Chapter 3 // She'll Get Over It

"Robyn, I need to talk to you," Ellie says.  She was quiet all the way home on the school bus and now she wants to talk.  Now when I'm knee deep in homework.

"What's up?" I say, placing my pencil on the table.  I have so much to do and only a few minutes to get it done as we're going to the Youth Bar over on the beach tonight.

"Ellie, come over," Jared calls out.

She sighs and balls her fists.

"Tell me later," I say.

She pushes back on her chair and heads over to the communal living room.

"You can't tell her."

"You're an absolute fool.  Wait until Lotts gets home.  I'm telling her everything."

"What's going on over here?" I ask as I approach them.

"Just making sure Ellie's room is tidy before we go," Jared says.

"Well I'm sure it's not," I say.  "But who cares, right?"

"Let's go," Ellie says, grabbing her purse from the floor.

She's not nearly as excited as she usually is.  Jared calls for a taxi and we wait by the door.  Ellie remains quiet and I nudge her playfully.

"Did you and James split?" I ask her.

"Of course not!" she replies.

I wince.  She's so cold with me right now.

"Taxi's here!" Jared yells.

When we arrive at the Youth Bar we're disappointed to see it so empty.

The DJ is great yet only Ellie and I dance.

"What did you want to tell me earlier?" I shout over the music.

"Not now," Ellie shouts back.  She places her hands on my hips and we dance together in a risky kind of way.  I glance around the room and notice a few guys watching us.

"He's cute over there," I say to Ellie, pointing at a dark haired guy in back of the room.  She looks and nods and then strops off of the dance floor.

I sigh and follow her.  We sit at a table in silence and the air between us just seems too awkward now.

Something is really wrong.

JARED:  "I miss you too.  No, I'm not with her.  I swear, Rae.... I'll be home soon."

When we arrive home Rae is in just as much of a stinking mood as Ellie.  Perhaps something was in the cereal this morning.  I'd skipped breakfast.

"I'm going to bed," Rae moans.

"Me too," Ellie says, following close behind Rae.

Those two were the worse of enemies but they had to share a room.  I had my room all to myself.  Well, until they bring the fourth kid in.  I'd heard talks about it between Miss Lotts and a social worker. Apparently we were getting a new girl soon.  I wasn't looking forward to that.  I didn't want to give up my privacy.  Or have another girl to compete with.

"What has been up with everyone tonight?" I ask through gritted teeth after the girls have gone to bed.

"No clue," Jared replies.  "But hey, we're alone."

He winks and for some reason this irks me.  He looks slimey.  Not literally.  You know what I mean.

"Come here," he says, pulling me into his arms.

I'm no longer irritated by him now.  Instead I'm engulfed in his scent and his arms are closed protectively around me.  I let my chin sink into the crook of his neck and the soft warm skin of his cheek brushes against my face.

"It feels so good to hold you," he says.

I nod, look into his eyes.  Smile.

I won't deny him tonight.  I couldn't if I tried.

He is mine and I am his.

We sleep beside one another, our hands locked together under the covers.  His breath tickles my cheek as he falls into a deeper sleep and I wish I could freeze time.  So I could study his face so still and peaceful for eternity.

The next morning I wake up in his arms.

"Morning, cupcake," he whispers.  I grin and nuzzle into him.  He's so warm and soft and perfect.

"You better go back to your room," he says.  "I'd rather spend the whole day here with you though."

I'm disappointed.  But he's right.  I can't be caught sharing his room.

"Miss Lotts is back today," he says.

"I know," I reply.  "Last night was...amazing."

And it kind of was.  It could have been even more so.  We hadn't slept together yet.  Not properly slept together.  Only kissed and some other stuff.

"See you later," I whisper.  I lean in for a kiss and he hesitates for just a moment. "What?"

He shrugs his shoulders.  Looks a bit uncomfortable.

"Nothing, come here," he says.  He places a small kiss on my forehead and I almost say those three little words.

But I don't.  And he doesn't either.

I sleep for a couple more hours that morning until my stomach growls so loud I get up for breakfast.  As I head down the hall I hear snoring in the girls room next to mine.

Hopefully they're both asleep still and I can spend more time alone with Jared.

When I walk into the communal living room, my world shatters.

There's my Jared, embracing Rae.  I'd been right days earlier.  He was seeing her.

"Jared," I whisper.  "How could you?"

Both Rae and Jared turn to face me.  They're red cheeked.  Surprised.  Then Jared smiles in such a way my blood boils and my tummy does flip flops.  Not the happy kind.  The kind that make you feel like you've swallowed metal.

"Robyn," Rae says, reaching out a hand to me."

"You bitch," I say.

"I'm sorry," she is saying over and over.  But I'm walking away.  I'm done.

"She'll get over it," I hear Jared say as I round the corner back to my room.

No.  I will not.