~Althia~

"Okay, Jess" I repeat for the millionth time

I was back home but my mom has been petty and ignoring me when she's at home. Right now, Justin was over at mine so that we can study for our mechanics exam together. Except, I had to leave for a bathroom break, which meant I was actually only calling back Jessica who wouldn't stop calling me ever since I told her that Justin was over.

"Althia Dawn Knight, I swear to God if you tell me that you didn't talk to him, I will beat your ass" She hissed at me

"Jess! I'm going to talk to him" I promised her

"You better, I'm being deadass ser-" She started

"Bye, Jess! I need to go talk to him!" I said before hanging up

I walked out of the bathroom and made my way to the kitchen where Justin was still sitting on a stool in front of the island counter as he read over parts of a car.

"Hey" I said

"Hi, do you know if we need to know all of these parts exactly or just some of them?" Justin asked me without looking up from his book

"We need to know most of them" I answered "But we should focus on having you memorize the parts of a motor and have to fix each of them" I added

"That's going to be on the exam?" Justin looked up, panic obvious in his eyes

I laughed slightly as I opened my book to the page we needed

"I helped you with this before so you should know at least some of it" I told him

"Fuck" Justin groaned "I'm just not gonna show up" He said

"Yes you are and if you don't, I'll kick your ass" I looked at him

"Why?" Justin asked me "I'm doing well enough in the class that if I skip the exam, I'll still pass" He added

"Jus, you have a 74 in the class right now, if you skip the exam that'll be a zero" I started as he nodded along "An exam is worth 30% and your 74 is 70%, so if you skip the exam, you'll end up passing with a 56. That's barely passing and do you really wanna pass a high school mechanics class with a 56?" I questioned

"Ugh you do have a point" He sighed

"Thank you" I said "Now how about we take a break" I suggested

"Thank God" Justin closed his book and turned in his chair to look at me "Can we please eat something" He asked

"We can" I nodded "But first, can we, uhm, talk?" I questioned

"Sure" He shrugged "About what?" He asked

I took a moment before answering, not really knowing how to ease into the conversation I've been avoiding

"About, everything..." I answered while trailing off "You know, with us, the dance... The game, the waiting room, just everything about us" I continued

"Right, we do need to talk about that" Justin nodded, seeming as hesitant as me

"Yep" I awkwardly replied before silently cursing myself for replying with something that stupid

An awfully awkward silence fell on us as we both looked anywhere and everywhere except for the other person

"Well you know how I-" Justin started to say at the same time I started to say "I'm still trying to figure ou-"

"Oh shit, you can go first" We both said at the same time

I awkwardly laughed as Justin grabbed the back of his neck

"You can start" He told me

"Well I mean, I'm still trying to figure everything out and I haven't really thought about all of this that much but apparently everyone sees something that I don't see" I started, immediately regretting my last words when I saw Justin's face drop "I didn't mean it like that" I quickly added "I'm just confused and lost" I said

"No, I get it" Justin nodded "With everything that's happened, I highly doubt you were thinking about how I ruined your relationship" He continued

"Jus..." I sighed

"Look I know that when I told you about my feelings that I put you in a horrible situation and I had no right doing what I did. I also had no right doing it again at the basketball game but I just feel something so strong towards you and it was literally killing me inside, Ee-Ah" Justin looked at me "I had no fucking clue what to do so I just laid it out on you and I thought maybe just maybe after I said something, you would realize that you might have feelings for me too but then I saw what I caused between you and Zach and how I hurt you and I felt so fucking dumb and like an asshole" He continued "I'm really sorry" He finished

I took a deep breath

"Well apparently you weren't the only one who saw something between us" I started "But you don't have anything to apologize for, you had every right to express your feelings because they're as valid as any other ones" I continued

Justin nodded

"But what happens now?" I asked him

"Whatever you want to happen" He shrugged

"I don't know what that it" I sighed "I get that you have feelings for me but despite what everyone else has been saying, I don't know if I feel the same way" I continued honestly "I know for sure that I don't wanna jump into another relationship right away because I'm still hurting from Zach and I's breakup" I finished

Justin gave me an understanding look

"Will you at least give me a chance?" He asked quietly, keeping his eyes low

At my silence, he slowly lifted his head up

"We can go as slow as you want" Justin looked at me

"Okay" Was all I responded

Before any of us could say anything or do anything, my parents walked into the kitchen

My mother looked at the two of us and glanced down at my legs which were in between Justin's as one of his hands slightly rested on my knee before sighing and walking away without saying a word

I rolled my eyes

"We were just studying" I said loud enough to make sure my mom can hear me

"Althia, I didn't even know you would be here" My dad spoke, his eyes traveling to Justin "Hi Justin, how are you?" He asked

"I'm doing good sir, thanks" Justin answered "How about you?" He questioned

"I'm doing great" My dad nodded "Which exam are you two studying for?" He asked

"Mechanics" I answered

"Will you be staying for dinner?" My dad looked at Justin again

"I was just on my way out actually but thank you for the invite" Justin answered "I'll text you later Ee-Ah" He looked at me and I nodded

My father looked at me awkwardly until we heard the front door being opened and closed

"Althia, I've been meaning to talk to you..." He trailed off

"I'm not saying anything to mom" I shook my head

"Until she talks to you first and she apologizes, yes I know" My dad continued for me"That's not what I want to talk to you about" He said

"If it's about Justin and I, can we not? We were literally just studying and I didn't feel the need to text you that he was coming over because it was literally only to go over our exam prep" I looked at him

"No that's not it either" He chuckled slightly

My eyebrows furrowed as I wondered what he could possibly want to talk about if iy wasn't the things I've already named

"Oh God, how I am going to start this conversation with you without having you getting angry at me" He thought out loud

"Just ask me whatever it is you need to ask me, you know I won't get mad" I said "Unless you ask me the way mom would ask me" I added, regretting it as soon as my dad gave me one of his looks

"I think that it would be a good idea if you went to see Mr Porter at school and have a little session with him" Dad started "Just with everything that's happened and exams starting soon, you're under a lot of pressure and I think it would be good if you talked to a professional" He continued "I get that you talk to your friends about everything and that you don't necessarily want to share everything with me but talking to someone else could become helpful for you" He finished

"I'm not going to see Mr Porter" I replied as I rolled my eyes, trying my best not to snort out of his name

"Althia..." Dad looked at me

"I'll go see anyone but him" I continued before he could say anything else "Make me an appointment with anyone else and I'll go. I can ask Jessica for the number of her therapist's office" I added

"What's wrong with Mr Porter?" Dad asked me

"Other than the fact that he does the exact opposite of his job?" I questioned, receiving yet another look from my father "Dad, he called me in and basically blamed me for the whole Hannah situation. When I went to see him about a bullying account, he said he could do nothing about it and turned the conversation into something completely different. I just don't like the way he supposedly listens to you and the way he handles problems" I told him

"Alright, ask Jessica about the therapist and we'll go from there" He nodded

//

"How awkward was the conversation with Justin?" Jessica asked me as we Facetimed later in the night "Like on a scale of one to the car ride alone with Zach, how was it?" She questioned

"Like 3 car rides" I answered

"That bad?" She looked at me

"That bad" I nodded "But I guess it didn't really help that my parents came in and my mom did a face then my dad tried to clear the even more awkward air by asking if he could stay for dinner" I added

"Oh my" Jess laughed "But like what did you guys talk about?" She asked

"Sorta about everything, he apologized for laying everything out on me and then I told him that even though he's not the only one that sees something between us, I'm not sure if I see it" I started "Then I asked him what happens now and he said whatever I want to happen and then I'm pretty sure we agreed on taking things slow and seeing where they go" I finished

"So y'all are gonna go out on dates and shit and see how you feel?" Jess questioned

"I think so" I answered

"Wow, that's exciting and Justin is very much for saying that you two can go at your pace" She said

"What do you mean?" I questioned

"Althia, I don't think you realize the empact that you have on every one" She started, making me look at her confused "The old Justin would have just moved on onto another girl instead of sticking around to figure things out" She told me

"Oh" Was all I responded with

"Promise me that you'll give him a chance" She looked me

I nodded

"I will" I promised "Also, can I get the number of your therapist's office please?" I asked her

Jessica looked surprised but nodded

"Yeah I'll text it to you" She answered

"My dad wants me to talk to someone because talking to my friends isn't enough and he understands that there are things I don't want to talk to him about" I answered her question that was lingering in the air "At first he wanted me to go see Mr Porter but there's no way in hell that I'm going to step back into his office" I added

"Talking to someone else really helps Alt and then learning advice and techniques that can help out in certain situations is amazing" Jess said

"Yeah I know, I think it'll be good for me" I responded

Jessica and I talked a little bit more until we were both yawning as we could barely say a sentence

Right when I was about to place my phone on my bedside table, it buzzed with texts

I groaned before opening my phone to read them

😇🧡

😇🧡

😇🧡

😇🧡

😇🧡

Althia:

We're gonna have to study again because you need it

Althia:

Also goodnight Jus

Althia:

I would stay up a little while longer but I'm literally going to pass out any minute from now

😇🧡

😇🧡

Althia:

I was just about to call it a night when you texted me

Althia:

And we'll see

Althia:

Goodnight goodnight Jus