Oh. My. God. It’s happening all over again. How stupid could I be? What in the world ever made me think I could take the place of Chelsea Mason?
As I glanced over at Scott, I did everything I could to keep back the tears. “I have a better idea. Why don’t you just take me home? Then, y’all can have your privacy to do whatever. ”
Chelsea smiled at me. “That’s a great idea. ”
Scott snapped his head from me to Chelsea. “Chelsea, will you just shut up?”
She looked stunned as she sat back down on the sofa.
I turned and pushed past Scott, making my way to his truck.
“Jessie, please wait. Jess! Stop, please. ”
I spun around. “I just want to go home!” I shouted. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Either you take me home now, or I can have Dewey come pick me up. Hell, at this point, I’ll walk home. ”
Aaron and Jenny lived right down the road, right before the Mathews’ place, so I decided to head that way as I started to walk down his driveway.
“Stop! Please just let me take you back inside. ” He grabbed my arm and spun me around. “Please, Chels, let me take you back inside. ”
I’m going to be sick. He just called me Chels. Don’t cry. Do not cry.
As a tear rolled down my face, he looked at me like someone had just kicked him in the stomach.
“My name is not Chels. ”
He closed his eyes and dropped his head. “Fuck, Jessie…I didn’t mean—”
“Please…please just take me home,” I whispered.
He nodded as he let me walk past him toward his truck. I opened the door and slammed it shut before he could even try to help me in. He walked around the front of his truck and looked back at his front door. When I turned back toward the door, I saw Chelsea standing there.
Fucking bitch. I hate her.
He got in his truck, started it up, and headed down the driveway. “Jessie—”
“Please just turn on the radio. I really don’t want to talk to you. ”
He let out a sigh as he reached for the stereo. Right when he turned it on, Hot Chelle Rae’s “Why Don’t You Love Me” started to play. Looking out the window, I let out a gruff laugh and just let the tears fall.
How could I let this happen? Again.
I didn’t even care that he knew I was crying. I didn’t care about anything anymore.
“Jessie, please—”
I shook my head and prayed for God to please just let me get home fast. I closed my eyes as I listened to the words of the song. What a perfect fucking song. I’m so tired of being hurt.
He pulled up to Aaron and Jenny’s house, and I jumped out before he could even put it in park.
He got out, ran over to me, and grabbed me. “Jessica, please let me talk to you. ”
I looked up at him and laughed. “Do you remember the first time you kissed me?”
He closed his eyes and then opened them again. “Of course I do…under the bleachers after football practice. ”
“Do you remember why you walked away from me?”
He just stared at me. His eyes filled with sadness.