heard us. Meg mouthed the word “sorry”. But I wasn’t mad, I was being truthful. If Jay overheard us and thinks I don’t like him, that’s his own fault for shutting me out.
In class, Jay sat in his chair and stared straight ahead. He looked good, strong, healthy. I tried to spot what might be different about him. I honestly couldn’t figure it out. The bell rang and the girl sitting next to him dropped her books. Jay bent down to pick them up. I saw a black paracord bracelet with a silver medallion on it strung around his right wrist. This wasn’t a big difference - but he had never worn that before. He wasn’t the jewelry wearing type. I hoped to get a closer look at lunch time.
Meg was sitting in our usual spot and I glanced over to where Soren was sitting. He was laughing it up with the kids at the table and eating his lunch. Jay walked over and set his tray down. I looked for Jay’s bracelet but his hoodie covered it.
“I’m not good enough company for you?” Meg interrupted my staring. “What are you looking at anyway?” She peered in the direction of Jay’s table. Then she smiled at me. “Nevermind. Your man is back and you still like him,” she teased.
“He is not my man. Actually, I’m trying to see his bracelet,” I added.
“Why, is it super cool? I didn’t take Jay as a jewelry wearing kinda guy.” He wasn’t which made me even more interested in the bracelet. “Listen, in English Lit we are in small groups today. I’ll get with his group and check into it.”
“Thanks Meg.” We ate and talked about our boring weekend while staring in Jay’s direction.
When 3PM hit, Meg found me at my locker. “Ok, Jay’s bracelet is a medic alert bracelet. No clue as to why he wears one though. He was kinda withdrawn in class - not like himself. What’s his deal?”
I shook my head and packed up my books. “I don’t know.” I could see Jay walking several feet in front of us. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, I’m gonna’ try to catch up to him.”
“Good luck,” Meg wished. I picked up my pace, not wanting to appear too obvious. Hopefully within the next block I would catch up to him. I wasn’t in as good of shape as I had been before the accident and the cold air hurt my lungs - but I was gaining ground. Then a silver VW Jetta pulled up to Jay. It was Becca and her friends offering a ride. Surprisingly, he got in, even though his aunt’s house was a block and a half away. I stayed far enough back to avoid being spotted. But instead of going straight toward his aunt’s, they turned and headed east. I continued on toward my house.
Tuesday morning I saw Becca hanging all over Jay like syrup on a waffle. He didn’t seem repulsed but he also was not returning the cuddles. I tried to not watch but it was like when there’s a car crash on the side of the road - you just gotta’ look. When Becca said goodbye to head to class she gave Jay a peck on the cheek. He smiled a half smile her way. When he turned away, he caught me watching them. Heat rushed into my cheeks. There were no words, just Jay downcasting his eyes and walking away. My heart sank. What had I done to turn him away from me? Why were he and Becca becoming closer? Maybe he finally realized that I was nowhere near his league. I was losing him and I felt so sad inside. So vulnerable.
At lunch he sat with Becca and her crew. I had to turn my chair away from them because I felt the jealousy eating me up. Meg did her best to distract me and tried to make plans for the weekend. It was mindless chatter - but it filled the half hour. After lunch I headed to the bathroom. I picked the middle stall and I heard some girls come in after me to gossip by the sinks.
“He’s so hot. Becca is so lucky,” one girl said.
“I heard they went all
In class, Jay sat in his chair and stared straight ahead. He looked good, strong, healthy. I tried to spot what might be different about him. I honestly couldn’t figure it out. The bell rang and the girl sitting next to him dropped her books. Jay bent down to pick them up. I saw a black paracord bracelet with a silver medallion on it strung around his right wrist. This wasn’t a big difference - but he had never worn that before. He wasn’t the jewelry wearing type. I hoped to get a closer look at lunch time.
Meg was sitting in our usual spot and I glanced over to where Soren was sitting. He was laughing it up with the kids at the table and eating his lunch. Jay walked over and set his tray down. I looked for Jay’s bracelet but his hoodie covered it.
“I’m not good enough company for you?” Meg interrupted my staring. “What are you looking at anyway?” She peered in the direction of Jay’s table. Then she smiled at me. “Nevermind. Your man is back and you still like him,” she teased.
“He is not my man. Actually, I’m trying to see his bracelet,” I added.
“Why, is it super cool? I didn’t take Jay as a jewelry wearing kinda guy.” He wasn’t which made me even more interested in the bracelet. “Listen, in English Lit we are in small groups today. I’ll get with his group and check into it.”
“Thanks Meg.” We ate and talked about our boring weekend while staring in Jay’s direction.
When 3PM hit, Meg found me at my locker. “Ok, Jay’s bracelet is a medic alert bracelet. No clue as to why he wears one though. He was kinda withdrawn in class - not like himself. What’s his deal?”
I shook my head and packed up my books. “I don’t know.” I could see Jay walking several feet in front of us. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, I’m gonna’ try to catch up to him.”
“Good luck,” Meg wished. I picked up my pace, not wanting to appear too obvious. Hopefully within the next block I would catch up to him. I wasn’t in as good of shape as I had been before the accident and the cold air hurt my lungs - but I was gaining ground. Then a silver VW Jetta pulled up to Jay. It was Becca and her friends offering a ride. Surprisingly, he got in, even though his aunt’s house was a block and a half away. I stayed far enough back to avoid being spotted. But instead of going straight toward his aunt’s, they turned and headed east. I continued on toward my house.
Tuesday morning I saw Becca hanging all over Jay like syrup on a waffle. He didn’t seem repulsed but he also was not returning the cuddles. I tried to not watch but it was like when there’s a car crash on the side of the road - you just gotta’ look. When Becca said goodbye to head to class she gave Jay a peck on the cheek. He smiled a half smile her way. When he turned away, he caught me watching them. Heat rushed into my cheeks. There were no words, just Jay downcasting his eyes and walking away. My heart sank. What had I done to turn him away from me? Why were he and Becca becoming closer? Maybe he finally realized that I was nowhere near his league. I was losing him and I felt so sad inside. So vulnerable.
At lunch he sat with Becca and her crew. I had to turn my chair away from them because I felt the jealousy eating me up. Meg did her best to distract me and tried to make plans for the weekend. It was mindless chatter - but it filled the half hour. After lunch I headed to the bathroom. I picked the middle stall and I heard some girls come in after me to gossip by the sinks.
“He’s so hot. Becca is so lucky,” one girl said.
“I heard they went all
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