A Playboy's Past

JAEL’S POV “HEY!” HE YELLED AS HE COLLIDED HEAVILY WITH ME. “CAN’T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING? OR ARE YOU JUST TOO STUPID TO USE YOUR EYES?” I WANTED TO GIVE HIM AN APPROPRIATE RETORT BUT IT JUST WASN’T IN MY NATURE. IT WAS OBVIOUS FROM MY FACIAL EXPRESSION THAT HIS WORDS HAD HURT ME; STILL HE DIDN’T SEEM TO CARE. THEN I MADE UP MY MIND TO GIVE HIM A PIECE OF MY MIND. “IF YOU HAD BEEN CALM AND NOT JUST INSULTED ME, I WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU A VERY SINCERE APOLOGY BUT AFTER EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID I CAN’T HELP BUT CONCLUDE THAT YOU ARE A TOTAL JERK” I PICKED UP MY COMIC BOOK THAT HAD FALLEN AND LEFT HIM STARING INTO THE VAST FIELD. I DIDN’T TURN BACK TO LOOK AT HIM BUT I FELT HIS SEA BLUE EYES ON MY RETREATING FIGURE. “STUPID ARROGANT JERK!” I WAS NEW AT VIRGIN DAY HIGH BUT I WASN’T IGNORANT AS REGARDING THE MOST POPULAR GROUP OF STUDENTS, BOTH MALE AND FEMALE. JUDGING BY THE WAY THE JUNIOR STUDENTS AND EVEN THEIR CLASSMATES DROOLED ON SEEING THE GUYS: ANDY, ROMEO, ROBERT AND MR JERK, I KNEW THEY WERE THE MOST POPULAR GUYS AT SCHOOL. I HAD HEARD SOME OF MY CLASSMATES WISHING THAT THEY COULD TALK TO THEM EVEN ONCE. BUT AFTER MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE LEADER OF THE g**g THIS MORNING, I COULDN’T HELP BEING ANNOYED AS THE GIRLS SCREAMED AND YELLED AS THEY PASSED BY THE HALL. I GAVE MR JERK A STERN GLARE AND CONTINUED WITH MY BUSINESS NOT MINDING THE NOISE MY CLASSMATES MADE. JADEN’S POV FOR SOME REASON MY HEART SKIPPED A BEAT THE MOMENT I SAW HER IN THE JUNIOR HALLWAY. I HAD NEVER NOTICED HER AT SCHOOL SO I WAS GUESSING SHE WAS A NEW STUDENT. MY LATE RESUMPTION REALLY INCREASED THE CHEER THAT MY FRIENDS AND I GOT AS WE PASSED THE JUNIOR HALLWAY. THERE WAS A STAIRCASE LEADING DIRECTLY TO THE SENIOR HALLWAY BUT JUST FOR FUN WE REGULARLY MADE USE OF THE JUNIOR HALLWAY. AS SOON AS WE GOT TO CLASS, I LAUNCHED A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE GIRL THAT HAD SUDDENLY REVIVED MY CONSCIENCE. “GUYS, DO YOU KNOW A GIRL IN THE 11TH GRADE, JET BLACK HAIR WITH A STREAK OF PINK IN IT?” I ASKED AND THREE OF THEM CAST A KNOWING SMILE AT EACH OTHER. I KNEW WHAT THEY WERE THINKING BUT I WANTED THEM TO SAY IT BEFORE I CORRECTED THE IDEAS THAT HAD BEGAN TO FORM IN THEIR THICK SKULLS. “YOUR NEW TARGET?” ROMEO, MY BEST FRIEND ASKED WINKING CHILDISHLY WITH A SMILE. “NO! IT’S JUST THAT I THINK I MIGHT HAVE OFFENDED HER.” “HOW CAN YOU OFFEND SOMEONE YOU DON’T KNOW?” ROBERT SAID, HIS DIMPLES PUNCTUATING HIS WORDS AS HE SPOKE. I ALMOST THREW INVINCIBLE DAGGERS AT HIM WITH MY EYES. “I NEVER SAID I DON’T KNOW HER. DIDN’T I GIVE YOU A DESCRIPTION RIGHT NOW?” “OKAY SO WHAT’S HER NAME?” AS SOON AS ROBERT THREW THE QUESTION AT ME, I TRIED TO REMEMBER THE NAME THAT WAS ON HER NAME TAG BUT I ONLY REMEMBERED HER LAST NAME. I DECIDED TO GIVE THE NAME I KNEW AFTER SEEING THAT THE BOYS WERE READY TO MAKE FUN OF ME AS SOON AS THEY GOT THE CHANCE. “GOLD” I DECLARED AND ANDY SEEMED TO GO DOWN THE THINKNG PATH, I WAS GUESSING HE KNEW HER. “WAIT! DESCRIBE HER LIPS” I WAS GLAD THAT I WASN’T THE ONLY ONE WHO FOUND HIS STATEMENT AWKWARD COS AS SOON AS MY MOUTH CURVED IN A GRIN, ROMEO WAS ALREADY EXPLODING WITH LAUGHTER. ONLY ROBERT RETAINED SOME SELF CONTROL TO SAVE ANDY FROM HIS CONFUSION. THE ONE WEIRD THING ABOUT ANDY WAS THE WORDS HE ALWAYS CHOSE TO DESCRIBE SOMEONE. “BRO WHY ON EARTH WOULD HE WANT TO KNOW HOW HER LIPS LOOK?” ROBERT SAID IN BETWEEN FITS OF LAUGHTER WHILE HOLDING HIS TUMMY. ANDY’S WORDS WERE ALWAYS PARADOXICAL, THEY SEEMED FOOLISH AT FIRST BUT AFTER ELABORATION IT MADE LOT OF SENSE. ANDY WAS PATIENT AS HE KNEW HE WOULD HAVE THE LAST LAUGH, HE LET US FINISH OUR JEST OF HIM BEFORE EXPLAINING WHAT HE MEANT. “ROMEO, REMEMBER THE GIRL YOU BUMPED INTO IN THE LIBRARY, THE COMIC ADDICT THAT YOU SAID HER LIPS ARE THE BEST FOR KISSING. ROBERT, YOU SAID WE SHOULD SET HER UP WITH JADEN. HER UPPER LIP IS A BIT DARK WHILE HER LOWER LIP IS PINK?” ANDY EXPLAINED AND HAD THE MATURTITY NOT TO BURST INTO LAUGHTER AS WE HAD. “SO, YOU GUYS KNOW HER?” I SAID STEERING US BACK IN THE DIRECTION I WANTED. “YEAH. WHY?” ROMEO SAID “HOW DID YOU OFFEND HER ANYWAY?” ROBERT ASKED THE QUESTION I HAD BEEN PRAYING AGAINST. HE WAS SYNONYMOUS TO AN ANTAGONIST IN MY LIFE. HE DID THE EXACT THINGS I AVOIDED AND WE ALWAYS GOT INTO FIGHTS. ROMEO AND ANDY WERE ALSO EAGER TO HEAR THE REASON FOR OUR DISPUTE SO THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD AVOID THE QUESTION. “I SAID SOME REALLY MEAN WORDS TO HER THIS MORNING COS SHE BUMPED INTO ME. AND I REALLY FELT GUILTY AFTER LOOKING AT HER FACE. HER EYES ALONE CAN MAKE A SINNER REPENT.” “SO, YOU WANT TO APOLOGISE TO HER?” THE ANTAGONIST ASKED “YEAH!” I SAID IN A MATTER-OF-FACT WAY. “HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO IT?” ROMEO ASKED AND I GUESSED HE HAD A PLAN IN MIND “I DON’T KNOW. I GUESS I’LL JUST CORNER HER AFTER SCHOOL AND APOLOGISE” I SUGGESTED WITH A SHRUG. “UGH! NO! LOOK, FROM WHAT I HEARD SHE IS A QUIET PERSON. YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO SOMETHING FUN TO SEE IF SHE REALLY IS RETICENT. YOU NEED TO MAKE HER LIKE YOU.” HIS LAST WORDS SURPRISED ME BUT KNOWING MY FRIENDS I UNDERTOOD THAT GOLD’S NATURE INTERESTED THEM AND THEY WANTED TO BRING HER DOWN. I HAD THE SWAG; THE BOYS HAD THE MOVES. BUT I HAD TO GIVE IT TO HIM, HIS PLAN WAS SO MUCH FUN. JAEL’S POV I WAS A NEW STUDENT, SCHOOL RESUMED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO BUT MY RESERVED NATURE DIDN’T ALLOW ME HAVE ANY FRIENDS YET. I WAS ENJOYING MY SOLITUDE WITH MY HEADSET AND MY COMIC BOOK. YEAH! NERD. MY NEW CLASSMATES HAD DEVELOPED THAT IDEA ABOUT ME AND THE BOYS LOOKED AT ME FUNNY, NONE APPROACHED ME ANYWAY SO I WAS ALWAYS ON MY OWN. MY PEACE AND QUIET WAS DISRUPTED WHEN THE NOISE AROUND ME SUDDENLY STOPPED. I WAS A VERY OBSERVANT PERSON SO THIS DREW MY ATTENTION. I RAISED MY HEAD AND REALISED THAT THE WHOLE CLASS WAS STARING AT ME. I NOTICED A SENIOR STUDENT AT THE DOOR. OH! ONE OF THE JERKS. I TOOK OFF MY HEADSET AND HE REPEATED HIS ANNOUNCEMENT. “MISS GOLD, PLEASE STEP OUT FOR A MOMENT” I STARED AT HIM FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH MY FINGER POINTING AT MY CHEST BEFORE GETTING UP AND WALKING OUT OF THE CLASS. I THOUGHT THIS CALL TO BE DUBIOUS. WE WALKED TO THE SCHOOL DANCE ARENA AND AFTER FINDING THE PLACE EMPTY I CONCLUDED THAT ME BEING CALLED OUT BY MR JERK’S g**g MEMBER AND BEING LED TO AN EMPTY SPACE, WAS VERY DANGEROUS. HE LEFT WORDLESSLY AND THEN I REMEMBERED THAT MY COMIC WAS IN MY POCKET. I BROUGHT THE SMALL RECTANGULAR BOOK OUT AND FOUND A PERFECT PLACE TO READ. SHAME! I LEFT MY HEADSET IN MY LOCKER WHILE COMING. I’M PRETTY SURE I HAD BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES WHEN MR JERK WALKED IN. “NERD!” HE SAID HANDS IN HIS POCKETS AS HE WALKED IN, HE HAD A SMIRK ON HIS FACE BUT I HAD TO ADMIT HE WAS CUTE. “WHAT DO YOU WANT?” I ASKED IN AN UNFRIENDLY TONE, MY ANGRY FACE INCLUDED ME POUTING MY LIPS WHICH, ACCORDING TO MY NANNY, MADE ME CUTER AND I GAVE IT TO HIM CUTE OR NOT. “FEISTY! I LIKE THAT.” HE SAID SMILING. HE HAD DIMPLES. CUTE. “I HAVE A CLASS. LET’S MAKE THIS QUICK. YOU SAID MEAN WORDS TO ME THIS MORNING AND NOW YOU ARE ALL SMILEY AT ME? WHAT’S THE CATCH?” “YOU DON’T HAVE A CLASS NOW. I CHECKED.” “OH. THAT’S WHY YOU ARE KEEN ON WASTING MY TIME”, I SAID NOT READY TO LET MY GUARD DOWN. HE EXHALED DEEPLY AND MOVED CLOSER TO ME SO THAT HE WAS JUST ABOUT FOUR FEETS AWAY FROM ME. HE TOOK HIS HANDS OUT OF HIS POCKETS AND ASSUMED A SERIOUS LOOK. “LOOK. I’M REALLY SORRY ABOUT MY ATTITUDE THIS MORNING. I’M NOT ACTUALLY A RUDE GUY. I WAS JUST IN A BAD MOOD. I’M SORRY.” HE SAID PLEADINGLY, MY HEART COMPLETELY FORGAVE HIM. A SMIRK LIFTED THE CORNER OF MY LIPS BUT IT EVENTUALLY BROKE INTO A SMILE. “FINE. YOU’RE FORGIVEN.I’M ALSO SORRY FOR SAYING MEAN WORDS ABOUT YOU IN MY HEAD.” HE BURST INTO A HEARTY LAUGHTER AND I STARED AT HIM WITH A BEMUSED EXPRESSION. ONE LOOK AT MY FACE AND HE MADE AN EFFORT TO CONTROL HIS LAUGHTER WHILE TALKING IN BETWEEN FITS OF SUBSIDING LAUGHTER. “I’M …I’M REALLY SORRY…IT’S JUST THAT…YOU WERE PRETTY TRUTHFUL” HE SAID WITH A SMILE ON. HIS DIMPLES SHINING OUT OF HIS FACE. IT WAS MY OWN TURN FOR LAUGHTER AND IT WAS CHEERFUL AND HEARTFELT. WHEN I LOOKED AT HIS FACE, I COULDN’T HELP BUT BLURT OUT THE QUESTION THAT HIS LOOK MADE MY HEART ASK. “WHAT?” I SAID STILL WITH A SMILE “IT’S JUST…YOUR SMILE IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL, LIKE WTF” HE SAID WITH AN EXGGERATED GESTURE. I TRIED TO HIDE MY BLUSH BUT MY CHEEKS BURNT PINK. I REALISED WHAT I WAS DOING AND TRIED TO FIND AN EXCUSE TO LEAVE BEFORE HE NOTICED THE COLOUR ON MY CHEEK. “UHM…I’LL GET GOING NOW.” I WAS ALREADY PAST HIM BY A FEW FEETS WHEN HE CALLED ME BACK. “WAIT…I STILL DON’T KNOW YOUR NAME?” HE SAID AS I TURNED TO FACE HIM, I SMILED AND SAID. “JAEL GOLD” I MADE TO LEAVE BUT HE CALLED YET AGAIN. “AREN’T YOU GOING TO ASK FOR MINE?” I CHUCKLED LIGHTLY AAND THEN TURNED TO FACE HIM YET AGAIN WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE, MY CHEEK ALREADY ITS NORMAL SHADE. “THE WHOLE SCHOL KNOWS YOUR NAME…JADEN JOHN…SEE YA.” I LEFT HURRIEDLY BEFORE HE COULD SAY ANOTHER WORD BUT I WAS SURE HE SMILED AT MY RETREATING FIGURE.