What is this? Why am I so desperate for her not to go?
With that, Elle steps past me and drops down into her car. She takes off, leaving me wondering why the hell that hurt so bad. But one thing’s for sure, I need to know more about this girl. I just wish I could understand why.
Chapter 5
Elle
“Oh, God,” I groan as Jesse Ryder waltzes into my homeroom without a care in the world looking like sex on legs with his cap on backward and his signature cocky smirk. He walks right up to me before sliding the belongings of the girl beside me along the desk only to plant his firm ass on it and stare down at me with a wide, cheesy as fuck grin.
He waits me out, seeing how quickly my curiosity will get the best of me, and naturally, I break within the first two seconds. “What do you want, Jess?”
Jesse grins proudly, feeling as though he’s won some sort of victory, but it doesn’t last long as Miss Williams sends us both an unimpressed glare. “Yes, Jesse. I’d also like to know why you’re disrupting my homeroom and not attending your own.”
The victorious grin is wiped from his face and instantly replaced with the panty-dropping one that seems to help him get away with murder. “You see, Miss Williams, a little while ago, I hurt Elle in a nasty way and while we’re chill now, I don’t think I ever got around to apologizing for being such a douche.”
“Watch your language, Jesse,” Miss Williams scolds. “But I’m sorry. Now is not the time for apologies. You can speak with Elle during lunch.”
Jesse flashes her the puppy dog eyes and I don’t doubt she’s a goner. “I cleared it with Mr. Harris. He’s cool with my invasion. Actually, to be honest, I just think he’s happy to have me out of his classroom.”
“I don’t doubt that,’ she grumbles with a roll of her eyes, falling victim to Jesse’s wicked charms before looking between the two of us. “Dare I ask what this is all about?” she questions. “If you say you hurt Elle in a nasty way, then perhaps barging in here and forcing her attention is not the right way to go about it.”
“It’s fine,” I tell her as a deep voice calls from the back of the room. “You don’t need to worry about that. From what I hear, Elle likes it when guys barge in.”
The room falls into snickers as my face flames with embarrassment. I see the regret in Miss Williams’ eyes. There’s no doubt she knows all about what cost me the cheerleading team, all the teachers do. They gossip more than the bitchy girls around here do, but from the look on her face, she feels for me, which only increases my embarrassment. Having the teachers know my dirty secret is even more humiliating than having just the students know.
I hang my head into my hands but before my eyes have even cast down to my lap, Jesse is up off the table and hovering protectively in front of me as he glares towards the back of the room. “Got something to say, mother fucker?” Jesse roars, demanding the attention of everyone in the room as he seems to double in size. “Say one more word about her and I’ll fucking drop you.”
The room falls to silence and I look up, wanting to watch the fear on the guy’s face, but Jesse is blocking my view and something tells me that he’s doing this on purpose.
Not a word is uttered as Jesse remains in a stare-off with the guy. “Alright, Jesse. I think you’ve made your point crystal clear,” Miss Williams says, trying to break the tension in the room. “Why don’t you take Elle outside and you can talk there.”
Jesse doesn’t move so I slide back out of my chair and wrap my fingers around his large forearm before giving him a gentle tug. “Come on. Jess. I’m fine.” Jesse narrows his eyes further before finally allowing me to pull him away.
Jesse grabs my things off my desk on his way past, assuming I won’t be coming back before leading me out the door and being a perfect gentleman by holding it open for me.
We walk aimlessly through the school, side by side, getting all sorts of looks from other students and teachers until we break out into the fresh air and find our way down to the bleachers overlooking the football field.
“That’s all on me,” Jesse finally murmurs. “Do you get that shit from people all the time?”
“Every single day,” I tell him, dropping down onto the cold metal bench of the bleachers. “But that’s expected when you’re a social outcast with a past.”
“You’re a social outcast because of me,” he reminds me, though the reminder isn’t needed, that night is etched into the front of my brain for all of eternity.