Chapter 37: Chapter 37

I was late to pick Jess up from school today. Like yesterday, Coach had kept us for an extra hour or so and made us practise extra hard. Which today I found exceptionally annoying because not only did he make us late but he made me late to pick Jess up from her class.

The school had ended already but Jess did not leave. She always has me pick her up from her classes and drop her off at her home. She, never, once, been left alone from school ever since we started dating. And I made sure it never came to that.

However today, because of this extra practice, no, because of our stupid Coach, it would be the case. Jess never left without me but I could not say for sure today. I was not able to message her or inform her because Coach had confiscated our phones. So that we could focus on our practice.

Today of all days, Chad's idea of sending our Coach on a few days of holiday, whether he spent it on a beach or a hospital bed, did not matter, seemed good. I was sure about that one thing. Tomorrow or a day after that, he will have a few scratches on his car if not fully destroyed, and will certainly have his car's tires slashed.

If he continued to go on like this, he would manage to piss off more guys than me. And probably, then, I would not have to worry about him. But if nobody did something about it, and it was left for me to take care of the matter, things would get dirty. I was not looking to repeat a few mistakes that I had done in my past but I was not too shy to repeat them either. If I was him, leading a team of a bunch of boys, I would be very careful how I proceed with things and try not to piss off the whole team on a daily basis.

Stifling my anger, I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. Whatever I wanted to do and deal with him, had to wait. Today was not the day. I hurried to see if Jess was still waiting for me in her classroom. One where she usually waits for me to pick her up.

Knowing that she could be waiting for me, I hurried and almost jogged to the classroom. It was then that I heard Jess's voice and stopped. Feeling relieved, knowing that she waited for me and was still in her classroom. I would hate myself if I let her walk home alone.

My tensed muscles relaxed and I approached the classroom. However, I stopped right before I entered the classroom. I halted in my steps and paid attention to find that there was another voice with her in the classroom. She was not alone. There was someone else in there with her.

I recognised this voice, it sounded familiar and then it finally clicked. Raymond. Jess's friend.

Without making my presence known, I took a little peek inside. Jess and Raymond were talking to each other, but the whole environment they were in, seemed all tensed up. Something clicked in me and I felt a wave of tension course through my veins. He must be telling her about yesterday.

No. Fuck no.

I clenched my jaw and fisted my hands into balls. The amount of tension I felt was so high, that I had to keep putting one hand on the wall to stop myself from barging inside and beating this guy to a plump. He could not reveal my secret. If he did ...

"Don't do this, Raymond. I told you I don't like you like that." Jess said. I swallowed hard and decided to pay attention to what was being said, inside the classroom.

"You don't understand. I have loved you since the moment I saw you. You wanted to remain friends so I kept my distance, but now I can't hold myself anymore. I can't do this any longer." Raymond said, his voice going from earnest to a more begging-like tone.

"You're not listening to me, Raymond. I don't like you more than friends. I am in a happy relationship with Nick, who loves me very much." Jess stated firmly, calming my nerves a little. She trusted me. Jess trusted me, even now. She would never fall for someone like him.

"I knew I should not have kept this friendship going on. I should have known that you were just like any other guy and would fall for me. Nick warned me about it." I saw Jess mutter to herself.

Raymond let out a sarcastic laugh. "Are you sure?" He asked Jess. Anger is taking over me. I clenched my teeth so hard my jaw hurt from storming inside.

"What did you say?" Jess asked.

"I said if you were sure? Are you sure that your so-called boyfriend loves you and if his feelings are genuine?" He asked her.

"I don't understand the meaning. What are you trying to say?" Jess questioned. I could hear her voice. I saw her looking at Raymond with her arms crossed, waiting for him to explanation.

Even though I knew what Raymond was going to say, I still was not prepared.

"Your so-called lovable boyfriend took you as his girlfriend for nothing but a bet. His friends told him to approach you, to break you down-the toughest girl in our school and make you fall for him." He told her, I let out a curse under my breath. My breaths come out deep, hungry for violence.

"What? You're lying." Jess said, denying it, as I thought she would. Raymond nodded his head, taking a close toward her, making me take one too.

"Yesterday was the last day of their bet and it ended with you confessing your love to your boyfriend. Telling him that you loved him. Which you did, of course." I heard a faint slap noise in the classroom. I took a peek inside to find Raymond holding his cheek looking hurt and betrayed. Jess had her hand in the air but also had guilt written all over her face.

I could not express how I felt at that moment. There she was, my bitchy girlfriend. For the first time in my life, I appreciated her side. Although I knew she felt guilty, I could not help but feel satisfied with her actions. I was glad she slapped him. She should not feel guilty at all, even though she did.

"This is not you Raymond. This is your jealousy speaking. You're lying to make me want you. But I don't. I don't though." Jess told Raymond. Raymond's hand slipped from his face and dropped to his side.

"Today, you are not in your right mind. Let's talk about this later." She told Raymond. Without replying to Jess, Raymond spun around and walked in my direction.

Quickly, I plastered myself against the wall and hid behind the door. Raymond threw the door open and luckily, walked to the other side of the school, opposite to where I was standing.

As he disappeared from my sight, I let out a relieved breath. I needed to take care of him. He was becoming a thorn on a rose for me. I needed to pluck him out.

I waited for a few minutes. I took a few moments to calm myself and let my whole body relax. I let go of the tension and put up my happy, charming smile.

With that, I walked in and hugged Jess. Ready to take her home.