Changing With Autumn

Chapter 11

“Hey there not so basic and boring!” the text message said.  I had to steady myself and bite down the taste of acid coming up from my lunch. The same thought playing on repeat in my mind- No, no, no, no, no. My mind had begun racing. It couldn’t be. There’s literally no way it could be. I didn’t give him my phone number. How the hell did he get my phone number? It has to be Erika, or Aaron being a d**k. Jake must have been telling him about last night and they were talking s**t about me or something. 

“Uh? Who’s this?” I responded, dreading the inevitable answer. 

“Oh man. Really? Am I that forgettable? Here I was thinking we shared something special.” Ugh I could practically hear the cocky grin he seems to have permanently plastered on his face. 

“Jake?”  

“The one and only ;) See I knew I wasn’t that forgettable.” Insert eye roll here, I thought. 

“How did you get my number Jake?” 

“Ah. Well I did ask you to hang out sometime, and since you spaced giving me your number I asked Aaron.” 

What the Hell? Seriously, what is wrong with this guy? This sounds like some creepiness going on. Thank God I didn’t have him drive me to my house last night. He can be creepy at Erika’s house. Not that I would rather something happen to Erika, but it would technically be her and Aaron’s fault if something did. 

 Wow, that just got dark. What kind of asshole am I? I scolded myself.  

“Ok look, I know you said some things you didn’t mean to say. You were drunk. It’s cool. You honestly don't need to worry about it. We didn’t crash, I made it back, you made it home safe. We’re good. No need to worry about me narking on you for drinking or driving or anything.”  “

Woah, woah there. I wasn’t drinking last night. I was fully sober and I meant everything I said. I want to hang out with you.” “

Uh huh. So what is this about? Did Aaron put you up to this so I’ll talk to Erika or something?” 

“No one put me up to anything Willow. I seriously just want to hang out with you. Look, if you’re not comfortable getting together I get it. I’m not going to be able to get back in your area for a couple weeks. Just let me text you. We can chat and get to know each other. No strings attached. If you decide you’re not feeling it by then we don’t have to hang out and I’ll leave you alone.” 

I had to read that part over again. He wasn’t drunk. Aaron wasn’t playing at some of his usual crap. He wants to hang out with me. No strings attached. Seriously, what is wrong with him? There has to be something wrong with this guy. There at least has to be some kind of angle. A room full of preppy, prissy girls drooling all over him and ready to pounce at any moment, and I’m the one that catches his eye? The weird girl that he didn’t even notice until he was forced to drive home and make small talk with. I’m not buying it. 

“You’re serious?”  

“Lol, yes Willow. I’m serious.” 

“Why?” 

“I already told you. I want to know more about what goes on in that head. You intrigue me.” 

Intrigue him? My forehead scrunched in skepticism and my head slightly c****d back in a what the Hell kind of way. Maybe all of the so called fights this guy was supposed to have gotten into had given him some form of brain injury. I think he should be more intrigued into figuring out trying to fix that situation instead, but I couldn’t see a way around this.   

Telling him yes and agreeing to this texting thing might lead him to some false hope. There was no interest in him on my part. Sure he was attractive, but after watching him at the party I had lost interest in him in what, two minutes? I had no interest or time for playboys, regardless of how cute they are or how much Erika thinks I need to “get some.” Good taste in music and a 30 minute car ride didn’t equate to horn-dog on his part or any form of compatibility on mine.  

On the other hand, I don’t know this guy and I don’t know the extent of how far he wants to take this weird little interest in me he has. Obviously he had already gone far enough with it to go out of his way and hunt down my phone number. So if I tell him no, he would just continue to blow up my phone either way until I was forced to block him and then he might do some creepiness at Erika’s house. No matter how much she deserved it, I wouldn’t do that to her purposefully.  

So now I am in this situation. Deciding between my time and sanity and the probably irrational and worst case scenario potential of Erika’s safety. Obviously, the choice between the two is a no brainer and my decision is almost instantaneous. So with a defeated sigh I text him back while shaking my head and thinking, definitely not for the last time, stupid Erika. 

“Ok.” 

“Ok? Ok what? You’ll let me text you?” 

“Yeah I’ll text you. No strings attached, got it?” 

“Cross my heart. ;)” 

To say I was skeptical of this entire situation was a complete understatement, but I could do no strings attached. I could deal with texting someone that I would probably never have to see again and when the time came and he showed his true colors, whatever they may be, I could shoo him away with a clean and easy break. This was going to be easy peasy and the more I thought about it the better the idea sounded.  

So I sat on my bed with my phone in my hand and mentally pumped myself up in preparation for the next couple of weeks. I could do this. I’ve got this. Clean break. Easy peasy.  My phone buzzed in my hand again. Looking down I reopened the new messaging thread with Jake and read his newest incoming message. 

“Sooo... How’s it going?” *Insert another eye roll here* I thought. 

Ok so maybe not entirely easy peasy I groaned and threw myself back onto the pillow.