Teach Me How to Love

Chapter 6: The Replacement

"Jade! Jade, wait."

A hand grasped my arm, spinning me towards him. I sighed, "What the hell do you want, Miles?" I snapped, ripping my arm out of his grasp.

"I want you to listen," he said sternly, his eyes pleading to me.

I swallowed, "I need to get home."

That wasn't a lie. It was the end of the day, and my mom always worried about me when I'd stay back with Miles and arrive home late. Yes, I had managed to avoid Miles all day long, ever since this morning with the Flynn episode. So basically, I had been a loner in all of my classes.

He shrugged, "That's fine, I'll drive."

I shook my head, "I can walk.”

I turned away just for his hand to grab my arm again.

"Jade, please. Either you listen to me now and get home late, or I drive you and we can talk in the car," Miles said, and edge to his voice.

I licked my lips as I studied his golden eyes. I let out a sigh and began walking, "Fine. Let's go."

The walk to the parking lot was silent, even after we had ran into Chelsea. I ignored her snotty attitude and Barbie features as I slipped into Miles's car. Miles drove out of the parking lot and opened his mouth to speak, "What was so wrong with punching Flynn?"

I shook my head, already regretting agreeing to this. At least talking in the hall allowed me to escape if I needed, but in a car? I was trapped. I let out a sigh, "I don't know, Miles. It just made me think that something could've happened to him. It only takes a split second. That's what happened to Danny," I cursed under my breath, "My boyfriend."

Miles swallowed, "It's different, Jade. You guys were in a car accident, no one controls that. I controlled where I hit Flynn."

"It doesn't matter," I replied fast, my eyes turning to him, "You still need to think before you act," I retorted.

Miles looked at me, "So you're just going to live life vulnerable and hiding, afraid of everything that isn't one hundred percent certain?"

I scoffed, "I never said that."

"You might as well have," Miles muttered. I stared at him as we pulled up to my house, my hand resting on the handle of the door.

I looked back at Miles, "Do you want to come in?" I said with a sigh.

He raised an eyebrow, "Like into your house?"

I nodded, "We have that homework to do. Might as well do it together," I pushed open the car door.

He licked his lips and then gave a shrug, "Ah, what the hell."

We stepped out of his vehicle and walked up the front steps. I pushed open the front door, and once again my mother rushed to see me. A smile lit up her face as she realized I wasn't alone. "Jade," my mother grinned, "Who's this?"

I gestured to Miles, "Mom, this is Miles. Miles, my mom." I felt my cheeks flush red as I spoke.

Miles nodded, "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Leckson."

My mother smiled, "Come on in."

I sighed, fairly satisfied with my mother's reaction to my only friend. I followed my mother into the kitchen where my brother, Josh, was sitting at the table. He was playing on his laptop, which was not unusual in any sense. I leaned down and planted a huge kiss on his cheek, laughing as he pushed me off and wiped my kiss away.

"Jade, that's gross," he complained.

I rolled my eyes, "Josh, this is Miles."

Josh looked up from his computer to glance at Miles. He studied him for a moment, "How'd you meet him?"

"It's called school, Josh," I said as I grabbed two glasses of water for Miles and I.

"Play any sports?" Josh asked.

Miles smiled, "I play football."

"Are you any good?" Josh replied.

"Josh!" I said, shooting him a look.

Miles just smirked, "Well, I'm the captain and quarterback, but I’m also modest.”

This made Josh smile, and I was taken aback by how good of an impression Miles could make on people.

"Well, Miles. You aren't one of those dumb-as-a-post jocks, are you?" my mother asked with a smile.

Miles grinned, "No, ma'am. I'm also on the honor roll, actually." He blushed, "But I don't want to sound conceded."

My mother looked impressed, "Well, that's wonderful. Looks like my baby girl knows how to pick her friends," she flashed me a wink.

"Mom," I whined.

Miles let out a laugh, "Jade, it's fine."

"Yea, Jade," my mother nudged me in the shoulder as she grinned.

I rolled my eyes, "Well, you lunatics enjoy your conversation. I'm going to do my homework."

My mother laughed as Miles rolled his eyes. "Thanks for letting me stay," Miles said to my mother then followed me up the stairs to my room. "Nice place," he said with a nod.

I scoffed, "As if. You probably live in a mansion."

Miles smiled, "Maybe. But that doesn't mean I can't like your house."

"Well if you did, that'd make one of us," I said with a laugh, flopping down onto my bed.

He let out a chuckle as he examined my room, "I like your family."

I scoffed, "Again, that makes one of us," I looked up at Miles as I pulled my textbook from my bag.

Miles rolled his eyes, "No, Jade. I'm serious, they're great. You must like them too, I can tell you do."

"Don't you like your family?"

He shrugged, "My dad's never really home, and my mother is always out at business meetings. When she is home she just sits in her den and does paperwork," Miles fingered a picture frame on my desk.

I swallowed, not expecting such a reaction. In my silence, he continued: “What about your dad?"

"He works late, but he's usually home right after dinner. He doesn't work weekends," I said with a shrug.

"Do you get along?" Miles asked.

I smiled, staring at the picture of my father on my bedside table, "Guess you could say I’m a daddy’s girl.”

He grinned, "That's good to hear, really," he sat down beside me.

I nodded, "It is."

Miles smiled, "Tomorrow you should come meet my mom. She's off tomorrow, for once. I'm sure she'd be happy to meet a girl that isn’t one of the football team’s cheerleaders," he smirked.

I grinned, nodding my head, "Sounds like a plan."

He smiled, pulling out his homework. The chemistry lab was not a fun write up. In fact, I almost wished that I was sitting in detention. My hand ached from writing once I had finished. I dropped my pencil down onto the bed stuffed my papers into my textbook.

"Well that was hell," I mumbled as I got to my feet. Miles laughed as he followed me down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Miles is leaving," I said to my mom.

My mother looked up, "So soon? He's welcome to stay for dinner," she frowned as she placed the dishcloth onto the counter.

Miles shook his head, "Nah, I really should be getting home, Mrs. Leckson."

"Nonsense, you're welcome to stay," my mom said with a smile.

Miles grinned, turning to me, "That alright with you?"

I shrugged, "I don't mind. Just don't feel pressured by my wicked mother," I winked at her as I made my way to the fridge.

Miles smiled, "I'd love to stay for dinner if it isn't too much trouble. You probably already have plans."

She waved a hand, "We always have room for another. Welcome to the Lecksons, Miles," my mother said with a wink.

I rolled my eyes as I pulled out two sodas for Miles and I. My family could not be more embarrassing. Miles had been my friend for just over a week, in fact he had known my mother for a couple hours, and he was already a part of the family? My family obviously wasn't used to me bringing home friends. Or they were just trying to fill the empty space in their lives that used to consist of Danny.