Chapter 7
1623 Words
The next day I waited for Jer a few houses before mine so my Dad wouldn't be able to see us leave.
I realized it would have been a good idea to get Jer's number since I didn't know when he would come by. I waited for less than ten minutes before his bike slowed to a stop in front of me.
He opened the bike compartment and handed me his spare helmet. With his help, I got on and wrapped my arms around him.
"Hey!""Hi." he replied before zooming off.
I was once again upset when we had got to school and sighed as he helped me off the bike again. He got off after kicking the stand down. He helped me to take off my helmet and then took his off and dumped them in the compartment.
"Enjoy the ride?" he asked.
"Yep!"I smiled grabbing my bag from him."Thanks for offering to pick me up. It was really sweet of you.
He shrugged and sniffed. "I pass by your house anyway so it's no big deal."
I rolled my eyes. "Right."
We walked towards the entrance side by side.
As I looked around I realized people staring at us as we walked past. My pace slowed as more and more people stopped to stare.
Really people? What is this, a movie?
Jer seemed to notice them too and he turned to me with raised eyebrow.
"Have any idea why more than half of these people are staring at us?" he asked.
"Not sure but it might have something to do with us walking into school together."
"We sit together at lunch and in Lit though."
"Yeah but not many people sit outside especially in this weather and Lit doesn't really count, that's just for school work. This is like the first people have seen us together."
"The two school "loners" united and now everyone is talking about it," he muttered.
***
I groaned leaning back in my chair."Jer we've done loads! Can't we stop?"I asked.
"Come on Princess, let's just finish this scene."
I sighed heavily. He rolled his eyes and placed his pen on his notebook.
"I'll make you a deal, yeah? For every scene we finish we can do something fun, your choice of course," he suggested.
I leaned towards him with wide eyes. "Really?"I asked.
"Yeah, right after we're done the scene we can leave and do whatever you want."
"And you'll actually do this?"I asked.
He nodded.
"Just to clarify you'll have to spend even more time with me,"I said.
He rolled his eyes again. "I know that. What's the big deal? We're friends right?" he asked.
I nodded and smiled. I was really happy to hear him say that. We had been acting more like friends and less like arch enemies recently and I wasn't sure we were friends or not but now I had my confirmation.
I clapped happily. "Okay let's get this scene done!"
"Shhh!" someone hushed me from afar.
I rolled my eyes and we got to work.
I hadn't really been paying attention to the project as much as I would since I was thinking of what we could do. I was thinking we could go to the beach but it was pretty cold so it wouldn't be ideal. After thinking of a few things I came up with the perfect idea.
"Ice skating!"I announced.
"Ice skating?" he asked skeptically as we walked to his motorbike.
"Yes! It'll be fun!"I said. "I haven't been ice skating in a while."
"I've never been ice skating," Jer said.
I gasped. "Never?"
"Never," he answered sounding amused.
"Oh wow, this is more important than I thought! I must teach you how to skate. I'm pretty good so don't worry I'll teach you well." I told him.
"Oh, how modest." he mimicked my voice. I knew he was referring to the time he said he was a good writer.
I stuck my tongue out at him as we put on our helmets.
I directed him to the closest ice skating ring.
He slowed to a stop and he helped me off the bike before getting off himself.
I grabbed his arm and dragged him inside. "I can't wait! I can't wait! I can't wait!" I said.
He shook his head as I dragged him along.
We got our boots and put them on. I waited for Jer has he struggled with them.
"You need help?"I asked.
"No, I'm not a child, I know what I'm doing."
After another while, he puffed. "Maybe I need a bigger size."
"Well then get one Jer! We don't have all day!"
When he was finally ready, we got onto the ice.
"You know what I'm not so sure about this anymore," Jer said wobbling, he quickly latched onto the railings.
"Well it's too late to back down now, "I told him grabbing his arm and steadying him.
"Now come on."
After ten minutes of trying to drag him along the ice, he groaned.
"I can't do this."
"Yes you can, it's easy. You're just not making an effort."I said crossing my arms.
"I'm on the ice, what else do you want from me?" he asked.
"To try, now come on, "I said holding out my hand expectantly. He sighed and grabbed my hand. I tried not to let it show but I was having a mini heart attack.
He was holding my hand. My hand!
It was large and callous but yet soft and it fit perfectly around mine. I kinda wanted to squeal.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked.
"Hmm?"I asked.
"You look like you're having trouble breathing."
I scoffed. "No, I'm like totally chill."I shrugged.
"Right," he muttered.
After a while of us skating, I realized something, we were skating which meant I wasn't the only one skating, Jer was too.
"Hey, you're doing it."I pointed out.
He scrunched his eyebrows and looked down as he glided across the ice. "Oh yeah I am," he said. "I honestly didn't even notice."
"Well, you're a natural."
"Thanks," his said with a slight smile.
"Oh no," he muttered after a while.
I furrowed my eyebrows and turned to him."What's up?"
"Her."
He nodded his head towards a particular direction and guess who was standing there with a few of her friends.
Yes. It was Simran Bakshi. And she didn't look happy. At all.
She was just by the entrance, fuming as she watched us, on the other hand, her friends looked utterly shocked to see us together....ice skating....while holding hands.
I know what it looked like, I mean it did kinda seem like we were on a date. Simran bothered me enough without Jer thrown into the mix and now I didn't feel like skating very much anymore. Simran had been bullying me all my life and all though it was mostly verbal, it still hurt. I finally find a friend and it just has to be the guys she has a crush.
I just wished she would leave me alone.
I turned to Jer who had been watching me curiously. I let my sad expression slip and smiled at him.
"Maybe we should call it a night, what do you say?"I asked as I started to slow down.
He nodded in agreement. "I think that's enough excitement for one day honestly," he muttered.
I stayed close to Jer as we went past Simran and her friends with my head down and he thankfully shielded me from their view. I sighed as we walked to the parking lot.
"Does she bully you?"
I was startled by his question, it was rare that Jer would actually try to ask me anything, it was always the other way around and since I didn't try to start up a conversation, I was hoping for silence.
Then I thought about his question. Does she bully me? I knew he was talking about Simran but I didn't know how to answer. Do I smile and brush it off or do I tell him the truth about how Simran treats me? After all, we're friends now right?
As if reading my mind Jer spoke up."You can tell me, I'm here if you need to talk." he assured me. We came to a stop at his bike and I look down.
This was weird. I mean, I guess I and Jer had become closer but I wasn't expecting this. I wasn’t expecting to confide in him. I looked up at him thoughtfully as I bit my lip. A lamp post behind illuminated his face as he stood with an expectant expression.
"Yes."
"Yes she bullies you?" he asked. I nodded.
He clicked his tongue. "I heard what she said to you the other day but I didn't know it was a usual occurrence."
I stayed silent. He sighed. "Okay, is it weird that I'm kinda missing your preppiness? How about this I have a little chat with Simran and we sort this out?"
"I dunno if that's a good idea Jer, if you talk to her she's just going to get angrier and it'll just be worse."
"She likes me, doesn't she?" he asked.
I nodded slowly not knowing where he was going with this.
"Then all I have to do is work my charm on her," he said striking a pose and running a hand through his hair. I giggled.
"What charm, Jer?"
"Haha very funny. Bottom line is I'll get her off your back okay?"
I nodded not sure if it would work but I guess I had nothing to lose. He handed me a helmet and smirked.
"Now," he said helping me buckle it. "Get your pretty little ass on the bike."
- Writer
