You’ve Got it Bad

Two

Perrie's POV 

A couple of weeks had passed and I found myself watching Jade pass in and out of the house daily. Jimmy must have really liked her, because she's been around longer than anyone else. I'm thankful for that because that means I get to see her almost everyday. I couldn't deny it any more. I may have a tiny crush on her. 

Today was just like any other day. I was sitting on the sofa with my nose in a book, when Jimmy came barging out of his room.

"Hey, Perrie. I need a favor."

When I didn't look up and continued to read my book, he continued.

"Perrie, I need a huge favor. Jade is coming over and I want to make her dinner, but you know I can't cook." He said.

My ears perked up at the mention of her name and I immediately closed my book and looked at him. 

"That's nice, but what does that have to do with me?" I asked.

"I need you to cook it." He replied, almost pleading.

I rolled my eyes, but I secretly loved the opportunity to cook for Jade. To show her that maybe she'd chosen the wrong Edwards. 

Oh God what is happening?

"Fine." I said, snatching myself out of my thoughts. "What does she like to eat?"

He scratched his head. "Hell, I don't know. Make anything."

I wanted to kick him. Guys could be such idiots sometimes. "That's not how it works. What if she has allergies or something, jerk?"

"I didn't ask her all of that. Just make anything and if she doesn't want it then she doesn't have to eat it. It was just a gesture. I don't care that much." He shrugged.

His nonchalant attitude pissed me off even more. Especially since it was concerning someone as special as Jade. He definitely didn't deserve her. I would know everything there was to know about her by now. 

She's a Goddess, and I would be worshipping her like she was my religion. It didn't take much thought for me to tell Jimmy to f**k off. She deserves better than him, and if he's gonna screw this up, I'm gonna let him. Maybe then I'll have a shot.

I know that sounds horrible.

"I'm not doing that, Jimmy. Get your head out of your ass for once and put some effort into getting to know the company you keep. I honestly don't know what she sees in you anyway." I rolled my eyes and opened my book back to where I left off.

"f**k you, Perrie! This is why you're single and you always will be! You're such a b***h!" He stormed off towards his room and I rolled my eyes.

Child.

Before he could slam his door I yelled back. "I'd rather be single than date an ass like you!"

——————

About an hour later our house phone began to ring. It startled me because no one ever calls it. I forgot we even had one.

"Hello?" I answered, wondering who it could be.

"Hey there, ocean eyes. I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind that I called you that. Your eyes are just so clear and blue, they remind of the ocean." I heard her laugh.

Now there's a voice I could never get tired of hearing. A little deep and a lot sexy. 

"H-hi Jade. No I don't mind." I replied.

Call me whatever you want. 

"Did you call to speak to Jimmy?" I suddenly remembered that he didn't have a cell phone, which is probably why she had to call the house.

She ignored my question. "How are you, love?"

Love?

I scratched my head because I was a bit confused, and trying to ignore the butterflies I felt after her giving me a nickname and then calling me love.

Why was she asking about me? 

"I'm fine... I g-guess. Kind of bored and hungry." I stuttered. She still made me nervous. Even through the phone. 

"Aww I'm sorry, babe. That sucks." She went silent for a while like she was thinking. "I have an idea."

Did she just call me babe too?

I felt my tummy doing somersaults all over again. 

Why did she have this effect on me? 

I smiled to myself. I was beginning to enjoy this feeling. "Any ideas to put me out of my misery are welcome."

"You should stop by the diner I work at. Let me treat you to something to eat. I have to be in this God awful place tonight and I really wouldn't mind the company. I would also love the chance to learn more about you. That is, if you'd like to be bored somewhere other than your living room." She said.

Hell yes!

"Are you sure I wouldn't just be in the way?" I asked.

To be honest I was more than willing to go and just sit at a diner if it meant I got to see Jade. I know it's wrong but I really missed her. She has a certain presence that gets you hooked and makes you miss it when she's gone. I learned that quickly.

"Of course not, love. You could never get in the way." I could practically hear her smiling through the phone. 

"Okay then, I'll be there. Oh, but wait. What about Jimmy? Weren't you supposed to be coming over?" I asked.

"Yeah." She replied, with no enthusiasm whatsoever. "That's why I called, to let him know I won't make it there tonight. I can speak to him now, but promise me you'll come first?"

The hope in her voice warmed my heart. "Yeah, I'll come."

"Great, I'll see you in a bit!" She replied, sounding almost as excited as me.

I felt my entire body heat up. I know I said I missed her and wanted to see her, but I was nervous as hell. "Uh I-I'll give Jimmy the phone. S-see you in a bit." 

She laughed before speaking. "Thanks, Perrie."

I couldn't tell if she was just a really nice person, or if she secretly liked me too. She didn't really ask me out, but like she did ask to see me. That's gotta be saying something, right? I walked the phone over to Jimmy's room before darting up the stairs to my bedroom. 

What the hell was I even going to wear?

After I showered, I wrapped myself in a towel and walked over to my closet to choose an outfit. I didn't want it to be too much, but I also found myself wanting to look a little extra cute for Jade. 

I decided on a simple form fitting t-shirt and distressed jeans. The kind of distressed where if you were to get snagged on something, they'd quickly become a pair of shorts. My favorite kind. 

I put on a bit of makeup, curled my hair a little, sprayed a bit of my perfume, grabbed my purse and keys and was out of the door. 

I got in my car and put my seatbelt on before turning up the music and putting the address to the local diner in my gps. My palms were sweaty and I was a nervous wreck, but I turned the radio on to relax my nerves.

My favorite song blared through the speakers and I sang along at the top of my lungs. My mind wandered straight to Jade when I listened to the lyrics.

Don't you know I try

To forget about you at night?

Being more than just friends, oh I, need ya

'Cause I've been on your side

Long before this new girl came by

She does nothin' but tell you lies I know

If I get my way, I'mma take care of you

I can take her place, let me get my way, ooh If you let me try, just one night, I can prove I can take her place, let me get my way Oh woh woh oh

I pulled into the diner's parking lot and saw that it was mostly empty. As excited as I was to see Jade, I felt my stomach drop again and I wanted nothing more than to hide on the floor of my car. 

Relax Perrie. She probably doesn't even see you like that.

I entered the diner searching for an empty seat and was relieved when I found one in the corner by a window. 

I saw a young guy come from behind the counter and start to make his way over to me. I'm assuming it was to take my order, but Jade came out from the back and intercepted him. She said a few words to him and I saw him nod and walk back to his place behind the counter. She then turned to me with a huge grin plastered on her face as she began to walk toward me.

She was breathtaking and I had to physically check if my mouth was closed. Even at work, in her uniform and apron, she was mouthwatering. 

She had her hair curled again and it fell over her shoulders and down her back. Once again, her makeup was perfect and delicate and she wore lip gloss that made her full lips shine. I couldn't help but stare as she finally reached me, notepad and pencil in hand. 

"Hey, ocean eyes. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see you again. You must be starving. What would you like me to get for you, love?" She spread her gorgeous full lips and placed the pencil between her perfect teeth waiting for my reply.

Something about the way she called me love was so sweet and it gave me butterflies. And also, ocean eyes. I loved that she felt comfortable enough to give me a nickname. I couldn't help but wonder if that meant she thought more of me than just her boyfriend's step sister. 

This woman was perfect. I've never even looked twice at another woman, but Jade came in and had me wrapped around her little finger. I wondered if she knew it. I wondered if she could tell how long I'd been staring at her lips and that I'd heard nothing she said since she walked over. 

"Huh?" I asked, slowly moving my eyes from her lips to her beautiful brown eyes. 

Great. Another place for me to get lost in.

She giggled, making my heart flutter. Did I mention it was my favorite sound? 

"What do you want to eat sweetheart?" She asked softly.

"Umm, I'm not really sure." 

I knew what I wanted, it just wasn't on the menu. 

Oh no, did I really just think that? My cheeks reddened at my own thoughts. "Umm, do you have any recommendations?"

"Well, my favorite is the country fried steak and eggs. Charlie's been back there cooking it for years, and I can definitely vouch for it." She smiled and leaned against the table across from mine.

I returned her smile. "I'll have that then."

"Sure thing, love." She started to scribble on her notepad. "Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Tea? Water?"

"Tea would be lovely."

"Coming right up, beautiful." She smiled once more before walking away toward the kitchen, and I couldn't help but stare as she did. Blushing the entire time. 

All of the cute names. And was it weird that she called me beautiful? Again. Am I reading too much into this? Please tell me I'm not.

I opened my book and got lost in it for a few moments before that familiar smell of vanilla filled up my senses.

(Insert imagination because again, we all know Perrie can't smell hehehe) 

I looked up to see if she had been by and to my surprise she was standing right there. Smiling. 

"Oh. Hi, Jade." I let out a nervous giggle. "Is everything okay?"

"More than okay." She replied with a warm smile. "I was just admiring the view." I felt my cheeks heat up. "Here's your tea, love." She poured the tea and slid it over to me and then went into her apron pocket and pulled out a single wrapped cookie, sliding it over to me as well. "I snatched this for you as well. A little something sweet for someone sweet." She winked at me and walked back toward the kitchen. 

Is it just me, or was she being hella flirty? If she was trying to make me fall for her, and God I hoped she was, she was doing a damn good job. 

I finished my tea and cookie and soon after, she brought my food out. It looked delicious. My mouth immediately started to water. 

"This looks great!" I said, but I noticed it had to be enough to serve at least two people. I got an idea, and it took all of the courage I had not to fumble the opportunity.

 "Enjoy, sweetheart." She smiled warmly at me before she went to walk away.

"Jade, wait!" I yelled only loud enough for her to hear. She spun around on her heels and looked directly into my eyes.

"Yes?"

I fiddled with the charms on my bracelet and looked everywhere but into her eyes to build the courage I needed. She was patient and waited for me to pull myself together, and I was grateful for it. 

"H-have you had your break yet? I mean- I didn't know if you were hungry. You're probably not even hungry. It's just that you said it was your favorite and-"

"Are you asking me to eat with you?" She asked.

I nodded.

She kneeled down to meet my eyes. "I would love to eat with you, Perrie." She said, thankfully cutting off my nervous rambling and understanding what I was trying to say. "Let me just go and let them know I'll be taking a break. Give me one moment, okay?" She was ridiculously sweet, calm and gentle. Her energy was so attractive.

I nodded again and she disappeared into to the back. Moments later, she returned with extra dishes in hand. After we split the meal equally, we both dug in.

"So tell me more about you, ocean eyes. I can see us being good friends." She said while bringing a fork of eggs to her perfect lips.

Ouch. 

There it was. Friends. She only wanted to be friends. I already knew this, but the hope that I had for the opposite was just shattered. 

I shook my head lightly in an attempt to shake away the sting of that sentence. "Where do you want me to start?"

"Start wherever feels right to you, love."

I hesitated for a moment. "Well, even though I haven't heard you use it much, I'm assuming you know my name is Perrie." I smiled.

She giggled and I continued. 

"I'm 24 years old and..."

After I explained my entire life to her, I watched her watch me intently, as if she were taking mental notes on everything I said. It felt like one of those speed dating shows, only she took her time. After talking for longer, I learned a lot about her as well.

"Okay, this one is random, but what is something you love to do, and something you hate to do?" She asked,

I had never been asked this so it took me a moment to gather my thoughts. Again, she was patient.

"Well, I love to write poetry in my spare time, and I guess I hate waking up right before my alarm goes off. You know when you're sleeping so good and something jolts you awake. Then you look at the clock and see that you could've still been sleeping for 15 minutes!" I laughed.

She laughed too, and it was beautiful. "Yeah that last part's a b***h isn't it? And you write poetry, huh? It suits you. You have that kind of energy. I would never pressure you, but if you would ever like to share with me, I would love to read it."

She took another bite of her steak and giggled. "I too am a patron of the arts."

This intrigued me. "Really? How so?"

"I paint a little. Sometimes I sell my artwork online as a side hustle that also lets me express myself."

"Wow." I replied. "Well, I won't pressure you either, but I would love to see it sometime."

"I've turned my entire apartment into a gallery. You should come see it one day." She smiled.

I blushed at the thought of being alone with Jade in her apartment. Even though she sees me as a friend, that doesn't change the way I feel about her. There's also the long shot that I could persuade her to change her mind. Definitely a Hail Mary, but I welcomed the challenge. If I could just stop being so shy. 

"That would be nice." I replied.

Soon, Jade's break was over. She looked up at the clock and a look of disappointment overtook her beautiful face and I couldn't help but notice. "What's the matter?"

"This has been a dream, love, but I have to get back to reality."

I looked up at the clock as well. 9:52 p.m.

I sighed. "I guess I should get going." I really didn't want this to be over. Whatever this was. 

As she started to clear the dishes from the table, I went to reach into my purse. "How much do I owe you?"

She placed the dishes down and put a hand on my wrist to stop me. I shivered at her touch. There go those damn fireworks again. 

"Stop it, you don't owe me a thing. This one's on me." She smiled.

"Jade, please." I protested. "You've been a lovely waitress, and even better company. Let me a least tip you."

"Absolutely not. This is not the last time I'll be an outstanding server to you, and you will have plenty of opportunities in the future to tip me. Get home safe, love." She winked and with that she disappeared into the back. 

For her to only want to be friends, she sure as hell was flirty. Or was I misreading that too? I'm so confused.

As I was going to leave, a sudden burst of courage took over me and I tore a page from my book and scribbled on the back of it.

Thanks for the distraction tonight, I had a great time. 

If you ever want to talk, 

312-932-3734

Perrie xo

I bolted for the door before my courage disappeared and I ripped the note.

I sat in the car for a bit, unsure of what was going on in my head. I noticed Jade come back out with her apron on and pick up the dishes on the table. I saw her pick up my note, smile, and put it in her jean pocket. 

She didn't throw it away.

I smiled and pulled away. Once I made it home, I put on my pajamas and climbed into bed. I was exhausted. There was only one problem, though. I couldn't fall asleep. 

All I could think about was Jade. I tossed and turned for hours thinking of her smile. Her lips. Her scent. Her soft hands. Her gentleness. Her hair. Her curves. Her perfect teeth. She was all over my mind, and I felt guilty because I knew she was with Jimmy. I just couldn't help it though. 

*PING* 

I rolled over and looked at the clock. 3:42 a.m. 

Ughhhhh.

I checked my phone to see who the message was from and saw an unknown number.

Unknown Sender: Hi, love. Thanks for the company tonight. Just letting you know, I'm home in bed now. Sleep well

I had completely forgotten that I gave Jade my number. My heart raced as I saved her number and sent a response.

Me: Anytime

I placed my phone on the nightstand and tried again to fall asleep. Now all I could think about was Jade in bed. What was she wearing? What temperature did she like her bedroom? Does she like to cuddle? Big spoon or little spoon? Does she snore? 

Ughhhh. 

At this point there was no more denying it. I placed a pillow over my face and let out a muffled scream. 

You've got it bad Perrie.