Status: New Story
You Suck at Love
Partners
"Partners". Aside from "dodgeball", it's the word I hate most about school. If you're the kid that's always left without a partner in a class you already hate and your best friend isn't there to make it better, then you understand why I hate partners so much. But the fact that Jude just so happens to be the only other person in Chemistry without a partner also, I hate partners even more.
God, I hate partners.
"Jonah-"
"So what are we going to do our project on?"
"Can't we talk about something else?"
"Well, we're in class and we have a project to do, so maybe we should get the project done as soon as possible-"
"So you won't have to talk to me again?"
"You're the one that rejected me."
"I was trying to protect you."
"From what?!"
"From me."
"Maybe I didn't want to be protected. Maybe I knew exactly what I was getting into. And maybe - just maybe - I didn't mind what could go wrong because the right things would make it all worth it." He just stared at me. "Now, what are gonna do our project on?"
The project was due on Friday. We were focusing on energy in class, so Jude and I decided to look into nuclear energy. We had to write a paper and do a presentation where we basically talked about the pros and cons of nuclear energy. We planned to build a working model, complete with dry ice smoke and glow in the dark paint for a reactor meltdown. It was a bit over the top, but I guess I get that from my mom - whenever she helped me with projects as a kid, she did the absolute most.
Since my house was closer to the school, we went there to work on the project. I still hated how I had to be so close to the guy that I was no where near ready to get over, but I guess if I could handle being this close to him without going crazy then I would be able to get over him... hopefully.
We set up in the living room on the coffee table. Since I was still "the clumsy one", I did research on the laptop and typed up our report while Jude worked on the model. I got distracted... a lot. He would crouch down on the floor, giving me full view of his butt. And when I tried not to stare at his butt, I'd find myself drawn back to his face and how his hair brushed his shoulders...
And then I'd have to snap back to work before Jude realized I was staring at him.
We had reached day four of the project and we were almost done. I just had to write up our presentation speech and Jude had to put the finishing touches on the model. I was sitting on the couch, rearranging some sentences, and Jude was crouched on the floor again, focusing on details like painting the model carefully and rigging the paint bomb to explode when triggered and also creating a rest for the dry ice to sit in the top of the reactor columns. If this didn't get us an A, I was gonna explode like our project would.
Torrison and his girlfriend (whose name I never bother to learn because I only see her in the kitchen for five minutes after she's fooled around with my brother) came through the door. I looked up. Torrison ruffled my hair just to piss me off, and his girlfriend ran her hands through my hair and along my shoulders in her creepy and supposedly seductive way. She's a whore. Torrison knows that. I don't think he cares.
"Dahlia?" Jude said out of nowhere.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Jude?" Torrison's girlfriend looked at him, amused. Torrison looked as confused as I did.
"How do you know each other?" I asked.
"We used to date." Jude said, not taking his eyes off of her. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were cold. I'm guessing it didn't work out. Well obviously or else they'd still be together.
"We keep running into each other lately huh, Jude," she smirked.
"And if I could, I'd run in the other direction."
Torrison laughed. "Irritated ex?"
"He's still upset that I had roaming eyes."
"It wasn't your eyes that got other guys excited." He muttered.
"I'm not ashamed of my talents."
"Being a whore is not a talent!" He yelled at her, but I felt like that was aimed at me. Torrison looked at me, but I just shrunk back against the couch, avoiding eye contact.
Dahlia seemed unfazed. "My current boyfriend would disagree. Right Torrison?"
She kissed him deeply. That must have really hurt Jude.
Jude went back to painting the reactor columns. Dahlia laughed and dragged Torrison upstairs.
I looked at Jude. "They're not serious." I mumbled, not sure what to say to make him feel better.
"I know. She's never serious with anyone."
"Is she the reason why you don't want to date?"
"She's one of the reasons."
I nodded but he didn't look up. "We can take a break, you know. We're nearly done with the project - if you wanna head out, I can finish it."
"I'm okay."
"I know you're not, but I'll pretend like you are if that will make you feel better."
He chuckled. "Why are you always worried about what I want? What do you want?"
I shrugged. "What does anyone want? To be happy."
I felt his eyes on me, but I left the room.
I was still considering the prostitution idea. Dahlia may not a professional whore, but from what I hear, she gets around like one. I think she does it because it makes her feel happy and appreciated, even if she isn't getting paid, she must love the attention and the excitement. She definitely seems confident. Maybe not everyone likes a whore - I know Jude doesn't, but doing what he would like isn't going to help me get over him.
I will be a whore.
We finished the project. The next day we presented it and it went great. We got an A, and Jude and I stopped talking to each other again. I talked to Torrison, and I'm not sure if he really has an opinion on this, but he agreed to help me anyway.
I've had "clients". A few are around my age, but most are grown men, some are okay, some are rough. I guess it doesn't really matter. I don't feel any better or any worse. I think this is just a hobby - something to keep me busy.
God, I hate partners.
"Jonah-"
"So what are we going to do our project on?"
"Can't we talk about something else?"
"Well, we're in class and we have a project to do, so maybe we should get the project done as soon as possible-"
"So you won't have to talk to me again?"
"You're the one that rejected me."
"I was trying to protect you."
"From what?!"
"From me."
"Maybe I didn't want to be protected. Maybe I knew exactly what I was getting into. And maybe - just maybe - I didn't mind what could go wrong because the right things would make it all worth it." He just stared at me. "Now, what are gonna do our project on?"
The project was due on Friday. We were focusing on energy in class, so Jude and I decided to look into nuclear energy. We had to write a paper and do a presentation where we basically talked about the pros and cons of nuclear energy. We planned to build a working model, complete with dry ice smoke and glow in the dark paint for a reactor meltdown. It was a bit over the top, but I guess I get that from my mom - whenever she helped me with projects as a kid, she did the absolute most.
Since my house was closer to the school, we went there to work on the project. I still hated how I had to be so close to the guy that I was no where near ready to get over, but I guess if I could handle being this close to him without going crazy then I would be able to get over him... hopefully.
We set up in the living room on the coffee table. Since I was still "the clumsy one", I did research on the laptop and typed up our report while Jude worked on the model. I got distracted... a lot. He would crouch down on the floor, giving me full view of his butt. And when I tried not to stare at his butt, I'd find myself drawn back to his face and how his hair brushed his shoulders...
And then I'd have to snap back to work before Jude realized I was staring at him.
We had reached day four of the project and we were almost done. I just had to write up our presentation speech and Jude had to put the finishing touches on the model. I was sitting on the couch, rearranging some sentences, and Jude was crouched on the floor again, focusing on details like painting the model carefully and rigging the paint bomb to explode when triggered and also creating a rest for the dry ice to sit in the top of the reactor columns. If this didn't get us an A, I was gonna explode like our project would.
Torrison and his girlfriend (whose name I never bother to learn because I only see her in the kitchen for five minutes after she's fooled around with my brother) came through the door. I looked up. Torrison ruffled my hair just to piss me off, and his girlfriend ran her hands through my hair and along my shoulders in her creepy and supposedly seductive way. She's a whore. Torrison knows that. I don't think he cares.
"Dahlia?" Jude said out of nowhere.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Jude?" Torrison's girlfriend looked at him, amused. Torrison looked as confused as I did.
"How do you know each other?" I asked.
"We used to date." Jude said, not taking his eyes off of her. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were cold. I'm guessing it didn't work out. Well obviously or else they'd still be together.
"We keep running into each other lately huh, Jude," she smirked.
"And if I could, I'd run in the other direction."
Torrison laughed. "Irritated ex?"
"He's still upset that I had roaming eyes."
"It wasn't your eyes that got other guys excited." He muttered.
"I'm not ashamed of my talents."
"Being a whore is not a talent!" He yelled at her, but I felt like that was aimed at me. Torrison looked at me, but I just shrunk back against the couch, avoiding eye contact.
Dahlia seemed unfazed. "My current boyfriend would disagree. Right Torrison?"
She kissed him deeply. That must have really hurt Jude.
Jude went back to painting the reactor columns. Dahlia laughed and dragged Torrison upstairs.
I looked at Jude. "They're not serious." I mumbled, not sure what to say to make him feel better.
"I know. She's never serious with anyone."
"Is she the reason why you don't want to date?"
"She's one of the reasons."
I nodded but he didn't look up. "We can take a break, you know. We're nearly done with the project - if you wanna head out, I can finish it."
"I'm okay."
"I know you're not, but I'll pretend like you are if that will make you feel better."
He chuckled. "Why are you always worried about what I want? What do you want?"
I shrugged. "What does anyone want? To be happy."
I felt his eyes on me, but I left the room.
I was still considering the prostitution idea. Dahlia may not a professional whore, but from what I hear, she gets around like one. I think she does it because it makes her feel happy and appreciated, even if she isn't getting paid, she must love the attention and the excitement. She definitely seems confident. Maybe not everyone likes a whore - I know Jude doesn't, but doing what he would like isn't going to help me get over him.
I will be a whore.
We finished the project. The next day we presented it and it went great. We got an A, and Jude and I stopped talking to each other again. I talked to Torrison, and I'm not sure if he really has an opinion on this, but he agreed to help me anyway.
I've had "clients". A few are around my age, but most are grown men, some are okay, some are rough. I guess it doesn't really matter. I don't feel any better or any worse. I think this is just a hobby - something to keep me busy.