If You Don't Know - Ch 4: Assumptions

Lukes Perspective*

The second bell had rang, signaling it was time for everyone to get inside the building and into their appropriate classrooms. Ash and I had English Lit first period. Cal and Mikey had Trig with Nat and Nicole. We all went our separate ways and headed to our classes. Ash was going on about how he had broken his drum kit. Again. I was listening to him but I had something else on my mind. Someone else. Before I could even stop myself I blurted out the next thought that came to mind.

"Whats up with her anyway?! Whats her deal?" I blurted out as we walked into our English Lit class.

Ashton stopped talking and snapped his head towards me with a look of confusion smacked across his face. He didn't know what the hell I was talking about. Obviously! The entire conversation was all in my head until my idiot self blurted it out and made it real.

"The chick outside I mean.." I quickly continued.

Ashton's face lit up as if he finally understood what was going on. "Oh! You mean Jasey." He replied simply. "Yea, what about her?" He finished.

"Whats up with her? Who is she? How do you know her? Why is she so... weird?" I curiously questioned.

"Well when the guys and I usually hang out in the music room, she's usually there too. We all like the same type of music and she has a really good voice. She just doesn't know we know. We've passed by the music room a couple times and heard her belching out a couple high notes. She isn't all that weird. She's just a lot of secrets." He whispered as he finished. "But then again, don't we all."

As he finished I noticed the door open. There she was again. She walked in quickly. Her brown hair was pulled to the side in a messy braid but some of the shorter layers of he hair were falling to the sides of her cheeks, covering her eyes a bit. I was mesmerized by her honestly. Not just her beauty but her mysterious demeanor. She looked up and noticed me staring so I quickly looked down at my notebook and tapped my pen silently back and forth on the paper. I vaguely looked up and saw her sitting down from the corner of my eye I saw her sit 2 seats behind Ashton. I turned around to look at her but she was looking down at her notebook, scribbling notes into it.

The bell rang and class was over. Ashton and I walked to our next class together. We thankfully had most of our morning classes together. English Lit, American History, Trig and then Lunch Break. My afternoon classes however I had one with Cal and Mikey which was Music, then the last 2 hours were my lab which I was on my own for.

The morning classes went by quickly and before I knew it, it was lunch time. Jasey seemed to be in all 3 of my morning classes yet she did the same thing in each of them. Sat in the back and scribbled into her book.

Ash and I walked outside to the bench across the street from the school. We sat there and waited for Calum and Michael. As we awaited their arrival, I asked Ashton a few more questions about Jasey.

"So.. who is Jaxon?" I asked out of curiosity.

Ashton's eyes widened as he heard the words come out of my mouth. He looked around as if making sure no one was around to hear him answering. "Where'd you get that name from?" He asked seriously.

I was confused and a bit frightened. Had I hit a touchy topic for Ashton? What was going on? Who was this guy, Jaxon? I quickly answered him, "Oh.. uh.. I just saw it somewhere.. I was just wondering.. ya know, who that is.. I don't know dude.. just forget I asked." I quickly brushed it off and changed the conversation. "So uh.. I think I'm gonna head up to the music room and just hang out up there for a bit since ya know, I've got music next period.. ill talk to you later mate!" I shouted back as I walked back towards the building.

As I walked up the stairs into the building I said hey to Calum and Michael who were walking out to meet up with Ashton. I continued on upstairs to the music room on the third floor of our school building. Before I could reach the door, I heard a voice singing. I slowly walked to the door and peered in through the little side that was cracked open slightly. I listened carefully.

"She is running.. a hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction."

"She is trying.. but the canyons ever widening. In the depths of her cold heart."

I slowly and quietly opened the door and saw the person behind the voice. Jasey. I stood by the entrance of the music room and watched as she stared out the window and strummed on the guitar she had in her hand and she continued to sing.

"So she sets out on another misadventure just to find, she's another two years older and she's three more steps behind."

"Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see? Or does anybody even know she going down today?"

I walk in further and close the door a bit behind me as she continues.

"She is yearning. For shelter and affection that she never found at home"

"She is searching, for a hero to ride in and save the day"

She continues strumming and before she can start singing the next lyric I chime in.

"And in walk her Prince Charming. And he knows just what to say."

She jumped at the sound of my voice and quickly turned her head to look my way but she didn't stop strumming so I continued and she joined in as we sang the next few notes together.

"If judgement looms under every steeple, if lofty glances from lofty people, can't see past her scarlet letter. And we never even met her"

We gazed at each other until our eyes met and stayed in place. She continued strumming but didn't sing. I finished with the last two lines.

"He is running.. a hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction.."

She strummed one last time before turning her attention back to the window. She set the guitar on the stand in front of her and kept her attention outside the window, not acknowledging me.

Without a word, I walked over to the window and sat on a stool near her. We sat in silence for a bit while she never released her gaze from outside that window. Until finally, I broke the silence.

"You've got an amazing voice.." I whispered.

She glared at me and looked back out the window. "Thanks." She simply said.

"So uh.. you're Jasey right?" I asked awkwardly.

"The one and only." She replied.

"Cool.. uh.. wheres your boyfriend? Jason? Or Jaxon I think? Yea.. wheres he at?" I quickly asked, unaware of what I was saying.

"What the f**k did you just say?" She asked coldly as she stood up and hovered over me.

I looked up afraid to repeat what I had said but I did like an idiot. "Your boyfriend? Jax�"" Before I could finish I was cut off by a shove and a very loud, "Don't say s**t if you don't know any f*****g thing a*****e!"

Jasey shoved pass the people at the door. I hadn't even realized the lunch period had gone by already. I looked up to see Calum and Michael staring at Jasey who shoved past them and then bringing their glare towards me. They walked over with concerned looks on their faces.

"Dude.. what the f**k was that all about?" Calum asked

" Yea man.. I havent seen Jasey that hurt since Jaxon.." Michael trailed off.

"Who the f**k is Jaxon?! Why is he so important?! I asked Ash and he got all weird about it! I asked Jasey where he was and I nearly got pushed off my f*****g stool! Whats the big deal?! Did he break up with her or something?! Move away? Long lost love? What!" I shouted out of frustration as I ran my fingers through my hair and stood up staring out the window. It wasn't long before I saw Jasey from outside the window, walking out of the gates and down the street. "Where the f**k is she going?! Did she really just leave?! What the f**k?!"

I turned to see Calum and Michael both with their face in their hands.

"Whats the problem now? What the f**k else!" I yelled.

"Mr Hemmings! I will not tolerate that language in my classroom, please take your seat and we can begin our lesson shortly. Thank you." Mr Roberts said as he walked in, coffee mug in one hand and briefcase in another.

I looked over to Calum and Ashton again as I took my seat. Finally Calum spoke.

"Luke.. Jaxon was Jasey's brother. Her twin brother." He whispered.

"Okay? So? Whats the big deal?" I asked. "Wait.. was?" I finished with a confused and concerned look on my face. I guess Michael noticed the confusion in my face because he replied to me with a point blank response.

"He died almost 2 years ago. Well.. he killed himself." Michael explained quietly.

I looked away from them slowly and stared out the window. It was all falling into place. It all made sense now. The bridge, the lock, why she was standing over the railing, Ashton not wanting to explain who he was, her getting upset over me asking. It all made sense. I was such a dick to assume he was her boyfriend. I couldn't imagine losing my brothers. And he was her twin? Even worse. I had to apologize. It was the least I could do. For the rest of my school day I had this girl stuck on my mind and she wasn't going anywhere until I got a chance to see her again. And even then I knew she would still be on my mind. I couldn't get her out. And I didn't want to.