Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-One
Because of What Happened
"Heads up."
"What?" I turned around to see Ezra walk up to me and lean against the locker beside mine. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave me an amused look.
"Cade. He wants to ask you out on a date."
I slammed my locker shut and gave Ezra a baffled look, "What the hell are you talking about?"
Ezra shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm telling you what I know. He's into you and wants to ask you out."
My eyes widened and eyebrows furrowed, "Shut up. You're kidding."
Ezra tilted his head, a smirk resting on his face. He was too amused and finding this more funny than I was - considering I didn't find it funny at all. "Nope. He actually came up to me and asked me if I thought it was a good idea."
"I'm assuming he expects you keep your mouth shut," I mumbled knowingly, narrowing my eyes at Ezra.
Ezra shrugged casually, "Yup, but since when do I listen to other people?"
"So you're not fucking with me right now?" I asked slowly. I knew he wasn't but confirmation didn't hurt.
Ezra let out a dry laugh, "No, Tiff, I am not. I am letting you know because if I didn't and you found out later that I knew, my head would be on a stick."
"That is true," I grumbled as I started walking down the hallway. Ezra pushed himself of the lockers and started walking with me. "What did you say to him?"
"What?" Ezra was a little confused.
I rolled my eyes, "When he asked if it was a good idea, what did you say?"
"I told him you're not looking for a relationship." Ezra replied calmly, knowing his answer would do me justice and is exactly what I would've wanted him to say.
I let out a breath of relief, "Oh thank God for you, Razzi. Rejecting him would be so awkward and I would feel like shit because he's a sweet guy."
Ezra's eyebrows pulled together, "So then why do you want to reject him? Since he's a 'sweet guy'." He let out a small chuckle.
I scrunched my face up in distaste, "Like you said, I'm not interested in dating anyone. The last thing I need is having to worry about how I'm going to let someone down gently."
Ezra scoffed, "You don't have to be gentle. You can be brutal and harsh."
I smacked his arm, "No! I'm not going to be mean to Cade for no reason." Cade was a nice guy and didn't deserve someone like me anyways.
"Fine," he mumbled, rolling his eyes. "Anyways, just because I let him know that doesn't mean he won't still ask you out."
"Everyone knows you know me better than anyone. I'm sure he'll take your word and save himself the embarrassment." I replied dully.
Ezra shrugged, "I'll give you that. You do know you're allowed to let yourself open up to people, right Tiff?"
I stopped walking and gave Ezra a flat look. "Really?"
Ezra gave me a defensive look, "I'm just saying... you can't forbid yourself from ever getting close to anyone just because of what happened. What happened... there were circumstances you won't have to deal with again."
I clenched my jaw, face straight and blank, "Well in that case, Ezra, you should allow yourself to let down your facade of being this badass, emotionless, bad guy who doesn't care about anyone or anything. After all, you can't forbid yourself from ever getting close to anyone just because of what happened." I shot his words right back to him and walked away.
"Oh my God, you guys would've been cute together!" Joy exclaimed, a wide smile on her face when I told her and Jade about the Cade thing. I wasn't planning on talking about it but they started talking about if I'm interested in anyone.
"You would have," Jade nodded in agreement. "Bummer you're not into him."
I shrugged sheepishly, sipping on my coffee. "He's such a nice guy and I do really like him as a friend. I just don't want to get into a relationship."
"Did you have one back in Saratoga Springs?" Joy asked as she leaned back and looked at me in curiosity. Jade's eyebrows also perked up, interested in my past love-life.
I clenched my jaw and forced a tight lip smile to refrain from squeezing my coffee cup so tightly that the paper cup would get crushed causing coffee to spill anywhere. "No. I'm just not interested in worrying about a relationship right now."
"I get that..." Jade said softly. "I was the same until..."
"Until you started hitting it off with my brother?" I chuckled as I offered to complete her statement. It was quite obvious that Charlie and Jade had something going on between them even if it wasn't official yet. Anyone with working eyes would be able to see it.
"We aren't even dating yet!" She exclaimed as her cheeks heated up and turned bright with a blush.
"You basically are," Joy rolled her eyes, a smile on her face though. "He's going to ask you out soon."
"Whatever," Jade grumbled as she looked away to avoid our gazes.
"It does suck about Cade though," Joy spoke again, going back to the topic of Cade which I was now regretting bringing up. "It would've been cute. I've seen you guys hang out, you two really seem to get along."
"Not as well as you and Noah, though." Jade scoffed, a suggestive look on her face.
I almost choked on my coffee, "What? What is that supposed to mean?" My eyes widened as I spoke between coughs. Her comment took me by surprise.
Jade chuckled at my reaction, "Don't be that surprised, Tiff. You guys are always hanging out. It's about time you got together."
"Everyones basically waiting on it- expect for Leo." Joy added. Jade looked over at her and smacked her arm, the two of them sharing a look I wasn't understanding.
"What? What about Leo? And no, we are not getting together, we're just friends. What don't you guys understand about me not wanting a relationship." I sputtered, looking between the two of them in confusion as I tried to understand what they were not telling me.
Jade sighed, "Leo might have a small crush on you. You didn't hear it from us because he didn't admit it."
"It's just obvious," Joy said as she shrugged casually and continued eating her salad.
I scoffed, "Clearly it's not obvious because I'm good at picking up on things."
Jade started chuckling like an idiot, "I'm sorry, T, but if that were true you would pick up on Leo having a crush on you and trying to be subtle about it and you'd pick up on Noah who clearly gets jealous every time another guy is talking to you."
"You know what," I stood up and picked up my cup of coffee. "I can no longer have this conversation with you two because I'm starting to see that you both are losing your minds."
Jade and Joy simply started laughing as I walked away from them.