Pretend (44 page)

             
"Are you sure?" She asked.

             
Was it me or did her voice seem like ten times louder?

             
"Positive," I said as a tear escaped my eye.

             
"Then why are you sat there crying?" She asked, making me jump out of my skin.
As I looked up, I realised that she was peering over from the other cubicle.
 

             
"Come on out," she said in a sympathetic voice.

             
As I opened the toilet
door, she had already made her way to mine and I was greeted by the warmest hug ever. I needed that.

             
"Now what's up?" She asked in a gentle voice.

             
"It's a long story," I said as I walked towards the sink and washed my hands. I didn't go to the toilet but it felt weird just walking out without washing my hands now.

             
"Ok, so I'm all ears, especially if that mark has anything to do with it," she said as she gestured towards my wrist with her finger.

             
I let out a deep sigh and then just stared at her for a few minutes.

             
"Ok but after homeroom," I said.

             
"Ok, we've got English
together so you can tell me all about it then since Mr
Budgen
spends the lesson sleeping anyway," she said as she let out a small giggle.
I joined her and it felt good.

             
"Yeah," I said before she took my hand in hers.

             
"Come on let's go before we're late," she said as she threw me a warm smile.

             
"Thanks and Jess-"

             
"I know, don't mention this to anyone, I get it," she said as she dragged me out of the restroom and towards homeroom.
I gave her a gentle smile and then let her lead the way.
 

             
I was completely silent during homeroom. Jess kept throwing me small smiles throughout, which I have to admit, made me feel better. It sounds strange but I was looking forward to talking to somebody. I needed to let some of the stress of the week out, at last.

* * *

             
Be
fore I knew it, I was in English
. Mr
Budgen
told us that we would be watching a film today. We had to study it carefully as we would have a quiz on Friday all about it...Fun! Then just as Jess had said, he fell asleep, typical.

             
"So?" Jess said as Mr
Budgen
let us know that he wouldn't wake back up until the end of t
he lesson by making
a long and rather off putting snoring sound. This caused everyone to laugh, quietly of course, no one wanted to be responsible for waking him up.

             
"I don't really know where to start," I whispered as she kept her eyes fixated on me.

             
"How about with that?"
She said with a sad face as she looked at my wrist.

             
I quickly pulled the sleeve of my cardigan down. She was making me wonder how many other people had spotted it already.

             
"It was Jake," I answered, quietly.

             
"What? You're saying that he did that to you?" She asked as her eyes increased to twice their size.

             
"Yeah, we went on a date yesterday and when I told him that I wasn't really looking for more, well, he sort of got angry," I said as I fought with the tears.

             
"Sort of?
He's left a mark, I can't believe that," she said in an angry tone.

             
"So what then?"

             
"Well Anthony and Aiden came home and they went looking for him," I replied.

             
"Good, I hope
that
he got what he deserved," she said.

             
"Well I don't know, Aiden didn't say much when he got bac
k but he was pretty mad."

             
"So would I have been, I would have kicked his butt if I was there," she said.
She made me smile.

             
"Thanks," I said as I squeezed her hand.

             
"That's what friends are for," she said as a gentle smile filled her lips.

             
"I don't understand why he got so mad though?"
 

             
"I don't know but from what he wa
s saying I gathered that he had
had his
heart broken a few times and by me saying
that I had feelings for someone else probably didn't help. I kind of feel sorry for him," I said.

             
"Well I don't, there's no excuse to put your hand on anyone well except for him, for what he did but there's still no excuse," she said.

             
"I know," I mumbled.

             
"So
,
the guy?"

             
"Huh?" I asked in a confused state.

             
"The one
that
you have feelings for, Kyle?"
She said.

             
Oh, she picked up on that.

             
"
Erm
, no," I said before I could convince myself to lie.

             
I just wanted to be honest with someone as crazy as it sounds.

             
"Then who?"
She asked in shock.

             
"Promise me that you won't say a word to Crystal," I said in a serious tone.

             
"Oh
my gosh
, you like Cameron? This is like something from Jerry Springer-"

             
"No
,
not Cameron," I interrupted, quickly.

             
"Oh, then who?
Wait, it can't be...It is," she said as she slapped her hand across her mouth.

             
"Aiden?"
She whispered after looking around and making sure that nobody was listening.
I nodded my head.

             
"Ok, so I can totally see why but you haven't told Crystal?" She said.

             
"Not yet but I will," I said.

             
"Ok, so have you told him?"

             
"Sort of," I said with a slight smile on my face.

             
"What does that mean?" She asked as a big grin filled her face.

             
"We're kind of dating," I whispered.

             
"
Ahhhhh
!"
She screamed, making Mr
Budgen
shift in his chair. Luckily he didn't wake up.

             
"Sorry, sorry," she said as she slapped her hand over her mouth again.

             
"Shut up," a few annoyed people said as they looked at her with an angry expression.

             
She turned back to me and took in a deep
breath
.

             
"This is a lot to take in. So are you happy?" She asked in an excited tone.

             
"Happier than I've ever been," I said, honestly.

             
"Then Crystal will have to deal with it but you do have to tell her," she said.

             
"I know. I'm going to tell her on Satur
day, I'm just preparing myself."

             
"Yeah, I'd rather you than me although Aiden is hot," she said as a smirk filled her face.

             
"I think it's cute, he's like one
of the very few
good guys left in this world, so I say cease the opportunity. Everything else will fall into place soon, don't worry. Crystal won't hear anything from me but please do hurry and get me out of this position," she said, sympathetically.

             
"I know, sorry to tell you but I felt like I was going to burst," I whispered.

             
"I know, I'm glad that you told me, I feel honoured," she said with a smile on her face.

             
"Thanks," I said as I threw her another smile.

             
"So
,
why were you so upset, it sounds like you have something to be at least a little bit happy about?" She asked in a confused tone.
Without saying a word, I slipped my phone out of my pocket and placed it on the table in front of her.

             
"Have you read it?" She asked as she stared at me with a sad face.

             
"No, that's what I was going to do when I bumped into you," I replied.

             
"Do you want me to?" She asked.

             
"Please," I replied.

             
I watched her intensely as she opened up the message, read it, took a deep breath and then turned towards me.

             
"Ok it says,
‘
Hi I'm sorry about last night, I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you-"

             
"Ok," I interrupted.

             
"There's more," she said.

             
"There is?" I asked in a confused tone.

             
"Yes he also said
‘
please can we meet up and talk
’
," she said as she handed me the phone.
I scanned over the message quickly before looking back up at her. I took in a deep breath and then rested my head on the table.

             
"What are you going to do?" She asked.

             
"I have no idea," I said.

             
"You're not going to meet him are you? April come on this guy put his hand on you," she said in a frustrated tone.

             
"I know but I think that he's really sorry Jess, maybe I should hear him out, it can't have been easy for him to say sorry like that. Maybe he just needs a good friend," I said.

             
"I don't trust him. If you go then take Aiden," she said, more as an order than a suggestion.

             
"That wouldn't work, Aiden hates him," I said.

             
"Well then take someone else or don't go. I think you need to think about this April, you could get hurt," she said as she looked at me with worried eyes.
She was right.

             
"Ok, I'll just tell him that I'll think about it but I promise that if I do decide to go then I'll take someone with me, ok?"

             
"Ok," she said as she threw me a smile.

             
I quickly sent a message to Jake saying that I would think about it and let him know later. Seconds later he replied saying thanks and then I put my phone in my pocket and turned to Jess.

             
"So, what about you?"
I asked with a smile on my face.

             
"What do you mean?"

             
"Is there anyone that you're interested in?" I asked.

             
"Well," she began as her smile increased.

             
"Spill."

             
"Ok, so Anthony has text
me
a couple of times but I've ignored them," she said as though she was rather proud of herself.

             
"Seriously?"
I asked in shock.

             
"Yeah, what?
I was trying to play hard to get, I know
that
he's a player and
I really am starting to like him but
I didn't want to seem too eager
or make him think that I’m like all of the other girls that he’s been with. Was i
t too much?" She asked with a worried expression
on her face
.