My House is NOT Haunted

I honestly don’t know why I felt so upset when I saw Jason with Whitney. I mean, she’s always gotten the guy, right? That’s nothing new. But… well, since when did I get jealous, anyway?

Another thing: why was I so intent on going out with Brandon again? Well, there’s the obvious reason: to break up with him. But… for some reason I don’t want to break up with him. And if he was willing to forgive me for last night, then I was willing to give him a second chance.

This time, instead of Brandon picking me up, Jason drove Whitney and me. We met up with him at a really neat restaurant by the beach, and when we got there, he held out a rose to me. Blushing, I took it, and quickly pecked him on the cheek.

The waitress that served us kept giving Jason and Brandon flirty smiles, and it was all Whitney and I could do not to burst out laughing. We ordered, and chatted while we waited for our food to come.

Whitney and I both ordered spaghetti, our favorite. When the food came, we immediately started eating. After a few large bites, I looked up at Brandon, who was sitting across from me, and saw the he and Jason were looking at Whitney and me funny. I swallowed what was in my mouth and demanded, “What?”

Jason started laughing, and Brandon chuckled. “You two eat exactly the same.”

Whitney and I stared at each other for a second, and then she shrugged and went back to stuffing her face. Typical.

After we finished (and paid, of course), we headed sown to the beach. I would’ve thought that Whitney and Jason wouldn’t leave Brandon and me alone, but as soon as we got there, they ran off together. Brandon chuckled and led me down to the water.

It was almost sunset, and Brandon led me up to an empty lifeguard tower. Well, all of them were empty. He sat down on the edge, and motioned for me to join him. Hey, you didn’t have to tell me twice.

As soon as I sat, he said, “Kelly, look, I’m really sorry about what happened on Friday. Both… of the things.”

I just stared at him. He looked so cute, with his messy black hair being whipped around by the wind. “I know, Brandon,” I said softly.

Before I knew what was happening, he turned to face me, and slowly placed his lips on mine.

I still never really felt the spark that I should’ve felt when I kissed him.

After making out for about ten minutes, I pulled away, gasping for air. Every part of my body was tingling. Brandon was smirking at my reaction, and I laughed.

The sun started to set, and I lightly rested my head on his shoulder. He put his arm around me, and gave me a small squeeze.

It would’ve been the perfect moment, if not for the thought that entered my head. Everyone thinks he’s a murderer.

I shivered involuntarily, and he looked at me, confused. I just shrugged, and said, “It’s getting chilly.”

He snickered. “Well, let’s head back to the car, then. Whitney and Jason should be there by now…” He gave me one last peck on the lips, and hopped down from the tower.

As he started to walk back to the car, he noticed I wasn’t next to him, and turned to see me still standing on the edge of the lifeguard tower, not knowing what to do. I saw him shake his head and trot back to the base.

“Just jump! I’ll catch you!” he called up.

I stared at him in disbelief. Um. What was that?

“Come on!”

I took in a deep breath, and jumped. I closed my eyes tight, expecting to hit the sand, hard. But I didn’t. As soon as I stopped falling, I opened an eye and saw Brandon looking down at me, trying not to laugh.

The ride home was…awkward, to say the least. Whitney and Jason had come up to the car, ten minutes after Brandon and me, holding hands and grinning like idiots. I actually expected there to be a little bit of jealousy in me, but I was surprised to find that I was genuinely happy for them, so long as I don’t find them making out in Whitney’s and my room.

After saying good-bye to Brandon (with an extra-long kiss, I might add) and driving home, I ran up to my room and flopped back on the bed. I grabbed my iPod, and turned on “Everybody’s Fool” by Evanescence. As soon as it started playing, I started singing with the words.

“Perfect by nature, icons of self indulgence…
Just what we all need, more lies about a world that
Never was and never will be
Have you no shame? Don’t you see me?
You know you got everybody fooled.

Look, here she comes now,
Bow down and stare in wonder…
Oh, how we love you, no flaws when you’re pretending.
But now I know she never was and never will be,
You don’t know how you betrayed me,
Somehow you’ve got everybody fooled.

Without the mask, where will you hide?
Can’t find yourself, lost in your lies.
I know the truth, now. I know who you are.
And I don’t love you anymore,

It never was and never will be,
You don’t know how you betrayed me,
And somehow you’ve got everybody fooled…
It never was and never will be,
You’re not real and you can’t save me,
Somehow now you’re everybody’s fool…”

I turned to see Jason standing in the doorway of my bedroom, leaning against the frame, and looking like he was suppressing laughter. He was the second guy that tried not to laugh at me today. I think that’s a new record, or something.

I rolled my eyes and took out one of my headphones. “What do you want?”

“Well, I heard you singing…” he trailed off.

“And?” I snapped. “Last time I checked, it wasn’t against the law to sing.”

He chuckled. “No, I meant, you’re really good.”

Against my better judgment, I blushed. “Thanks.”

He looked down at his feet and shuffled into the room. I felt my bed sink under his weight. “Look, I’m sorry for… freaking out about Brandon. You know why I did what I did, and I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

I stared at his profile. “I know,” I said quietly. I raised my hand and turned his head to face me. Staring him in the eyes, I said, “I’m probably not the one you should apologize to. After all, you accused Brandon of murdering his girlfriend.”

A smile flashed on his face. A second later, it was replaced by an expression I’d only seen him use once before.

He leaned in, closer and closer, until our lips were about an inch apart. My heart was thumping wildly in my chest.

The next thing I knew, I was sprawled out on the floor, and my butt hurt. I had been sitting on the edge of the bed, and when Jason had tried to kiss me, I leaned too far back, falling off the bed. I heard him burst out laughing.