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Chapter 10

~Jacob's POV~

I was just laying in my bed, doing nothing. I decided to go to the gym. As soon as I walked in I noticed Brittany by the punching bags. I walked over to her after I showed Janice my membership card.

As I approached her I noticed her hands were bloody, bruised, and swollen. She didn't even notice I walked up. I put my hand over hers, hoping it would get her attention. Her tear-stained face looked up at me, as soon as she saw it was me she rolled her eyes and started to walk away. I wanted to make sure she was ok so I pulled her back.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine"

"Your hands say otherwise.." I looked down at her hands then back at her.

When I had mentioned the look of her hands she looked down at them and realized how bad they were. I thought I saw her flinch but I wasn't sure. She barely started crying again. She darted in the bathroom. I tried going in and was successful but her stall was locked. At that moment I could hear her crying. I wanted to help, so I did the only thing I could think of.

"Brittany, come out, I want to help."

"Just go away."

"I'm not going to do that, princess. Just come out, please." My voice was full of desperation while speaking to her, "I don't like seeing you like this."

"Ok, but get out of the bathroom first, you're gonna scare all the girls off."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her last comment. With that, I left the bathroom. With what seemed like an eternity later, she finally walked out of the bathroom. As soon as I noticed her I jumped up from my position and made my way towards her. I did the only thing that seemed like the right thing to do, hug her. I hope she didn't notice that I had cried a little bit. She looked up at me with her beautiful eyes. I just nodded back at her. I knew she was probably hungry.

So I looked down at her and asked, "Is Chick-fil-a ok?"

She nodded Her head and responded, "Yeah"

The car ride was filled with enjoyable silence. Music and Brittany sniffling were the only sounds heard in the car. I wanted to ask so many questions, but she didn't seem like she wanted to talk. After about ten minutes we got to Chick-fil-a.

We walked inside and ordered. Brittany tried to argue and tell me that she would pay for her own. I didn't let her, obviously. When the lady asked for her drink she gave me a sheepish smile. I had no idea what she was asking so I just nodded. I smiled at her and she smiled back. I swear butterflies erupted in my stomach as soon as she smiled at me. It was a sad smile but it was still a smile.

We both sat down and Brittany was shaking. I handed her my sweatshirt so she wasn't cold. She put it on very fast. She gave me a small smile and I smiled back at her. She started to explain.

"My fists were bloody because..." She started but I interrupted her.

"You don't have to..."

"No, it's ok, I want to."

"Ok. If that's what you want."

"Ok, I was so upset earlier because....Earlier during school.."

At this point, she started crying again. But she continued. "My little brother got hit by a car. And my parents didn't think to tell me until after school. So I just put on my work out clothes and left."

I had no idea what to say so I just blurted, "Should you call them to tell them you're ok? You can use my phone."

"No, it's ok."

"I'm sorry to hear about your brother. I know what it's like to lose a family member."

"How would you know what it's like to lose someone close?!" she seemed really mad now.

"I lost my mom when I was 10."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. What I said was kinda a jerk move."

"It's ok."

"What happened? If you don't want to answer it's ok."

"She had lung cancer. I always helped her, she was my rock."

"I understand, my little brother was my reason for living."

"Yeah, It was always tight for us. My dad left when my little sister was born. Said he couldn't handle having a daughter. I was five at the time. I had to be the man of the house at five, Brit. You know how hard that is?" I was starting to get upset.

"I'm so sorry Jacob, I had no idea." She started to feel bad. You could tell by how high her voice was.

"It's ok, I figured it would help if you knew a little bit about someone else's experience."

She moved over to the same bench I was sitting at and hugged me. She put her nose into my chest and we sat there forever holding that position. After a few minutes, I grabbed her untouched milkshake and ate her cherry. She smacked my arm as soon as she realized what I had done. I just gave her a fake shocked expression. I couldn't help but ask her,

"What was that for?"

"You ate my cherry." She punched me in the arm again.

I grabbed my arm and pretended she hurt me. "I know, princess."

"I hate you right now."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"Are your hands ok?"

"Yeah, uhm could you give me a ride home please?" She seemed so scared to ask.

"Of course, anything for you princess."

She rolled her eyes and just said, "thanks."

The drive home was way worse. We sat there in awkward music-filled silence. She looked over at me and smiled. I smiled back. We got to her house about half an hour later. Before she got out she must've realized she still had my sweatshirt on. She started to take it off but I stopped her.

"You can keep it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I like the way it looks on you anyways."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Goodnight Princess."

"Goodnight Jakey"

I rolled my eyes at her before she walked into her house.

I waited for her to walk into her house before leaving. I got back to my house and went to sleep. Over the next few days, Brittany and I got closer and closer. We hang out almost every day now. I always pick her up to go to the library to work on our project. I like how close we have been getting lately. I think I might be falling for her.