Chapter 12 Fake Date
After the incident with Brittany in the hallway, the house felt like a pressure cooker. Even though Leo had defended me, I could see him watching me more closely at breakfast. The rumors were starting to spread like wildfire. To fix it, I had to do something drastic. I had to prove I wasn't interested in a hockey player.
"I have a date tonight," I announced at the kitchen table on Wednesday morning.
Leo looked up from his eggs, his eyebrows shooting up. "A date? With who?"
"His name is Simon," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "He’s in my advanced Biology class. He’s pre-med. He’s... very safe."
Jaxson, who was sitting across from me, choked on his water. He coughed, his face turning a dark shade of red, but he didn't look up.
"Simon, huh?" Leo rubbed his chin. "The guy with the glasses and the sweater vests? He seems like a good kid. A bit boring, but good."
"He's not boring," I lied. Simon was the human equivalent of a plain cracker. But he was exactly what I needed to throw everyone off the scent.
"Well," Leo said, looking over at Jaxson. "Since I have to be at the arena for the captain's meeting tonight, Miller can drive you. He can hang out at the cafe nearby to make sure you’re safe. There have been some creeps on campus lately."
Jaxson’s head snapped up. "You want me to watch her on a date?"
"You're her bodyguard, aren't you?" Leo teased, though his eyes were sharp. "Think of it as extra practice in patience, rookie."
The date was at The Daily Grind, a quiet coffee shop with dim lighting and soft jazz music. It was the kind of place where people went to study, not to fall in love.
Simon sat across from me, talking about the different types of bone fractures. He was nice, but I wasn't listening. My eyes kept flickering to the table in the far corner.
Jaxson was sitting there, wearing a dark hoodie pulled low over his face. He had a textbook open in front of him, but he hadn't turned a page in twenty minutes. He looked like a storm cloud ready to burst.
"And that’s why the femur is the hardest bone to break," Simon said, smiling at me. He reached across the table and touched my hand. "Are you okay, Elena? You seem a little distracted."
"I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile. I tried to pull my hand back gently, but Simon held on, trying to be romantic.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Jaxson’s body stiffen. His hand was wrapped around a heavy ceramic mug. His knuckles were white. He looked like he wanted to jump over the table and pull Simon away.
"You have really beautiful eyes," Simon whispered. He leaned in closer. "I’m really glad you asked me out. I thought you were into those hockey guys."
"Why would you think that?" I asked, my heart hammering.
"Just campus talk," Simon shrugged. "But a girl like you needs someone who values the mind, not just someone who hits people for a living."
In the corner, I heard a low, grinding sound. Jaxson’s hand had tightened so hard on the edge of the wooden table that it looked like it might snap. He was staring at Simon with a look of pure, cold hatred.
"Let's go for a walk," I said quickly, wanting to get out of the line of fire. "The air is nice."
"Sure," Simon said. He stood up and put his arm around my waist as we walked toward the door.
I felt Jaxson’s gaze burning into my back. He didn't follow us immediately. He waited exactly ten seconds before he stood up and trailed us into the cool night air.
The campus was quiet. Simon kept talking, but I was hyper-aware of the heavy footsteps behind us. Jaxson wasn't even trying to hide anymore.
He was walking ten feet back, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his shoulders hunched.
"Is someone following us?" Simon asked, looking over his shoulder.
"It's just my brother's friend," I said. "He’s just making sure I get back to the house safe. Ignore him."
We reached the old stone bridge near the lake. Simon stopped and turned to face me. It was supposed to be a perfect moment, but all I could feel was the tension radiating from the shadows nearby.
"Elena," Simon said softly. "I really like you."
He leaned in to kiss me. I froze. I didn't want to kiss him. I wanted to run. But I knew if I didn't, it would look suspicious. I stayed still, closing my eyes.
Suddenly, there was a loud thud.
I opened my eyes to see Jaxson standing right next to us. He had "accidentally" kicked a heavy metal trash can, sending it rolling across the stone path with a deafening noise.
"Oops," Jaxson said. His voice was like gravel. He didn't look sorry at all. He stood there, tall and imposing, his eyes locked onto Simon. "My foot slipped."
Simon backed up, looking intimidated. "Hey, man. We’re in the middle of something here."
"I see that," Jaxson said. He took a step forward, entering the light. He looked terrifying. "But it's past eleven. The Captain told me to have her home by now. Date's over, Professor."
"My name is Simon," the boy squeaked.
"I don't care," Jaxson growled. He looked at me, his eyes full of fire and jealousy. "Elena. Car. Now."
Simon looked at me, then at the giant hockey player. "Is he serious?"
"I should probably go," I said, feeling a mix of relief and guilt. "Leo is really strict about the time."
Simon sighed and started walking toward his dorm, looking defeated. "I'll text you tomorrow, I guess."
"Don't count on it," Jaxson muttered under his breath.
As soon as Simon was out of sight, Jaxson grabbed my arm and pulled me behind a large oak tree. He pressed me against the trunk, his breathing heavy.
"What was that?" I whispered. "You almost broke the table back there!"
"I hated it," Jaxson said, his voice shaking with rage. "I hated the way he touched you. I hated the way he looked at you. I don't care if it's a 'safe' date, Elena. I can't watch another man hold you."
"We had to do it! Brittany spilled and people are talking, Jaxson!"
He leaned in, his face inches from mine. "It’s killing me."
He leaned in, and for a second, I thought he was going to kiss me right there in the middle of campus. But he stopped. He looked over my shoulder, and his face went pale.
I turned around.
Standing on the path was Chloe. She was staring at us in shock.
"I thought Brittany was just being crazy at rehearsals," Chloe said, her voice low with a look of pure disappointment. "But you guys are really doing this. In the middle of the quad?".