I hate you, Jack

JASMINE

I blinked my eyes, just to convince myself I was imagining things, but I wasn’t. Jack was in my room, his eyes on me.

“Nice room you got here, Jellybean,” he chuckled, looking around my room.

“You shouldn't be here, Jack. Leave,” I said in a voice barely above a whisper.

I had always tried my best to avoid him in school, but here he was, standing right in front of me, staring at me with those honey-colored eyes of his. I....I felt like fainting.

“Jack?” he furrowed his eyebrows, obviously wondering how I had known his name. “I guess my mom and cousin must have told you my name, right, Jellybean?” he smiled.

“My name is Jasmine, not Jellybean,” I corrected, but he chuckled, making him more handsome and sexy than ever.

“I prefer calling you Jellybean,” he muttered, and I swallowed hard.

This was the boy I am always fictionalising about that one day, he would notice me. It felt like a dream, because I never once thought that my silly wishes would come true—Jack finally knowing I existed.

“Do we know each other, apart from a few hours ago when you ran away after seeing me?” he asked.

“I…"

I was caught short by the soft knock on the door, and I quickly rushed to the door, making sure my mom didn't get a glance of my room.

Knowing my mom, she'd get the wrong idea if she sees Jack in my room.

“Yes, mom,” I said.

“What are you doing?” she asked, trying to enter my room, but I didn’t let her.

“Just some stuff I wouldn’t want you to see,” I replied, my eyes moving sideways.

“Your favorite show is about to start. Come downstairs and watch it with me.”

“I will, mom… Just give me a few minutes,” I said.

“Are you doing silly things in there?” she suspiciously asked as she tried to enter my room.

“Mom, you promised not to invade my privacy anymore. I’ll be sixteen soon. Can I have some privacy?” I said, and she stared at me and sighed.

“Fine then, but make sure you’re downstairs in the next five minutes. If I don’t see you in the next five minutes, I’m going to watch the show without you.”

“I’ll be right up, mom,” I smiled.

After she left, I shut the door behind me, and my brows furrowed when I could no longer find Jack in the room.

“Did he leave already?” I muttered, striding toward the window, peeping down from it.

“Looking for me?” he spoke out of nowhere, and I screamed in shock.

“I just took a look at your closet, you’ve got weird taste in clothes,” he mocked.

“Yeah. I know I’ve got odd taste in clothes, but what are you doing here, Jack? Why did you sneak into my room?”

“Because I’m curious about something,” he whispered as he began walking toward me.

I could smell his tempting cologne as he walked closer to me.

“What… are you doing?” I stuttered, moving backwards. I almost tripped, but he caught me before I could land on the floor.

I could hear the beating of my heart as our eyes locked into each other. Jack’s hands were wrapped around my waist.

It was better than winning a trophy, but then I remembered he was nothing but a playboy who had kissed almost all the girls in school.

Even the hot kiss he had with Madelyn earlier in school today replayed in my head. The image made my stomach churn, so I pushed him away and tried to squeeze past him, but he placed his hands on the wall, caging me in with his strong arms.

He leaned forward, his honey-colored eyes boring into mine like he was trying to figure something out. On the other hand, I was melting like ice cream in a cone.

I wanted to push him again, but his soft breath was warm on my skin. I almost became paralyzed, as his strawberry cologne kept penetrating my nostrils.

“You look familiar,” he said, biting his lip, deep in thought. “Have we met before?” he asked.

I wasn’t surprised to find out he didn’t know me. I had always hidden myself away from everyone, especially from him.

“No, we don’t,” I found myself lying.

“Are you sure?” he inquired again, closing the inch of space between us, his lips almost touching mine.

I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. “No, we don’t. Why should we know each other?” I asked.

It’s stupid of me to lie to him when we go to the same school. But it doesn’t matter because after tonight, he won’t notice me in school, just like always.

“I don’t know, I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere, but I can’t really tell where,” he paused and then continued. “Do you go to Wilford High School?”

“No, I don’t,” I answered sharply.

“Which school do you go to then?” he asked again.

“You don’t have to know. Please step away from me, we’re too close,” I whispered.

He stepped away from me while I tried my best to avoid his eyes. I had just told the dumbest lie ever.

“I can hear the beating of your heart. Is it beating that way because of me?” he smirked.

Yes, it was, but I would never say that to him, not after I had just lied that I wasn’t a student at Wilford High School.

“No, it’s not. You should leave, my mom might have the wrong idea if she sees you here.”

“Fine, I’ll leave. We’re next-door neighbors anyway. I’ve plenty of days to see you,” he smiled and winked at me.

I nearly lost my mind. What am I even saying? I’ve always been goo-goo-ga-ga about Jack Harrison. I’ve lost count of how many times I imagined him kissing me… or imagined walking down the aisle with him.

“See you around, Jellybean,” he smiled and jumped down from the window.

I rushed to the window to look at him, and he was dusting himself off. I will be so sad when tomorrow comes and all of this was just a dream.

Jack talked to me.

I continued watching him with a smile on my face as he climbed over the low fence to his house.

A girl stepped out of a car and walked up to him with a smile. I didn’t know who she was, but my heart stung the moment he started making out with her.

Jealousy stabbed me in the chest.

I couldn’t bear to watch anymore, so I shut my window and threw myself on the bed.

“Honey, aren’t you going to watch the show?” my mom knocked on my door.

“Just leave me alone!” I yelled at her like she was the reason for my heartbreak.

“I hate you, Jack,” I fumed, clutching the bedcovers in frustration.

But I knew that was a lie.

No matter how much of a playboy he was… I still had a crush on him.

I wouldn’t even call it a crush anymore… I was in love with Jack. So, so in love with him.