Chapter 2

"So, how are we presenting this?" Jack asks me after class. I'm packing up my things, and as people leave, he waits for me.

"I started a powerpoint,"

"Ah, okay," I glance up at him, and he smiles at me, causing my cheeks to redden. "I'll work on my chapter and send you the finished result?" I don my backpack and clear my throat.

"Yeah, that works for me." He nods and follows me out of the classroom when we bump into Jessica. She looks between Jack and me and sends me a quick glare before wrapping her arm around Jack's and escorting him away. I look over my shoulder as I head to my locker, and my heart jumps as he looks back at me, mouthing the words 'help me'. I can't help but smile before they disappear around the corner.

"You have a class with Jack?" Jen appears beside me, causing me to jump in surprise. I sigh and nod, heading to my locker. "You lucky duck."

"It's okay, I guess," I reply, spinning my combination and switching out textbooks and binders. "Mrs. Hawkins made me take him on as a partner for the chapter project." I jump as she smacks my arm.

"You're partnered with him?!" She hisses softly, jealousy burning in her eyes. I stare at her incredulously.

"Yes?" She groans and begins to pout as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"You're not even interested in him," she mutters. "Do you even find him attractive? Like at all?" I stay silent because I do. Jen laughs and squeezes my arm.

"I told you he was hot," I roll my eyes as my cheeks burn. "So, is he going to be coming over any time soon?" I sigh and close my locker, zipping up my bag.

"Jessica's had her paws all over him today," I sigh. "So, I wouldn't be surprised if he's at the house sometime soon." Jen groans.

"And I've got volleyball practice all week," she whines. "I'll text you and ask you if Jack's over."

"If he's over for Jessica, you'll never see him," she sulks, crossing her arms over her chest with a frown on her face.

"I hate her," Jen mutters, and I nod.

"Me too." Jen gives me a quick hug before we depart for our classes. The day drags on and when the final bell rings, relief washes over me. I head to my locker, changing out some things and Jen smiles at me as we walk to the parking lot together.

"What are your plans this weekend? I need to get some new kneepads," she says, hiking her gym bag over her shoulder.

"Dad and Karen should be back Friday night, but I don't think we have anything going on," I reply, taking my keys out of my bag.

"You going to come to my game that night?" She asks playfully, eyebrow raised. I roll my eyes but smile.

"Jen, I haven't missed a game yet," she laughs and nods.

I look around the parking lot and see Jessica and Jack. They're standing by a black truck, which I assume is Jack's. My heart seizes in my chest when she gets on her tippy toes and kisses Jack's cheek. She then runs around to the other side of the truck and gets in. I look away, annoyed, and frustrated by my emotions.

I barely know the guy, and yet I feel... possessive? I push the emotion away and try to focus on the positive: Jessica isn't bothering me. My mind flashes to just a few minutes ago when Jack mouthed the words 'help me' and looked so... sad? As if he longed to be somewhere else. Though I could understand why he'd want to be somewhere else other than with Jessica, why did he look at me?

Jessica always got what she wanted. The newest clothes, the best makeup, and the hottest guys. Even when she was caught sneaking out at 1 am on a school night, her punishment was not being able to go anywhere after school for a week. And I had to make sure that she came home with me. It was the most stressful week of my life.

What annoys me the most is how I feel about her and Jack. Before with other guys, I didn't care. In fact, I found it repulsing. But with Jack, it's different. Something is different, and I don't know what it is or why. Something about Jack is peculiar, and it bothers me more than I care to admit.

"Well, I'll talk to you later," Jen says, giving me a hug. "Let me know if he does come over, though, okay?" I nod, and she heads back into the school towards the gym. I get into my car, tossing my bag into the backseat when I see the black truck drive out of the parking lot. I roll my eyes and turn the car on, selecting my favorite radio station before heading home.

Jessica and I's parents met at work about 4 years ago. They work in business, and their job requires them to travel a lot. As Jessica and I entered our senior year of high school, our parents decided to take their business trips together instead of separately. Now, they can be gone for up to a week at the most before coming home. Currently, they're on the east coast and won't be back for 3 more days.

My dad always leaves me in charge, which pisses Jessica off like no other. Still, she doesn't fight it for long because once our parents are gone, she's back to doing her usual thing: sneaking out, drinking, and causing boys to fight for her attention. I let her do it because she leaves me alone, and as long as she answers her phone when I text her, I promised I wouldn't tell our parents that she's had 5 guys over at one time while her limit is only 1.

Once I'm home, I park the car and head into the house, making sure to keep my car keys with me. It wouldn't be the first time that my car has suddenly disappeared, and Jessica is found with the keys. I head up to my room, shooting a quick text to my dad to let him know I was home.

I make it up to my room and sit down at my desk, taking out my homework and getting started, so I have more time to read later. I tap my pencil on the worksheet, my head in my hand as I try to focus, but my mind keeps drifting to Jack.

I groan in frustration and rub my eyes, forcing myself to focus on algebra. Still, it doesn't last long when I hear Jessica arrive downstairs. I poke my head out my door and look down into the foyer from the banister where I see her and Jack. I note the uncomfortable look on his face as Jessica runs her hands up and down his arms.

"How about I get Riley to make us some dinner and then maybe take this upstairs?" She asks seductively. I sigh in annoyance and lean against the railing before clearing my throat, causing Jessica to jump and Jack to turn around. When he sees me, his eyes light up, and he puts distance between him and Jessica.

"What was that about me making dinner?" I ask, and she glares up at me. She grabs Jack's hand and leads him up the stairs towards her room. Jack looks back over his shoulder at me, a desperate look on his face. I smile and wave to him, and he frowns before her door closes with a slam.

I kind of feel bad. I'd hate to be stuck with Jessica while being a guy. I go back to my room and start on my homework while keeping my door open. I hear the TV beginning to blare from her room when Jack suddenly emerges from the room and quickly makes his way to my room, closing the door behind him.

"Uh..." I blink up at him as he takes a deep breath. He looks at me and smiles.

"Hi," he clears his throat. "Jessica's, uh, very pushy." I laugh, and his eyebrows raise. I shake my head.

"You don't even know the half of it," I turn back to my homework.

"I told her I was going to the bathroom," he says. "That gives me at least 5 minutes to make my escape." I look up at him, surprised.

"You don't want to hang out with her?" He makes a face that has me laughing. It was a mixture of cringe and repulsion. As if you had asked him to eat his least favorite food.

"Uh, no," he replies, taking a seat on the floor in front of the door. "I'd really rather not."

"Then why did you come over?" He doesn't answer right away, looking at his hands instead, with a thoughtful look on his face. I'm about to repeat my question when he answers me.

"If I'm honest," I feel my eyebrows raise as his cheeks redden slightly. "Jessica isn't my type." He turns his gaze to me, and my stomach roars to life with butterflies at the knowing look in his eyes. I swallow hard and nod.

"She wouldn't be my type either," I wrinkle my nose, and he bursts out a laugh. I laugh nervously, rubbing the goosebumps away on my arms.

"Whatcha working on?" He asks, coming over and kneeling beside me. He's so close I can feel the warmth of his body.

"Algebra," I tap the end of my pencil on the worksheet. "It's the only class I really struggle with." He smiles at me, making my face flush.

"Luckily for you, I am an Algebra master," I raise an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Oh, really?" He grins and nods, holding his hand out for the pencil. I hand it to him, and he looks over the worksheet and then nods.

"Alright, so, what you have to do first is this," he explains what he's doing very carefully and slowly, breaking down the problems in an easy way for me to understand. I ask a few questions here and there to make sure I really get it, and he hands me back the pencil.

"Okay, try this one," he points to a problem, and I attempt to work it the way he showed me. A few minutes later, I finish and look at him, observing him as he looks over my work. A grin spreads across his handsome face, and he looks up at me, holding a hand up for a high five.

"You got it!" I grin and meet his high five. Our palms touch for only a brief moment, but it was all it took for my heart to race into overdrive and goosebumps to flow across my arms. His hand was warm and soft, and almost instantly, I felt comfortable with him.

"I knew you could do it," he chuckles.

"Thanks," he continues to smile at me, and his eyes seem to soften more.

"You're welcome." I suddenly find it very difficult to tear myself away from his captivating gaze. He's still smiling at me, adoration and... is that longing in his eyes? Longing for what? What could he see in me that he would long for?

Suddenly the door is being flung open, forcing Jack and me to separate gazes as Jessica barges in. She glares at me, and I can feel the full wrath of her fury.

"What's going on here?" She demands. I open my mouth to reply when Jack stands up, standing between her and me.

"I was helping Riley with her homework," he says calmly. She narrows her eyes at him.

"Seriously? You think I'd fall for that bullshit lie?" Again, I open my mouth to say something, but Jack beats me to it.

"Believe me or not, I don't owe any kind of explanation to you," I stare up at him dumbfounded as he turns back to me, Jessica with an appalled look on her face. He smiles at me and leans down towards my desk, grabbing my pencil and writing a phone number on a blank piece of paper.

"Let me know if you need any more help, okay?" Still staring at him, dumbfounded, I nod. He smiles, and there's that longing look in his eyes again before he leaves the room, not once looking at Jessica on his way out. We hear the front door close, and Jessica is suddenly in my face.

"What the hell did you do?" She yells.

"What are you talking about?" I reply, trying to put distance in between us. "I didn't do anything." She rolls her eyes.

"Little miss perfect needs help with math? Give me a fucking break," she snaps. "The one time I'm actually interested in a guy, and suddenly you're my competition?" She scoffs.

"I'm not trying to get him, Jessica," she scoffs again and glares at me.

"I saw the way you were looking at him. I'm not an idiot," she snaps.

"What are you talking about?" She groans loudly in annoyance and frustration.

"Don't play all innocent with me. I can see right through you. Fuck you, Riley." She flips me the bird before leaving my room, slamming my door behind her. I stare at the closed door, wondering what the hell just happened.

Did... did Jessica accuse me of trying to steal a guy from her? As if any one of them is actually interested in me. And then she called me 'little miss perfect' who 'needs help with math.' Is she jealous of me? But what for? She has everything I want, and yet I'm 'little miss perfect'?

I was used to getting yelled at by Jessica at this point, but this felt different. I'm not trying to get Jack or 'steal' him from her. He was trying to escape her, and I was the closest thing. I sigh, turning back to my homework. I see the blank sheet of paper with Jack's phone number on it. I fold the paper up and stick it in my pocket.

I wasn't going to be used as an escape. If Jack was really interested in me, he wouldn't do that. But he wouldn't be interested in me. There's nothing to be excited about.

Though without his help, I wouldn't have finished this worksheet in thirty minutes.