Drop Dead.

I step into the house and look around. It’s a lot different than Mimi and Ken’s. It has more of a warm feeling. All the colors are either gold, brown, cream or a dark red. I like it.

I follow Laker up the stairs and to his room, which is a complete mess. Why doesn’t that surprise me?

“Ignore the mess,” Laker chuckles. “I haven’t cleaned it in a while.”

I kick some clothes out of my way and take a seat on Laker’s computer chair while he sits across from me on his bed. The room is silent for a few moments until Laker finally works up the nerve to say, “Listen, if the kiss bothered you that much, I’m sorry. I thought you were fine, since you were kissing back.”

“I had a moment of deliria.”

“I bet you did.” Laker’s tone told me he didn’t believe me. He sighs and runs his hand through his hair, seeming to be very frustrated, Laker grunts and stands up. “Listen just…forget it happened and let’s just go back to being friends, ok?”

“What if I don’t want to be your friend?” I ask, narrowing my eyes. “I hate you.”

Laker frowns and the way his eyes suddenly fall makes my chest hurt. I hurt his feelings and I feel like shit for it.

Laker looks up at me and goes to ask something when his phone goes off. We both jump because neither of us expected it but Laker recovers quickly and goes over to answer it. When he does I can hear a female voice from the other line.

“Oh…Hi Brittany.”

My eyes widen. He has Brittany’s number? Well of course he does, they went out on a date. They’re probably together now.

I hear Laker and her talking and it just pisses me off. My blood is starting to boil because he’s paying attention to her instead of me. I bite my lip and decide the hell with it, I’m not sitting here while he talks to his whore.

Getting up, I ignore Laker’s questions and storm out of his room and down the stairs. I rip open the front door and go to run across the street when a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. I shout and kick while Laker brings me back inside. He spins and shuts the door, pressing his back against it so I can’t get out.

“What the hell is your problem?” I scream. “Go talk to your whore and let me leave.”

“My what…?”

“Brittany!” I holler and I’m just so angry that I’m spitting stuff out without thinking. “Obviously you two are good for one another. You look great next to one another and you went out on your stupid date so go fuck with her feelings instead of mine!”

“Jinx…” Laker lets out a relieved sigh. How he is relieved, I don’t know.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” I snap, reaching for the door knob but Laker grabs onto my wrists and uses the hold to pull me against his chest. He wraps one arm around me and doesn’t seem bothered by my struggling. “Let go, Laker!”

“You’re jealous.”

“Oh great, not you too.” I roll my eyes as I think about what Louie said. He thinks I’m jealous too, which I’m not. “I’m not jealous.”

“Really? So if I told you that Brittany and I are dating?” Laker smirks.

“I’ll say have fun getting AIDS, shit face.”

Laker laughs and I have no idea why. This isn’t funny! “Just admit you’re jealous.”

“No because I’d be lying.”

“I’m not dating her.”

I try to pull away and growl, “Liar.”

“We went on a date Wednesday and it didn’t work out. She’s been calling me ever since.”

“Bullshit.”

“You’re totally jealous!” Laker grins, spinning me and pressing me against a wall. I shake my head and continue to do so but no matter how hard I try to tell myself I’m not jealous my heart keeps telling me I am. It’s obvious to not only me but everyone else.

But I don’t want to be jealous. I don’t want to like Laker. I don’t want to like anyone. I hate depending on others. I hate having the chance of getting hurt. I don’t want this. I just want to stay in denial.

“So what if I am?” I whisper more to myself than him. “You already like someone, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” he replies, leaning in to rest his forehead against my own. The touch makes my cheeks burn. “His name starts with a J and ends with X.”

“Don’t fuck with me.”

“I’m not…” Laker presses a swift kiss to my lips. Even if it was only a second, it made my lips tingle and nerves calm. “Trust me.”