Jenna Brooks’s POV
As we ate dinner, Auntie Laurel asked me how my first day went and I kinda lied about how great it was. I had earlier told Jamie not to mention it to her that I was having a hard time. As i slowly ate my lagzania, I tried not to look at Conrad who was seated right across me, poking at his food with a fork.
Jeanette had told me he hardly ate at home so why was he here tonight? Did someone invite him? Yeah, I was annoyed at him at that moment and I remember I swore not to let him get to me but gosh! He had a way of annoying his way into my thoughts.
Finally, as dinner was about to be over, Auntie Laurel turned to Conrad.
“You have your study session with your friends tonight, right?” She asked him and he barely acknowledged her with a nod. “Great, you can take Jenna along.”
Jenna? My Jenna? Why? How? I glanced at Conrad to be sure his eyes weren’t already throwing daggers at me. Too late. His eyes were already shooting lasers.
Conrad shrugged, “I don’t think Jenna wants to spend two hours in a study hall.”
He turned to me and gave me an exaggerated “Tell her you don’t wanna go!” kind of expression that made him look like an octopus. I almost bursted out laughing but I regained my composure.
Then I thought about the offer, I could get to talk to him or something. Maybe gain some clarity and be sure where I stood. Ask him why he’s been so mean to me ever since I got here and why he just kept giving me disapproving looks.
“Sure, Auntie Laurel. I’d love to study with Conrad.” I replied. I didn’t bother to look at Conrad because I had gotten so used to his disapproving look that I could now picture it in my mind.
“That’s great, Jenna. You should get your study materials from your room.”
I couldn’t believe Auntie Laurel agreed to let me go to the study group with Conrad. I didn’t have to believe it for too long because as we were about to leave, she pulled me aside and told me the reason she wanted me to go with Conrad—to collect intel on which girl Conrad was seeing in the study group because he had constantly been attending the study group for three month now.
“Don’t rule out the guys too. I’ve always wondered if Conrad’s secretly gay. Something about the way he sits, the way he crosses his legs.”
I smiled at her and walked out of the house. Conrad’s definitely not gay, my eyes had seen. Conrad was already in the car, waiting. The fact that he would be driving, bothered me. How could I trust someone who couldn’t recognize his childhood friend, with my life?
As the car glided through the streets, there was an awkward silence in the car except Conrad’s phone kept ringing and beeping none stop. I tried to fanthom why and who was texting him but I decided not to ask. It was probably one of his many girlfriends. Or maybe all of them were just texting him at the same time.
Then, at a point, I could no longer bear the sounds and beeps and pings that I decided to speak up about it but his response was dismissive.
“Get over yourself, Jenna.”
Finally, the car came to an halt. Not in front of a school, or an hall. But a house, a normal regular house packed to the brim. The blaring music from the inside was deafening and the blinding lights were…I don’t know, blinding.
This wasn’t a study hall, there was no study group. It was a party, a freaking party. I couldn’t help myself, my jaws dropped to the floor and my eyebrows shot up. I was momentarily speechless as I stared at Conrad in disbelief.
A playful smirk graced his lips, “What? You didn’t think we were going to a study hall, did you? I thought that was why you agreed in the first place.”
Excuse me? ‘I agreed because I thought we could talk and maybe sought out the awkwardness between us. I freaking had no idea you were bringing me to a party’ my inner voice yelled from within.
Conrad unfastened his seat belt as he spoke, “Don’t be such a baby, Jenna. You can wait in the car if you want to.”
And with that, he got out of the car and slowly disappeared into the house. Sitting by myself in the car, my first instinct was to burst out laughing. The kind of uncomfortable laugh that’s an automatic result of shock, sadness, anger and disbelief. Conrad just brought me to a party without my knowledge, called me a baby and left me in a stuffy car while he enjoyed himself at the party? He’s gotta be kidding me.
The second I realized he wasn’t kidding me, that he had indeed left me all alone, my second instinct hit me. I wanted to grab his neck, squeeze them tight and let it all out. But I wasn’t going to do that by just sitting in a car and sucking up to him. I had to do something.
I unfastened my seatbelt and stepped of the car. My eyes widening at the scene that unfolded before me. The house was pulsing with the thumping beats of music, and from the front yard, I could already hear the raucous laughter and the clinking of cups. As I made my way towards the entrance, a wave of uncomfortable heat washed over me, intensifying her unease.
“It’s not too late to turn back, Jenna. This isn’t you! You loathe parties. You’re not even dressed for a party.” My inner voice warned me. True, I wasn’t dressed for a party. I was wearing tight jeans and a baggy top with hightop shoes.
Even so, I decided not to listen to my inner voice. I knew my inner voice meant well, but sometimes it could get a little loud. And sometimes, as much as I hated to say it, I wished my inner voice would just shut up.
Once inside, I was immediately struck by the sight of teens scattered throughout the house. Some were dancing wildly to the rhythm, while others were huddled in tight groups, engaged in conversations that were surely laced with gossips.
My inner voice was right, I should’ve turned back. My disapproving gaze swept over the scene, taking in the blurred figures swaying to the music, their laughter mingling with the clinking of cups.
Unwilling to partake in the revelry, I turned on my heels, intent on escaping back to the car. But just as I moved towards the exit, a familiar face appeared before me – Liam. Liam Liaison.
"Liam," I said, my voice tinged with surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Liam grinned mischievously, "Hey, Jenna! You've got to stick around for a while. It's not as bad as it looks, I promise."
My gaze darted around the room, and my eyes landed on a corner where Conrad was making out with a girl, his hands all over her. A pang of hurt coursed through me, fueling my decision to stay and perhaps teach Conrad a lesson.
Err…sure, I’ll stay," I replied with a defiant edge.
Jenna Brooks’s POV Liam's grin widened, and he motioned towards a table adorned with cups filled with a suspiciously colored liquid. "In that case, let me get you a drink. It'll help take the edge off, trust me."Reluctantly, I nodded, my curiosity overriding my reservations. Slowly, Liam guided me towards the table, effortlessly dodging the energetic crowd as we made our way through the throng of partygoers.As I held the cup in my hand, tiny droplets of condensation trickling down its sides, I hesitated before finally taking a hesitant sip. The drink was bittersweet on my tongue, but as the warmth spread through my body, i couldn't help but feel a fleeting sense of relaxation. As the night wore on and the drinks flowed, my inhibitions began to melt away. The once disapproving gaze I held over the party faded, replaced by a sense of reckless abandon. The music engulfed me, its rhythm guiding my movements as I danced among the swaying bodies.Amidst the pulsating sea of
Jenna Brooks’s POV KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! I jolted awake, startled by the noise. Ow. My head was throbbing. I rubbed my temples trying to remember what had happened last night but I failed to. How did I get home? How did I get to my room? This must be what it feels like to be hungover. How much did I drink? Why was my head pounding so much? Was it the tequila? The whiskey? The rum? The wine? Mixing all four? Who knows. KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK. Shit. What time was it? I checked my phone: 8:05 a.m. Fuck! “I’m coming!” I shouted, trying but failing to put on my best I-definitely-did-not-just-wake-up voice. I yanked open the door. It was Jeanette. She was all dressed for school except, she hadn’t yet put on makeup. “You’re not ready yet?” she asked me, her eyes scanning my appearance with suspicion. “Yeah…I’ll be down in a sec.” She mumbled a ‘hurry up’ before I closed the door and rushed into the bathroom. Jeanette still hadn’t done her make up yet so I still had time. In less tha
Jenna Brooks’s POV Fear pricked at my heart, my eyes widening in a mixture of shock and embarrassment. I covered my stained skirt with my hands, my face flushing crimson at the realization of my predicament. Conrad's urgency urged me forward, and with a silent nod, i allowed him to guide me towards the ladies' room.As we walked, my footsteps felt heavy, my legs losing their strength as fear gripped me tightly. Questions raced through my mind, wondering how he even knew about the stain, and why he was showing such concern for me.Arriving at the ladies' room, Conrad firmly instructed me to wait inside while he headed out. I obeyed, leaning against the cold tile wall, my mind still reeling from the unexpected turn of events. I could hear muffled conversations from inside, the sound of running water, and the soft rustling of paper.I felt embarrassed. How was I supposed to face Conrad after this? I fidgeted with my glasses as I looked down at my shoes, trying to sniff back the t
Jenna Brooks’s POV My heart froze with fear as I tried to open the door by continuously tilting the door knob but to no avail. I felt my heart race, I had always been scared of being trapped in enclosed spaces, dark enclosed spaces. Crunching hit my ears from behind, accelerating the already rampant pondering of my heart. I sunk to the ground, was this the newbie prank? Who would do something so mean? The crunching got louder and i clutched my knee, trying to block out the noise. I felt a chill of unease run down my spine. My eyes were focused on the door…waiting. Please. Please. Just open. Then, like a miracle, the closet door swung open, flooding the small space with light. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness. And there, standing before me, was Liam. As I quivered on the hard, cold floor, my breath hitched in my throat as Liam stepped forward. Without a word, he reached out and enveloped me in a warm, protective hug. The kind of hugs in high school movies.
Jenna Brooks’s POV Conrad’s expression was unreadable as he glared at me. I sprinted off the shelf, feeling a mix of embarrassment and shock. What would he think of me now? That the girl who had spent barely two weeks in the school was already making out with guys in the janitors closet?“The driver’s here, it’s time to go,” he said more casually than I had expected, then turned around to leave.How could he be so indifferent about what he just saw? At that moment, I felt like a loser. The person I had been trying so hard to be perfect for, had just caught me making out with a guy I barely knew, in the JANITORS CLOSET of all places. And to top it off, his reaction was…nothing.You fucked up, Jenna! Why couldn’t you control yourself? Why did you have to melt into Liam’s arms? He’s not even that great of a guy besides his dreamy eyes, strong shoulders, muscles-you-only-get-to-touch-once-in-a-life-time, strikingly handsome face, full lips, golden brown Mohican hair, extremely ch
Jenna Brooks’s POV He gently pulled back the hair over my ear to kiss my neck, giving me goosebumps that caused a shudder to run down my spine. His eyes on mine, he leaned more forward until our faces almost touched. His fresh apple shampoo smell was distracting. For some reason, it made me feel warmer. His lips hovered around my face a little until it was about to touch mine…Knock-knock-knock! Jenna, are you in there?Shit! That was Jeanette’s voice. I pushed Conrad off of me and he landed on his back. I sprinted off the bed and made sure Conrad was already on his feet before opening the door.“What took you so long?” Jeanette asked me as soon as I opened the door. I had never been this nervous.Reaching out her hand, she placed her palm on my hot cheek. “Why’re your cheeks so flushed?” she whispered.“Nothing, Jean. Let’s go.” I held her hand and walked out of the room and down the stairs to meet Auntie Laurel. “I need to go groceries shopping for tomorrow, who wants to tag a
Jenna Brooks’s POV “Why should I date you?” I asked Liam as he rested on the railings. It was lunch break and we were both standing in the hallways.“Because we kissed.” He replied, his tone casual.“I guess it’s a must to date every guy I kiss,”I know what you’re thinking, how did we get here? Please enjoy this expositional flashback.Flashback>>>>>>>>>>>>> That night, after Pstar7 replied my DM, we ended up chatting for hours.Pstar7: “So, you’re Jenna. That’s such a lovely name.”Me: “Thanks a lot, Pstar7. I bet yours is lovelier.”That’s a simple trick you can use to get a guy’s name. I really needed to know his name, Pstar7 was just too far fetched. Pstar7: “I saw what you did there. Let’s just stick with Pstar for now. So, let’s drop the honorifics, I’m pretty sure we’re the same age.”OMG! We’re the same age? Then we can definitely be soulmates. I took a deep breath and sat up.Me: “Really, I’m a senior.”Pstar7: “Me too. I hope I can get through senior year withou
Jenna Brooks’s POV As I saw Conrad approach us, my breath hitched in my throat. Why was he here all of a sudden? What happened to ‘I think we should keep the distance for a while’?“I need to speak with Jenna.” Conrad said, turning to Liam who was still standing there. “But I’m talking to Jenna right now,” Liam replied.Conrad suddenly grabbed my wrist and my eyebrow’s furrowed in confusion. Why was he doing this to me? Why can’t he just tell me what exactly he wanted?“I need to talk to you, Jenna. Now.” Conrad said again, his tone intimidating.As he tried to take me away, Liam suddenly grabbed my other wrist, “I was here first!”Both of them were now holding both my hands and it felt like they were going to split me into two halves. Why not just do it now?!I yanked my wrist off Liam’s hold but Conrad’s grip was way too tight. He pulled me towards the quiet auditorium while I whispered ‘I’m so sorry,’ to Liam whose gaze followed us until we disappeared. Now in the quit