Chapter Three

Another chapter of my story! I typically post new chapters once a week, but if I'm late please be patient! And reviews and thoughts are much appreciated!

     “I’m sorry about yesterday.” Jack said as he stared out the bus window at the rain. I sat beside him in the red leather seat, clutching my biology book on my lap. “I shouldn’t have left like that.” He spoke again after I didn’t say anything.
    “It’s okay.” I said, staring at my feet. We had become awkward since the incident the other day. He looked over at me, but I didn’t look up. I wasn’t mad at him, but the strange aching feeling had started again since I sat down next to him. My bare legs were covered in goosebumps and I shivered. The weather was supposed to be warm today so I had worn a skirt, but outside cold rained poured down and the bus wasn’t any warmer.
    Jack, still watching me, took off his jacket and offered it to me.
    “I’m fine.” I answered coolly. But I shivered again and he put it in my hand. “Thanks.” I said, accepting it. I pulled it over my legs and instantly started to warm up. It was still warm from his body and I stopped shivering.
    He was still watching me so I smiled at him and he smiled back. There wasn’t anything to talk about so it became silent, but now it wasn’t awkward and more peaceful. Jack rested his head against the bus window and watched the rain pour down again. But when I looked away, I saw him watching me again from the corner of my eye.
    We came to our stop and I returned Jack’s jacket. He slid back into it and we got up. I waved goodbye to my friends in the backseat and they giggled at me as I walked away behind Jack.
    I waited for Jack to open his umbrella before getting off. I had not brought that either, not expecting the rain. I followed him off the bus and we stood under his clear umbrella as the bus rolled away.
    “Wanna come to my house today?” He said suddenly.
    “Now?” I asked nervously. Despite being a sophomore in high school I had never actually had a boyfriend or even been to a guy’s house before.
    “Yeah! Come on!” He encouraged and started walking away. The rain poured down on my head and I rushed back under the umbrella.
    “Alright.” I said smiling bigger than I should be.
       I followed him into the house and took off my shoes. The house had been fully decorated since I was last there and it was even more beautiful. The couch I had moved sat in the center of the room alongside the matching chairs. Everything looked very expensive and it made me feel small in such a stunning room.
          Jack led me to his room around the corner. It was a bright blue with pale wood flooring. A queen size bed rested at the center of the left side of the room. Wood furniture stood around the room as well as a few silver lamps and a small aquarium.  His room was exceptionally clean and reminded me off my own.
       Jack led me to his room around the corner. It was a bright blue with pale wood flooring. A queen size bed rested at the center of the left side of the room. Wood furniture stood around the room as well as a few silver lamps and a small aquarium.  His room was exceptionally clean and reminded me off my own.
      "I really like your room." I commented, still taking it all in. I walked over to his fish tank and watched the fish inside. Several small, zebra-striped fish darted back and forth and a bright yellow one watched me through the glass. 
       "I'm gonna run the bathroom. Be right back." Jack said and he left the room. 
       I put my backpack on the floor beside his bed and continued to look around. Several posters hung around the rooms of bands and sports players. 
       I was playing with the cool lamp on his desk when I noticed a familiar looking photograph sitting beside it. I picked it up and looked closer. It was a picture of a smiling woman in a beautiful yellow dress. She had blue eyes and brown hair. She smiled so big her gums showed and she appeared to be laughing. I turned the photo over and there was a date written in blue pen on the back. 
      I sat down on his bed looking at the photograph. The woman looked so familiar to me. I could swear I knew her from somewhere. Just then Jack came back and walked across the room to where I was sitting. 
      "What are you looking at?" He glanced over my shoulder to see the photo. "Hey!" He shouted so unexpectedly I nearly screamed.  
      He snatched the photo from my hands and threw it in a drawer in his desk. 
      "What do you think your doing going through other people's stuff?!" he turned and faced me. His expression was cold and his voice was filled with an anger I had never heard before. "That's so important to me! You shouldn't touch things without asking me first!" He yelled again. 
      Tears swelled in my eyes and I ran out of the room after grabbing my bag. I picked up my shoes, not even bothering to put them on, and stormed out of the house. 
        I ran into my own house and went right to my room. I collapsed on the bed and let my tears fall. I had never been yelled at by a friend like that before. The sound of his voice had been so harsh and protective. 
      I had never meant to upset him. I was only curious about the familiar-looking woman.
      A light-bulb went off in my head and I sprinted over to my dresser. I pulled out Loveless from a stack of books. I paged through to the back of the book and found the author's note. 
      That was where I knew her from. The woman in the photo in the book was clearly the woman that was in Jack's picture. They had the same brown hair and blue eyes. But in this photo she looked less happy and although she was smiling her gums weren't showing. 
       I sat back down on my bed, confused. Why would Jack have a photo of this woman? Much stranger, why was he so protective of it?

Reviews

[Nancy]

You have a lot of talent! You should definately keep up your writing! I would like to suggest, if you don't mind, that it might flow a little better with more dialogue and a little less detail in the description. Straight description is easier to write, but dialogue is easier to read. But it's wonderfully imaginative and I really think that it's great! I love the conflict you've established!