Chapter Seventeen: "Slowly, With More Detail"

Sophomore year there was a slight mono epidemic. Ace, Alyssa, and Jake caught it at the same time and, since they were kissing many more lips than I was, I came away germ-free. Those three weeks at school that followed were horrible.

Ace dropped off first. He was convinced it was only a severe cold and that he couldn’t have mono, so he stayed home for a few days, quarantined. Three days later when we decided to take Jake to the hospital because his chest was all clogged up and he couldn’t breathe correctly, Ace came. And then they both got pumped up full of meds and antibiotics and all that crap, and so we—my mom and I—took them home.

Alyssa called me from the hospital just as we left. She was checking in for a few days. Her condition was a little too precarious for her to go home.

I trekked back and forth from Panera Bread and the grocery store, with tubs of chicken noodle soup and orange juice for vitamin C, to my house and across the street, and since Allie would be jealous if I left her out of nursing them back to health, the hospital was on my list of stops too.

It wasn’t particularly fun, but it was something to do. And it brought the fact that without my two best friends, my social standing was in a precarious position, into reality. But it wasn’t all that bad and it made the being alone at school and eating in the library alone okay. I had something to focus on, but this time I have nothing and no one.

And things were truly getting bleak. I’d daydream about a world where I had no feelings toward anyone—meaning neither Ace nor Noah—and some knight in shining armor would come sweep me off my feet. Except the fantasy fades to pieces when I realized my knight had gorgeous silky blonde curls and bright green eyes. And the next thing I know, I’m back in the real world and a teacher has just asked me a question and I have no idea what’s going on.

You see, my reflex calling of Alyssa backfired when she didn’t pick up the phone. And then she called back five times in a row and I froze up. How do you tell someone that their cousin’s girlfriend is stalking you, when her explicit instructions are not to tell anyone and to stay away from Noah and it’ll all go away?

I don’t want to sound like a coward, but I really don’t want to tango with Ava Rollins. Nothing good can come of it and in the two weeks that I won’t see Noah, she’ll forget about me. That also meant that I’d have to forget about Noah’s note too.

I have this sinking suspicion that I’ll open it and something inside will make me drive over to Noah’s mega-mansion first and think about everything else, especially his sociopathic girlfriend and my ultimatum, second. So I’ve left it on my desk, where it will stay until one day before the two weeks is up, or until I’ve learned to channel the strong desire I have for Noah Alcott. Whichever comes first; although who am I kidding? I think we all know what’ll come first.

The fact is, only a few things kept me from taking a peak at his note and, well, none of them was my self control. The first thing was a distraction in the form of an asshole guy who may or may not be extremely into my best friend and whose life I may or may not want to end.

We met in the library of all places.

“Um, excuse me?”

Now, just picture me sprawled out in the Classics section of the school library, propped up on my book bag, next to a pair of dirty old Nikes that I took off for comfort, in dark green mesh shorts and a neon green Chicago Fire shirt—that whole, dress like a girl thing was done for; it had gotten me nothing for a few mind blowing kisses and ten tons of heartbreak—reading Othello. Or I was supposed to be reading Othello.

I wasn’t making too much progress because every time I read a page or two, I’d pull out that picture of Noah, Alyssa, and I and get distracted for around fifteen minutes.

“Yeah,” I glanced up and cleared my throat, dry and itchy from disuse. I was getting the cold shoulder from almost everyone today, because, even though I’m not talking to them, since both Ace and Allie have more social standing than I do, I had somehow became a nobody.

Even Lucas had only a few awkward smiles to share, because somehow, he and Alyssa had become slightly more serious overnight and he couldn’t figure out how to react to the sudden coldness between us.

The only good thing I could think of was the fact that Leah wasn’t at school today. Word was out that she was much more devastated about the break-up than anyone expected. So upset that she hadn’t even thought of little ol’ me being the reason they broke up. Although on that subject, I’m very sure how I feel about it. For Ace to wait this late, without any explanation—even though the truth is, I haven’t really let him get too many words in—it was just too little too late, and I suspected that within the next two weeks, some other girl would fly under his radar and then he’d forget all about me.

“If you’re going to lay out here, though God knows there are much better spots around, would you pass me a copy of Anna Karenina?” I stared straight up then and found myself glancing up someone’s shorts.

“Sorry, I—,” I scooted away from the bookshelf and accidently dropped the lumpy picture right next to his foot, “Um, did you say Anna Karenina?”

“Jesus,” he knelt down, his face half hidden by long wavy golden streaked brown hair, but I could see the sardonic expression on his face, “I can just get it myself, sweetheart. What’d you bump your head on your fall from grace?”

“Excuse me?” I sat up and snatched my picture away from his flip-flop clad foot, “Fall from grace? What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’ve never seen you spend lunch in here before, Hailey,” he said, and I swear it’s the only time I’ve heard someone I’ve never met say my name like it tasted dirty in their mouth, “What’s the problem? Don’t you have any friends?”

“How do you even know my name?” I wanted to add douche-bag, just to illustrate that I didn’t know his name and that he was either seriously demented or a huge douche. “Who the hell are you?”

“Never mind, sweetheart,” he grinned and shook a dog-eared paperback in my face, “I’ve got it. I’ll just let you get back to your picture, err, book…Enjoy the rest of your lunch; I won’t bother you again.”

And he didn’t bother me again, well not for another two days. Two days where I became sure that this mysterious and quite rude boy existed only in the library. Not that I was searching for him or anything—Lord knows I’ve got enough boys in my life; I’m not looking to add another to the roster—but I didn’t even get a glimpse of him.

I had my Calc spread out all along the table in the back corner of the library, and for once I was actually getting work done. At first, when Jace sat down, I was so happy he didn’t catch me drooling over a picture of my fourteen year old self that I wasn’t even too annoyed at his random appearance.

That may or may not have something to do with the fact that I was yearning for a little human companionship at the moment. But whatever.

“Hello,” he said and reached across the table to snatch up one of the pencils next to my book. “For the sake of my curiosity, I’m going to introduce myself. My name’s Jayson, but please, call me Jace. And you are?”

“But you already know my name and I could have sworn, sworn, you weren’t going to bother me again,” I glared into his light brown eyes and snatched my pencil back, “So please don’t.”

“That was when I was under the impression that you’d bore me if I did bother you, but now, I think maybe, just maybe, you could be interesting. At least,” he paused and held up the same copy of Anna Karenina as a few days ago, “I’m hoping you’ll be more entertaining than this.”

“Ah, well then you’ll be disappointed, Jace, because I plan on ignoring you until you decide to go back to your reading,” I said and promptly propped my calculus book up between us. Not that I thought he’d leave it at that, because in my experience nothing’s that simple. Well, nothing that happens in my life is.

He leaned around the book with a blank look. “And what’s to stop me from tipping this book over so that we can resume our conversation?”

“You might take out one of my eyes if you tipped the book over, plus I’m busy,” I mumbled and jabbed a finger at the ‘QUIET!’ sign taped on the desk, “Leave me alone. I don’t even know you.”

“Let’s not get dramatic here. You know me and I know you. I’m Jayson and you’re Hailey; if we dropped the last syllables of our names they’d rhyme.”

“Just because I know your first name doesn’t mean I know you. I’ve never even seen you around school before. You could be a figment of my imagination, for all I know. Or—or an escaped convict; Cook county jail isn’t that far from here,” I pointed out, still staring at the various integers and variables on the page. Needless to say, none of it was making sense, as per usual.

“Look,” he pulled out a slick black wallet that was much more expensive than I expected and flicked it open to reveal an ID, “I go here. You’ve just never seen me, which is seriously ridiculous because—never mind. I just wanted to introduce myself, since you’ve been sitting here looking so forlorn for the past few days.”

“You look, Jayson Bauer, I really don’t need any more men in my life. No offense or anything, but I’ve got just about all the lovin’ I can handle,” I pause and look him in the eye for once; they were a nice warm brown, with a ring of yellowy-amber close to the pupil, “Thanks for the offer though.”

“I’m not offering. I’m not interested in you,” he said, like I had to be on drugs or something. As if the thought of wanting me was so outlandish, it wasn’t even repulsive, just unbelievable. “I—I think we can both help each other get what we want. You’d be surprised at all I’ve learned about your—what shall we call it?—situation through the rumor mill in less than two days.”

“That kind of sucks, but what is it you want? And what makes you think you can help me?” My curiosity was peaked, I can’t lie. If someone gave me a way to fix my situation by the end of next week, I’d be pretty happy.

Jace took two deep, gulping breaths and blurted, “I’m in love with Alyssa. And I need you to help me get her to go out with me.”

My eyebrows shot up, but I didn’t get why he was having any issues if they knew each other. “What’s the problem? Does she not like you? Because Al’s not picky and you’re pretty hot.”

Hey, it was true.

“She doesn’t date actors,” he practically screamed and I reached across the table to pat his hand. Poor little sad actor-boy.

“You’re an actor? Really? Have you two done any shows together?”

“Yes, really,” he answered, only mildly annoyed, “And I’ve been the male lead to Allie’s female lead at least four separate times. Spring Awakening, Grease, Guys & Dolls, and The Tempest—and those are just the ones where we’ve made out.”

Huh. What’s really sad is that I’ve gone to all of those shows to support Alyssa and I couldn’t remember him at all. “I’m sorry…I guess I don’t pay attention as much as I should during her performances.”

“That’s not it. Alyssa’s just a real leading lady. When she performs, it’s amazing—her light’s so bright, everyone else is blotted out,” he murmured, staring past me out of the window.

“Well, damn,” I muttered, mostly to myself. As if the world needs another lovesick teenager.

“Huh?” He pulled a hand through his shiny-silky hair. Now that I knew he was an actor, I suspected he got it highlighted regularly and maybe that was why Alyssa doesn’t date actors.

“I didn’t think…well, I wasn’t sure you were actually in love with her. Alyssa’s hard to love, as I well know, but I will help you, to the best of my abilities, though…well, I’m not exactly an expert on love.” I really, really am a horrible amateur at it, in fact.

“Right and you got both Ace and Noah to fall in love with you. You’re good at it; you just need to work on the execution once the love is there. That’s where I come in,” he pulled my calc notes away from my fingers and grinned, “but first we’ve got to get you to figure out who you want. And then we’ll work on getting the relationship off the ground.”

Easier said than done, let me just say that now.

“And after that?” I asked, shocked that I was actually going along with all of this.

“Then we get Alyssa to date an actor, ‘cause I’m not doing all this out of the goodness of my heart. And you know what, if it was up to me, you’d forget about them both. If you want my opinion; I’d say find someone more down to Earth.”

This from a guy heads over heels for the biggest drama queen this side of the planet. “I don’t want your opinion, , I’m already way too far gone for that.”

—

One week later—seven days of no communication with Allie, Ace, or Noah and a little bit too much time spent with Jace and his ego—the silence was broken, at least between Alyssa and me.

Jace, who supposedly is an ace at Calculus, came over to help me with my homework and get me to admit/nail down my feelings for both Ace and Noah. All he’d yet to do is demand I give him a slice chocolate cake from the fridge and admire his reflection in the stainless steel appliances. In fact, we’d more or less just sat around for the past seven days discussing our feelings and eating the elaborate lunches he brought into the library every day.

Tuesday we snuck off campus for pasta, made to order, by his in-house chef. Thursday we had gyros from Greek Town. Friday was pizza. And it was delivery. Not Digorno. And somehow all the librarians did is tell us to go to a study room so we wouldn’t disturb the other students. I’d yet to figure out what he’d done to get them wrapped so tightly around his finger.

“You’re phone is ringing, Hailey,” he pointed out, through a mouthful of decadent chocolate. Decadent, because my mother ordered it from The Cheesecake Factory; I don’t even want to know what it would taste like if she attempted to make it herself.

“I know, Jayson. I thought you said I gave them an ultimatum and that there was ‘no going back now’,” I quoted his own words and smirked somewhat meanly. He reminded me of Allie just a little bit too much. Together they’ll probably make me contemplate a double murder.

Yeah, I’m beginning to regret agreeing to his help.

“I was talking about Ace and Noah, not Alyssa. She’s your bestfriend,” he gestured with his fork wildly and sent crumbs all over the counter.

“You’re cleaning that up…And try not to drool at the sound over her voice over the phone,” I said and pressed the speaker button on my phone, effectively shutting him up.

“Hello?”

“Hailey? What’s going on with you and Jayson Cantrell? And why is his car outside of your house?” she asked, in a hissy angry voice. In fact, we both leaned back from the phone, apprehension written all over our faces.

“Nothing’s going on. He’s helping me with Calculus,” I answered, in my most innocent and clueless voice.

“Oh, Hailey, please. Jayson doesn’t know a thing about Calculus! I tried to get him to help me last year when we were doing Spring Awakening. We ended up spending half the night practicing the sex-scene. It’s a wonder I never slept with him, but you know me. No actors,” both Jace and I flinched at this, “I’m the only one aloud dramatics. So, err, cut the shit. What’s this really about?”

“I’m not even supposed to be talking to you,” I mumbled.

“Hailey, come on! You’re my bestfriend; you know I wouldn’t have even let near the party if I knew about her. Now, I’ve been giving you these past few days to cool off, but this holing up in the library with Jayson has got to stop. Besides, we’ve done the whole jealousy thing. It wouldn’t even work with Jayson; although Ace did just call me having a conniption fit. Ace would kick his ass and Noah would laugh at him.”

“It’s not like that at all. Jayson’s obviously not my type, Alyssa, no matter how attractive you might find him,” I pointed out and Jace and I shared an air-five.

“Oh don’t give me that. The boy’s gorgeous and he knows it, too, which is definitely a part of his ego problem. That hair? Those highlights? All natural. Those eyes? Gorgeous. And the bone structure! The bone structure—,” she ranted and, oh god, I just knew she was about to go off on a serious tangent.

I really, truly did not need to know what else about Jace’s physique Alyssa found amazing. “I wasn’t going to tell you, Lissa, but this is getting a little ridiculous. You’re on speaker.”

Jace and I both held our breath in a very pregnant pause. “Well, I guess I’ll see you both in about thirty seconds. Don’t try to lock the door, Hailey—and Jace?”

“Yeah?” he asked, trying to sound uncaring, but I knew he was practically pissing himself.

“The bone structure I mentioned earlier? It could use some work,” she murmured and hung up the phone.

“You’re getting to door,” I muttered and snatched the plate of cake out of his grubby hands.

I should have known already—just by force of habit—she’d storm in here with another one of her “amazing” master plans.

“No, no, no hell, hell—hell no,” I protested before she and Jayson could agree on anymore genius plans, “How in the world do you think we could possibly even get that to happen? They’d never agree to it—I’d never agree to it!”

It all started with Jace explained his difficulties dealing with my “affections” for both Noah and Ace. He basically couldn’t get me to choose. Which, to tell the truth, isn’t that shocking. Alyssa, of course, had the perfect solution to that little issue.

She brilliantly suggest I date them both—simultaneously—and then decide. But the idea was simply ludicrous in my opinion. Unfortunately I was arguing against two people who seem to live in a world where spectacle and drama—and whatever else entertains them the most—are best.

“And what if I told you Noah had already suggested the same thing?” she asked then paused to look me dead in the eye, “How would you feel about it then?”

I opened my mouth to call her a great big fat liar, but a dangerous bit of curiosity crept up inside me, “Repeat that for me—slowly and with more detail.”

—

A/N: Since I love all my readers so much, I decided to hurry and finish this chapter (with very minimal editing, since it’s down to the wire!) before NaNoWriMo started, because I’m abandoning all but that story for the next month. Hope you enjoy!

I can’t lie; this was a slightly filler/transitional chapter. But! More drama, crazy plans, and, well, I decided that it was time a planted the seed for the “sequel” or more like a companion novel. Obviously centered on Alyssa—and it may or may not be a love-triangle.

Oh! Last bit of news: I’ve been posting a slightly different (mostly more Ace scenes) version of One of the Boys on the new website inkpop. I’ll post a link on my profile if anyone wants to check it out!