Breaking the Heartbreaker

That night in the park with Jack kind of... changed things. For one, we didn't argue... at all. For two, Jack wasn't that cocky bastard he used to be. He actually started caring about people he never even acknowledged since I got here. He's being more kind, but he's still sort of a jackass, but I can actually stand to be around him now.

There has also been something I've been noticing nowadays. Jack is a generally better person. It's like that night in the park just changed his whole attitude. He's happier, funnier, and nicer than he used to be. It's strange to think of how much that night had affected him emotionally. It's also strange to think that we could've been civil towards one another if we tried, but we just needed a little push in the right direction.

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It was exactly two weeks after my date with Jack, and I still dreaded seeing him today. I feared he would bring it up, and I would run away. Or, he might not bring it up, and upon seeing him, I'll just run away anyways. Either way, I was being juvenile and I needed to face him whether I wanted to or not.

And, that's exactly what happened as I was shuffling through my mess of a locker, to try and find a calculus paper that I have yet to turn in. I closed my locker door and was greeted with the warm brown eyes of Jack Barakat.

I looked at him for a second before proceeding to go to my first period, which I have with a certain Jack Barakat. As soon as I walked away, he appeared by my side. I glanced at him and noticed that he was smiling to himself, like he had a secret only he knew.

It seemed as if he had something important to tell me, 'cause he stepped right in front of me and kind of blocked me from going any further. I looked at him in question, but he just shook his head, causing his bangs to fall in his face as he stared at me intensely.

I finally decided that now would be a good time to talk to him. "Is there a reason that you stopped me in the middle of the hallway?"

He looked slightly offended but shook it off. "Actually, yes there is," he paused to think for a second before continuing, "a very important reason why I stopped you in the middle of the hallway."

I shifted my messenger bag as I was waiting for him to continue. "Well, you know a couple weeks ago? At the park?" I nodded. "And you know how I said I liked you?" I nodded again, kind of wondering where he was going with this. "Well," he looked at my face before continuing, "I wasn't lying."

I almost laughed at that statement, because I knew he wasn't lying. I don't see why he thought I didn't know that. "I know you weren't lying."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What I mean is," he shifted his gaze to the ground, "I really like you," he looked back up at me, "and I was wondering if you liked me too."

I took a few seconds to process what he was saying and he started pacing when I didn't answer at first. "Not that you have to answer. I was asking 'cause I was nosy and I really want to know if you feel the same," he stopped rambling for a second to look at me, and then continued, "I mean, It's cool if you don't but I would like to know now so I can stop rambling," he stopped for a second and returned to be in front of me again, "and stop looking like a complete dumb ass."

To both my surprise, and his... I giggled. I fucking giggled after he basically spilled his heart out. I stopped as quickly as I started and looked him in the face. "Jack, you don't look like a dumb ass," he looked surprised, but let me finish, "and I really like you to."

He gave me a goofy smile, which in turn, made me smile. His smile was infectious. And knowing that smile was because of me, I felt elated.

He stood beside me, took my arm, and weaved us through the crowd of students to get to our calculus class. Jack stopped me once again, but this time, in the middle of the classroom, with, most likely, the entire class watching. "So," he looked around, as if making sure people were watching, and looked back at me, "does that mean you will accompany me on a date this Friday?"

He probably had no doubt in his mind that I would say yes, but I still fell like I needed to screw with him before giving him the real answer. I tapped my chin, trying to look like I was thinking. "I don't know," he looked confused but I continued, "Alex might kidnap me again."

He laughed nonetheless. "Well, I guess I'll be forced to kill him."

I grinned. "Well since you put it that way, I guess I'm forced to go to save Alex's endangered life."

He grinned also. "I guess I'll see you Friday then."

"I guess you will," I grinned once more and took my seat next to Emily. I haven't really had a conversation with her unless it involved this plan. I turned to her, and immediately noticed she had a sadistic grin plastered on her perfect face. This could only mean something bad. I faced forward and wondered what that grin meant. It couldn't have meant something good. Oh boy, am I in trouble.