Page 23 of Learning to Love

"Well, he deserved just what he got. Jake's eyes got so big when the Alfredo fell on top of his head."

"Dear Lord! I cannot. Jake will never speak to me again, but I regret nothing. And I'm never getting my bag back from him either. It had my favorite makeup in there! I'm so embarrassed. Maybe he'll throw the whole bag away! Or he can burn it. I wouldn't even be mad! Like we have reached the point of no return."

Her tear-stained face lights up with a bright smile. "I've never had a friend stick up for me like that. Anybody else would have chosen them because of who they are. Thank you!"

"I told you, Sisters, before Misters, and I meant just that. He was in the wrong, and I couldn't let him talk to you that way. We'll have to change our class schedule now. I'm so not going tomorrow! I've never played hooky before, but there's a first time for everything. A lot of firsts are happening lately."

"Yes! And to think, I decided to take that class because of you and Dallas being in there! Do I have "stupid" tattooed on my forehead?"

"Let me see...Nah! Must have washed off!"

She shoves my arm and laughs. "We'll change classes first thing in the morning. And then we can play hooky for the rest of the day! I see ice cream in our futures."

"Sounds like a plan." I hug her close. "Will you be okay?"

"In time. I'll fake it until I make it."

"That's what my Granny says is the best way to get over someone. That and jumping on the first train to meet the next fellow."

"I can't wait to meet Granny Betsy Jean! Goodnight, Dani." She laughs.

"She's going to love you. They both will. Goodnight, Sasha."

I give her one last hug, and then I walk into my room and shut my door. I jump in the shower again, and the tears freely fall. I need to get them out. It's all a part of the healing process or so I've always been told. I can handle this. I'll just have to avoid football and anything Fearless Five-related. I probably should have went to UGA.

I frown because I'll never get to experience the Sex Kings "loving." That's probably for the best. He would have broken my heart, and I would have gladly let him. I wipe my final tears away and jump out of the shower. I towel dry and then brush my hair. I wrap a clean towel around me and walk out totally ready for bed. Drama can be extremely exhausting.

I stop dead in my tracks when I see The Jake Ryan sitting on my bed in all his Sex King glory. He stands up and briskly walks over to me, hugging me fiercely. "I'm sorry, I should have taken you guys home. I was just so pissed at Dallas. I'm not going to take up for him, but he didn't mean what he said. He's explaining that to Sasha now. I think he's half in love with her. Will you please forgive me?"

I stare at him completely dumbfounded. I thought I'd never see him again. He's asking for my forgiveness and apologizing to me instead. He lets me go and starts to walk out of the room. I have to start running to catch up with him because his dang long legs are way faster than my short stubby ones.

I grab his elbow. "Of course, I forgive you. Will you please forgive me for the part I played in wrecking your wonderful dinner?"

He sighs in relief. "Dallas was the one being a jealous ass. I could never get mad at you anyway."

I bury my face in his chest. His heart is racing almost as fast as mine is. "I need to check on Sasha." I walk past him down the hallway and stop abruptly. Dallas and Sasha are making out hard on our couch.

I look up at him, and we walk fast back to my room. We bust out laughing as soon as we are out of earshot from the lovebirds. "It's about time!"

He nods. "Dallas is a good guy. He just needs a swift kick in the ass sometimes. He had his heart broken two years ago. He was seeing this girl, and he found out he was the side piece. He hasn't been able to trust anyone since."

"Thank you for telling me. I still don't like what he did, but that does help me understand his actions. Sasha's a good girl, Jake. She would never intentionally hurt him. I think they look so cute together."

He smiles at me. I can tell he’s trying hard to be respectful. I have become fully aware of my scantily clad attire. I'm in a freaking towel and I know I need to change. I grab some cute pj's out of my dresser and hurry back to the bathroom to change. When I come back fully dressed, Jake is lying on my bed with nothing but shorts on his body. Gone are his shirt and shoes. "You promised me a sleepover. I was going to beg you to come back to my house, but being as our two best friends are doing only God knows what in the living room. I'm staying here with you. Cool?"

"I bet you say that to all the girls." I laugh nervously.

"Never had a sleepover before. I'm kind of excited about it, actually."

"That makes two of us."

"Good. I'm not a Saint, Dani, and I don't claim to be. But your innocence drives me crazy. I'm like a moth driven towards the proverbial flame."

I love it when he calls me Georgia because it reminds me of our first meeting and my home but hearing him call me by my real name has made me weak in the knees. "If I wasn't so inexperienced, would you still want to be here with me?"

He thinks for a minute, mulling over his answer. I like that he's so methodical when it counts. "Without a shadow of a doubt, yes. I'd find something else about you to become obsessed over. I don't know what it is about you. You're just different."

He really knows how to answer a girl and make her heartbeat right out of her chest. "A good kind of different? And I know we aren't putting a label on whatever this is, but are we exclusive?"