Chapter 6
Chapter Six
KINSLEY
What the hell is happening? When I was pondering how Jax and I have never had a full conversation, I didn't think I was manifesting it into existence. Now, here I am with Jax dropping into the chair across from mine in the cafeteria. Is this my real life? Maybe I’m in some sort of dream.
I reach down and pinch myself. Nope, I’m definitely awake.
"People are staring." I bite into my sandwich.
"I don't give a shit." Yeah, I suppose he doesn't care. Rumors won't penetrate. "Do you?"
"I prefer to be the watcher."
"Interesting." He gives me another one of those sexy half smiles. I want to poke his dimple like the weirdo that I am. Those intrusive thoughts are always poking me. "Let's go then."
"What?" I say with a mouth full of food when he grabs my stuff, leaving me only with my sandwich in my hand. "That's mine."
"Come on, Bunny." I only chase after him because I have no choice.
"Jax!" I call after him.
"Not going to touch the notebooks." He taps my bag, only pausing momentarily.
If people weren't watching us before, they sure are now.
When he gets to the hallway, he slows, but not much.
“You never eat in the cafeteria.” That catches me off guard.
This is similar to his comment about remembering everything related to me.
Is this an angle? Why all of a sudden is he paying attention to me? What is he after?
“Yeah, the media room was locked up.”
“I know. It’s where I went first.”
“You were looking for me?”
“We have a trade to finish.”
“I suppose, but you have to get the information…” I trail off because his handsome face turns devilish but playful. “You got it already?” How the hell?
We not only had our first and second classes together. When we’d left the second to head for lunch, we went in opposite directions. That was not even ten minutes ago.
“I got friends in high places.” That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one.
“You’re sleeping with a teacher,” I deadpan, but then it hits me: What if I’m freaking right? That thought immediately sours my mood. Is that why I’ve never heard of him dating anyone? Jax stops in front of the media room. The door is still closed and locked.
“Not today.” His comment is a joke, I think, but it hits me fucking sideways. “Bunny, I’m not banging a teacher.” He shakes his head, and I swear he has a disappointed expression that I would think that about him.
“Sorry, I was being a smartass.” I shouldn't judge him. I don’t really know him enough to do so.
“As long as you know it’s not true. That’s all that matters.” The door clicks open.
“The hell?” Jax pushes it fully open.
“Hop inside, Bunny.” He motions with his hand for me to enter.
“Did you pick the lock?”
“Are you going to write about it?” I shake my head no. “Then yeah, I picked it.” Of course he did. It’s a reminder of who he is, but still, it’s really badass. I go in, curious what Jax has up his sleeve next.
He shuts the door behind us, clicking the lock back, leaving us utterly alone. Oh, fuck me. “Not smart, Bunny.”
“Jax?” I take a step back. I have this rush of fear, but it’s laced with excitement. What is wrong with me? My parents might be right about me needing to speak to a therapist.
“Please tell me you don’t just go into random rooms with random men you don’t fully know.”
“I have known you for three years,” I respond defensively. “And this isn’t a random room. It’s the media room.”
“Be more careful.” He grabs a chair, dropping down into it.
“Finish your sandwich.” I don’t know what to make of Jax at this moment.
So I do the only thing I can do: I get myself together and take a giant bite of sandwich.
“I got what you asked for.” He leans forward to grab the papers out of his back pocket.
I take the papers from him. “Thought you’d want a physical copy. That’s more your style.”
“No one has ever said I had style,” I joke. “Oh crap,” I mutter when I get peanut butter on the paper. Jax fights a smirk. “I know I’m a mess.”
“Never change, Bunny. Never change.” He kicks his feet up on the chair across from him as I read the papers.
It’s both Alice’s and Celia’s schedules, the combination to their lockers, and so much more.
This is almost too much to process. It’s also a stark reminder of how much power the Marinos have.
“This is not the login to their student emails!” Again, badass but also scary.
“If you have morals that will make you feel guilty about logging into their shit and digging around, I can do it.” He pulls out his phone.
“Oh my God, Jax.” I burst into laughter. How did I get here? “I have morals, just not about people’s emails. They should maybe get notebooks if they’re worried about people reading them.”
“That’s the spirit.” He winks at me. It has everything inside of me freezing, and I’m not fully sure why.
It’s a weird mix of emotions. “Are you okay?” I nod.
“I’m freaking you out, aren’t I?” I lie by shaking my head no.
“Then, giving you the key isn’t too much?
” He holds his hand out, a key in the palm.
“You didn’t pick it?”
“I did. When I came looking for you the first time in here. Found the key in the desk.”
“Kinda like they just gave it to you.” I wrap my hand around the key.
"You're the journalist. If that's how you want to report it."
"You're funnier than I thought you'd be." It’s a pleasant surprise. I’m really not sure how I expected him to be.
"If I am, it definitely comes from my mom. Next time you see her around, you should tell her I said that."
“I didn’t expect you to be funny.” I’ve seen his mom Cosima around. She’s hard to miss with how stunning she is, and she’s usually the loudest at the games. It’s sweet.
How does the crime family show up for their kids, but my Ivy League doctor parents can barely manage to check in? The world is weird.
I glance over the schedules. They're nice to have on hand. It affords me the opportunity to put myself in the right place at the right time if need be.
“What do you know about the new media teacher?” I ask.
“All right, Bunny. I gave, so now it’s your turn. Can’t be going in for a new trade when you haven’t finished that last one.” He gives me a mischievous little grin this time that I feel throughout my body.
Fair point.
“It was really nothing that big, and now that you did all of this, it seems even smaller. You’re going to be disappointed.”
“Out with it,” he orders.
“Or what?” I find myself asking. Jesus, Kinsley, are you really asking that to a Marino?
“You really think you want to know?” His brows rise. Yeah, I’m not sure I’m ready for that either.
“All I was going to say was, when did you get all chatty and start flirting with girls?” I finally finish my sentence from earlier. He doesn’t need to flirt. They’d drop to their knees if he snapped his fingers. “But I stopped myself because you weren’t flirting,” I rush to add.
“I wasn’t?” Jax stands, stepping toward me.
“Jax?” I lick my lips.
“I don’t flirt with girls, Bunny.” Right. “Just you.”
I freeze when his hand comes up. His thumb brushes the side of my mouth. When he pulls it back, I see peanut butter. I watch as he brings it to his mouth, sucking it clean before he strolls right out of the room.
I drop down into the chair Jax was in, pulling out my notebook.
I’ve officially entered the twilight zone.