Suddenly Chapter 13

A Chapter by LizzySilverthorn

Matty’s POV
The first day back at school, I had a panic attack in seventh period. I had to sit in the nurse's office, rocking back and forth, until there was an announcement for Jensen to go join me. He drove me straight to Jared’s place after that. He stressed the fact that after the next day, we wouldn't be able to hide out there anymore, as Jared’s parents would be home to kick us out. I found myself dreading having nowhere to go.
Even with the anxiety from the day before, I forced myself to grow a set and go the next morning.
Jensen once again held my hand and glared at anyone who decided that we were a perfect gossiping topic.
The first four periods were pretty uneventful, so I was looking forward to the heaven that was lunch. Jensen found me immediately and smirked down at me, his arms wrapping around my waist.
“How's my princess doing?” he whispered, leaning in to peck the tip of my nose.
I giggled. “I'm fine. How's my knight?”
He leaned down again to press his lips to mine. But we were cut short by someone tackling us from the side. My heart skipped a beat, but I was relieved to find that it was just Jared, cackling wildly with a frowning Gen behind him.
“Dude!” J protested loudly.
“You're the one that said you’d work on the PDA,” Jared retorted, his arm snaking around Gen's waist. She rolled her eyes.
A force hit me from the side, sprawling across me on the floor. I nearly had a f*****g heart attack, memories flashing through my head. But as I looked up, I breathed out a sigh of relief.
Misha laughed down at me from where he was caging me to the floor. “Hey, Jensen, trade?”
J had his arms crossed and he was all but glaring down at the smirking Misha. “Get off my girlfriend,” he growled.
Misha rolled his eyes. “Such a grump you’ve got,” he grumbled before leaning down, licking the tip of my nose, and rolling off, straight into his feet.
I rubbed at my nose as he started laughing. “Ew! Dude!” Jensen helped me up just as Adrian jumped on Misha’s back, making him yelp in surprise.
I grasped Jensen’s hand in mine to calm him down. “So, thinking about trading me out, huh? Am I just too fabulous for you?” Adrian pouted. I bit my lip to force the corners of my mouth down. Jared and Jensen let their laughter spill, while Gen and I exchanged amused eye rolls.
A pang of discomfort flowed through me, and I found myself cursing the female anatomy. After all that I've been through, my period just keeps coming. “Can we please sit down? My vagina is kind of spasming right now.”
They all turned to blink dazedly at me before Adrian burst out laughing. I squirmed as the rest of them joined in.
Our usual lunch table was downright disgusting from the previous lunch, so we made the wordless decision to move over to a table over.
If I'd known how loud it was, I honestly would've picked the nasty table. Everyone seemed to be shouting. Needless insults and rambunctious laughter attacked my sensitive ears. I shifted a bit in my seat, feeling out of place.
As I leaned in to talk to Jensen, something hit my shoulder. Hard. I cried out, immediately bringing my hand up to message the now-aching muscles. Apparently, I had grabbed J’s attention. His eye caught my pained expression.
“What happened? What's wrong?”
I winced and rolled my shoulder. “Someone just hit me in the shoulder blade with something. I'm fine, really,” I insisted quietly. But Jensen was having none of it. He saw something on the floor and stood, his face set.
“Who the f**k threw the apple at my girlfriend?!” he roared above the noise. The eyes all flashed to him, then to me, sitting by his side. I felt an embarrassed flush come to my cheeks as the lunchroom started to hush more.
I tugged at J’s sleeve. “Sit down. I'm okay.”
But he stubbornly shook his head. I tried again, desperation meeting my voice as he drew more and more attention. “Jensen, c’mon, please.”
He made eye contact, and I instantly pinpointed the exact moment when he realized what he was doing. He grasped my arm lightly and led me out of the cafeteria. Whispers trailed after us, making me squirm in discomfort.
As soon as we were out of eyesight, Jensen cupped my face in his hands. “I'm sorry, baby girl. I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that. You okay?”
I licked my bottom lip before drawing it in with my teeth. I nodded, but it wasn't wholeheartedly. He sighed and pulled my head towards his chest, wrapping his arms around me tightly.
“I'm really sorry, Matty,” he whispered to my hair.
I found myself sinking into his embrace. “‘S okay,” I murmured back, fully meaning it this time.
I pulled away slightly to look up into his eyes. He smirked down at me and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. As he pulled away, I found he was wearing a s**t-eating grin. “So, Jared isn’t here to stop us…” He trailed off, biting his lip and managing to look mischievous all at once. I snorted, but grabbed the back of his head to pull him to my level and hold him there as our lips moved together.
A tap came at my shoulder, making me jump slightly. Jensen leaned back to tilt his head to the newcomer.
“Hey, Felicia. How’re you?” J asked politely, but I could tell that all he wanted was time with me by the way his arms tightened impatiently around my waist. I glanced at Felicia, only to narrow my eyes.
She looked different. Really different. She was squinting and from what I could see of her eyes, they seemed to be bloodshot. She was radiating this strange smell and the first words out of her mouth were, “D’you have any strong gum?”
I brushed off the curious Jensen. “Felicia, are you… are you high?”
She froze. “Uh… No?” I rode my eyebrows and she sighed. “Yeah.”
My heart sank in my chest. I never thought that any of my friends would turn to drugs, even in the slightest amount. Yet, here was Felicia, high as ever.
Nevertheless, I broke away from Jensen to grab her arm. “Gen has gum. Could you go get it?”
He gave me a pleading look. “But-” I glared at him. He shifted a bit before scratching the back of his neck. “I'll be right back.” And then he dashed into the cafeteria.
I turned to Felicia, who was rubbing at her eyes and yawning. “What the hell were you thinking?” I snapped quietly, voice more sad than angry. She froze in mid-rub.
“The girl was super cute and she offered me pot and I just… I took too much and I didn't realize it and I'M SORRY!”
My hand clamped over her mouth. “Keep it down! There are police officers in this school! I don't need you in trouble.”
I jumped slightly as Jensen seemed to pop up out of nowhere, sheepishly holding out a piece of gum. I snatched it and shoved it into Felicia’s hands.
“Go into the bathroom and spray this all over you,” I whispered, handing her my favorite perfume. She took it, nodded with semi-wide eyes, and hurried off toward the bathroom.
Jensen wrapped his arms around me from behind. I leaned back into his chest, sighing. “You're such a good friend,” he murmured into my hair. “But I want you all to myself.” I felt him kiss the crown of my head.
A smile flitted across my face. I loved how Jensen always made me feel wanted.
Someone cleared their throat and I jumped slightly. Again. Damn paranoia.
“Okay, what do I do now?” It was Felicia, clutching at my perfume bottle like it was her lifeline.
I grasped her wrist and tugged her along after me as I slunk back into the cafeteria. Jensen followed, an amused look on his face as I attempted to hide Felicia’s form from the students. I stuck my tongue out at him and he shrugged, laughter dancing in his eyes.
The rest of that lunch was interesting. Felicia apologized over and over again, and the table got a kick out of that. We were still at the loud table, but I couldn’t find it in myself to care as the girls burst into giggles when Jared made a joke about size. Jensen had pouted and nuzzled his face into my collarbone. Misha looked down at his crotch and winked at Adrian. She immediately started to blush. Gen deftly smacked Misha’s head, snapping, “You moron! Scared the poor girl half to death!”
I couldn’t help but notice that things seemed to be looking up. I had my friends-no, family- backing me up and loving me. I grinned at Jensen’s embrace tightening as Misha made yet another sexual joke. Things were looking up, all right. Let’s just hope I’m not jinxing it.

It was right after school. The gang was gathered at Gen’s house, playing a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven.
Disclaimer: it totally wasn’t my idea. In fact, I was hesitant. J went to bat for me, but Adrian finally talked me into it. I know, I wasn’t expecting it either. But by the way she was looking at Misha, there was a method to her madness.
We all learned quite recently that Misha and Adrian didn’t use PDA all that much. Sure, an occasional peck or holding of hands or hugging, but I knew Adrian. I was well aware that all she wanted was for Misha to push her up against a wall and snog the living crap out of her.
I never wanted to know that, by the way.
The guys told us to leave the room and, when we returned, there was a paper bag, supposedly with three items in it.
After being assured about a thousand times that there wasn’t a set rat trap in it, Adrian cautiously stuck her hand in. She dug around for a few seconds, lip caught between teeth in concentration, before pulling out Misha’s beanie. A blush coated her cheeks as he pulled her up and away. Feeling cheeky, I yelled after them, “Don’t forget to use protection, kids!” Adrian couldn’t even glare as Misha let out a low chuckle and led her into the room slowly..
Gen set the timer for seven minutes and we chatted as we tried not to think about what the two were doing behind that closed door. In the middle of a serious conversation about Neville Longbottom’s progressive hotness in the Harry Potter films, the beeping started. Jared leaped for it and turned it off before the two heard it.
He pressed a finger to his lips and, chuckling quietly to himself, grabbed his phone. Disapproval edged its way into my mind, but I deftly ignored it as Jared sprung the door open.
Two tangled bodies tumbled out onto the floor and Jared raised his phone, taking a picture as all of us started cackling.
Adrian was trapped under Misha’s body, her arms wrapped around his neck. Their hair was askew, and his hands were up her shirt. Both of their cheeks started to burn as the laughter turned rambunctious. Misha shook off his embarrassment and smirked down at her. “I’ll finish with you later,” he said smugly. Jared clapped him on the back and gave him a hand up, and then they were wrestling, Misha reaching desperately for Jared’s phone. Jared, of course, couldn’t stop laughing. “It’s already on Snapchat!” he yelled out.
Misha swore and scrambled to his feet. “D****t, Jared,” he mumbled under his breath.
I jumped slightly as Jensen’s arm encircled my waist. He nuzzled his face into my shoulder gently. “Your turn next, baby girl.” I could feel his smile against my skin.
We all slowly congregated around the bag again, naturally going with our partners.
Honestly, I’d never been more terrified in my life. Time alone with Jensen I’d had plenty of. Time alone with Jensen in a room while we were supposed to be making out? That’s what I was deadly horrified of.
J’s hand was suddenly on my shoulder, rubbing comforting circles. “You don’t have to, baby girl.”
I swallowed thickly and glanced up at the others. They were all staring at me with pity.
That snapped me out of it pretty fast.
“I’m fine,” I said coldly. I plunged my hand into the bag, digging around. I grabbed the first thing that my fingers brushed against, too pissed off to think it through. As I withdrew my hand, however, Gen gasped.
It was a wallet.
Jared’s wallet.
My throat closed up. We’d all assumed that we would be with our partner. My eyes grew wide and trailed to Jensen. He looked about 10x worse than me, but for a different reason.
J looked absolutely livid. His nostrils flared and his fists were clenched. A muscle in his jaw jumped.
“Go,” he said under his breath. It shocked me that he was keeping so calm under the circumstances.
I stood quickly and grabbed Jared’s wrist, awkwardly tugging him into the room and closing the door.
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, and then Jared pulled my face up and pressed my lips to his.
A small squeak passed from my mouth as my eyes got even bigger and my heart stopped. I shoved him away as quickly as I possibly could.
“The-?”
Jared clamped his hand over my mouth. Panic immediately flooded my system. My breathing came heavier as he shushed me and started to slowly back us up. Memories played in a cycle in my head, and I felt tears spring to my eyes.
I thought I could trust Jared.
His lips were suddenly right by my ear. I jerked away, but his whispered words stopped me from biting his hand.
“Calm down. We need to kiss, remember? It's one of the rules. I didn't mean to make you freak out. Now, I'm gonna take away my hand. Don't scream, or Jensen’ll come in here looking to rip my throat out.”
I nodded, relief flooding every inch of my body.
He let go and I instantly turned, leaping into his arms. Though surprised, he hugged me back, whispering reassuring words in my ear as I completely broke down.
Finally, he murmured, “I'm sorry. It was stupid to spring that on you like that.”
I sniffled into his shirt. “It's okay. It was all part of the game, right?” We shared another smile just as the door opened and the camera went off.
Someone was pulling me roughly out of the room, then, and I found myself trapped in an embrace. “Jared, the hell did you do, man?!” J growled as he caught sight of my wet cheeks and puffy, red eyes.
Jared stuttered and Jensen glared at him, breaking away from me. He looked ready to fight.
I immediately grabbed his arm, tugging him back.
“Jensen, calm down. I’m fine, really.”
His eyes softened and he sighed. “C’mon, we're going. See you later, Jare.”
They didn't bro hug as they usually did. Jared nodded at Jensen, but he was already rushing me out the door. I waved back, sniffling. Gen sent me an understanding look, Jared an apologetic one, and Misha and Adrian both looked prepared to step in.
We made our way to his truck in silence.
Finally, he raked a hand through his hair and sighed. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I didn’t think that we would have anything to worry about while hanging with friends, you know?”
I smiled softly up at him and cupped his cheek. “Jared did nothing wrong back there. I want you to know that.”
Jensen sighed deeply and nodded, opening the passenger door for me. “Mi’lady,” he smirked.
I scoffed and grabbed his outstretched hand, allowing him to help me into the seat. “You dork!” I laughed as he ran around the front of his car to pop into the driver’s seat.
That damn smirk was back on his face again as he sat there, gleaming at me. I shifted, unsettled by his insistent gaze. “What? Do I have something on my face?” I fretted self-consciously, rubbing the sleeve of my-no, Jensen’s-flannel along my mouth. A deep chuckle filled the space and then Jensen had slid close to me, gently pulling my wrist away from my face.
“Have I ever mentioned to you how breathtakingly gorgeous you are?”
I felt the redness rise to my cheeks, and it only darkened as Jensen let out a small laugh. “Quit it, Jensen. You’re making me blush.”
“I noticed.”
“... Shut up.”
Jensen’s fingers danced along the sides of my face as he slowly turned me to face him. His lips were then on mine, pressing comfortingly against mine. We stayed like that for a good twenty seconds before a yell met my ears.
We turned in unison to see Jared opening the window for the other three, who were making kissy faces at us. And then Misha did what Misha does.
He took it one step too far.
“Would you two get a room already so we didn’t have to watch you making out 24/7?”
I groaned and buried my head in Jensen’s shoulder. “F**k off, Collins!” he shouted back, earning a laugh from the group.
The hum of the engine broke them off short. We drove away just as Adrian squealed. I looked into the rearview mirror and giggled.
Misha had climbed through the window, and he had Adrian on his shoulders. Upside down.
He was facing away from me, his hands holding Adrian’s calves in place on his shoulders. And she was flipping us off happily.
“Hey, I’ve got football practice in half an hour. Wanna come and cheer me on?”
I snorted. “Dude, I love you, but I’m not a cheerleader. I’m not dressing in s****y clothes for you, and nor am I shouting random nonsense.”
We shared a surprised look at my pompous response, then burst out into laughter.
“Just having you there is support enough,” J stated, his face still red from laughing.
Our plans were a bit jumbled, but we ended up stopping in at a small cafe called Toni’s. We laughed and talked over a black coffee and a mocha with a holy hell lotta whipped cream on top.
You can probably guess who’s was who’s.
“So… you are amazing with showing your facial expressions, according to Misha.” I smacked Jensen’s arm at the mention of what had happened at lunch about a week ago.
I’d been reading a gruesome part of a war book when Misha, who was sitting across from me, burst into giggles. Jensen asked what his problem was, and he’d responded with, “Your girlfriend is very… expressive.” I’d blushed and shut the book, quickly putting it away. I didn’t even spare a glance at my backpack for the rest of the lunch period. Misha apologized later, saying that it wasn’t an insult, but a compliment on my facial expressions. He said that I should join theater.
Not that I ever would. I’m waaaay too shy for that.
But I wasn't one to turn down a compliment.
“Shut up, Jensen!” I whined, pouting up at him.
He smiled warmly at me before grabbing my hands from the table. “I'm serious. I think that you would make an amazing actress.”
I licked my lips. “Jensen, you know how I feel about being the center of attention. I get stage fright. You know that.”
He sighed and brought my hand up to his lips, kissing the back of it. “Well, as much as I would love to just sit here with you all day, I do have a practice… that you promised to come to.”
A smile peeked through my blush, quickly becoming contagious to Jensen. “Yeah, I guess I did, didn't I?” He nodded enthusiastically and grabbed my hand, throwing a 10 and a 5 on the table as we left in a giggling frenzy.

It was at the end of the practice. As much as I hated football, I still loved Jensen, so I supported him.
The downside?
The cheerleaders practiced at that time, too.
The entire time, they were giggling and gossiping and winking flirtatiously at the players.
As Jensen ran off the field, gathering me up into his arms, I heard a scoff. I pushed away to find Danneel, hands on her hips and chewing bubblegum violently.
“Jensen, what are you doing with her? She's a loser.”
His arms tightened around me and his jaw clenched.
“No, she isn't. And she's right here, you know.”
Danneel made an offended sound. “She's ruining us, baby!”
“For God's sake, Danneel, I broke up with you a year ago! Get over it! C’mon, Matty,” He snarled, guiding me away from the b***h by the arm. Her huff followed us as she turned and cried to her friends. I swear to God, white girls need serious help.
It was when we entered the locker room that I recognized the flaw to this plan. It was a guy’s locker room. With the guys in it.
I felt my face redden as the football team casually stripped off their sweaty uniforms. I immediately shrank back into Jensen’s chest as their gazes one by one turned to me and the talking slowly faded to silence.
“I’m gonna… uh… go,” I said quickly.
Jensen caught my elbow. “You sure?”
Seeing his meaningful glance, I nodded. “I’ll be fine. Just hurry up, or I’m tucking myself in,” I winked one last time before striding confidently out the door. Wolf whistles trailing behind me, followed by Jared’s rambunctious laughter and Jensen snapping, “Quit checking out my girl!”
That smile was plastered on my face...
Until I saw Danneel and team b***h waiting for me outside the locker room.
“Something I can help you with?” I said coolly. I had to admit, I probably looked pretty badass.
She blew a bubble and let it pop before responding. “Stay away from Jensen,” she finally decided.
I rolled my eyes. Not this again. “Jensen chose me. Would you let it go already? He’s made it perfectly clear that he doesn’t want to be with you.”
Danneel shot an amused look back to her friends and laughed in my face. “You? You think he would choose you? Puh-lease. You’re a dysfunctional girl that nearly got raped. Not that you wouldn’t have enjoyed it.”
Without even looking at myself in the mirror, I knew that I was sporting my deer caught in headlights look. “H-how’d you know?”
She smirked at me. “Does it matter? It’s only a matter of time before he leaves a s**t like you. Why can’t you see that he’s not happy with you?!”
It felt like I’d just been roundhouse kicked in the gut. The question bounced off of the sides of my head. What if he isn’t happy with me? Tears rose to my eyes and my throat closed up. And all the while, Danneel stood proudly in front of me, smug grin on her gorgeous face. Jensen deserves someone as pretty as her. I don’t deserve him. He deserves better.
“Hey!”
I turned at the powerful voice to see Gen, standing defiantly right behind me. She stepped calmly around me to glare at Danneel. And the b***h backed up a step. “Why don’t you go hike that skirt up and f**k around with your usual crowd? We all know you have nothing on under that. So, what are you waiting for? Go on! Jensen loves Matty. He’ll never be into you. So just accept that she’s better than you and keep at that prostitute lifestyle you’ve got going on.”
The b***h gang were slack-jawed with shock. And I couldn’t blame them. I was myself. The girls swiftly transformed their faces into twisted grins and snide smirks as they stalked off, long-legged and perfect everywhere but the heart.
As soon as they were out of sight, Gen hugged me. “Are you okay?” she whispered to my shoulder. I nodded, but it was a lie. A cold, rotten, terrible lie with whipped cream and a cherry on top.
We sat in the bleachers for a bit, my head on her shoulder and her softly stroking my hair.
Jensen came out not long after, surrounded by his cohort as they all said their goodbyes with back slaps and bro hugs. Him and Jared crossed to us with smiles on their faces, and I tried to reflect them, but it must’ve not been very convincing, as the happy-go-lucky grins slipped into concerned frowns.
I stood to let Jensen hug me. I nearly cried on his chest, only refraining from it by telling myself over and over that it definitely wasn’t the time. His fingers rubbed patterns on my back. “Hey, baby girl. What’s up?”
I heard Gen answer as I nuzzled closer to his chest. “Just some trouble with Danneel. Nothing we couldn’t handle.”
Feeling the urge to cry become more pressing, I murmured into his shirt, “I just wanna go home.”
After a quick parting from Jared and Gen, we made our way leisurely to his car. He’d shed his letterman jacket to drape it over my shoulders. “You sure you’re okay, gorgeous?”
I almost scoffed at the nickname. How ironic.
“‘M fine,” I mumbled evasively, forcing myself to not snuggle closer in the cold.
He did lie, after all.
The short trip to my house was silent. I felt Jensen’s gaze on me continuously throughout the ride, but I didn’t show any acknowledgment. I was too drained.
It took me a full five minutes to realize that we’d been parked for who knows how long outside my house. The blush rose to my cheeks quickly. That was stupid.
“Thanks, J,” I said quietly, opening the car door with ease.
Jensen gave me a strange look. “Aren’t you gonna invite me inside?”
I drew my lip in with my teeth. I must look like such an idiot.
“Right. Of course. Sorry.”
He snorted. “Since when do you apologize for something that small?”
I cleared my throat. “That’s what he said.”
Laughter bubbled out of J’s mouth as he doubled over right then and there. I quickly shushed him. “Shut up! My mom’ll hear you!”
As soon as I told my mom that I was going to bed and was in my room with the door closed, I opened the window and helped Jensen in. He was panting from the hurried climb with the duffel bag over his shoulder. “Could at least… get me… a ladder,” he forced out between breaths, followed by an airy chuckle.
I smirked at him as I sat on my bed, brushing out my hair. “Maybe you just need to get into shape,” I teased lightheartedly.
Fully expecting him to tackle me without warning, I was surprised when he gently grabbed the brush from my hands. “Maybe I can get in shape by tangling with your hair?”
I felt my cheeks heat up. My hair is so damn embarrassing.
“Whatever,” I said nonchalantly. At least that’s how I hoped it came off. Knowing me, it was probably so obvious.
As he started on the knots, he questioned softly, “So, what is up with you lately?”
I frowned back at him. “What d’you mean?” Oh, God, he noticed.
“Don’t play coy with me, Matty. I can see right through you. Ever since your run in with Danneel, you’ve been off. What’s wrong? What’d she say?”
I swallowed thickly. Well, I can’t exactly lie. He’d see right through that, too.
A sigh forced it’s way up my throat. “Danneel said that… that you weren’t happy with me,” I trailed off, gaze falling to the floor. The tears from earlier finally spilled over, slipping down my cheeks in relief.
Jensen’s hand gently tipped up my chin, staring me in the eyes. “Matty, I will always be happy with you. I mean, you are the single most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on.” I opened my mouth to protest, but was cut short as Jensen continued in a rush, as if he’d been trying to say it for weeks on end. “Shush. Matty, you are kind and sweet and sexy and loving and lovable and a million other things. But all that matters to me is that you’re mine. And I’m yours. And that will never, ever lose it’s value to me.”
As he finished, happy tears started to take the place of despaired ones. I launched myself into his arms, sobbing into his collarbone as emotion overwhelmed me. He gently consoled me, leaning us back ever so slowly until we were laying side by side on my bed.
J’s arm reached across me to shut off my light. It wrapped around me as darkness enveloped us, and he pressed a kiss to the underside of my jaw.
“I love you,” he whispered huskily, playing with the ends of my hair.
“I love you, too,” I responded, curling into him with a tiny smile on my face.
F**k you, too, Danneel. Because Jensen loves me just the way I am.