Keep your friends close and your enemies, closer

The whole week was more or less the same, with Kent still ignoring me. Even though he wouldn’t sit anywhere near me, he was at least able to look at me. That was an improvement, though it didn’t make me feel any better.

I walked over to my locker and opened it, throwing my books inside. The day started off horridly. The moment I sat at my usual seat in Homeroom, Kent made some stupid excuse to sit somewhere else. That obviously made me feel so much worse, but the look my friends gave me… It escalated my feelings even more.

I slammed my locker shut and leaned my forehead against it, closing my eyes. I was getting tired of this. Why was Kent hurting me like this? It would be just be easier if he told me he didn’t have feelings for me. Better than ignoring me like this, just because he knew I had feelings for him.

I comforted myself with the thought that today was the last school day of the week. Tomorrow would be the start of the weekend. I sighed aloud. I couldn’t wait to get out of school.

“Ashlynn!” My eyes instantly snapped up open upon hearing my name being called out. I knew it wasn’t Kent, because his voice had, and probably would, never sound this excited. I swung my head to the end of the school hallway on the left and met Dylan’s gaze. He waved and gave me a smile.

I couldn’t help smiling back. There was just something about him that made it hard for me to be able to control my emotions. His smile got wider as soon as he saw my reaction and he made his way towards me.

I leaned my back against my locker, awaiting his approach, when all of a sudden I couldn’t see him anymore. No, he did not just become invisible. As in, someone had blocked my view of him. At that moment, all I could see was a torso in front of me. A well-built body covered with a white plain shirt and a letter jacket.

I inclined my head to look at the person who was just standing in front of me. I blinked, when I realized that it was James Starr. James was the school’s quarterback, and the most popular guy in school. Not to mention, he was also a senior. His dyed jet black hair looked as if it was unintentionally styled and his piercing green eyes looked me over with some sort of… emotion I couldn’t identify.

He was hot, I had to admit, but I wasn’t one of his fan girls. He had more than enough of them. I raised my eyebrow at him. James had never noticed me, so why was he right in front of me now? His two ‘friends’ were flanked on each side of him, appraising me with interested eyes.

“Can I help you?” I crossed my arms over my chest. I really wasn’t in the best of moods.

“Yeah.” He smirked. “Will you go out with me?”

I raised my eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I want you to go out with me.”

I narrowed my eyes at him in curiosity. I wasn’t as irritated anymore. I slowly untangled my arms and instead, intertwined my fingers together as I looked into his eyes. “Why?”

He didn’t say anything for a while. His eyes became curious, as mine were. All he did was just stare at me silently. I didn’t want to break the silence; it was his turn to speak, anyway.

He leaned in closer to me and whispered. “You intrigue me.”

I couldn’t help but shiver at his cool breath on my face. I knew he didn’t purposely lean in to me for nothing; he obviously didn’t want his friends to hear what he had said.

I crossed my arms and looked around me. Most of the girls had stopped in their tracks and were now shooting me envious glares. I knew James rarely approached girls; it was always the other way round.

I noticed, over James’ shoulder, Kent just staring at me. He had one hand in his locker, taking out a book, and the other at his side. He didn’t even have the decency to look away when I caught him staring at me. If anything, I think he stared harder.

I turned back to look at James. He threw me a boyish smile, and I gave a half-smile in return. He really seemed like a nice guy, and he was awfully good-lucking…

Aw, who was I kidding? I was only considering his offer to make Kent jealous. His looks or personality had nothing to do with it.

I shrugged. “Okay then. Pick me up at eight?”

He grinned. “You got it.”

He moved in closer to me and gave me a quick peck on the cheek, before walking away with his grin still pasted on his face. I made sure James was far away before I stuck my head in my locker and wiped his germs off my cheek.

“Ashlynn.” The tone of his voice was curt. He wasn’t happy with what I had just agreed to. Good.

I pulled my head away from my locker and looked at him. “Kent.” I acknowledged, nodding.

He moved closer to me so that were only about a foot apart. He crossed his arms across his chest and stared at me with his piercing eyes. “Are you going out with James later?”

I crossed my arms too, but in defiance. “Yes. You have a problem with that?”

“Matter of fact, I do.”

“That’s too bad isn’t it? Because I don’t care.”

Kent instantly dropped his arms and stared into my eyes. “Ash, don’t go out with him.”

“Why not?” I shot at him.

“He doesn’t seem like a trustworthy guy, Ash. I just don’t want you to get hurt.” His eyes begged for me to understand him, although his voice was stern.

I was sidetracked by his last sentence, though. How could you say that? You’ve already hurt me. “Too late for that.” I mumbled, looking at the floor.

“Sorry?” Kent leaned in closer to me, his eyebrows scrunching up.

“Nothing.” I straightened up, and looked back at him. There was no way I was going to back down. “I don’t care what you have to say. I’m going out with James. You will not change my mind.”

He looked defeated. “Please.” That was his last attempt.

It got to me. He was serious. Kent really didn’t want me to go out with James. I was so torn between my determination and the favor the boy I liked asked for.

Unfortunately, it seemed that that boy didn’t care about my feelings. He said he didn’t want me hurt, but he had already hurt me. Why would he care, unless he wanted to hurt me further by preventing me from going out with someone else? And with that theory, I had my answer.

“No.” I answered, determined.

He sighed, and looked away from me with an expression which looked like a cross between anger and defeat.

“Fine.” He answered in a taut voice, and walked past me briskly.

I couldn’t stop myself from looking at his retreating back. The moment he turned around a corner, I slammed my locker door in frustration and walked the other way.