Holding Back [COMPLETED]

Chapter 11 - "Can you give me a ride home?"

The sun was like an annoyed little brother overhead, irritating and persistent. The air smelled of hot cement and grass. The space behind the gym was slowly filling with students, all waiting to take up their half-finished booths or start new ones.

A distance away from them, Haley sat with her legs crossed on the grass, staring down at the thin green blades. Her chin rested on her hand as she stared at nothing. Against her resolve to put questions over Jace's altercation from her mind, it seemed to be the only thing she could think about.

Part of her tried to rationalize why her mind turned the situation over and over again. It was only because it was so shocking. Really in their small school, fights were rare and that's why she kept thinking about it. Everyone seemed to be talking about it so really there was no escaping it, that was really why she was curious to know what had happened.

As if picking up on her thoughts a group of juniors nearby changed subjects.

"You heard what happened with Jace, right?"

"I heard Cody called him a man whore."

"Well, that couldn't have pissed Jace off that much," a girl said. "It's Jace we're talking about. The guy laughs at jokes about himself."

"I even heard him insult himself once," another girl said, laughing at the memory.

Haley pulled at a tuft of grass, not wanting to be noticed that she was eaves dropping. They continued to theorize about what had sent Jace off. Haley frowned at nothing, hating that her head was caught up in this train of thought as well.

As she thought, she tried to focus on how it was better that Jace hadn't looked at her. It reminded her that she wasn't his friend. Just some neighbor that he had given rides to. Even as this thought popped up a small needle that it wasn't the truth poked at it. Scowling, Haley tried to find something else to think about.

To her relief as well annoyance that distraction came in the form of Isaac. Smiling, he settled down beside her, arms hanging over his knees.

"So," he said, his voice dropping, "we meet again."

Despite knowing she shouldn't let his cheery mood affect her, she felt a smile creeping onto her face. Fighting it, she said something to cut his boisterous mood.

"Are you like this with everyone?" she asked.

Her move worked, the smile drifted away and a frown entered the equation.

"What do you mean?" he asked, fidgeting with his glasses.

"I don't know...flirty?"

Isaac's head went back as he burst out laughing. "No, my flirting is way worse," he said, still smiling. "This is me being myself. I could stop it if you like but it's harder than you would think."

Haley's smile finally won out.

"To be honest," Isaac said, "I'm not completely sure how to flirt. Do you know?"

His blue eyes held her's, the ends of his laughter still brightening them. Shrugging, Haley forced herself to look at anything else.

"I don't know. I figure it has a lot to do with tossing your hair, saying 'oh my gosh, stop it' and giggling."

She shrugged again and then looked at Isaac, making a face. Isaac stared down at the ground, frowning in contemplation. For some reason, she found her smile renewed with sight, his forehead crinkling as his glasses shifted downward just a fraction.

"Alright," he said, banishing his expression and meeting her gaze. "Here it goes."

He shook his head, making his blonde hair flop about.