** Thanks for reading! I loved the feedback and emails from the first part of this series! Please continue to send me your opinions and requests! I am still looking for an editor. If anyone is interested, please let me know!! Since I don't have one, there may be some errors. Please enjoy! **
Chapter 5
It was the first full week of school and I did everything in my power to keep Jaye out of my head. I was able to keep myself busy with classes but during my downtime I often found myself day dreaming...
It was that night at the bar. Jaye's arms were locking me in place, my back to the sink. The fire in her eyes wasn't from anger this time. It was something else...lust. Just like it had happened that night, her forehead rested on mine and her lips were painfully close. Her eyes closed and she leaned in....
"SHEALYNN ROSE CUTLER!"I jumped at my full name. Rachel doubled over giggling. "You are so out of it today!"
"Sorry, tired," I looked up at the blank canvas, then at the clock. "Wow, is it really that late already?" I started gathering my things.
"Are you really okay?" Rachel asked, this time more serious.
"Yeah. I'll see you next week. I work this weekend."
"Okay. Text me!" I nodded and rushed out the door, heading for home. I had pretty much accomplished diddly squat in school this week. I just didn't have any inspiration, I guess. 'Artist blocks' happened to me a lot. But when I got into a good groove, I created a semesters worth of work in just a few weeks.
Later that night I laid in bed. Morgan had texted me a few times. I had continued to ignore his messages.
I'm not in the mood.
I looked at the little scrap of paper on my night stand. I absentmindedly typed Jaye's number into my phone. I sat with a blank message for her on my screen for a while.
What would I even say?
...
Saturday morning rolled around. I found that during my shift at work, I had to actively try not to look for Jaye.
Maybe she's not here today.
I thought about the empty message that was saved as a draft with her phone number typed in. I considered texting her but came to the same conclusion as I did last night.
Lillian was showing me how to stock the OB unit on the fourth floor when a familiar looking blonde nurse walked over. "Hi!" She smiled and stuck out her hand. I shook it uncertainly. "I'm Maggie. I run the OB/GYN department, you're new right?"
"Um yeah. I've been here for a few weeks. But this is my first time up here."
Where do I know her from? Maybe I've just seen her in the cafeteria or something.
Lillian poked her head out of the closet to join our conversation.
"I showed her how you like your closets, Maggie is wonderful! She helped deliver my most recent grandchild. I always go the extra mile to make her life a little easier." Lillian puffed up her chest proudly while Maggie flashed an award winning smile.
"Oh Lillian. You really are the best. I could use a hand really quick, can I borrow your helper?" She nudged me with her elbow.
"Sure thing. I'm almost done here. Meet you downstairs, kid" Lillian replied. I frowned.
I really wish she would stop calling me kid.
I followed Maggie around the corner and down a long hallway.
"You probably don't remember me." She said quietly. She paused to study my confused expression, complete with crossed arms and a foot that tapped impatiently. "Listen, I don't know what's going on between you and Jaye. I don't know what you said or did. But don't do it again. Or you'll have me to answer to." Her warm smile had faded and was replaced with a frown and furrowed eyebrows. I could feel the color draining from my face as I realized who she was.
The girl from the bar...the one that was with Jaye.
I was flabbergasted, "Excuse me?! There's nothing going on between us? We've only met a couple of times..." I blushed thinking back on the encounters that I did have with her. "And I don't deserve to be threatened." My voice was much smaller than I had hoped for.
Her eyebrows furrowed even more as she tried to determine whether I was telling the truth or not. "Regardless of what you say... she's been to only that bar for weeks now. She kept saying she was waiting for someone, but that someone never showed."
She was... waiting for me?
"Why do you assume that has something to do with me?"
"I don't know. But as soon as you got there she disappeared. She's been weird since. Didn't she say anything to you?" I looked down in avoidance. I didn't want to tell this stranger the whole embarrassing story. "Whatever. Jaye's my best friend. We grew up together. I just... I worry about her." Her voice turned softer, concerned for her friend.
Understanding, I nodded. I turned to leave and headed straight for the basement. I began hoping that I would find the strange, beautiful woman where I had met her for the first time.
I didn't.
I continued with my day, lingering in the halls in hopes that I might run into her by chance. But that strategy turned out to be unsuccessful as well. I had given up hope when I grabbed my last load of dirty laundry from surgery and was lugging it back down to the laundry department. I waited for an elevator.
Ding!
The door popped open. Jaye was leaning against the elevator wall, her head was rested back on the elevator wall and her eyes closed. She looked exhausted. She didn't even open her eyes as I cautiously pushed my cart into the elevator. We were both heading to the basement.
I looked at her and opened my mouth to say something.
Any day now genius, say something. Anything
. But nothing came out. I closed my mouth and looked at my feet. The elevator reached our floor. She got out without a word but I could have sworn she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye before stalking off down the hallway, towards the residents lounge.
I hurried to drop off my cart once my work was done. I changed back into my jeans and hoodie that I had worn to work today. I suddenly felt slightly self-conscious of my choice of clothing today. Wishing that I-
Are you seriously worrying about your clothes right now? Snap out of it, Shea.
I clocked out and raced back down to the lounge. There was only one room occupied; I knocked, hoping she wasn't asleep yet.
The lock clicked and the door opened. Under her eyes were red with exhaustion and squinted as she looked out of the dark sleeping room. They widened a small amount as she registered who was on the other side of the door.
"What?" She asked flatly.
"Can I come in?"
She hesitated before opening the door. She walked to the bed and sat down. Her arms and legs crossed, closing herself off to me. I gently shut the door and turned to face her, but she avoided my eyes. I kept a safe distance between us. I opened my mouth to speak. But once again. Nothing came out.
"If you're just gonna stand there, you can just leave."
"No, I-..." I sighed. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"I'm not really sure"
"Then you're not sorry"
Ouch.
I shuffled in my spot, uncomfortably. "Why did you wait?"
At this, she finally looked up.
"At the bar, I-.... you.." I sighed in frustration, wishing I could more easily turn my feelings into words. "Never mind" I said quickly, turning to leave before I made a fool of myself.
Too late.
Jaye's hand came out of nowhere and held the door shut, as I reached for the handle. I turned around, backing into the door. Just like the flashbacks I kept having from the night at the bar, her arms trapped me here as she towered over me. She quickly closed the space between us. Her thumb brushed my bottom lip as she tilted my chin up. I barely had time to blush before she was less than an inch from my face. Her smell was intoxicating.
"Jaye? I, um..."
She leaned back a tad. "You've never kissed a girl." It wasn't so much a question as an observation. I nodded, embarrassed. She grinned and leaned in again. Her lips pressed gently against mine, parting slightly. Her lips were soft and warm. So warm, it felt like she had started a fire that burned all the way to the pit of my stomach. She pulled away much too soon. I looked down to avoid her eyes; I knew that I was blushing furiously.
"What did you mean?" I spoke quietly, barely above a whisper.
"Elaborate" she said coolly, as she released me.
"When you said you wanted to know me. Is that why you..." the heat returned to my face instantly.
"Kissed you?" she smirked. "I meant exactly what I said"
I waited, not sure what to say next. "Listen, Jaye? I, um...." I stammered. "I don't..."
I don't date women? Or at least I haven't dated women? I don't know what the hell I'm doing here?
She lightly placed her finger over my lips. "I get it. But you can't blame me for trying." She paused, "Stay with me." She said. Again, it wasn't a question. It wasn't that I had somewhere to be. But I was thrown off by her sudden request. I didn't answer. She studied me for a moment before walking to the bed to lay down. I sat down next to her hesitantly. She scooted over to put her head into my lap, her hands resting on my thighs. Within moments, she was seemingly asleep. I used this time to study her face. I spent so much time avoiding her direct gaze when she was awake. She was always so intense. I didn't get to often appreciate her beautiful features. She had high cheek bones and perfectly arched eyebrows. I envied her pouty lips and dark, long lashes. Her hair was shiny and looked soft. I reached over, curiously, to stroke her bangs softly. It was like strands of black silk had been sewn into her head. I wanted nothing more than to pet it for forever.
A small hum came from the back of Jaye's throat. I startled a bit, assuming that she had been asleep. "Don't stop." She barely whispered. I obliged, stroking her soft hair until I too, drifted off to sleep.
When I woke, Jaye was no longer asleep in my lap. I scanned the room.
I was alone.
Chapter 6
Over the next couple weeks, Jaye and I fell into a friendly routine. We greeted each other in the hallways and when we happened upon one another in the cafeteria for lunch, we often had coffee or ate together. I was working less since the semester had started but generally worked every weekend. It was Saturday at the end of my shift as I was walking to my car, lighting up a cigarette.
"Still killing yourself, eh?" Jaye muttered sarcastically from behind me. I rolled my eyes and turned around, walking backwards.
"And that concerns you how?"
"I don't kiss ashtrays."
I raised my eyebrows sharply, "That didn't seem to stop you a few weeks ago." I was surprised at my own cockiness. I generally avoided talking about most of our previous encounters.
She grinned slightly, the corner of her mouth turning up in an adorably sexy smirk, "touché", she defeated. I reached my car and pulled out my keys, leaning against the trunk as I finished my smoke. She tilted her head slightly as her emerald eyes studied me. It made me extremely uncomfortable when she looked at me like this.
"What?" I asked, sounding somewhat irritated.
"Go out with me."
Excuse me!?
"Uhhh... What?" My snarkiness from before instantly vanishing.
"You heard me." She crossed her arms and leaned forward towards me. "Go out with me. Next weekend."
"What if I don't want to?" I asked cautiously.
