Chapter 8

     We were only a few hallways away when I turned to Mandy, raising my eyebrows. "Okay, since when are you dating Taylor Lautner?" 

     She shrugged. "Since when do you care?" 

     "I don't." I felt my face heat up, signaling my lie. 

     "Uh-huh...'Nessa, I thought that you hated him..." she sighed. 

     "I do!" I protested. But, I also loved him? I didn't get it...

     "Well, okay...Maybe you should take the rest of the day off...You don't look too well..." 

     I nodded. I didn't feel to well either. After putting in the notice at the office, I grabbed my school things and walked home. Mandy needed her car to drive home. 

     "Why are you so home early?" my mom asked, frowning, as she saw me. 

     "I don't feel too well..." I answered. I laid down on the couch and stared at the blank TV screen. 

     "Emotionally or physically?" My mom sat on the arm of the sofa and rested a hand on my leg. 

     "Emotionally..." I answered. My mom and I were close, I told her everything...Literally. 

     "Aw...Honey, what's wrong?" she whispered.  

     I shrugged. "I don't really know, that's the problem. Today, a celebrity named Taylor Lautner came into school, I didn't like him at all...but when he asked Mandy out, I kinda cared that he did...I don't know what's wrong." I played around with a loose string on the sofa. 

     My mom was silent for a moment, that was odd. I looked up at her and she looked at me thoughtfully. 

     "Mom?" I asked. 

     "I think you're jealous, honey...I think that you want to be loved, after what John did to you..." she murmured. 

     I flinched. "Really?" 

     She nodded. "Yes." 

     "So what do I do?" I asked. 

     "Just wait," she replied, rubbing my back. "I have a feeling that everything is going to work out." 

     Just wait? Just WAIT? How was that going to work? But I just nodded and replied. "Thanks." But every cell of my being was doubting her.