~Someone Other Than Chris~

"Lottie, what do I wear? I've never felt so self-conscious of wanting to look good. Please help! I think I'm broken" I let out a groan in my locker.

Everything with Dante was happening so fast. We just became friends and he already asked me out. I ended up giving Lottie a major crash course on everything that's happened. She said she was excited for me, yet I couldn't feel it.

"I hear somebody has a date today?" Caden's voice peaks from behind me. I turn to face. His tone said he was trying to tease me, but his face said, 'tell me you're lying'.

"Let me guess, Lottie told you?" I ask him, looking at Lottie, who seemed just as curious to want to know how Caden knew.

"I have my people" Caden forcefully smirks.

Seeing Caden's expression made me feel even worse. First, there was the whole fight with Blake yesterday at lunch, now Lottie seems off and I'm not receiving the same response I usually get from her. And Caden. Caden's expressions mimicked Lottie's. I felt like I had been kicked out of my own group of friends. I felt like an outsider. There was them 3, and then me. Alone.

Nonetheless, my mind keeps wandering to Blake. Was he okay? Why did he suddenly snap yesterday?

"Where's Blake? Is he not here yet?" I ask Caden, looking at both sides of the hallway, hoping to spot him.

"He said he's not coming today. Said he wasn't feeling well." Caden answers, avoiding meeting my eyes. I turn to Lottie, hoping she'd elaborate if she knew anything. She looked away, her too, avoiding me. They both were hiding something.

I couldn't help but close my locker and leave the two. Am I doing something wrong? Did I do something that none of them are giving me a straight answer?

I don't expect too much from Caden, but Lottie... my best friend, my sister...

And Blake, my...

I'll check on him later today. Hopefully he'll be feeling better. If he's really sick then I hope he's taking care of himself. What about Chris?

-----

I had tried calling Blake throughout the day, but not once did he pick up. I left him a message asking if he was ok referring to what Caden said.

"yeah, don't worry, not sick. Just had some errands to run. Chris is being taken care of" was his response. I could feel the coldness through his text.

It was 5 pm, and I was just finishing up getting ready by slipping on a gold watch. Lottie had helped me pick out a pair of mom jeans with a white off the shoulder top. It had balloon like sleeves that cinched and ended at my elbows. I had rolled up my jeans and paired it with a black pair of loafers and a black belt with a gold buckle.

I felt guilty for some reason. As if I shouldn't be going on this date. But I don't have a reason to not go. I enjoy spending time with Dante.

My heart raced at the thought. Date with Dante. I started having butterflies, as if my gut was telling me not to go. As if I'm cheating myself.

I let out a loud groan. I look up and stare at myself in the mirror. "Nope. No. You're going. You're just nervous." I try to reason with myself.

I close my eyes to take in a deep breath. Blake.

I open my eyes in shock. "No! Dante!" I yell at myself in the mirror. Thinking about a man with a girlfriend isn't going to do you any good.

I quickly put in my small gold hoops as the bell rang. This is it.

As I twist the knob, a wave of anxiety washed over. He stood Infront of me as I opened the door. I blinked to make sure I was seeing this right.

Blake.

Suddenly my cheek was pressed against his chest with his body against mine, while his arms around my neck. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as my shoulders relaxed. He was warm.

"What are you doing here?" I force myself to push away gently, but he holds me tight.

"Just stay with me. Don't go anywhere else." My heart skipped a beat. Did I hear that right?

"What?" I ask to clarify that I wasn't imagining things. He immediately lets go at my question.

"I mean-" he scratches the back of his neck, his face slightly red and embarrassed, as if he said something he shouldn't have.

"Are you ok? Did you really come down with something?" I go to place the back of my hand against his forehead, but he grabs it before I could do so.

"No, I'm fine. I told you I was just running some errands. I just meant that I..." He looks at me. He then closes his eyes and lets out a sigh, as if he's about to do something he'll regret "Chris needs you. He came down with a fever."

"Why didn't you start with that?!" I slap his arm. "Let's go" I grab his arm and lead him to his car.

"What about your date?" He asks, looking me over.

"Not as important as Chris" I answer as I sit in the car, taking out my phone and letting Dante know I won't be able to make it.

Blake let's out a scoff as he starts driving. "Don't think there will be anyone other than Chris" he mumbles, thinking I wouldn't hear.

I turn to face him, annoyed at his remark. His face was still slightly red and lips a little chapped. "Are you really trying to start a fight again?"

"That's the last thing I want"

"Then why do you keep being rude to me?! What did I do that you won't even talk to me with a straight face? You've been nothing but cold to me since yesterday. And I doubt you would have even talked to me right now if it wasn't for Chris!" He cleared his thought, letting out a little sniffle.

"What do you expect from me Jackie? Clearly, we wouldn't be having this conversation if it wasn't for Chris!" His voice starts to raise but lowering back once he realizes.

"What does Chris have to do with any of this?" I push, trying to get answers, as we approach his street.

"He has everything to do with it! There isn't a moment where Chris doesn't have anything to do with anything." He pulls up on his driveway, turning off the car and looks at me straight in my eyes "For once can you please think about someone other than Chris" he breaks the eye contact and gets out of the car after mumbling something that I could not quite make out.

Think about someone other than Chris?

Blake Archer.