By the time I was found it was the end of lunch. Gabby found me crumpled on the floor, still crying.
"What's wrong!?" She crashed down next to me.
"I'm so pathetic. He's such an arrogant moron!" I sobbed into her shoulder. "I don't feel good, please take me home..."
* * * *
After checking with the teacher, me and Gabby left for the reception. Coming the other way was Beck. We met each other's eyes. I turned my head away from him, letting him know he'd hurt me. He looked guilty faintly before stalking away to class. Driving home, I was absolutely silent. Gabby didn't need to know; the truth would probably be found out anyway.
I called Nancy. "H-hey. i came home early. I-I'm not well. Don't worry yourself. Love you." I left the message on her machine.
"You'll be okay Hopey?" Gabby asked.
"S-Sure. Just have a nice time at school. I might not be back for a few days, okay? Don't worry about me. I'm fine." She nodded and left. I ran upstairs pulling out my scrapbook. Millions of pictures of Beck, Ted and I were stuck there. Our families were really close. They had been even before Nancy and Dan took me in. I'd grown up with them; maybe that's why we'd been so close. I held up a recent picture of me and Beck. We'd been at the park and there was a massive fair. Teddy was sick that day so it was just me and him. It was only a year ago, when we were fourteen. I was going to rip it up but I was distracted from outside.
A guy, about twenty-five and gorgeous was walking up my drive. I flung the photo down and walked downstairs.
"Hello?" I opened the door.
"Hey!" The guy grinned. "Are you Hope Jacobs?" I nodded.
"I'm Rob. Rob Martinez?" I swear the most confused look crossed my face. "Mrs Jackson's brother?"
"You're Beck's uncle?" Looking like that, duh. i re-focused my thoughts. "Why are you all the way out here?"
"Beck's mother talks you know."
"Oh." My eyes trailed to the road.
"Yeah, so you love my nephew."
"Pfft, not anymore." I invited him in.
"Why? He yelled at me when I tried to apologise for loving him. He mocked me. And I slapped him and then he said goodbye to me."
Rob looked stunned. "Is that why you're home?" I nodded.
"He's a real heartbreaker."
"Cliche much?"
"You're family's full of cliche watchers. Personally, you men in the Jackson family watch too many rom-coms."
Rob laughed. "We do, do we?"
"Yes."
He laughed again. "Beck's right you are funny."
I got up and took out an orange.
"He said a lot of nice things about you."
"Really." I said, not really paying attention, just taking out a knife.
"Like you were; annoyingly correct, sarcastic, too talented," I stabbed the orange,smirking in a did-he-really way, as he said this. "Didn't say anything about being sadistic though."
I glared at him over the marble counter. He laughed. "He also said you were; beautiful, clever, funny, kind, amazing at gymnastics and a delight to be around."
"Yeah. Sure. It sounds more like he's writing my report."
"Yeah. Well there is another explanation. But you already know it right?
"No."
"You do! Anyway...So what you gonna do?"
"Do? Do?"
"Hahhaaa... you said doodoo."
"Shut up." I sighed miserably. "I never wanted it to be like this. I just wanted to move on from him... But I can now, now that he's...No... Wait! He said all that stuff to throw me off the trail!"
"Huh, you didn't really know it then? Aw hell."
"Tell Beck that he's not shaking me off that easy! Now hurry up and get gone! I've got stuff to do, people to satisfy!" I shooed him out the door.
"I thought you wanted to get over hi-!"
"Until then Rob!! Thank you!" I ushered him out the door and headed back upstairs.
* * * *
After I knew school ended I texted Beck.
The text read:
"I know u shook me off u, but it didn't work. C u tomorrow- P.S. I'm not a stalker & i don't hve a diary!"
God, this better work out.