Forbidden Love

7

Jaxon

I roll my eyes and look away. Since Luna Stone agreed so easily with Ms. Jacobs about me needing a tutor, I won't let her off that easily. In the past couple of hours, I've come to terms with the fact that she'll be helping me with school. I sort of need it even if I would never say it out loud. I can't lose football, so I'll have to endure Luna for a few days.

It's only a few days, right? I hope so. I don't know how tutoring works. The only thing I know for sure is that Corey Stone will suffer while I'm with his sister and that alone makes me happy.

"Oh, Paxton mentioned you wanted to see my dad, but he isn't in today." Isaac tells me as he grabs a spoonful of mashed potatoes. "He had to take my sister to a doctor's appointment or something like that." Great. Coach isn't even here. And on the first day back too.

Julia stops me from responding. "The pretty one has arrived." She says as she squishes in between me and Paxton. Her hair hits my face and I scoot a couple of inches away. Maddi takes a seat on the other side of me, and Britney sits next to her.

I watched Julia when she was talking to her twin brother. Sebastian was always cool, we never really hung out but whenever I'd stay the night at Julia's he'd play a game or two with us.

She looked nervous when she was talking to him over there. I don't think anyone noticed the way she was tapping her fingers against her tray of food. She does that when she's on edge. Luna looked annoyed too, so whatever Julia said obviously upset her. I vaguely remember Julia babbling about how she didn't like Luna whenever I'd talk about what happened with Stone that day. It was over a year ago and I barely listened to her, so I'm not a hundred percent sure.

"Bold of you to assume you're the pretty one." Paxton teases Julia bringing me back to reality. He's met by a laugh from her.

Julia, Maddi, and Britney start going on about homecoming which is still a month and a half away. Julia keeps glancing at me like I'm going to take her. I swear I just got back yesterday. All I want to do is breathe yet everyone is treating me like I never even left. I don't know how I feel about it.

"Paxton, who are you taking?" Britney asks, her long eyelashes fluttering at him. Maddi and I laugh under our breath at Britney's attempt.

"Do I need to choose just one?"

Sitting next to Britney, Mason shakes his head. "Just pick a random girl. Not like you'll have any trouble."

Paxton smiles. "You're right Mas, maybe I'll take Maddi. I don't think we've had a proper date yet."

Britney pouts and Mason narrows his eyes. "I didn't mean my cousin." He reaches across Isaac and punches Paxton in the arm.

"Back to what really matters." Julia says just as Paxton dodges another hit from Mason. "Jaxon," She turns to me. "Who are you taking?"

"I don't want to go."

She gasps. "But it's your senior homecoming."

"She's right," Maddi nudges me. "We've been talking about it since freshmen year." I give her a dry look.

"You have to go." Isaac adds in.

"It's tradition, bro, and we don't break tradition." Paxton says next.

I scoff. "There's no tradition."

"Come on, you can take Julia." Britney smiles.

Julia looks satisfied with Britney so she says, "And Paxton can take Britney."

"You know I love you, Brit." Paxton winks. "But I'm thinking about going solo. If I don't bring a girl, that means I can have more than one at the dance. There's gonna be a ton of loners."

I roll my eyes. He doesn't even try to hide the fact that he's a player.

"Wow, tell them how you really feel." Julia scratches her neck and tries to lighten Britney's sudden foul mood with a laugh.

Paxton sighs. "I'm eating lunch at Ty's next time. I bet I won't get hounded over there about homecoming."

"It's okay, Brit, I'll take you. I have no one to go with either." Isaac says with a smile.

She gives him a look. "And be a pity date? No thanks."

His jaw drops. "Did you just reject me?"

"Consider it a nice rejection."

"No such thing."

While everyone listens to Isaac and Britney bicker over rejection, Maddi looks over at me.

"You should think about going." She lowers her voice before adding, "Even if it's alone."

I grin. "Don't let Julia hear you."

"She just missed you." Maddi glances over at Julia before glancing at everyone else. "We all did."

They missed me so much that they texted in our group chat constantly when I left. It's the same one they use today. I had to sit in Canada listening to them make plans to eat lunch together or go shopping. I wasn't jealous that I couldn't be there—I chose to leave after all—but I did feel like I was missing out some days. And that just got me even angrier than I already was. I left the group so many times, but they added me back in every single time.

I chug a large portion of my soda while the table continues talking about whatever it is the subject changed to in the last five minutes. My eyes land across the lunchroom back to Luna. She throws her head back and laughs at whatever someone said. She points to Joseph and her hands move as she talks. I try piecing together what she's saying but I'm not a lip reader. Her head flies back again and I smirk at how childish she looks doing that. Her brother, Joseph, catches my eye.

My smirk disappears and I look away.