“I told you I needed your help,” I reminded him, hoping this would make me seem less insane. It had to act a bit in my favor to show IknewI was acting strange, right?
Jason shook his head. “I doubt I can help you, Remi. I mean, it’s adorable as fuck that you matched your outfit to his eyes, but maybe he’ll find that less adorable and more…”
“Creepy?” I finished for him.
He nodded, “Yep, creepy. You can still wear it; light colors just aren’t your normal thing. I don’t want you changing because of some guy.” I smiled at that. Jason truly was a good friend. I would need to make more time for him, not that he ever asked that of me. He knew I was busy and never made me feel bad about not making our friendship a priority. Maybe that was why I’d failed to spend more time with him lately. Instead, I’d spent it in the library, with Hayley, or my parents. And since my parents made me feel like shit, and now that Hayley and I were over, I figured Jason and I could spend more time together now, even if things with Juno worked out.
“I think I’ll wear my normal colors tomorrow,” I replied with a smile. “Did you hear from Hayley?” They were friends too, not as close as me and Jason, but they attended the same parties and social circles.
“Yeah, she and Camille came by the café yesterday, told me all about your break-up.” I nodded, feeling guilty I hadn’t told him myself.
“Did she seem fine?” I asked, knowing she was, but also not wanting to look like a jerk talking about a guy I liked the day after ending a one-year relationship.
He grinned. “She’sallegedlyseeing Wren now; I think that’s her way of showing she’s fine and ready to move on.” I nodded, happy that Hayley’s crush was returned. It wasn’t too surprising, since Hayley was a beautiful woman, inside and out. Whatever had soured her towards me was likely coming from our lack of intimacy. I’d had some time to think things through and I believed the reason she sided with my parents and took lessinterest in my ideas was simply her way of fighting me back because I wasn’t giving her what she needed.
“You don’t seem too broken up about it either,” Jason pressed with a raised eyebrow. He lived for gossip and honestly, I did too sometimes.
“I’m not,” I decided to answer honestly. “We are better as friends. And it seems we both have someone else on our minds, which I like for us.” I appreciated that he didn’t focus on the fact that I was into a guy, not that I thought he would, but this just further proved that confiding in him was the right choice.
“True. I can appreciate healthy honesty. She seemed genuinely okay and neither of them spoke ill of you, so good for you guys.” Before I could snort in response, the doors opened and Mrs. Lousen came into view, letting us trail in one after the other.
When we sat, Jason bumped my shoulder lightly. “And you’re sure this guy likes you back?”
Feeling myself blush I admitted, “He called me beautiful.”
Jason’s smile widened with glee. “Beautiful, huh?” he grinned. “But seeing as he’s the first guy you’ve liked, I would take things slow at first. You might not find it too pleasurable if you just… jump into things.” I felt the heat in my cheeks spread to my neck. And now I was thinking of said things. With Juno. My dick perked up and I had to mentally let the images of Juno go and focus on our professor who looked bored as always with her grey hair done perfectly and her cat pin firmly attached to secure her cardigan in place on her chest.
I could take things easy with Juno. It wasn’t as though I was actually going to sleep with him tonight. I hoped for a kiss, but even just that was enough to cause the butterflies to stir to life again. Sex could definitely wait. I felt like just holding his hand would fuel me with more pleasure than anything else I’d ever experienced before.
Friends.Easy.
It didn’t hurt too much that I’d failed to study, lucky me. She had us do a surprise test, which wasn’t truly a surprise anymore since she did it once every two months on the same week day. Like we were too stupid to figure out she’d made a schedule of it and it wasn’t just a “surprise” anymore. I had enough knowledge on the subject to pass the test and since I was fine with just passing, I let my mind focus on the next part of my day. The meeting with Mr. Trent.
I was sitting outside his office and waiting for him to let me in. The other student hadn’t shown up yet and I feared they would be late. I couldn’t really blame them since I was here because I was late for class too often. But I needed them to help me out or I would fail this class, so they’d better hurry up!
The door opened and my breath caught. Mr. Trent was smiling. Smiling! I was too stunned by the sheer happiness that beamed out of him that I didn’t even stand up, just continued to stare at him like a creep.
“Remi?” a beautiful voice spoke behind Mr. Trent.Juno?Blinking out of whatever spell Mr. Trent’s smile caused, I saw Juno smiling behind him. Was he the reason Mr. Trent had been so happy? My stomach coiled around itself and the horrible feeling was jealousy. What was he doing there? And why did theyseem so…friendly? Mr. Trent was in his thirties and was a good-looking man, so of course Juno would find him attractive.
Looking down at the floor to hide my glassy eyes and paling face, I stood and moved inside the office. When Juno sat down on the chair next to me, I finally looked up at him and met his worried gaze. He was definitely rethinking our date later. Maybe he would date Mr. Trent instead.
“I called you both here to go over your assignment,” Mr. Trent said as he sat down in his chair, opening his laptop and reading a few lines for us. “The top of your assignment says you need a subject you both find interesting, and I’ve decided I don’t need to approve what you choose, simply pick something you both would love to learn more about. Then, you need to add sources of your information, and not justthis bookandthat website, I need the page and full quote, plus edition if it’s a book and date from the website.”
I spaced out after that. Juno was my assigned partner and whatever I saw between them made me want to disappear. I had looked forward to the date, not seeing this meeting as anything other than a meeting, but now? I felt like a joke, I felt dirty, and honestly? I really felt like crying. My whole body had been through so many foreign feelings ever since I met Juno and each of them had been strong, even the bad ones I felt right now. I’d never felt so sick to my stomach with jealousy before. I just had to survive this meeting and then I would flee to find a space to cry.
Chapter Eight
Juno
Remi looked like he’d seen a ghost. I tried to focus on whatever Mr. Trent was saying, but all I could think about was Remi. I wanted to hug him, offer him comfort. Whatever he was dealing with didn’t seem healthy. When Mr. Trent handed us each a paper with his requirements, we stood and thanked him. As soon as we were out in the hall Remi bolted. This time, I followed. Was it wise? Probably not. But I couldn’t stand the thought of him being alone and miserable. And he’d looked about ready to puke in there.
I saw him escaping into the bathrooms and followed him in there silently. He’d been too distraught to notice me following him and I needed to keep it that way, otherwise he would’ve kept his true feelings hidden and I needed to know how he felt. I needed to fix it.
A broken sob came from the stall furthest from the door. Quietly, I moved over there, leaning against the cool tiles as I felt my heart break inside my chest. Remi’s silent crying was my undoing. I felt my legs shake and started to glide down to thedirty floor, not caring about my new clothes, only caring about Remi.
I couldn’t stand the wall between us anymore, even if it wasn’t an actual wall but a stall, so I spoke carefully. “Remi?” The sobbing stopped but he didn’t answer. “Please let me in?” I begged, my own voice sounding broken as I pleaded with him.
“It’s open,” he rasped, his voice quivering. I stood on weak legs and opened the stall. He sat on the floor, arms around his bent knees, his face hidden between them.
