"Good morning, Jessica." I smiled at her. "You were so wasted last night. How are you feeling today?"
"Fine, I suppose. Just tired. And hungover. Oh, and by the way," she said, pointing a finger at me.
"What?" I replied. I could feel my heart beating faster in anticipation.
"Don't you think I forgot about our conversation from last night?" She asked.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep myself calm. I stood there while she asked again.
"So... Who is he?"
"Really?" I asked, leaning against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest. "You just woke up from a hangover and you're already thinking about that?"
"Well, don't you think I deserve to know who the guy is?" Jessica inquired.
I sighed and shook my head. She was relentless.
"Well..." she gestured for me to speak.
I was about to say something when Jessica's phone buzzed.
"What's that?" I asked, walking closer to her.
"Oh, it's just pictures from last night. I told Cole to send them to me because I couldn't remember anything after drinking so much." She chuckled and began to scroll through them.
I nodded. She seemed really occupied. I decided this would be the best time to sneak out and avoid anymore confrontation.
After taking a few steps away from the door, I heard Jessica say, "Wait... did you see this?"
She pulled out her phone again and showed me a picture of Jake. He was leaning against the wall, looking at the camera, smiling. It was a candid shot. I felt my stomach flutter.
"I can't believe my brother went to the party. I thought he said college parties were lame and he was too cool for them." She rolled her eyes and there was a disgusted expression on her face.
I waited for her to continue.
"I swear. He's such a moron. Did you see his tattoos? They're all over his body. Ugh, Mum would be so pissed if she ever saw them." Jessica scoffed and shook her head.
Then, she looked at me with her eyebrows raised. "Did you see my brother at the party last night? He's kind of standing at the same place I found you."
"What?" I laughed, a little too loudly. My palms were becoming sweaty and my mouth was suddenly dry.
"No I didn't Jessica. I .... Umm... I don't remember seeing him there." I lied.
She narrowed her eyes.
"Are you sure?" She asked again.
"Yes, I'm positive. I don't even know why you're asking. I mean, you've always told me your brother was bad news and I should stay away from him. I wouldn't want to get mixed up in any of that drama." I blurted out, trying to avert eye contact with her.
Shit! I didn't know lying was going to come so easy to me.
My skin was getting hot and I knew I had to leave the room before Jessica noticed how nervous I was.
"Umm... I need to go Jessica. Can we talk later?" I said.
I didn't wait for a reply. I just ran down the stairs and out the front door without saying goodbye.
As soon as I got outside, I breathed a sigh of relief. I needed some fresh air. I walked around the campus, trying to calm my nerves. Class wasn't supposed to start for another hour, so I had plenty of time to spare.
I decided to go to the coffee shop, grab a hot chocolate, and read through my textbooks. I wanted to make sure I was prepared for my first class which was at nine o'clock.
As I walked to the coffee shop, I tried to push the whole conversation with Jessica from my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about Jake. I knew this was so wrong. Jessica would be so mad, if she ever found out about the kiss.
And the kiss...
I couldn't stop thinking about the way Jake kissed me. His lips felt so soft and smooth. His tongue was warm and lingered on mine. When I closed my eyes, I could still feel the warmth of his touch on my neck.
I was getting wet just thinking about it. Not only because it was my first kiss and I enjoyed it, but also because I was attracted to Jake.
I couldn't help it. There was something about him that made me curious. I didn't know what exactly, but there was definitely more to him than meets the eye.
"Excuse me Miss. Your order is ready."
The voice of the barista caught my attention.
I turned around to see him holding my hot chocolate.
"Thanks," I said and grabbed the cup.
It was hot and steamy. I brought it to my lips and took a sip. The sweet, rich taste of hot chocolate was comforting.
I headed to my favorite table near the window, hoping to get my head in my books and stop thinking about the kiss.... when I saw Jake coming from the entrance of the coffee shop.
He was wearing a black hoodie with some faded jeans. His hair was messy and his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses. He looked so handsome. My heart skipped a beat and I realized I was staring at him.
But Jake wasn't alone.
Oh No!
There was a girl by his side. A brunette beauty.Her hands were linked with Jake's and she was giggling, as if they shared a secret.
There was a flirty look on her face and she kept stealing glances at Jake as they made their way towards the counter.
Fuck! Who was she? Was she one of Jake's numerous girlfriends? Did he find a new plaything already? Was the kiss we shared just a mistake? Why did I let myself fall for him? I was such an idiot.
I tried to hide my disappointment, but I failed miserably. I was so pissed off at myself for kissing him. God! I was a fool. I needed to leave.
My left leg caught the edge of the chair and I fell on my ass with a loud thud. My hot chocolate spilled all over the floor.
I could hear laughter in the background. I felt like shit. But what hurt the most was the fact that I couldn't find the strength to get back up.