Chapter 5- I'm In Desperate Need Of A Distraction

“Why so down?” Farrah asked with a pouty lip, trying to imitate my gloomy look.

I stared at the teacher trying to take notes about whatever subject he was teaching on and sighed. I couldn’t even tell you in general what it was about. If Thomas causes me to fail I’ll kill him. I was still peeved at him over the whole homecoming dance thing yesterday. Though, sadly, I can’t blame it all on him. I was also a little angry at my parent’s as well.

“Lots of reasons, but most recently, my parents have been at it again,” I replied leaning my facing in my palm for support.

I was entirely too sleepy and not focused enough for this class today.

A look of understanding passed over her face. “I’m sorry. Maybe it will get better soon.”

“I hope so or I think I’ll move in with you,” I said honestly.

“Believe me, I’d love that. But I don’t think putting up with my sister would be any better than your parents,” she said with the roll of her eyes.

After a moment of thought I had to agree with her on that.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Farrah’s sister could be a bit much at times- a little too much. No doubt she gets her high and mighty attitude from her mom. They’re just alike in my eyes. I would never guess that Farrah and Heather were even sisters.

Class ended quickly to my delight, and I found myself waking towards the lunch room with Grace, Farrah and Megan at my side.

Thankfully I hadn’t seen Thomas today. That would just be the icing on the cake to my crappy mood. I was not in the mood to deal with him right now.

“Do you think you can stay after school today?” Grace asked me as we entered the lunchroom.

“I don’t know, I guess,” I shrugged. “What’s up?”

“I have to finish up a project for Art and I really don’t wanna hang out around school all by myself. It kind gives me the creeps you know?”

I giggled at her, but agreed to stay. “Sure.” But suddenly a thought came to mind. “Wait, we rode with Megan today, how are we going to get home?”

“My brother is picking me up after school. He can drop you off at home or you can come to mine.”

Suddenly I saw a golden opportunity I couldn’t pass up on.

“You think your parents will let me stay the night tonight?” I asked.

Even though it was a school night, I didn’t really think they’d mind. They are more relaxed than most parents.

“I don’t see why they would. They hardly even know that Deacon and I exist. I swear it’s like we’re raising ourselves sometimes,” she replied.

I smiled. “Every teenagers dream.”

“I guess,” she shrugged.

Farrah and Megan were in front of us in the lunch line grabbing their food seeming to be in a conversation of their own not even paying attention to us anymore. After grabbing our food and taking a seat at our usual table, I let Megan know that it would only be her and Farrah after school today so she wouldn’t wait on us.

When I got to Food 1 Thomas wasn’t there. Thankfully today we didn’t have a lab and it was just an open book test. I’m not sure I could have handled the kitchen all by myself. Not that Thomas was much help, but I suppose it was better than nothing.

Before I knew it the end of the day had finally arrived and I went to the art room to meet Grace. I felt internally guilty when I saw Jonah sitting at the table talking to her. I didn’t think he would be there. I wonder if he was still talking to me after the innocent yesterday.

When he saw me and his seemed a bit cautious, but sent me a forced smile. I was hoping after he saw me in art earlier today he would have eventually relaxed, but it appears that was not the case.

“Hey Jonah,” I mumbled taking the seat next to Grace and across from him. He tensed in my presence.

“Um…hey,” he replied uncomfortably.

Grace didn’t seem to notice the awkwardness between us and I was thankful for that. I really didn’t feel like explaining the events of yesterday. In fact, I’d much rather forget them.

“I won’t be long. I just have to finish painting this banner and we can go,” she said dipping her paint brush in the green and stroking it over the paper.

A few minutes passed with no one saying anything and caused me to feel even more awkward. It was rare that a room was quite with Jonah in it. I guess yesterday truly did put him off of me.

When his finished up with his project, he quickly picked up his stuff, mumbled a quick goodbye to us and disappeared from the room.

“What was that about?” Grace asked quietly, still consumed by her work.

“What do you mean?”

Without looking up, she continued. “With Jonah just now. He acted so strange, do you think?”

Crap. She did notice.

“Uh I don’t know,” I lied. “Maybe he just has a lot going on right now.”

“Yeah, maybe,” she agreed. “I guess I’m just surprised he wasn’t happier to see you. That poor guy has it bad.”

I guess I wasn’t the only one who noticed that then.

I decided to play dumb. “You think?”

“Definitely. What time he isn’t staring at you, he trying his best to flirt.”

A giggle busted out of me. “That is flirting?”

She looked up at me with a sad smile. “I know, sad isn’t it? Have you talked to him about it?”

I shook my head. “No. I doubt he’ll ever talk to me again.”

She seemed surprised by that. “Really, why?”

I really shouldn’t have said anything.

“It’s nothing. I’ll explain later.” Whether I would actually do that or not was still undecided at the moment.

With that I picked up a paint brush and dipped it in some color and looked over the banner. “So, how can I help?”

Thankfully Grace and I finished up the project fairly quickly and cleaned up our mess. By the time we had gotten out of the art room, Jonah was long gone. No doubt he fled pretty quickly just in case my so called “boyfriend” decided to join us. Thomas had successfully scared him away.

I guess I should happy about that right? I just wish he was still talking to me still.

When Grace and I made it outside the school, her brother was waiting for us in his car by the front doors. He nodded when he spotted us. He flashed a smile to me when he caught me starring.

He was hot, no doubt about that. If he wasn’t so much older than me, my best friend’s brother and I wasn’t a complete awkward idiot when it came to guys, I would so go for him. Though I guess him being twenty-three isn’t that much of an age difference. I guess it’s just the fact that’s he’s in college and that makes him seem much older than he really is.

Too old for a seventeen year old. My parents would kill me f they thought I liked someone in college. Well if they could quit arguing with each other long enough to do it they would.

When I climbed in the car I blushed, when I noticed him still starring at me through the rear view mirror. I fastened my seatbelt and tried to force myself to remain casual in his presence. He had quite an effect on girls from what I’ve seen- myself included.

As he put the car into gear and started to pull away he finally spoke. “How was school?”

“Same old, same old,” Grace answered for us in a bored tone.

I decided to remain silent. It helped when trying to keep myself from sounding like a blubbering idiot. I really wish I had more tact when it came to guys. Jonah and Thomas were the only ones who I didn’t embarrassed myself in front of when we spoke. Well much.

Though, I don’t like Thomas, so I guess that’s the difference. He just get’s gets under my skin and I want to kill him sometimes. Believe me, that the complete opposite of liking someone.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Deacon noted. “Don’t tell me you’re still going through that shy stage,” he teased. “I thought you’d have grown out of that by now.”

If only.

I forced out a laugh that only ended making me sound like a lunatic and I wanted to die.

“So, are you staying at the house tonight?” Grace asked him, grabbing his attention enough for me to collect myself.

“Yeah, June and I broke up so I don’t think it would be appropriate to stick around her pace anymore,” he answered in a bored tone.

“How many times does this make exactly?” she giggled. I couldn’t help but join her.

It was true. They were together almost as much as they were apart. They had a very dysfunctional relationship according to Grace.

“At least I’ve had a relationship,” he teased her.

Her laughing came to a sudden stop when she reached over and smacked her brother on the shoulder. The sound could be heard through the car.

“I can get a boyfriend. I just chose not to. School is important too,” she defended.

They spent the entire rest of the ride bickering back and forth between each other, it being the main source of entertainment, until we reached their house.

“Mom and Dad are out again,” Grace called to Deacon disappointedly when walked into the Kitchen.

She walked over to the fridge and grabbed the paper that was examining when we walked in and sighed. When she was done reading it she crinkled it up and tossed it in the trash.

She immediately began searching through the cabinets before Deacon joined us.

“Where did they go this time?” he asked her.

“With friends of course,” she replied with the roll of her eyes looking towards him.

When she wasn’t happy with choices before her, she walked to the freezer and opened it. With a grin she pulled out a frozen lasagna and laid it on the counter in front of us.

“Jackpot,” she said.

“You mean you found something that’s not diet food?” he asked surprised.

“Must be dad’s,” Grace guessed walking over to the oven and turning it on. “I’ll cook.”

I raised my eyebrow to her trying not to laugh.“A frozen dinner? That hardly qualifies as cooking.”

“I turned on the stove didn’t I?” she joked taking the food from the box.

Deacan just shook his head at her as did I. Sometimes Grace could be a little bit crazy and that was putting it nicely. You gotta love her though.

After she placed the food in the oven she turned to me and her brother. “Can one of you please watch the food while I go change?”

Both of us agreed before she disappeared from the kitchen, though two people weren’t needed. I kind of felt awkward just standing there without anything to do, so I decided to take a seat at the counter and stared blankly into the stove.

“Thirsty?” Deacan asked holding up a bottle of water from the fridge in front of him.

“Yes, thank you,” I replied.

Hey that almost sounded normal. I smiled proudly to myself.

“So,” he said placing the beverage down in front of me and leaning on the surface of the counter next to me. “How’ve you been? I hardly see any of Grace’s friends anymore since I moved out.”

“Just the same except older,” I muttered under his constant stare. Oh god he’s hot.

Hold it together Olivia. Don’t make yourself look stupid.

“Well, time’s certainly been good to you,” he grinned. “I can still remember when you and Grace used to throw slumber parties, braid each other’s hair and listen to boy bands until two a.m.”

Okay so maybe much hasn’t changed over the years. Only this time it’s Facebook and reruns of Gossip Girl.

“Yeah,” I laughed awkwardly then winced.

Oh God. When did my laugh become so high pitched?

Deacon started laughing along with me, or maybe it was at me, when Grace entered the Kitchen again. She carried her laptop to the counter and placed it down beside me before she took her seat. As it powered up she looked at us.

“So what did I miss?” she asked.

Me looking stupid.

“Just light conversation,” he said pushing himself off the bar. “I’m headed to my room. Call me when the food’s done.”

“Yep,” she mumbled putting in her password and logging into Facebook.

I mentally slapped myself for staring after him when he left the room. Maybe staying here was a bad idea after all. I think I may have the hots for my best friend’s brother. Kill me now.

I'm In Desperate Need Of A Distraction

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