HIS UNMATCHED AFFECTION

Chapter 30

Stacy's POV

I just can't believe they left me. Are they taking Clara’s side? Even Jake had joined Eric they must have talked to each other but I still can't believe Eric was part of the plan. Maybe be he hates me for causing the beak up with Clara but am not the one in love with him he is the one in love with me. I know they say marry your best friend they make the best husbands one thing they forget not every girl falls in love with their best friends am one of them. The boundaries type of a girl. I respect my friends and I expect them to respect me although I have thought of it. Dating Eric but it was just a thought that's where it ends, a thought.

Am walking aimlessly in the parking area hoping maybe they just went to pick something they are coming back. I can't ask my friends for lift most of them come far away out of town I don't want to strain them. Maybe I should take a bus instead. Am so scared of busses since the suicide bomber case. One that seaside will never forget. There could be more nowadays terrorists work as hard as the government.

"Hop in", James says stopping by where am seated.

I don't know what to say. Once again he wants to help me even though we are not together. I hope this time no strings attached. I just hate this little things they are so important to me and they matter so much. This being there whenever I need him reminds me of Eric who I must say has obviously neglected his duties due to that hoe Clara.

"You don't have to drive me home"

"They are not coming and I will be fool to leave you here all alone the last time I did I lost you", James says getting out of his car.

He grabs my back pack and leads me to the co driver’s seat. Am dying with guilt right now. After all that I have done why is he coming through for me? All the humiliation and stress. I trust him though he can't kidnap me or sell me to s*x s*****y. It has happened in numerous occasions in seaside.

"Thank you", I mumble and get inside

He rushes to get to the driver’s seat. His car is a well maintained Toyota allion. It's cool with tinted windows and air conditioner. For so many reasons I still don't want anyone to see me with him so I raise my windshields. He looks at me and smiles strapping in. This is going to be one hell of a long drive. We both seem like we don't want to talk much and silence makes me uncomfortable. I just like talking, feeling free all the time. In this same car we've had s*x twice, funny how things change now in the same car we are not even talking to one another. It sucks.

James POV

Driving with her besides me brings a lot of memories. Most of them being s*x in the backseat. I remember parking the car off road during one of our field trips because we were too horny. I had to put in some music... FYI she screams a lot during s*x. She is the violent type, slapping pinching, screaming during an o****m too bad she has multiples, like back to back. And a hefty road sign to show the car was being repaired, leaves can you believe that? Seriously it was shaking like a lot. We never made the road trip we just had s*x and ate a lot of snacks watched Netflix on her phone and I drove her back home.

"Why are you smiling?" She asks.

Shit! For a minute I forgot she is seated beside me. This memories are both sweet and involuntary. I don't choose to have them and I think deep down she keeps having them she is just in denial.

"Nothing, just memories you don't want to hear about", I say.

The guilt card is so helpful. My response is trying to victimize me and make her look like the key reason we can't be together. When she agreed to be my girlfriend I almost didn't believe it like totally it was just a try your luck thing and it worked we went for a couple of dates, a school dance and had s*x then I said I love her. She said she loved me too. Again when I lost her. When she said she wanted Jake I still can't believe it. I will never believe it am just in denial as she is. For me not being together with her is just like a bad dream no matter how long it is I will wake up from it and everything will be normal... That's unless I die in my dream. And Jake is trying to do that.

"Who said I don't want to hear. Give me your phone", she asks.

This is getting pretty awkward. Why does she want my phone? Wait a minute is she jealous or something coz if she is I need to plant a few seeds of doubt then wait for them to grow. That way I think she will come running to me. I point in the glove compartment. The next thing will be my password, trust this is going to blow her mind. Yours too. She picks the phone and admires the screen saver. I had our picture earlier in the morning as a screen saver that was before the devil whispered to me to change and put TB12.

"You still want to be the next Tom braidy?" She asks looking at it closely.

I know this trick. She wants my password but she is too shy to ask for it. Come on girl try me.

"Everyone loves Tom braidy, even your dad", I tease knowing how scared I am of her parents.

She chuckles before looking at me.

"Ask for it", I tease again.

"When we were together you never said it loud what has changed?" Stacy inquires.

"Let's just say living without you might have changed me"

"What is it then?"

"Your birthday"

Boom! If you could see the look on her face right now, it makes me feel like stopping this car and doing somersaults in the middle of the road. She is stunned. And when she keys it in she is even more stunned. The first recording she plays is Jake's confession. I have to pretend to care.

"Please give it back you were not supposed to hear that", I beg.

"Drive!" she orders her tone changing.

"Okay but promise me you won't take it serious, I mean we are two jerks just joking around all boys do. Some have fantasies about her that are worse than ours", I try again.

"I said shut up and drive James. Where's is he?"

This is a tough one. Should I betray best friend to be closer to the girl I love? One I have always wanted? Of course yes. I will do it happily f**k the bro code he was the first one to cross the line anyway why should I give a f**k about him? To make it juicy I withhold the secret just a little bit to keep her yearning.

"I think they went home"

"Cut the bullshit James they are not home. They will never leave me at least not Eric now be a good boy and tell me where he is", she asks nicely.

God it feels great. Information manipulation is now my new hobby knowing what others don't know and they are in desperate need of knowing it might among the best leverage ever. She can't wait another minute sorry girl you will have to do better than this.

"Well I won't betray my best friend am not like him", I protest.

"Okay stop the car am walking home", she says giving me back my phone.

She picks her bag pack from the back seat. I have not stopped the car. She is bluffing her home is still far away from where we are and I know she can't take a bus. f**k, she won’t because the guardian angel is here. I can see him approaching from my windshield.

"So Eric comes out of nowhere and you don't want my help anymore?" I try to play the guilt card again maybe I shouldn't have played games with information.

"It's not about him, I don't want his help either. It's about you keeping things from me like you always did when we were together", she says when I park the car by the roadside.

Eric is already walking towards us. I think it's time I said it. She might reconsider riding with me instead of him.

"Are you sure you want to know the truth. Be careful what you wish for"

"Am a big girl James I can handle myself"

"Am sorry, let’s go", Eric says when he gets to her window.

She ignores him and keeps staring at me. He is lucky she dropped the window shield a bit.

"Big girls cry when their hearts are broken"

"Come on dude, Quoting sia what are you two talking about Anyway?"

"Shut up!" we both shout.

"He is at carols, they left immediately after your incidence with Clara. You didn't hear that from me", I say.

"Damn right I did", Eric says.

"Drive me home", she says.

I look at Eric with a smile. He is still dumbstruck by her choice to be driven by me instead of him. And God it feels good closing the window shield in his face.