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Chapter Four - Laura's POV

My mouth hung open in shock. I was more than surprised, I was - I was flabbergasted. Utterly and completely baffled. How is this possible?

"Laura..." he said softly, looking at me with eyes so similar, yet so different, from my own. "Say something, please."

I just stood there, gaping like a fish out of water as he walked closer. Because what is there to say to a confession like that?

Shaking my head, I desperately tried to think, to retrace the steps that led up to this moment. Some were painful, some were happy, some were weird - but all of them led to this, so they were all important to remember.

So that's what I did as he approached me - I remembered.

**

12 Hours Before "The Confession"

"Lau, you are a genius!" squealed my best friend, Julie. Her and I were both looking in the mirror, admiring the make-over I'd given her. "I love you so, soooo much!"

I laughed, pleased with myself. "Glad you like it. I'd give you a hug, but I don't wanna mess you up."

She giggled, blue eyes bright - not only cause of the slightly glittery eyeshadow that outlined them, but the happiness and excitement that shown through. "You should be a make-up artist when you're older."

I rolled my eyes, rearranging her fallow brown hair one final time. "You know I don't want to do that."

This time Julie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, film director, I remember. The make-up thing could be a side job."

Chuckling, I handed her my purple clutch and gathered my things. "We'll see; right now, Jordan and I are meeting up at the mall."

She took the purse from me with a sly smile. "I knew there was a reason you were dressed up all fancy! How have you two been? I haven't seen Jordan lately."

I haven't either. Instead of voicing my thoughts, I bent down to collect my gray jacket so Julie couldn't see my face and replied, "We're as good as ever." Standing back up, I flashed the smile I'd practiced so much it hardly felt fake anymore. "Well, I better leave to meet him. Hope you have a good time with Evan!"

"Planning to!" she called as I walked out of her room. As soon as the door shut behind me, my smile disappeared, and I quickly walked down the stairs, intent on getting out of this house. But as I was walking to the door, a familiar voice stopped me.

"Hey Laura, wait up," Shane said from the living room. I reluctantly dragged my feet back, feeling anxious.

"What's up?"

He stood from the couch and walked over to me, hazel eyes soft. "I just wanted to know how things are going with you and Jordan."

The question caught me off guard, so my eyes narrowed before I could help myself. "We're fine. Why are you asking?"

Running a hand through his hair, he shrugged his broad shoulders at me. "No need to get so defensive. Can't I know how my best friend is doing?"

I turned around and said in a voice filled with steel, "If you wanna know, then ask him."

And before he replied, I was already gone.

**

11 Hours Before "The Confession"

Checking my watch, I cursed silently to myself. Damn, two minutes late. Walking fast, I checked my Android while maneuvering through the crowd. I'd learned months ago that if I was late, then Jordan wouldn't wait up. One of the reasons I hadn't seen him outside of school in three and a half weeks.

From: <3 Jordan <3

ur l8, & im busy

My heart sank, and I closed my eyes briefly against the familiar prick of tears. I will not cry over him anymore. I will not cry.

"Hey watch it, lady!" Suddenly, a beefy body roughly shoved me aside, making me stumble and fall to the ground. A sudden pain shot up through my ankle, and I held it tightly as the guy who crashed into me walked off.

People passed by me, no one lending a hand to help. After breathing deeply for a few moments, I managed to climb to my feet, grabbing my phone that lay a few feet away. Hobbling forwards, I sent a quick text to Jordan.

To: <3 Jordan <3

omw - wait 4 me, plz

I arrived at Starbucks a few minutes later, still limping badly. I looked around, desperate to spot a head of bronze hair (A/N: again, I know it's not the real color, but couldn't find it mentioned in MWL). Finally, I spotted Jordan in one of the empty booths, chugging a latte and looking at his watch.

I painfully made my way to him, and he looked up at me, irritation evident in his brown eyes. "Why the hell are you so late?"

Wincing, I sat down, and his face softened as he noticed my swollen ankle. In a much gentler tone he asked, "What happened, Lau?"

Hearing my nickname come from his lips after so long almost made me cry, but I held it in as I said through gritted teeth, "Ran into a guy and fell down. Think I twisted my ankle."

Rubbing his hand gently over my knee under the table, Jordan pushed a cup towards me, flashing me his radiant grin. "Maybe this will cheer you up - got your favorite coffee."

I was finally able to smile. My boyfriend was acting like the sweet guy I'd first started dating, not the distant one I had become accustomed to. "A salted caramel hot chocolate?"

"With extra whipped cream," he added, laughing as I eagerly took a sip. "You're welcome."

Leaning forward, I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I love you."

For a second I thought I saw a spasm of pain flash across him. But he merely stroked my cheek and said, "Love you too, Lau. So why'd you wanna see me?"

A frown formed before I could mask it. "I need a reason to see you?"

Jordan sighed, leaning away from me. "Of course not, Lau. Just thought there'd be one, that's all."

I took a slow sip, thinking how to reply. Finally, I said softly, "It just that lately me and you haven't seemed so...close. I missed you."

He ran a wide freckled hand through his hair, a nervous gesture I knew well. "I've been busy, Laura," he replied defensively. "You know, preparing my art portfolio for the AP exam and checking out colleges?"

"I know." Guilt struck through me. Since when had I started feeling bad for seeing my own boyfriend? Trying for a joke, I continued, "It's just me being selfish and monopolizing your time."

It worked, and Jordan laughed, leaning back towards me as he whispered seductively, "I'll definitely have time for you tonight. Wanna swing by my house around 11?"

I blushed; Jordan and I had decided to start sleeping together once we'd been dating for three months. It wasn't as long a wait as Julie and Evan's six month anniversary thing, but then again, Jules wasn't dating a past-player. "I wish I could, but there'll be no one to watch my little brother." (A/N: yes, Laura may/may not have a brother, but I decided to add it - creative lincense ;D)

His brow furrowed, and I grabbed his hand, not wanting him to be mad. "But we have now, right?"

He checked his phone. "Actually, wrong. My mom wants me to help her with something." Standing abruptly, he begin to walk off without another word while I stared on in shock. Before he'd gotten far, Jordan looked back and eyed my ankle. "Do you need help getting anywhere?"

I shook my head, not wanting to waste his time. Nodding, he smiled briefly before leaving Starbucks. At least he offered before abandoning me, my internal voice snarked, making me angrier than I'd been before. Was Jordan really blowing me off since we couldn't have sex? Why would he do that?

Trying to see from his point of view, I could admit that maybe he'd gotten a bit frustrated since he had been a player before, plus the fact that it been almost a month since we'd done it. So maybe I had seemed like I was blowing him off. Squeezing my eyes shut, I folded my head in my hands.

I hated second guessing myself like this. I usually didn't; I was well known for my bluntness, being direct in my opinions. But lately, I had been a lot more closed off, not wanting to upset others - not wanting to upset Jordan. Brushing back my long hair, I steeled myself and grabbed my phone. No more moping, Lau. It's time to leave this place.

Hesitating, I considered my options for transportation. With a busted ankle that was hurting even worse now, I knew I'd barely make it to the door before collapsing. But though I was more social since I had start dating Jordan and had collected many friends, I wasn't close to most of them. My boyfriend was obviously not an option; Julie was out on her romantic date with Evan. That left one other person I trusted to help me.

Pressing #3, I speed-dialed my other best friend. It rang twice before he picked up, voice sleepy even at a quarter till one in the afternoon. "Lau? What's up?"

"Jay-jay, I need you."

I heard rustling and feet thudding before he replied, "On my way - just tell me where."

**

9 Hours Before "The Confession"

"So you mean to tell me he just left you there?" Jason asked in disbelief. I nodded, and his forest green eyes, shades darker than my own, stared at me as we waited at a red light. It'd begun to rain, and the gently pounding sound calmed me. "What kind of asshole does that?"

I frowned at him as we inched our way a bit further. We'd been on the road for an hour, and Jason was still annoyed about what Jordan had done. "That so-called 'asshole' is my boyfriend, Jay."

"That's my point," he complained. "He's supposed to take care of you."

Softening at the worry in his tone, I squeezed his arm and joked, "Lucky I have you for that, right?"

Jason stared at me in a way that seemed different than before, and made a weird tingle run down my spine. Turning away, I told him, "Green light." The drive continued in silence for the most part; to fill the quiet, I turned on the radio, and one of Katy Perry's older songs "Hot n Cold" came on. Instead of singing along as I normally did, I sat quietly, listening to the lyrics.

You're wrong when it's right

It's black and it's white

We fight, we break up

We kiss, we make up

My thoughts turned to Jordan, and how lately he was the guy Katy sang about. He'd grown moodier, getting mad at me being a minute late, then being sweet enough to remember by favorite coffee. It'd gotten so bad that I'd began worrying obsessively over every little thing I did. Was this shirt the wrong color? Should I make this joke? Would he mind if I asked for this?

We used to be

Just like twins, so in sync

The same energy

Now's a dead battery

Pressing my face up against the glass, I welcomed the numbness that seeped through my cheek, wishing it would numb my brain, too. It wasn't like me to second guess myself this much, and though I held a severe dislike for doing so, I couldn't seem to stop. It made me sad that I was so insecure - no, it was more than sad. It made me angry; at myself, at my boyfriend, at us.

Softly, I finally began to sing along, the verses making my voice crack a bit as I thought of Jordan. "You. You don't really want to stay, no. You. But you don't really want to go-o."

A warm tan hand grabbed mine, and Jason began to sing in a warbling soprano, "You're hot then you're cold. You're yes then you're no."

I smiled a bit and continued, "You're in then you're out. You're up then you're down."

"Someone call the doctor!" he yelled, twisting his face into a grimace of pain as he clutched his chest. "Got a case of love bi-polar!"

That made me giggle, and we continued to exchange verses, belting out the rest of the song and using ridiculous body language to express the lyrics. And as we both laughed at our crazy antics, neither of us commented on the one tear that had run down my face onto the window when I'd first started singing. It just seemed to merge with the droplets of rain, each one coming together until the weight grew to heavy to bear.

And though they wanted to stay, they all had to go sliding down the glass.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alright, this chapter was sad. I mean, it was sad to write, sad to read, sad to...to...it was just plain sad. And that's really all I have to say on this matter.

Anyways, the next chapter will be Jason! What's happened with him and Helen? We shall find out! And Laura's story doesn't end here - the next chapter will also hold "The Confession" - cue dramatic music.

Try not to die of anxiety until then! ;)

- Nikkisha16