Chapter 9

I have a lot to think about on my 20 minute walk to school, and plenty of time to think about it. I still can't believe that the Jase I joked around with last night is the same Jase that just kicked me out of his car on the way to school is the same Jase that I was daydreaming about going to prom with. Ugh. I want to hit myself for being such an idiot. I let myself, for a minute, forget that he was a complete asshole and get starstruck by his charms. I won't make the same mistake twice.

When I get to school, I'm already 7 minutes late. Perfect. And, to just make this whole shitshow worse, I left my backpack with my cell phone, lunch, and all of my homework in Jase's car. For a split second, I consider walking up to him and asking him to unlock it, in front of all his asshole friends. I can see the shock on their faces, and it fills me with a kind of grim satisfaction. But the dream fades as quickly as it entered my head. I don't want to have to explain why I was in Jase's car in the first place. If anyone found out my mother was working as his maid... I'd never hear the end of it.

As much as I hate to admit it, Jase kicking me out of his car protects me as much as him.

Maybe I wouldn't be so mad if he'd done it to protect both of us, not just his stupid reputation.

In the ten minutes between homeroom and first period, I go to my locker to put away my sweatshirt. Maybe my backpack will appear there magically, I think with a sigh. I wish.

I open my locker, and then freeze, shocked. My bag.... is in my locker. What? And there's a bubblegum pink sticky note stuck to it. I take the note and read:

"Red,

You might have noticed, you left your bag in here this morning. I decided to bring it for you. You're welcome.

I'm done with practice at 4:30. Call me when you want me to drive you home.

(540)-883-6744

-Jase (Obviously)"

I shake my head in annoyance, but I cant help but smile as I read the note again. And again and again and again. Finally, I put it in my bag, zipping it in one of the pockets I never open. I'll throw it away later.

This shouldn't work, I think as I navigate my way through the sea of teenagers to my next class. This shouldn't be all it takes for me to forgive him. He didn't even apologize!

Clearly, this Jase thing is becoming way more complicated than it ever should've been. I need to stay away.

As I walk into chemistry class, sitting down in my usual seat in the middle row, where no one will notice me and I won't be distracted, I realize that ignoring Jase might be harder than I thought. He's just walked in, his dark waves messier than usual as a girl runs her hands through them.

Not any girl.

Chrissa Fucking Thompson. I've never interacted with her myself, but I've heard through the grapevine how awful she is. She and Jase have been dating on and off since freshman year, and she's probably the most serious girlfriend Jase has had. I remember last winter, when everyone thought the two of them were broken up for real. Jase started dating this other girl, Linden. Apparently Chrissa had gotten so jealous that she'd started a rumor that Linden had chlamydia from sleeping with all the guys in our grade and basically driven her out of the school. I haven't seen poor Linden since.

I thought Chrissa and Jase were broken up now, though it's apparent that I was wrong, seeing the way they start making out. It was only two weeks ago that Jase was embroiled in another high school scandal. He apparently slept with a girl who went to Stoneriver Prep at a party, a party he went to with Chrissa.

Wait.

How do I know that?

And why does Jase kissing Chrissa send painful heartbeats through my chest?

"Mr. Turner. Miss Thompson. Could you please save the PDA for after school?"

"Sorry, Mr. O'Connell," Jase says, turning around with a sheepish grin. "Won't happen again."

Mr. O'Connell gives Jase one of his rare smiles and I roll my eyes. How is it that stupid jocks manage to both not do an ounce of homework and get all the teachers to love them? If I was making out with someone before class (not that I ever would because who would want to make out with me?), Mr. O'Connell would probably fail me. I wish I was kidding. I glare at them as they break apart, my fists gripping the desk until my knuckles turn white.

They're so stupid.

The bell rings, but I barely hear it as Jase puts an arm around Chrissa. "Stop it!" she giggles, blushing. "Mr. O'Connell is going to kill us."

Jase dropped his arm, holding her hand instead and whisper-yelling, "He's just jealous because we're too relationship goals for him."

Chrissa turns to face him and kisses him again and I know I should look away as they kiss, but I don't. And when they break away, and Jase opens his eyes, I swear he looks at me, those intense blue eyes like a question. Like he's... bragging, almost. Like he's asking me if I'm jealous yet.

Which I'm not. Obviously.

I'm completely frozen, and my heart pounds. Warmth fills my head and I turn away, sure that my face is now crimson.

"Mr. Turner, may I remind you that we follow a schedule at UVHS? That bell ringing? It means you have somewhere you need to be."

My face is still turned away, but I can hear the smirk in Jase's tone without even looking. "Well, actually, Mr. O'Connell, my schedule just changed. So, I guess you're stuck with me."

I hear Chrissa's giggle and my fists clenched involuntarily. I don't care, I remind myself. Jase doesn't matter to me and he can do whatever he wants.

Except steal my heart.

School is finally over for the day, and I find Mayah at her locker, grinning as she sees me. "Cody Chasen talked to me!" she says by way of greeting, her mega-watt smile enough to make me laugh. "You'd think you could say that with a bit more enthusiasm," I say sarcastically. "What did he talk to you about?"

Mayah twirls a strand of hair around her finger. "We-ell, he wanted my calculus notes. But then he asked me to come to his party next weekend!"

I rolled my eyes. "You know he's only asking that because he wanted your notes, right?"

Mayah's smile deflates. "I thought you'd be happy for me, Sienna."

"I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. You've just had a crush on Cody forever. Maybe it's... time to get over this."

I don't know where the words come from or why I'm saying them. All I know is that Mayah's desperately hopeful attitude is getting on my nerves.

Mayah looks shocked, then annoyed. "Whatever, Sienna." She turns away, slamming the locker door behind her and walking away from me. "You know- you used to be fun." She looks back at me, and I turn around, tears stinging my eyes.

You used to be fun.

Yeah. I'm sure I was fun.

Before my father died.

Before my family stopped being able to afford meals.

Before all of my childhood fantasies came crashing down around me. It turns out that all of those concrete dreams I'd made were just as flimsy as a card tower, one low from caving in.

I'm exhausted by the time it's four-thirty. I walked into Summer, the town adjacent to our high school, and spent the last hour interviewing for various jobs. A waitress at Meg's Diner. Bag girl at Walmart. Cashier at Target.

I've never had a job before, but it isn't a bad idea to have some money saved up. I don't know how I'll go to college otherwise. It's not like my mother is going to pay for it.

I'm just walking out of Target when I see the bus pull up across the street. The same bus that stops 5 minutes away from Jase's house...

Suddenly a devious plan fills my head and I smirk, sprinting across the street and stepping onto the bus seconds before the door closes. Once I've sat down, I check the time. 4:15. Perfect.

Hey, I text Jase.

This is Sienna, by the way.

He responds immediately. hey little red.

I text him the rolling-eyes emoji and then ask: you're done at 4:30, right?

yup

meet me @ my car

in the senior parking lot

You're not even a senior!! I reply.

But k

I grin, holding my phone to my chest. He's falling into my trap perfectly. Putting my phone down, I try to focus on the chemistry problem in front of me and not at Jase's annoyance. I can't help but wonder if he'll try to look for me. I know he really doesn't care about my welfare or anything like that, but he's clearly not in the habit of disappointing his mother. And I have a feeling that Lizbeth would not be too happy if she found out that Jase lost me. I imagine the annoyance on his face and can't help but smirk. Finishing my chemistry problem, I sit back and wait for the ride to end.

What I'm not expecting... is this:

red did u get lost on ur way to the senior parking lot

srsly where ru?

MISSED CALL

i stg if you decided to ditch me I WILL KILL U

red this isnt funny anymore i gtg do homework

shit are you okay???

plz tell me u havent been kidnapped or smthing

red im serious this isnt funny im actually worried

MISSED CALL (2)

ok im gonna go home now, plz be there and not freezing in a ditch- i don't want to organize a search party tonight tbh

i'm going to kill u

My fingers hesitate on the keypad as I see his messages. Something about them sounds... worried. Though I immediately push that thought out of my head. There's literally no way that Jase could be worried about me.

Right?

I'm sitting in the kitchen helping Connie make meringues when I hear a car door slam shut. Jase. "I have to go, Connie," I tell her. "But I'll be back soon."

"Have fun," Connie says, and it almost seems like she knows what I'm about to do.

I flash her a conspiratorial grin and step outside. "Miss me?" I ask Jase.