The New Girl From London

Trying To Convince

Scarlet's pov

I haven't been sleeping well at night and so I stop sleeping altogether, the last good night of sleep I had gotten was when I had been at Jared's. My sleepless nights are showing up too, dark circles under my eyes and my slipping grades. The nightmares started when I was ten but stopped after having them for several years and then the last time this happened, I had been fifteen. Now at seventeen, we are going through it again.

Jared has been watching me more often and it's making me edgy. Jordan is keeping her distance and every time I'm around mom, well, she tries roping me into a conversation I don't want. 

Somebody shakes my shoulder and I jerk up to see Jared frowning at me. "Seriously, that's like the fifth time you've spaced out on me. What's up?"

He was there during my epic daughter father conversation and I was glad he wasn't asking about it but his constant worrying was grinding on my exhausted nerves. "Nothing. Seriously, just nervous about midterms." Not really, I have always aced those.

"No you're not." He points at my face. "You haven't been sleeping, have you?"

"I've been sleeping just fine." I snap. "Anyway, it's not like it's any of your business."

I grab my math papers and Jared snatches them away. "Fine, if you say your doing fine, come with me and my group to watch a movie at the theater. You haven't been out in a while and you've been missing boxing practices. We have a big match next week and you know that."

I do know that. "I know we have a match but I have stuff to do after school." Liar, lying to Jared wasn't something I like doing but I didn't want to go out.

He grabs my wrist when I try getting up and pulls me back into my seat. "Styx, either come with me to the movies or I'll call your mom when you get home and tell her you were planning on ditching us. Say it was planned or something and she makes you come with me."

I groan and rub at my heavy eyes with the hand he isn't currently pinning down. "You suck, you know that right?"

He smiles, a reckless smile. "Does that mean you're in?"

"I hate you right now. You've got me in a corner." I glare at him. "So what do you think?"

He grins, "It means your coming with us."

I shake my head and try getting my paper from him but he puts it in his binder. "I need to do my work."

He pulls the paper out and skims over it. "Well, none of these are right." He shrugs and puts my paper back in his binder. "So, it's hardly worth continuing."

I tug my hair out and put it back up. I accidentally knock my binder off the desk and Jared jumps. I mutter a curse and try to pick up the binder but my hands are trembling too hard.

I close my eyes and clench my fists until they stop shaking. Jared's watching me again with troubled eyes. "You know you can tell me what's wrong."

I look at him, skeptical. "Aw, does bad boy care about me now?"

Jared's face turns annoyed. "I am your friend. Some us do care."

"Didn't know you were my friend. Just thought I hung out with all of you. I mean I know Willow is my friend."

"That hurt Styx. You think I just hang around you for your charming company?" He shakes his head. "Cause your hardly charming."

I shake my head. "Are you trying to be mean or just telling me that I am an ass?"

He smirks. "Both."

"You mock me Gray. I'm wounded."

"I doubt your wounded, just tired."