♡ Jessica Woods ♡

I headed towards the principal office and gripped the door knob, arguing with my mind whether to go inside or dashed out of here.

Finally I pushed open the door and noticed Mr.Henderson was looking at the phone and the backside of two boys, who were fidgeting in their seats, were facing me and I didn't need to see their faces to acknowledge who they were.

How many times do I want to embarrass myself in my life?

I tried my best not to show my shaky voice as I asked. "May I come in?"

"Yes please." Mr.Henderson nodded at me, setting down the phone and Jace quickly turned around and glanced at me while Samuel was peeking a glance at me over his shoulder. I tried not to meet their gazes as I slowly approached Mr.Henderson and blinked my eyes continuously as an attempt of holding back my tears.

I can't handle this. Are there anyone who like to switch their lives with mine?

"Have a seat." Mr.Henderson said politely and I pulled the chair that was placed between Jace and Samuel's seats and sat down, resting my hands on my lap.

"Well Ms.Woods," he spoke, leaning forward on his table and I looked up at him biting my lower lip. "You know what's the matter you're involved in, right?" he asked and I nodded.

"Yes or No?"

"Yes sir. But what Sam-"

"Yes. What Mr.Collins has done was beyond the pale and we, the school, took actions for it. You don't need to be worried." he told and I furrowed my brows.

"I didn't get you."

"Well Ms.Woods, Mr.Parker has told me the whole story and Mr.Collins too admitted that the person in the photo wasn't you and he got it from some.. illegal site. And don't expect me to show you the photo because trust me, it's.. dear God!" he shook his head cringing and wiped his forehead with his handkerchief.

He saw the photo too? Was it too unpleasant like everyone said? And everyone believed it was me? Why couldn't I just die instead of facing these stuffs?

I ducked my head down and I could feel Jace was staring at my way but I seriously couldn't be able to look at the person who fought for me, too. Screw my life!

"Three of you are very popular among our school and had a good reputation. To be frank, I really didn't expect Mr.Collins would do such thing like this. Don't you have a sister, kid?"

"I do. I'm sorry." Samuel told flatly and turned his head the other side which made Mr.Henderson huff in annoyance.

"Sorry won't work here and eventhough Jace had a point, you can't beat a guy in the school like this. So you two must be punished." he said sternly and opened some files and started to write something. "Mr.Collins would be suspended from school for a week and Mr.Parker has to bow out of his head prefect post for a week and Mr.Oliver Smith would be replacing his role."

What?? Okay.. Samuel needs to be punished. But Jace? Why on earth has he to be punished for no reason at all?

"No, wait, sir why does Jace have to-" I stopped and looked at Jace when he placed his hand on mine and squeezed it a little. He shook his head slowly at me and looked back at Mr.Henderson.

"With pleasure." Jace said and removed his badge with his other hand while I was staring at him without blinking my eyes as he placed the badge on Mr.Henderson's office desk.

God please tell me that this is all a nightmare.

"Sir, but why does Jac-" Samuel spoke suddenly but Mr.Henderson cut him off.

"You lose your right to say a word Mr.Collins." Mr.Henderson told in a low tone and closed the files and took Jace's badge in his hands. "Alright, you guys can go now and get back to your works."

"My phone?" Samuel nodded his chin at the the phone that was lying on the desk and Mr.Henderson raised his eye brow at him.

"You can get it when your suspension period finishes." he stated while Jace and I was standing from our places.

I guess, Mr.Henderson doesn't know about the huge phone collection of Samuel Collins.

Samuel stood up and rushed outside, without saying anything. Jace too smiled at me faintly before leaving and I was the last one to exit the place.

I needed to go home now and crawled into my bed and wanted to cry till my eyes ache.

When I got outside, Jace was nowhere to be seen but Samuel was leaning on the handrail, rubbing the part below his nose and talking with Ryan. I sniffled and prayed God not to make me cry for at least five minutes and let people know I was a strong person as I approached Samuel and cleared my throat.

He turned around and looked everywhere but me. "Thankyou so much. I think you deserve a standing ovation.." now he glanced at me with a puzzled look on his face while I was forcing out a smile and folding all of my fingers except my longest finger. "..from my middle finger."

When I showed it infront of his face, his jaw clenched but he didn't utter anything so I began, dropping my hand down.

"Look Samuel, you were my crush. In the past tense okay? But still I'd be happy if something makes you happy. Today you're happy. You're happy that you got revenge on me. You're happy that you made everyone believe that I have the grossest body in the world. You're happy that you've beaten up your bestfriend and you're happy that you made your bestfriend lose his badge." I told and the angry-tears were streaming down my cheeks uncontrollably but still I could see the guilty expression on his face through my blurry vision.

"Hey Jessica, look, I'm.. hey, I'm sorry okay." Samuel licked his swollen lips and glanced back at Ryan and he moved forward and hugged me sideway.

"Shall I call Lou?" Ryan asked and I shook my head, stepping closer to Samuel.

"Why did you do this huh? You could've just slapped me back. It wouldn't have hurt as much as I'm feeling now." I whimpered.

"Listen," he licked his lips again and looked down at his shoes. "It's not.. It's not because of the slap thing totally. I made a bet with Josh for hundred quid, one of the twinnies, that I make you lose your virginty."

"Hundred quid? Is my virginty only worth for hundred quid?" I spat, gripping his collars. "You wanted to have sex with me for a bet and if I refused, you couldn't bear it because you wouldn't get that hundred quid yeah? You cheap fella, you have a indoor pool in your house and you buy new racing bike every year on the world motocycle day but still you want to lose my virginity for freaking hundred quid huh? You nasty egoistic asshole." I yelled and loosened my grip when he remained silent and pushed him back.

"Jessica.. I'm really sorry. I didn't want to lose, that's why I showed a fake picture and told everyone that I had sex with you so I could win and take revenge on you at the same time. I know I shouldn't have gone to this for just a bet but who wouldn't?" he sighed, shrugging. "If there's anything I could do to make everything back to normal, I definitely would."

"Would you?" I asked in a low tone and Samuel studied my face a couple of seconds before nodding.

"Would you really do if it could be easily done by you though it wouldn't change everything back to normal totally but it'd prevent future disasters?" I questioned, sniffling and he nodded again.

"Yeah, yeah. Of course. What's it?"

I took a deep breath and right now I felt I was correct. What I had decided was perfectly correct.

"Just leave me in peace."

"Uh- what?" Samuel frowned and glanced at Ryan and I guess, they made some communication through their eyes because Samuel groaned and walked past me, hollering.

"Got it babe!"

Ryan sighed, shaking his head in disbelief and came closer to me. "Hey, why are you crying? You know what, all the guys know that you have a sexy body and tits, including me. Oh, by the way don't say it to Lou that I compliment you like this okay?"

I knew he was trying to make me laugh but I couldn't. I freaking couldn't. Even when I tried to laugh the tears fell down from my eyes and before things could get awkward I sprinted off of there, ignoring his call out.
----

My dad drove me home as I left school earlier, reasoning I wasn't feeling well but if truth be told I didn't have the courage to face Louise and no way in hell I could be anything but an emotional wreck if Louise gave me ride home.

I thanked God that my dad was rushing to drop me at my home as he had so many works to be done and didn't ask me anything other than 'are you okay honey?' for which I only nodded.

When I got home, I dashed into my room and shut my door, sliding against it and cried, covering my mouth with my palms.

Was there any way to kill ourselves but it had to be seemed as natural death or accident for others?

I just wanted to sleep on my bed and not waking up at all. I mean, I wanted to leave the world without any pain. I had enough of pain and I couldn't bear anymore.

"Jessie, are you there?" I heard my mom ask from the other side and I quickly wiped all of my tears and cleared my throat.

"Y-Yeah.. mom." I replied but the doorknob started to twist as she shouted.

"Open the door. What are you doing? Why did you lock the door? Why did you come ear-"

"Mom, I want to be alone. Let me be, please." I shouted back, sniffling and thankfully the telephone started to ring and I heard the footsteps descending downstairs which made me sigh loudly.
----

"Jessie, c'mon, everything will be okay." Alex rubbed my back sitting beside the headboard while I was curling up on my bed, hugging my legs and facing the wall.

It has been forty eight hours since I've encountered the-most-embarrassing- moment-in-my-life. Neither my mom nor my dad knew anything about what happened and I haven't gone school yesterday and today, lying I wasn't feeling any better.

As Alex was being studying in the same school as mine, he got the information from some source and the next thing he did was without Samuel knowing, he shoved him against the locker while everyone was rushing in the locker room to get outside and he ran out of there before he'd get caught.

This is why I feel blessed to have a brother.

I was surprised, was the understatement of the year when Alex announced he knew what was the real reason I was locked up in my room and he got revenge on Samuel for me.

"Jessie.. you look pale." Alex exclaimed suddenly, placing the back of his hand on my forehead and leaned forward to look at my face. "Jessie. You okay? Speak something."

I can't Alex. I'm sorry.

I'm gonna die. I wanna die.

There were tears all over my face but still the tears were running down like never-ending waterfalls.

"I swear to God I would kill that bastard!" I heard Alex curse and get up from the bed. For a few moments, the room was only surrounded with the sound of my breath and my dark thoughts until Alex spoke up.

"Louise?.. oh yeah, it's me.. I finally barged into her room and you need to come here.. that's great." I heard Alex say and with the few words he spoke I got that Louise was coming over here which made me regret for opening the door when Alex begged me to let him in earlier.

A couple of moments later the door opened with a bang which made me open my eyes but I didn't turn around as I couldn't face anyone right now. Or forever.

I want to die. Can someone give me Cola and mentos? ..I'm serious here.

"There you are." Louise huffed and rolled me towards her side. "Jes- Oh My God! What happened to her face?" she glanced back at Alex while I was trying to bury my face in my palms.

"She's crying all the time without a break. I guess mom figured something is wrong with her." Alex informed and Louise groaned, straightening me up.

"Jessica Valentina Woods, the emotional wreck, has to get in her mind properly that she has gained lots of love from that day's incident."

"Lots of pity." I corrected but I didn't think she would've heard it as it barely came out as a whisper.

"You lil bitch- Alex, can you give us a moment.." she looked up at Alex and he shrugged.

"Yeah, sure." and then he looked down at me and sighed before leaving outside and slamming the door behind him.

"Jessica. Sit." Louise ordered while I was trying to stop shivering. When she noticed I wasn't making any move, she sighed and lied beside me pressing her legs against the footboard and stared at the ceiling like I was doing.

"If I were you, you would be attending my funeral by now. Seriously, despite the fact that you're my bestie, I'm really proud of you for being the strongest girl in the world. You deserve the world. You deserve everything. You deserve Jace." she said astonishedly and I shook my head.

"I deserve nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"Come on Jessie," she sat up to face me. "Can't you see how much we're worried about you? I guess, you haven't checked your phone yet. I bet you would've got more than hundred calls and messages."

"Yeah, to suggest me to buy a sharp and cheap razor." I snorted.

"Okay. I totally understood that you can't see Alex's and mine concern. You can't see how Ryan tried to call me continuously to know what happened to you." she paused and frowned at me.

"But.. for the love of God can't you see how much Jace was worried about you? Technically he has lost his badge.. for you. Why should he have to risk all of these things just for you? To make you say you fuckin' deserve nothing? Huh?" Louise almost yelled at me while I was biting my lip not knowing what to say.

She was right. Why did he do that.. for me? Yeah, out of all Louise's, Ryan's, strangers and even Natasha's calls and texts, the only one message I opened was Jace's.

His text read as 'Jessica, hope you're okay eventhough I know you're not.'

He didn't call me or text me continuously unlike other people.

"Here." Louise extended her hand and when I noticed the thing she was extending to me, I wanted to cry again. It was a dark chocolate.

"Why are-"

"Jace told me to give this." she said and I slowly tried to sit up and bit my lip as hard as I could. She held my palm, placing the chocolate and closed the fist.

"You're so taking this eventhough you hate this."

"I freaking love this." I mumbled, smiling a little as it was the symbol or a thing that always reminded me of my first kiss but I was sure she wouldn't have heard me as her phone started to ring loudly. She tucked her hand into her baggy pants and took out her phone and squealed, looking at the screen and then at me.

"It's JACE!"

"Holy shit!" I gasped and when she was about to answer it, I mouthed. "Don't ever mention that I'm with you."

She rolled her eyes and obviously put the speaker on and cleared her throat. "Hello? Jace?"

"Hey, what's up?" he asked a bit quietly and Louise looked at me, giving me a sly smile.

"Good. What about you?"

"Same.." he paused and Louise looked at me and mouthed, smirking. "One.. Two.. Thre-"

"So.. you heard anything about.. Jessica?" I heard he say hesitantly which made Louise fist-pump in the air while I was gaping at the phone.

Did he just inquire about me?

"Well.." she looked at me and tilted her head like 'Shall I say?' for which I denied instantly. "You know, being the drama queen she is, Alex said she's not opening the door for the past two days unless it was time to feed her tummy." she smirked which earned a glare from me as I heard a chuckle on the other line.

"Maybe Alex is lying. We should actually barged in to know whether she was still alive." Jace voiced but I couldn't predict whether his tone was serious or sarcastic though for some strange reason I felt the corner of my lips rising upwards.

"You're being the drama queen now. She's alright-"

"Really?" Jace exclaimed.

"What?"

"Is she really alright? Will she come to school tomorrow?" Jace sounded eagerly and I gulped, gripping the dark chocolate tightly and looking up at the ceiling to stop the tears from falling down.

"I guess so." Louise sighed and Jace replied with an 'oh..' and after some moments of asking about how prefects board was going, he hung up the call.
-----

Finally, I came out of the room almost after two days and I guess it was all because of Louise's motivating speech. Note the sarcasm.

When I came to the dining table Alex was nowhere to be seen and much to my surprise dad was at home, sitting on the kitchen counter while my mom was leaning on the counter, smiling like a teenager.

It was half past four and my dad wouldn't be home until six but it wasn't the problem here. The problem was that now my mom was standing between my dad's legs and wrapping her arms around his neck and probably going to make out without acknowledging my presence and eventhough they were still happy like newly married couple it hurt me that they didn't even care as much as they should. I mean they never cared about me while I really needed them for the past seventeen years.

Without giving a glance towards their direction, I headed outside grabbing my jacket. In no time, I was walking on a path which was surrounded by the huge trees and which was my all-time-favourite place, park.

Finally the fresh air filled my lungs and I felt somehow refreshed as I sat on the empty bench, hugging my arms. Observing the sky, I realized it was going to rain anytime sooner though I didn't try to move an inch because it was a great chance to cry without anyone knowing.

Sooner, the drizzly rain started to pour down so hard which almost hurt but not-so-much than I was feeling now.

I didn't know why but right now all I wanted to punish myself. For being a coward. For love an arrogant bastard. For embarrassing myself multiple times intentionally.

Finally yet importantly, for being Jessica Valentina Woods.

Eventhough the world was so cruel the mother-earth too was crying along with me. Thankyou.

"Are you planning to catch a cold?" a deep voice startled me and the rain pouring on my head literally stopped and I looked up and saw a black coloured umbrella preventing me from rain and then I looked up at the person who was holding it and gasped inaudibly.

"Jace?"

"Yeah?" he smiled and still holding the umbrella, he sat down beside me without taking his gaze off of me.

"Wh-What are you doing here?" I stammered as I was still confused how the hell Jace always would be there for me when I asked God, a shoulder to lean on.

Is he stalking me or something?

He was a bit closer to me as he was sharing his umbrella with me and while he was explaining, his eyes were smiling at me and his shoulders were touching mine slightly.

I noticed he had some bruises on his face and my hands were itching to stroke them.

I owe him an apology.

"Look, she's over there." he interrupted my train of thoughts, pointing at someone and I blinked and looked at where he had pointed. I noticed a backside of a lady-figure who was wearing an orange-coloured raincoat and searching something on the dampened grass, bending down.

"Wow.. Georgia has grown up." I stated, looking at her sudden growth and then looked back at Jace and noticed his brows were knitting up together in confusion.

"You spaced out?"

"Huh?"

"She's not Georgia. She's my grandma." Jace stated and I looked back at the person and wanted to facepalm myself to assume her as Georgia.