Book 2: Chapter 13

Chapter 13

By the time the morning came, Jay was already up and out of the room. That was disappointing, but I was happy for today! The girls and I were going swimming. I was also bringing Saida and Summer along too. It was about time they meet so they can start to hang out. Summer didn't have many friends this could mean great things for her. Finally getting her out of this funk she can't seem to shake.

Doing my morning routine, I showered brushed my hair and started contemplating on what bathing suit to wear. Bradyn got me hooked on thong bikinis and I haven't gone back since. After pondering for a few minutes, I decided on the pink one. It looked more like lingerie with the garters, but I promise it was a bathing suit. Although very sexy.

Before getting my shorts on, Jay came bursting through the door. I jumped startled by his entrance as his face turned completely red. The bathing suit did look like lingerie. Not to mention my ass was out and about. Jay couldn't help but bite his lip staring me up and down. It made me chuckle. It's been a while since we've seen each other anywhere close to naked. Surprise!

He looked down to not look at me directly. "Once you get some clothes on, come downstairs!" His face was still red like a tomato.

I laughed. "Sure thing, but what's happening?"

"Just come quickly and put shoes on!" He said going back out of the room.

Quickly getting my shorts on, I tied my cover-up over the top half of me. Heading outside, I almost fell out of my skin looking at what Jay showed me. I know he's always been adventurous but not this adventurous. Did he even know how to drive this thing? I'm unsure if this was a good idea.

Chuckling, I crossed my arms in front of my chest, appalled by the whole thing. "Jason, this is insane," I say, not keen on this.

Jay nodded, smiling brighter than ever. "Whatcha think? Pretty awesome right?"

I nod. "It's something...do you even know how to drive this?"

He rolled his eyes. "Duh, I have a whole license to operate one, A."

Though not thrilled, I was happy he at least had his license to ride a motorcycle. This thing looked scary. I can't even imagine getting on one. However, the design was very sleek. The fact that Jay went out and bought one shouldn't have been shocking in the slightest. This sort of thing fit his aesthetic perfectly. No matter my discomfort, he would drive it anyway.

Without a moment's notice, he pulled out two helmets. He had this bright-eyed look in his eyes like he had the best idea ever. Whatever it was, it was not going to involve me. I wanted no part of this contraption. The only thing I'm riding in is that car. Jay was crazy for thinking otherwise.

"What are those for, you?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"One for me and one for you of course," he said to my dismay. "Come on, I'm dropping you off on this today."

I laughed hysterically. "Oh no, no, no. You can't be serious?"

He nods his head frantically. "Yes, yes you're getting on with me." He was insistent.

I shake my head, trying not to feed into this. There was no way he was dropping me off on this. Why couldn't we just take the car? It was nice, smooth, and didn't require a helmet to ride in. Everything about that motorcycle scared me. There was a higher chance for an accident to happen. Especially with two of us on it. I don't think I had the stomach for this.

Jay wasn't giving up though. He wouldn't stop handing me the helmet no matter how much I declined. There was no way to get out of this and my gut may regret this very idea later on. However, I had nothing to lose now taking the helmet. Ugh, Jason was lucky he had someone like me to indulge him. This will be the only time he’ll get me on the back of this death trap.

He started it up causing me to wrap my arms around his waist even tighter. Of course, Jay laughed at me for being scared. How could he blame me though? I never knew him to drive one of these. He sprung this out of thin air and now here we are. The fear I felt was reflected in how tight I was squeezing Jay.

"Relax, A, I'll get you there safely. I promise." He put his helmet on before zooming down the road.

The air felt amazing and you feel a lot of it riding on this thing. He seemed to know what he was doing so I couldn't complain in that regard. Still deathly afraid, I held on tight never letting go. Jay seemed to be enjoying himself thoroughly. The joy radiating off his body was uncanny. It was always nice getting to see him so happy. Even if it's something as silly as riding a motorbike.

We made it to the Hadid home unscathed shockingly. I couldn't wait to take off the helmet getting off the bike as quickly as possible. It wasn't as bad as my first thought, but I still preferred the car. My sentiments were shared when Cyrus came to check out the bike himself.

"Whoa, you did buy a bike?" Cyrus said amused.

Jay revered it up again taking off his helmet. "Yeah I did, ain't she gorgeous?" He gloated.

Cyrus didn't disagree. Who knew he likes bikes too? "You gotta let me drive her one day!"

I rolled my eyes. "You guys are nuts for liking this." I wasn't amused.

"Yeah, yeah just let me know when to pick you up, okay?" Jay looked at me in a teasing manner.

Cyrus looked between us confused before putting the pieces together. I never told him I was staying at Jay's house so this has to be shocking. Regardless, it didn't matter so long as my butt wasn't here. I'm sure Cyrus was having a wonderful time sleeping next to Jenna every night. That was every man's dream.

Sighing, I look at Jay before he leaves. "Please be careful, and bring the car when you get me!"

He chuckled, slipping his helmet back on before pulling off. I hope he listens to me because I didn't want to ride on that thing later. In the meantime, Cyrus was looking at me confused and bewildered that Jay let me sleep at his place. I'm assuming he expected me to be staying here, but that couldn't happen. He only had himself to thank for that.

Besides, it's not like it's the end of the world for me to stay at Jays' place. Friends stay over all the time. There was nothing different between Jay and me. We were platonic friends sharing a home. It was no big deal...at least not to me. Cyrus, on the other hand, made it into something it's not.

“When we’re you going to fill me in that you were staying at his house?” He asked me, as we walked towards the front doors.

I shrugged. “How long have I been here?” I question.

“Umm, about a week,” he says.

“And you just noticed I wasn’t here?”

He frowned. “Well-“

“Exactly.”

It was apparent that he didn’t care I wasn’t there. He just didn’t want me to stay at Jay’s house. His suspicions were to be expected, however, it was only out of jealousy not his caring about me. If I were to stay in a hotel he wouldn’t be asking me these questions. I’m sure he wouldn’t have noticed like he didn’t a minute ago. This act he was putting on was performative and I wasn’t buying into it.

That didn’t stop him from following me up to the doorstep. He was still questioning me about my living situation. It was like it didn’t make sense to him. Though, it made perfect sense to me. Where else was I going to go?

“I just don’t see why you aren’t staying here.”

Stopping in my tracks, I turn around looking him directly in the eye. “Oh, because I totally want to stay in a house where my ex-lover and enemy sleep in the same bed. How enthralling!” I deadpan.

He smirked at my humor. “Okay, I see your point, but I still don’t see why Jays.” He continued to argue. “You could’ve stayed in the hotel down the street.”

“Have you seen those prices?” Like I had the money for that.

“I would’ve paid for it and you know it,” he says.

I roll my eyes over this conversation. “Cyrus, why would I have you pay for me to sleep in a hotel when I can sleep at Jay's for free?”

“You can sleep here for free too,” nothing I said was satisfying to him.

In all my time knowing Cyrus, this is the first time I’ve seen him act super jealous. The tone of his voice, the way he was questioning me, Cyrus was acting like a jealous prick. Quite frankly, he didn’t have a right to be acting this way. Especially with the way he ended our skeptical relationship. He was confusing me and himself. The only reason we’re seeing each other again is that he’s marrying Jenna. Did he forget that a wedding was happening in two months?

I laughed hysterically at his nonsense. If my life were a movie, it’ll be the premiere of the century. It’s impossible to make any of this up. My life in Sunbury was completely different from my life in Greendale. At least I was normal there. In Sunbury, it was nothing but drama like a soap opera.

Sighing, I looked at him with pain in my eyes. “Cyrus, what are you doing?” I ask.

He smiled nervously. “What? I’m asking legit questions.”

“Why are you acting like a jealous prick?”

He laughed sarcastically. “I-I’m not jealous,” he says unconvincingly.

“Really? Then what are you? You’re supposed to be marrying Jenna.” I remind him.

Cyrus pouted looking away from me. There wasn’t anything he could say without proving my point. He was extremely jealous about me staying with Jason. Though, his jealousy wasn’t warranted. It’s not like he knew about what we did. If Jay were any other guy would he still be acting this way?

He sighed, contemplating what to say next. He was trying to choose his words wisely, but whatever he said wouldn’t change the fact that we weren’t the same as a year ago. We had different things going on and oh yeah, I wasn’t the one getting MARRIED!

“What if I don’t want that?” He suddenly asked.

I raised a brow. “Excuse me?”

“What if I want something else?”

“Something else like what?” I was curious.

As soon as I said that, Cyrus came walking quickly over to me. His hands grasped at my waist pulling me suddenly into him. My hands didn’t have time to react as they rested nicely on his chiseled chest. I couldn’t help but squeeze as both our breaths hitched. My heart was pounding in my chest with how close he was pulling me. It reminded me of the first time we were in that piano room. That was the start of something that would soon come to an end.

His hand made its way up to my cheek. His thumb stroked it ever so lightly. I can tell my cheeks flushed by the way he smirked at me. Some things between us would never change. This is one of those very things.

Cyrus chuckled, inching closer to my face. His forehead touched mine as our lips were seconds away from connecting. However, they didn’t.

“It’s nice to know that I still have this effect on you,” he whispered.

I gulped, afraid to speak. “What are you doing, Cy?” I kept asking that, but that’s all I could think of in this heated moment.

“I bet you want me to kiss you, don’t you?” Now he was teasing me.

“Does it matter?”

He chuckled again. “I guess not,” he says.

His hands dropped from around me as he started to walk away. My heart made it back to its normal rate as I caught my breath again. It drove me mad that he still had the power to make me go weak in the knees. Whatever his secret was, I needed him to reveal it. This wasn’t how our interactions were going to go every time we see one another.

“My point still stands,” he says.

I looked at him confused, yet timid. “What point?” I was almost afraid to ask.

He turned around to look at me with a somber expression. “I won’t do anything unless you want to.”