It Wasn't Love ✔️

Chapter 10

Jacob didn't call me after that day. I didn't call him either. I also ignored Laura whenever she texted and pretended that I wasn't home whenever she came over. I know it was stupid but I couldn't face them. Especially after I cried into her shoulder like a five year old.

At school, I did my best to ignore them, no matter how many times I caught Laura looking at me.

Now I'm in biology, listening as Mr Hoskins talks about a month long project we have to participate in.

"This project is compulsory. It benefits a quarter of your final grade so please work hard and give it your 100% effort." He puts his thumbs up and smiles like a creep. "Now, I'm nice so you can decide amongst yourself who your partner is going to be."

He plops down into his chair and I internally groan. I hardly know anyone in this class except-

"Hey Aria."

Laura. I glance at her to see her standing next to me with a sympathetic smile on her face.

"I don't wanna work with you." I tell her quietly, turning away from her. She sits in the seat next to mine.

"I know you trusted me with something really important and then I took you to a party and... I just thought that you weren't serious about not talking to Jacob anymore."

I ignore her, focusing on my closed book in front of me.

"I'm still working on that apology but please, please work with me on this project." Don't say no, you'll feel guilty. If you say no, she'll carry on bullying you.

I sigh in defeat and nod my head. "Okay fine."

***

My parents were coming home in two months which meant that I had to prepare for their arrival. Hiring the maid to clean even though I was fully capable of doing it myself, making sure that I'm on my best behaviour so that I don't disappoint them.

I already know that I'm a disappointment. My parents have a daughter that is suicidal and has concerning mental health problems. The only thing they could be proud of are my school grades. A long time ago, I gave up trying to make sure that I was perfect for them just so that I could become a fucking business woman. I mean, do I look like a business woman? No. I don't even want to be a business woman.

I was brought out of my thoughts when my phone pinged. It was from Laura.

Come over to work on the project?

I quickly shoot back a reply.

Busy. After a couple of minutes, another message came through.

Doing what?

Having sex.

Laura didn't reply for another five minutes and then when she did, she convinced me to come over and I got ready.

I slipped on a simple oversized beige hoodie and tracksuit and I put my shoes on and got the bus to Laura's house.

Laura didn't live very far, it was only a 10 minute bus ride away from my house. As I stood outside her house, I guess I wasn't used to houses other than mine which is why it looked small. It wasn't that small, it was an alright size. I walked up to the door and knocked. After a couple of seconds, Laura opens it with a huge smile on her face. I nod my head at her and enter the house, taking in my surroundings. It was a simple design with family photos scattered around the walls.

In one, I see a young Laura in the middle with a huge smile on her face surrounded by an older couple, probably her parents, and a boy. He was the male version of Laura and he was hot. I wasn't going to admit that out loud but my internal thoughts can say whatever they want.

Laura walked into the living room and I followed after her. The house seemed empty. She lead me to the dining table which had workbooks and revisions guides spread across it. Her eyes find mine and then she speaks up.

"I was thinking that we could make a PowerPoint of the information and maybe a model of the cells just to bump up our grade."

I nod my head and place my bag on a chair. Taking out my laptop, I sit on one side of the table and Laura perks on the other. Her laptop was already in front of where she sat.

"What if... You work on the PowerPoint and I'll do the model and we'll both work on collecting information?"

I nod my head again. I'm not very creative so I was okay with making a PowerPoint instead of a model. Laura clears her throat before tapping away on her laptop.

An hour goes by before a knock on the door distracts us both. Laura's face is riddled with confusion before she puts her finger up and walks to the front door.

I hear her let out a nervous greeting before she walks back into the room I was in and the guest strolls in behind her. His steps fumble when he sees me and he stares at me.

I tried to act like I wasn't affected by Jacob's presence by clearing my throat and focusing back on my laptop. I could feel his eyes on me before Laura talks to him again.

"Go to my room, I'll meet you up there." Jacob hesitantly leaves the room and I let out a breath of relief.

And then Laura's words sink in. And I snap my head to her. She looks at me with a puzzled on her face. I raise my eyebrow and she laughs at my perplexed reaction.

"What?" I huff, trying to focus on the work in front of me.

"You're jealous, aren't you?" I widen my eyes at her accusation before realising that she might be right.

It wasn't exactly jealousy that had erupted in me, it was something that I couldn't name. Something took over my sense when I saw him and something took control of me when Laura said that suggestive comment.

Again. They're best friends and it's normal for best friends to go in each other's rooms. Completely, perfectly normal. So why... why was I feeling like this?

"No, I'm not jealous." I murmur, focusing on the project at hand.

Laura chuckles and closes my laptop lid with her index finger. I look up at her and frown.

"I understand the whole... anxiety thing but I don't understand why you're not even talking to him."

I sigh and cross my arms over my chest.

"I get to choose who my friends are. And I'm certainly not choosing him." I breathe out. It was a lie. I want to be his friends, I really do.

It's no secret that I like Jacob. Which is why I'm choosing not to get close to him because in the end, I'll only end up hurting him. I'll only end up leaving him and I can't stand the fact that I might break his heart by doing so.

Which is also why I'm cutting ties with Laura once this project finishes.

Cut off ties, nobody gets hurt. Problem solved.

I don't know why I struggled so much to right this chapter? I'm usually on top of things so I'm sorry for the late update.

I'm currently going through a crisis which I'm not going to go into detail but...

We hit an hour!!! We're officially one hour into the book. ___  more hours to go.

I hope you liked this chapter though! The next one will hopefully be out next Wednesday. WE HIT 1K READS!!!!

-H ⚫️⚪️⚫️⚪️