[ C h a p t e r - N i n e t e e n ]

Chapter 19

I rubbed my hands together nervously. After a long conversation with my brother last night, I came up with a plan. It has to do with my mystery kiss, which has been driving me completely and utterly insane these past few days. I haven’t been getting the right amount of sleep at night and I’ve been like a zombie. But this will all come to an end because I have the perfect plan.

If I can’t kiss Jonah, then I’ll have to try and kiss Francis.

I stared at the gymnasium door from afar. I got some firsthand insight from a few jocks that were in front of me in the cafeteria lunch line; they were complaining about how the boy’s locker room bathroom is messed up so they constantly have to use the bathroom down the hallway.

I already switched the signs on the doors; the one for the boy’s bathroom is now screwed onto the janitor’s closet door. I really hope he can’t tell the difference. Or maybe he won’t care and he’ll pee on the floor. I shuddered at the thought. I saw the door opening and Francis casually walked out, dressed in his football uniform. He was whistling casually and I stood up, out of his view and darted into the janitor’s closet. I switched the lights off and hid.

Light entered the room along with Francis’s bulky figure. He stopped whistling as he looked around and I leaped forward, pressing my lips to his. Bad things were running through my mind; what if he pushes me off of him because he thinks I’m a guy? What if he doesn’t let me leave and finds out who I am and assumes I have a major crush on him?

I was analyzing the kiss although it was pretty one sided. Francis seemed frozen and I was just standing in front of him, standing on my tippy toes, kissing him. When I realized that that was as far as I was going to get, I jumped back and exited the janitor’s closet, running as fast as I could to get away.

I ran down the hallway and around a bend, making sure I got to the parking lot. I ran out to the parking lot where there were about fifteen cars. I found mine and I ran over to it, panting heavily. I placed my hands on my knees when I heard sneakers hitting asphalt behind me. How’d he catch up with me?

“Savannah, what’s wrong?” I turned to see Sabrina who had on sweatpants and a tank top. I looked around at the snow. Did she not feel the cold? I had a reason not to; I mean, I just ran through nearly half of the school.

“I can’t breathe,” I was panting. My legs are burning as if they’re on fire.

She patted my back as I stood up. She handed me a water bottle and I chugged it, my vision was blurry. “Were you following me?”

She shook her head. “I was at a track meet.”

I stared at her, wide eyed. She runs track? The girl who wears pink and high heels runs track? I would assume she cheerleads. “You run track?”

“Cross country," she smiled proudly and I nodded. “Now what were you running from?”

“I...just wanted to run!” I lied, giggling nervously.

She nodded. “Of course, that’s why you were running with a terrified look on your face. I run like that, too. Now seriously, why were you running?”

“I kissed Francis,” I replied quietly. She stared at me for a moment.

“Come again?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I kissed Francis,” I told her a bit louder.

She placed her hand on her forehead. “What? Why?”

I explained the situation about Christmas Eve to her and the mystery kisser and she was staring at me with a frown on her face. “Well, was it him?”

“I don’t know! He wasn’t kissing back! He was just standing there like a brick wall!” I snapped.

She sighed. “It must be Jonah then.”

“It isn’t! He doesn’t like me! It had to be somebody else,” I explained.

“Well, why don’t we find out?” she starting digging in her pocket and fished out her cell phone. I wrestled it away from her and shook my head.

“You aren’t calling him!” I snapped and she rolled her eyes.

“Why not?” she asked.

“It’ll make things so awkward!” I replied and she narrowed her eyes. “’Hey Jonah, I was just wondering if you nearly made out with Savannah at that thing we went to on Christmas Eve,’” I imitated her.

“You’re scared that it’s Francis, aren’t you? You want it to be Jonah,” she accused.

“What!? No!” I began to defend myself but she cut me off.

“You like Jonah, don’t you, Savannah? As in like like. You have a crush on him!” she squealed and I shook my head vigorously.

“I don’t, Sabrina. I just rather it’d be him, someone I could tolerate, rather than Francis, someone who’s a complete jerk!” My theory was mostly to convince myself and it just so happened to convince Sabrina.

She pursed her lips before she sighed. “Okay, fine.”

I stared at her. “Okay? Fine? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means exactly what it is," she replied, placing her hands on her hips.

I furrowed my eyebrows. “You’re going tell Jonah about this, aren’t you?”

She shrugged. “I am… unless, you do something for me.”

I ran my hands down my face before I sighed. “What do you want me to do?”

She grinned. “Wait right here.”

~~~

Where is she? Sabrina told me to ‘wait right here’ twenty minutes ago and I’m getting impatient. I heard a mass amount of giggling and I watched as Sabrina emerged from the large crowd of 6 girls with large bags.

“What are you doing?” I hissed as she ran ahead of them.

“Jonah’s car isn’t big enough to fit all of us and we need to get to the mall," she replied and I narrowed my eyes.

“And you expect me to bring you there?” I asked her and she nodded.

“Your car is huge!” she exclaimed, pointing to my baby.

I shook my head. “No, I’m not doing it. Have fun walking,” I replied, walking towards my car.

She pulled out her phone. I turned and watched as she pressed ‘speaker.’ “Hey, Jonah?”

“Yes?” Jonah’s tired voice replied.

“I have something to tell you about Savannah,” she said and I ripped the phone out of her hand.

“I’m bringing her to the mall, don’t worry; she’s in safe hands,” I quickly ended the call and gave the phone back to her. “Okay, I’ll do it but I have rules.”

“Girls,” I earned the girls attention by just saying that. “I have some rules. There will be no eating in my car; no putting on makeup in my car; no perfume in my car; no gum in my car; no smoking in my car; no drinking in my car; and absolutely no dirty shoes in my car.”

I saw a few girls spit out their gum and others began dragging their shoes across the floor or taking them off. One of the girls put a water bottle away and another finished off a bag of chips. “Now, what are your names?”

Sabrina began pointed to the girls as she went. “This is Valerie, Peyton, Jessie, and Hilary. They’re on the cheer squad. Cheyenne, Cara and I are on Cross Country.” I waved at the girls.

“I’m Savannah and I don’t do sports,” I replied as I opened the back door. The girls began to pile into the car, giggling as they sat down. Sabrina took the passenger’s seat and I sat in the driver’s seat.

Before I could even tell them that there will be no music, Sabrina began blasting pop music. They all started singing, or should I say screaming, along to the song. I felt like a soccer mom.

~~~

When we reached the mall, the girls began to file out of the car. “Are you guys going to need rides home?” I asked and Sabrina smiled sheepishly.

“Valerie and I do,” she smiled and I nodded.

“How long will you guys be?” I asked and Sabrina placed a finger on her chin.

“About 2 or 3 hours," she replied and I groaned loudly.

“What am I supposed to do for 2 or 3 hours?” I complained.

“You could always call Jonah,” Cara sang. The other girls laughed and I rolled my eyes.

“I’m not going to call Jonah,” I imitated the way she said Jonah’s voice.

The girls let out loud laughs. Sabrina took out her phone and began clacking away. “I’m pretty sure Georgia’s here; I think she works today.”

I shrugged and sat down at a table in the food court while the girls ran off. A few moments later, I heard someone shout my name. “Savannah!”

I looked up to see Georgia flying through the air, her arms outspread. “Hey, Georgia,” I stood up and allowed her to latch herself onto me. It was awkward how everyone was staring at us but when she grinned at me, I just rolled my eyes.

“How are you? I haven’t seen you in forever!” she continued and I rolled my eyes again. I’ve been doing a lot of eye rolling.

“I saw you less than a week ago,” I told her, motioning for her to sit down. “Anyway, what are you doing here?”

“I work here," she told me with a grin. I noticed her ‘Cinnamon Cart’ outfit. Both of my eyebrows rose and I held back a laugh. “I know, I know, it’s a nerdy outfit but it pays well!”

“How much?” I asked her and she shrugged.

“A bit more than minimum wage and I work 4 days for 3 hours each," she told me.

I nodded my head; I make about the same amount but I work more. “Sounds fun.”

She shrugged. “I also get to see the hot guys eat cinnamon treats.”

I smiled. “Are you on break?” I asked her and she shrugged, glancing at her phone.

“I have 5 minutes," she grinned.

“How about we go back to your job and not get you fired?” I laughed while she continued to smile.

~~~

I was seated in a chair beside the ‘Cinnamon Cart’, spinning in circles while Georgia took orders. “I’m Georgia. Welcome to the ‘Cinnamon Cart’, what can I get you?”

“Make me a sandwich,” I heard Georgia’s laughter and I felt someone start to spin my chair faster and faster. I looked up and saw a blur of Weston laughing loudly.

“West! What are you doing?” I asked as the chair slowed down.

“I’m here to make sure that you remember to come to my football game," he told me and I nodded. I noticed his Varsity Jacket with his school’s emblem on it.

“Is that tonight?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

“No, it’s Friday, silly,” hHe grinned, reaching out to spin my chair again but I kicked at his hand. I’m already dizzy enough. “It’s so weird how you’re here and Jonah’s at home. Everyone else is here.”

“Sierra's here?” I asked, looking around.

West shook his head. “She’s at home, too,” I nodded my head.

“What are you doing here?” I asked West and he shrugged.

“It gets boring at home," he muttered and I shook my head.

“I doubt it; you have so many people there! It’s like a party every day!” I told him and he let out a laugh.

“It’s a household not a club. Besides, Jonah is usually playing videogames, talking on the phone to you, talking about you, or reading. Sierra is either on the phone with Blake, who I don’t like, or playing videogames, Sabrina is always painting her nails or is on the computer. And Georgia is well… busy being Georgia.”

“I doubt that’s all Jonah does and why don’t you like Blake?” I asked curiously. I tried to avoid Jonah as a topic of conversation; I was already blushing so much at what West said.

“It is, trust me and Sierra is too young to have a boyfriend or to even want one,” he stuck his nose into the air.

“She’s 14! How old were you when you got your first girlfriend?” I asked.

He placed a finger to his chin. “Technically, I was 7 but I had my first real girlfriend when I was 11. But it’s different!” he told me.

I raised an eyebrow. “Really? And how is it different?”

“Sierra is innocent and nice," he replied and I rolled my eyes.

“How do you know that?” I asked him and he shrugged.

“She doesn’t always gossip about boys and worry about how she looks. She’s innocent and I don’t want some 15 year old boy to corrupt her,” West replied.

I cooed. “Aw, you’re protective.”

“I am not," he retorted but then sighed. “Maybe I am, I just don’t want her to get hurt.”

“It’s bound to happen sometime; you can’t tell her when she’s ready to date,” I told him and he groaned.

“I know. Help me out here, when did you have your first boyfriend?” he asked me and I pursed my lips.

“I was 15,” I told him with a sour expression on my face.

“End badly?” he offered.

“Terribly,” I told him. “But it’s different.”

“How?” he challenged and I shrugged.

I didn’t want to tell him the whole story so I just shook my head. “I don’t know; just give Blake a chance.”

West sighed before glaring at me. “If I do and he messes it up, I’m going to mess him up.”

~~~

I ended up having to stuff Georgia, Weston, Valerie, and Sabrina into my car. Georgia and Weston had gotten here by taking the city bus. After telling them the rules, we were off. I decided to drop off Valerie first.

When we arrived at Valerie’s house, I noticed girls from school sitting around on her porch. I recognized Hailey and Ainsley. I cringed when I saw Waverly. I cringed even more when I heard Waverly tell Valerie that their mother is looking for her. I immediately stepped on the gas and flew down the street.

“What was that about?” Georgia asked.

I looked at her in the rearview mirror. “Remember the girl that we prank called?”

“Yes,” Weston chuckled.

“That’s her…let’s just say, we don’t get along too well,” I replied.

~~~

When I finally reached Jonah’s house, (or should I say everyone’s house, seeing as almost all of my friends live there) everyone said their goodbyes and Georgia even forced me out of the car where they all hugged me. I rolled my eyes. “I’m going to see you guys sooner or later.”

“Let’s hug now; hugs are cool,” Georgia replied with a smile.

Weston pushed his sister and she stumbled. She glared at him before she started chasing him. They ran into the house, screaming and shouting. Jonah poked his head outside and I saw his bare shoulders. I immediately reddened and he ducked back inside.

“I saw that,” Sabrina sang before she giggled.

I glared at her. “Say something and I’ll stab you.”

“Threats, threats, threats, luckily you already paid me off. I’ll be going now,” she whistled. I walked towards my car when I heard footsteps against the pavement. Here she comes again, ready to blackmail me even further.

“Sabrina, I swear, if you tell a single soul anything I said about him, I will rip each and every piece of hair out of your head with tweezers and duct tape; don’t test me,” I whipped around to see Jonah standing there, fully clothed, with furrowed eyebrows and a smirk on his face.

He held his hair down onto his head, which caused it to be messier than it already was. “I love my hair, though.”

I rolled my eyes before pushing my hair out of my eyes. “What do you want?”

He grinned. “Well, I want to know what you were just talking about but I know you won’t tell me. So I just wanted to thank you for making my life easier. If you wouldn’t have brought them home, I would’ve had to pause my game and drive all the way to the mall and back.”

I shrugged. “Your sister blackmailed me into bringing some other girl home. Turns out the girl's older sister is Waverly,” I shuddered while Jonah furrowed his eyebrows.

“Waverly has a sister?” Jonah asked and I nodded my head vigorously.

“And now her sister knows a lot more about me than I want her to and she’s going to tell Waverly,” I groaned, placing my head in my hands.

Jonah tilted his head sideways. “Like what?”

I shook my head. “It’s nothing. Can I ask you something?”

“It depends on what it is,” Jonah gave me a curious look as I blew off his question.

I rocked back and forth on my feet and smiled innocently. “Are you going to the football game this Friday?”

Jonah smiled and wrinkled his nose, his eyebrows furrowing together. “If I’m not mistaken, Savannah, it seems as if you’re asking me out on a date.”

I gasped, shaking my head while he laughed at me. “I’m not! I just wanted to know, I don’t even know if I’m going! But it’s not like if you went I’d change my mind!”

Jonah continued laughing before he just smiled at me. “Do you really want to set us up for that?”

“For what?” I asked.

“Shaw is going to be there, and he’s going to be in his prime,” Jonah replied and I bit my lip as I stared at the grass.

“I’m willing to throw a few punches if it comes down to it,” I grinned and Jonah rolled his eyes before nodding.

“I’ll go," he replied and I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I replied and he nodded.

“See you then!” I slowly got into my car, driving down the road with a grin on my face. I let out a small squeal. Is this what it feels like to have a friend? You don’t feel like this when it’s Mere. Maybe you have a crush on Jonah. Maybe you’re an idiot. Jonah’s my friend and I have absolutely no feelings for him whatsoever. Keep telling yourself that.