How I Missed You.

Isabella

I sat at the bus stop waiting for the bus to arrive, James had called me up this morning to ask if I’d like to come over and study again. Of course I said yes, who didn’t want an excuse to see their best friend? Although I don’t know why, he sounded a little disappointed when I agreed, like he didn’t want to see me but felt obligated to invite me over. Despite my feeling of something very bed about to happen I bought a bus ticket and headed out to see what the problem was. My mum was working late today which is why she couldn’t come with me to James’s house, despite really wanting to.

I grabbed my bag as the 503 bus pulled to a stop, jumping onto the bus whilst a whole bunch of other people streamed off, thankfully through the other door. I validated my ticket and walked to the back of the bus taking a window seat on the right hand side and placing my bag on the seat next to me so no one would sit there. I unzipped my school dress pocket and pulled out my iPod and a pen and notepad which I began to doodle on absentmindedly whilst bobbing my head to Cobra Starship.

The ride was long, boring and noisy as school kids began piling on ecstatic about the end of the day and hyped up on sugar. I almost lost my bag seat. Dropping my pen and notepad into the front pocket of my bag, I had managed to fill up three pages, double sided with flowers; I leant my head against the window and watched the houses pass. Eventually my eyes started to droop and thankfully a new bunch of people hopped on the bus and started making a lot of noise that snapped me out of it, before the bus pulled up at my stop.

I jumped out waving to the bus driver, a short blond woman; the bus stop was just down the end of James’s street so I didn’t have to walk very far. When I reached his house Madina Lake had started playing and I sadly switched my iPod off.

I knocked loudly on the wood of the front door and heard a scuffle from inside. A couple of “I’ll get it’s” before a certain, “it’s my house” came from right behind the door before it opened.

“Hey Bell,” James smiled; he had started to pick up on Mitchie’s nicknames for me.

“Hiya Jimmy,” I returned the favour stepping onto the threshold as James closed the door behind me.

I was greeted by an enthusiastic Jacob at the entrance to the living room. I have to admit I was slightly nervous and disappointed that he was here. If what James had told me the other day was true then I was surely in for it and I really just wanted to spend some quality time with my best friend. Determined to keep James in the room at all times with us I dropped my bag and plopped myself onto the middle of the couch. James and Jacob joined me shortly after, sitting on either side of me.

I sighed, “That was the longest bus ride in the history of longest bus rides,” I joked.

“Yeah sorry, maybe next time we can go to your house,” James suggested, “I haven’t actually seen your house yet.”

“Oh yeah,” I laughed, “You probably should, plus my mum would be thrilled to be able to cook for a third person.”

“Yeah,” Jacob started,” so, should we get started?”

“Oh yeah,” James agreed, grabbing his books off the coffee table and spreading them across the floor. Once again he needed help with Math’s.

We set to work but I wasn’t really getting anywhere. I didn’t have much homework anyway, none that I couldn’t do quickly before school. I heard Jacob’s stomach growl and silently laughed. He blushed a fain pink and James offered to get us something to eat.

“Yeah thanks man.”

I nodded in agreement and he went to microwave some popcorn and make us some milkshakes. I asked for chocolate, so did Jacob.

As soon as we heard the microwave start to make its rotations and the blender go off Jacob started talking. “I have tell you something,” he admitted.

I dropped my pencil and turned to him, “Yeah?”

“It’s about us.”

“Us?” Oh god, he wasn’t? Please tell me he wasn’t. I wasn’t prepared for this; I had no idea what to say or how I was supposed to react. My heart started beating faster and I could feel my face grow hot.

“Yeah. This thing we’ve got going. Look Isabella, I know you like me,” Jacob stated.

I like him? Where exactly did he get that impression? “Uh?”

“Look don’t worry about it. I mean what’s not to like,” he smirked, “so to make it easier on you, I thought I’d ask you out on a date. What do you say?”

“I-uh. Jacob I,” I stuttered, trying to find the right words, “I’m sorry but I-I-I like someone else,” I blurted out. Damn, this wasn’t going to end well.

He stared at me and I could tell that was the last thing he expected or wanted to hear.

“I’m sorry,” I said in a small voice.

“You like someone else?” He asked.

I nodded, I knew it was only a lie but I couldn’t help feeling sorry. Like in this alternate reality where I really did like someone else I would be sad to turn down Jacob because I kind of liked him too.

“Right,” he grunted shaking the hair out of his eyes. He grabbed his school bag and shoved all his stuff in, not bothering to check if they got damaged. Jumping up he turned to look at me, glaring and practically ran to the front door, slamming it with such force I was sure the glass would break. A single tear ran down my cheek as I realised the pain I had just caused him.

James

I heard a bang as I stood pouring our milkshakes into separate cups and left the kitchen to investigate. I went into the living room too find Isabella, her cheek wet and Jacob missing.

“What happened?” I asked her, afraid of what I was going to hear.

“He asked me out,” she sniffed, “he said I liked him! And then I said I couldn’t go out with him ‘cause I like someone else. And then he stormed out. He hates me James,” another tear was rolling down her cheek but she didn’t bother to wipe it away.

I walked over to her, sitting down and putting my arm around her shoulder. She leaned her face into my chest and I stroked her hair. This was all my fault.