Chapter 17: Jean

(Ten years ago)

Oakwood High, New Jersey.

It was our second year anniversary. Two years since Scarlett and I had officially been together. I had known her for way longer of course, though I highly doubted she knew of my existence until she transferred into Oakwood high.

I had known her since when her former school used to have debate competitions with mine. She had been the leader of the debating club and would speak so eloquently every time she was up for a debating session.

I could never look away from her when she spoke. Everything about her was simply mesmerizing, from the way she walked, to way she talked, the angle of her neck when she laughed, the way her eyes shone with so much brilliance and intelligence when she defended her debate topic.

She was just one of those people that was popular amongst students for being pretty and equally smart and everyone wanted to be friends with. I could even bet she was her class president.

I'd just felt so drawn to her, so much that I would skip classes just to watch her debate sessions with my school's team even though I wasn't a member of the debating club.

It got so bad that I'd sometimes walk past her school in the hopes of catching a glimpse of her. I was gradually earning the title of a stalker, but I was still too chicken to approach her or start a conversation.

She just seemed so way out of my league and was always in a bubble of her own world. I thought I was lucky to even be able to catch glimpses of her every once in a while, until she transferred into Oakwood high in the tenth grade. I could have sworn it was fate working in my favor, except I didn't believe in fate or destiny.

She'd walked into my physics class that Monday morning with a smile so bright, it almost made me forget how much I hated physics. And now she'd been my girlfriend for two years. My girlfriend. It still felt surreal.

I got out of bed, exceptionally happy even though it was a Friday morning and I had physics first, because it was I and Scarlett's anniversary. The day was great already and nothing could ruin my mood.

I got ready as fast as I could, though I wasn't running late. I wanted to go pick her up and we'd end up running late if I wasted time getting ready.

I threw on a pair of dark jeans and a light blue t-shirt and threw my black hoodie that had an acrylic abstract painting on the back over my shoulder. It was a Christmas gift from Scarlett. She had hand painted the acrylic design herself, and it genuinely was the coolest piece of clothing I owned, my favorite too.

I ran a towel through my still damp hair and decided to leave it messy like it always was after I showered because for some absolutely weird reason, Scarlett always claimed she loved it that way.

I was almost out of the room when I remembered the anniversary gift I'd prepared, and I went back for the black notebook laying on my bed. I picked it up and shoved it into my bag with the hopes that she would love it as much as I did. I'd spent weeks making it and though I had a strong feeling she would love it, I couldn't help feeling anxious that she might want something different.

Breakfast was fancy as always, with my parents absent—as always. They'd left for the airport earlier that morning on a "business trip" and I opted for a piece of buttered toast and an apple instead, kissed Ivy on the cheek and messed up her hair, then ran away before she could throw a punch my way.

I was born to taunt my twin.

"You disgusting piece of shit! You're so dead when I get my hands on you!" She yelled and I laughed loudly as I made my way downstairs.

"Which is never!"

The drive down to Scarlett's house was only about five minutes and I stopped at the local Starbucks before heading over with her favorite order, Iced-chocolate almond milk shaken espresso and a regular iced-caramel macchiato for myself.

She was standing on her front porch and waving with a huge smile on her face when I arrived and I could feel my lips lifting up into a smile automatically at the sight of her. I thought about getting out of the car to say hi to her mom before we left, but she'd bounded down the porch steps and gotten in the car before I could even park properly.

"Hey pretty boy!"

Her hair was packed up into a messy bun and a few stray pieces framed her face beautifully. Her lips were lined with dark brown liner and clear lip-gloss that made me want to kiss the shit out of her right then and there but we were almost running late and I didn't really care, to be honest but Scarlett hated being late as much as she hated missing school. So I resisted the urge to kiss her and pulled her into a hug instead.

"Happy anniversary, mi alma." I squeezed her to myself and breathed in her familiar, comforting smell. She smelled like toasted coconut with a mix of a floral scent I couldn't exactly place. And I didn't want to let go. I never did.

We stayed that way for a while and I reveled in the comfort of her smell, and then she pulled away and brought up her fingers to smooth strands of hair out of my face, and I could physically feel my muscles relaxing as I leaned into her touch.

"Happy anniversary, baby." Her gaze was soft and seemed to be saying a million things to me all at once, but the love in them was most pronounced and I smiled as she leaned in to place a small kiss on my mouth.

My heart clenched at the gesture, and for what was probably the zillionth time since we'd been together, I was reminded of how much I truly was completely in love with her.

I really was absolutely a simp and I loved being a simp if it was Scarlett I was simping over. I wanted be a simp for the rest of my life if it meant I could spend it with her.

I handed her the coffee afterwards and then drove us to school with Frank Ocean blaring loudly through the speakers.

***

School went by so freaking slow and I couldn't be more irritated because I just wanted to spend the day with Scarlett. I couldn't even focus in any of my classes, especially physics. Not with her sitting right by my side, her hand in mine, caressing and teasing and stirring up all these thoughts in my head that made me want to risk it all and pull a reckless move.

And I couldn't wait for dinner tonight. I'd made reservations for us at a really nice restaurant out of town. I wanted something new and refreshing and we'd been to most of the restaurants in Oakwood. Plus the place I found had great reviews online.

I was making my way down the hallways after school in search of Scarlett, and I finally spotted her putting her stuff away at her locker. I made my way around the crowd of people filling out from different sides of the hallways, trying to make their way out of school as fast as possible and finally got to her after a few minutes of shove and push.

She still hadn't spotted me as I made my way over to her, and I wrapped my arms around her waist, hugging her from behind.

"Hey pretty boy," I heard the smile in her voice before I saw it as she turned around.

She always knew it was me. How did she always know?

"How do you always know it's me?" I asked, genuinely curious as she wrapped her arms around me, and she simply smiled.

"It's a secret."

"Oh! Come on. Just tell me." I whined and she shook her head, laughing.

"Nope."

I faked annoyance and pouted "Mean Scarlett." And she stuck her tongue out at me, matching my playfulness as she tried to pry my arms from her waist, but I held on tighter and pulled her even closer as I buried my head in the crook of her neck.

"Is it just me or you've been extra clingy today?" She laughed lightly and successfully unwrapped my arms from her waist this time, and then returned to arranging the books in her locker.

"What? I'm not allowed to be clingy with the person I love?"

She tried to hide it, but her smile grew a tad wider at my words and I let the mischievous smile pulling at my lips have its way. I moved an inch closer to her, deciding to let my reckless thoughts come out to play as I grabbed a notebook out of her hand, forcing her to turn to look at me again.

"I mean, you're just extra today." She sighed and gave me a pointed look, hand held a out for her notebook. But I ignored her and closed the little remaining distance between us, backing her up against her locker.

I noticed her breath hitch and she rolled her eyes and pressed her lips together in a bid to keep the smile tugging at the corners of her lips away.

"Jean," her voice held a note of warning and she gave me a pointed look, trying but failing to remain serious, and I brought a finger to her chin and tilted slightly so we were staring directly into each other's eyes.

"But you like it when I'm extra, don't you?" I let my fingers run across her cheek, my smile widening as her feigned seriousness finally dissipated and she broke into a laugh.

God...she's so beautiful.

"No, I don't like it when you're extra. In fact, I think you're perfectly fine being completely regular." She spoke amidst her laughter, and I brought my forehead to rest against hers.

"Liar."

She sighed in defeat and then brought a hand up to caress my cheek. My eyes snapped closed.

In that moment, I was not Jean and she was not Scarlett. I was man and she was God, and I wanted to surrender all of myself to her dominion. To kneel at her feet for worship and have her raise me from the dead so I would be reborn as hers, and hers alone.

"I missed you today." My voice came out sounding like a sigh. A side effect of being lucky enough to be loved by her. To be a part of her world and be wrapped in that bubble of comfort she always traveled with, concealed in her soul and in the palms of her hands.

"I missed you too." She sighed in response and my eyes opened in time to watch her smile widen as she let out a small chuckle. "Even though we had a fair number of classes together."

I rolled my eyes, my smile still in place. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I have something for you." I leaned away and straightened, and Scarlett raised a brow as she resumed arranging her books.

"What is it?" Her interest was piqued now, and I smiled and nodded towards the exit as she put the last of her books away and slammed her locker shut.

"Come with me."