“Leave, Nolan.” Jamie resisted physically pushing him out of the way. She couldn’t bear to be that close to him. Tears threatened and she did not want her former best friend to see them.
“I can’t, Jamie. I can’t.” He sounded on the verge of crying himself.
Taking several steps back, Jamie shook her head and folded her arms. “After what you said this morning I don’t want to even look at you and you haven’t the decency to give me the space you know I need at this very moment and will probably need for at least a few months.”
“You weren’t supposed to ever hear.” Nolan hung his head but still did not move.
Her hands fisted. “And how does that make it any better, Nolan?”
She was met with silence and an immovable wall of a man. If there was another exit, she would have gladly taken it.
“Jamie, please hear me out and then you can leave and I’ll do my best to never have you see me again if that is what you want.”
“Fine. Just don’t touch me.”
Nolan nodded quickly, motioning for her to sit down. He did not look her in the eye and she was glad of it. Her heart was still aching deeply from overhearing Nolan talking to Prissy Landers. She had thought nothing of it until she heard Prissy say Jamie’s name.
It had drawn her up short.
Earlier
“Jamie?” Nolan said. “Why bring her up?”
Prissy giggled. “Of course I had to bring her up. The two of you are constantly together. I am not willing to subject my friends to her if we were to act on our feelings.”
“It wouldn’t be a problem.”
“No?” Prissy didn’t sound like she believed him. “Won’t she be jealous?”
“I really doubt that. She thinks of me as a holding space. She can’t stand to go anywhere alone, so until she manages to attach herself to a boyfriend, I fill that space. We would just need to find her another fill in and she won’t pay me any mind at all.”
“Nolan, you sound positively mercenary.” Prissy giggled again.
Standing slumped around the corner, Jamie could barely breathe. She didn’t hear anything more. She wasn’t sure if they had moved farther away or if her heart couldn’t bear to hear anymore and had blocked it out.
Unfortunately she was so far lost in her own pain that she did not hear the footsteps approaching until there were feet facing her.
She looked up and into the face of Reese Dunn.
“Are you alright?” He pulled her back up to standing. “You look as if you were suffering a stroke.” His light smile pulled her attention away from her broken heart, just a little.
She shrugged. “I’ll admit I have just received some painfully enlightening news and I am still reeling I suppose.”
“Shall I stay with you until the bell rings?” He held her hand as he moved to lean against the wall next to her.
She looked down at their entwined hands in shock, then up at him.
He gave her another small smile. “I’ve heard that human touch can have a healing effect when matters of the heart are involved.”
“I…thank you.” Jamie let her head drop back against the wall. “I’ve discovered a friend of mine considers me a mere nuisance he can pawn off to any other on a whim.”
“Nolan said that?” Reese focused on her face and she felt herself blush.
“Who said anything about him?” Jamie hedged.
“Jamie. Everyone knows that the two of you are near inseparable. I think most of the underclassmen assume that you are a couple.”
Jamie’s heart tore a little more. Her head down and her gaze fixed on her feet. “I had hoped it would have eventually happened, I admit. I was never in any rush.”
Reese pulled her away from the wall.
“Where are we going?”
“I think you need a change of scenery.” His delighted smile captivated her.
“What do you mean? School is about to start.”
It was then that Nolan came around the corner, alone. She could see his surprise at seeing them there. Maybe even more surprised to see her holding hands with Reese. Her heart withered but her ire rose like a tidal wave, threatening to drown her. Reese lightly squeezed her hand, drawing her back and grounding her.
“Jamie.” Nolan smiled. “I was just looking for you.”
“Why?”
It was probably the flatness of her tone and the lack of her usual enthusiasm to see him that clued him in to the fact that something was wrong.
“Why was I looking for you? Why wouldn’t I be?”
Reese moved toward Nolan, placing himself slightly in front of Jamie.
She had to step to the side to be seen. She laid a hand on Reese’s arm. When he looked back at her, she smiled, hoping he’d understand. He seemed to, when he stayed where he was and didn’t block her again.
“Why would you be looking for me at all?” Jamie could scarcely breathe. “So I wouldn’t be alone? Because I am so helpless without you that I need you to find me a boyfriend to cling to so you can be relieved of your responsibility?”
His face paled at her words. “Jamie?”
“Reese?” She turned back to Reese, completely blocking Nolan from her view. “You said you wanted to show me something?”
“Jamie.” Nolan called out again as Reese escorted away. Jamie made it a point not to look back.
Now, sitting in the classroom with Nolan pacing back and forth in apparent distress, Jamie didn’t feel the pain. She didn’t feel anything, even as the tears threatened.
“You wanted to say something?” She coldly ground out. This was an agony she wanted over and done.
“Could you please just pretend you didn’t hear anything this morning?” He faced her, dropping down in front of her. She leaned back.
“Why? And how?” Jamie shook her head. “I don’t think I could ever manage to erase the disdain in your voice as you spoke of me to Prissy.”
“I was trying to assure her that you wouldn’t have a problem with my dating her.”
“And did it work?” Jamie glared. “Is she your one and only true love?”
Nolan’s head dropped again. “No.”
She wanted to slap him. “So you made me out to be a pathetic, clingy, worthless piece of trash for nothing.”
“Please, Jamie. I want us to still be friends.” He pleaded.
“Again, why?” Jamie stood. “You made it very clear that I am an annoyance interfering with your love life. And after the realization I came to today, why would I want to be your friend? You’ve proven yourself to be a worthless sort of friend today and the worst sort of crush to have.”
“Jamie.”
“No, Nolan. Reese is waiting for me, as a friend should.”
She reached the door.
“Jamie, wait. I love you.”
She whirled. “Don’t you dare say that. You betrayed me today and you expect me to forget it all because you now say that you love me? Goodbye, Nolan.”
