There's a Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Jesse's POV)

Jesse's POV (24)

I was over thinking. It happened far too often and it never ended in a good way.

"Well, you're freaking out," Alex said, entering the cabin as I paced around the room. "Why are you always in here? Don't you want to go outside and see Jordan sucking face with Dallas?"

"She's what?"

"I was just kidding, but it was worth the reaction."

Alex laughed, causing me to scoff and roll my eyes. "Sometimes I really regret telling you about Jordan."

"I would've found out anyway. The sexual tension you two have is insane."

I just glared, making him laugh harder. Alex continued talking when he realized I wasn't going to reply to his crude comment. "But I'm serious about the going outside part. You're always in the cabin. It's unhealthy."

"I'm just... thinking," I sighed, sitting down on my bed. "About the prom. I really shouldn't be so worked up over it, but I am. It needs to be absolutely perfect for Jordan. But to make it perfect, I feel like I shouldn't be there."

"Just ask her," Alex shrugged. "And soon, before someone else does."

"That's another thing," I continued. "If I asked her and she said no, I don't think I could handle the rejection. And what about her friends? They don't like me."

"Jesse, you aren't going to get rejected. I can promise you that. I can't promise anything about her friends, though. Most of them tease her about you, anyway."

I knew he was right, but I couldn't stop feeling like I shouldn't be the one taking her to prom. We're on better terms now, but that doesn't mean she cares about me any more than she did before. Jordan and I aren't exactly together, nothing big has happened between us. She could not feel the same way about me, and I didn't want to take the chance.

"How are you and Lexi doing?" I asked, trying to change the subject. At the mention of her name, he smiled broadly. "Have you asked her yet?"

"No," he sighed, sitting on the bed. "I just need to know if she feels the same way about me. Jordan said she talks about me, but we've mostly just flirted and joked around. If she rejects me, I wouldn't know what to do."

"Seems we're in a similar situation," I said with a frown.

Alex returned one. "What if she doesn't accept me because of the gang?"

I shrugged. "That's up to you, I guess. I didn't want to tell Jordan, ever. It just came up and I couldn't avoid it."

"So she knows about your old gang leader who wants to kill you, but she still can't see the undying love you have for her?"

"She's difficult. And she's not exactly the brightest."

"I've noticed," he shot me a smirk, crossing his arms like Jordan always would.

"You are so aggravating," I groaned. "Why did I ever think it would be a good idea to tell you about her?"

"Jess," Alex said. "Again, I would've figured out because of the-"

I cut him off by groaning again, so loud that he was forced to stop talking.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Good job today, kids," Mr. Craven praised as soon as the class was over. Everyone was together with their bikes, waiting for something to happen. AJ mumbled something to Jordan, causing her to giggle. I had to ask her today, I was going to ask her today.

"I need two volunteers to help me clean up." Mr Craven said now, clapping his hands together loudly. "Usually Dallas and I put the bikes away, but since I hurt my back over the weekend and Dallas is out sick, I'm going to need two of you to help me."

No one dared to make a sound. I would've volunteered, but I needed to talk to Jordan as quickly as possible.

"Jesse, Jordan, can you two help clean up?" Usually at this point, I would've groaned. But it was with Jordan, the exact girl I needed to talk to. As long as she gave me the time to ask her, I'm sure I'd be okay. "Jesse, if you could go pick up the few bikes over there by those haystacks and put them in that shed, that would be great."

I obeyed Mr. Craven, turning around and walking over to the dirt bikes sprawled across the ground. They weren't heavy, but it was still a bit of work dragging bikes over to a shed. Jordan was helping with something else, and I just wanted to get this over with so I could ask her.

Alex said she wouldn't reject me. The only reason I had enough courage to ask her was because of Alex's words. If he knew something that I didn't, he wasn't doing a great job of covering it up. Either way, I had to speak to Jordan before it was too late.

As I put away the second last bike, Jordan followed me to the shed.

"So, Emery," I turned around, clapping my hands together. "You done with your work?"

"Yeah," she nodded. And that was it.

Now would've been the perfect time to ask her. Grab her hands or kiss her, and while she's caught off guard, say the question.

Jordan, will you go to prom with me?

"Um, Jordan?" Someone said from behind her, causing the both of us to focus on a junior standing there, fiddling with his hands. His name was Pete, and he looked completely terrified as Jordan and I continued to stare at him.

"Um... yeah?" Jordan asked, sounding unsure of something. Her back was facing me, and I wasn't sure how I was supposed to act in front of them. I was clearly not meant to be involved in this conversation.

"Have you been asked to prom yet?" He asked, cupping his elbow and staring at the ground. Oh, no...

"Um, no. I haven't," Jordan answered, tapping her finger on her hip. She didn't turn around to face me. Why didn't I just ask her sooner?

"Oh, well..." Pete trailed off, and I knew what was coming. How would I be able to interrupt this without making it obvious? "I was j-just wondering i-if you wanted to g-go with me?"

I couldn't see Jordan's facial expression, but I was sure she was staring at him in shock. I wanted to tell her to say no, but she wouldn't turn around to face me, and I couldn't just walk in front of him and ask her myself.

"Um... alright," Jordan said, nodding her head slightly. I felt my heart drop into my stomach, as I just blew my chance of helping her have the perfect prom. "I'd love to go with you."

The junior looked up from the ground and thanked her before scurrying off.

"I'll help you," Jordan offered, finally turning back to me. Her eyes didn't leave the ground as she walked over to me and reached out to grab the handlebar of the bike. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the bike.

Jordan's back was soon pressed against the wall of the shed, as I stood in front of her. It seemed familiar, but I shrugged it off, not wanting any interruptions. She was shocked, but she didn't ask me what I was doing. My lips pressed down on hers as continued to stare at me in shock. Jordan didn't kiss me back for a few moments, but her lips soon moved with mine as her back was still against the haystacks against the shed. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and I placed a hand on her neck as the other one cupped her cheek.

I had to pull away, but we stayed pressed against each other. We were both breathing heavily, but I didn't care. I didn't care about her friends or the rejection or the way people would stare at us if we showed up together. Because in the end, all I wanted was Jordan.

"Go to prom with me, Emery." I had meant to ask her, but it sounded demanding. It didn't matter, in the end, because she shook her head so eagerly, I couldn't stop the smile from growing on my face.