  New fear rises from deep inside of me and it takes me a minute to understand it. Yes, Jake's coldness scared me, but loosing him scares me more. It's strikes fear into my soul. It's not good, to feel like this about him. What can I do though? He is gone, and I don't think anything I do can get him back. 

I've got to try.

I'm chasing after him in a couple seconds. Pushing through the crowd to the parking lot, I spilt a couple of peoples drinks on them, and I mutter apologizes as I go. Breaking through the cloud of people, I burst onto the road, I catch him opening the door to his car. My feet are moving again.  I close his car door, before he gets in. He tilts his head looking down at me, I'm trying to catch my breath from that little burst of adrrenaline, but it's no use. His eyes are wet. I made him cry. Wrappingmy arms around his torso I lay my head on his chest.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." I whisper. Ever so slowly he seems to relax with every minute that passes. Even though I'm sure it really was only a couple seconds. His arms cling to me, and I feel his forehead against the top of my head. I feel his shakey breath against my skin, and I hear his one quiet sniffle. "Tell me.." I begin. "Tell me what happened today?" I ask. 

"Stay with me tongiht." He asks, first. I nod, not mentioning that I planned on staying with him even if he didn't want me to. I shift turning my head, and I can see the crowd of people dancing. Through all of the moving bodies, I spot one that isn't moving. Infact it's standing in the back, on the oposite side of the building I was at. Looking directly at me, pissed off. Jason. Closing my eyes I look away, unsure what exactly just happened. I wont mention it to Jake. Right now, I just want to be next to him, and not worry about anyone but us.