FicWad

Jessica walked to English class with her eyes looking at the ground. Nobody noticed she was there and that’s how she preferred it. Whenever someone paid attention to her, it was just to mock her or shove her or call her a stupid name.

Well, there was someone who treated her kindly.

She couldn’t wait to get to Art class but unfortunately it was last lesson and she was only in first lesson. Jess knew she couldn’t wait that long.

So after suffering through English and then Maths, it was finally break time. The art room was always open at break and lunch times. Jess smiled and ran straight to the art room. Mr Way looked over at her “Hey Jess.” He grinned “Done any new art work recently?”

Jess smiled and reached into her bag then pulled out a sketch book “Yeah, I did one last night but it’s no good.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.” Mr Way grinned, taking the sketch book from her and flicking through the pages “Wow Jess, this is really good.” She’d drawn a picture of a lady bug sitting on a flower but it was really close-up.

“Thanks Gerard.” Jess giggled.

Gerard was Mr Way’s first name. But she was only allowed to call him that when nobody else was around like at break times or after school. In class she had to call him Mr Way “Things okay with the others?” Gerard asked softly.

Jess shrugged her shoulders. The reason she didn’t really have any friends was because she was kept back due to failing her exams from family problems. So she was the only nineteen year old in the school. All her friends had left last year so now she was stuck with a bunch of people she didn’t know. They didn’t want to get to know her either. Most of the time they left her alone. There were some people who were mean to her but she mainly ignored them.

“I still haven’t made any friends.” Jess told him “Not if I don’t include you.”

“I’m sure you’ll make friends soon.” Gerard said awkwardly “Can you help me set up for the next class please?”

Jess nodded and they started spreading out newspaper over each desk “I don’t think I’m gonna make friends.” Jess muttered “Nobody seems to like me. It’s okay when they leave me alone, it’s just the times when they don’t…”

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay.” Gerard told her “Soon you’ll pass all your exams and you’ll be out of here. And you can forget all about them.”

“Well I’ll miss you.” Jess blushed when she said it and bit her lip.

Gerard smiled at her “I’ll miss you too Jessa.”

Jess blushed bright red at his nickname for her “I’ll miss you more.” Jess teased.

“Wanna bet?” Gerard laughed “I know that I’ll miss you way more. I’ll be stuck in this stupid school while you’re off exploring the world.”

“I won’t be exploring the world. I’ll probably be stuck in this stupid town.” Jess rolled her eyes “I don’t think I’ll achieve anything.”

“Of course you will.” Gerard told her “You’ll do amazing things.” He finished spreading out newspapers and put his hands on her cheeks “I know you will. You’re amazing and a genius.”

“Such a genius that I got held back a year.”

“That wasn’t your fault though, was it?” Gerard asked. Jess had told him all about her family problems. He’d listened and offered her advice but unfortunately it was all useless advice. What Jess really wanted was to move away from her parents but right now, she couldn’t manage that.

The bell rang for third lesson “I won’t be here at lunch.” Gerard told her “I’ll see you for your double art lesson.”

“I can’t wait!” Jess grinned and ran off to her depressing science lesson.

Science was bad but lunch time was awful. She sat in the corner of the dinner hall, ate her lunch and then pulled out her sketch book to draw some new things to impress Gerard. Luckily no one said anything to her and she spent the whole lunch break sitting by herself. Finally the bell rang for double art and she went straight to her lesson.

The lesson was the best one of the day even though she still had to sit at the front by herself. Gerard always stopped to talk to her and complimented her work, smiling at her the whole time. Jess felt herself burning bright red every time he smiled at her. She felt stupid. Yeah she had a crush on him. There wasn’t anything wrong with that. Was there? He was only about twenty-five, not that much older than her. And it was totally legal. But she couldn’t tell him. She might break the only friendship she had at this school.

After lesson, Jess tried to hang around after class but Gerard sighed and said that he needed to get back home because his brother was coming over. He said he was sorry and Jess nodded and said she understood. So she started the long walk home.

Unfortunately some girls started following Jess on the way home “Hey freak!” One blonde haired girl yelled, giggling to her friends.

Jess tried to ignore them and started walking faster “Hey loser, we’re talking to you!” A girl with dark brown hair and blonde highlights yelled, running over to her. She grabbed Jess’ shoulder and forced her around to face her.

“I heard that you’ve been chatting shit about me.” The blonde one said, rolling her eyes “Saying that I’m a slag and that apparently I’m cheating on my boyfriend.”

Jess was confused. She had no idea who this girl was or who she was dating. And more importantly, who would she bitch about her to? Jess didn’t have any friends to bitch to. She opened her mouth and said “But I don’t know-“ She was interrupted by the brown hair and blonde highlights girl punching her in the face.

Jess screamed and backed away but the blonde girl grabbed her by her hair and yanked her back. A third girl, with blonde hair that was curly this time punched her in the stomach and kicked her on the knee. They started beating her up when they heard a loud voice yell “Get away from her!”

The popular girls looked to see who it was, looked scared and then all ran off. Jess was lying on the floor and couldn’t see who it was “Shit, this looks bad.” The person said, rolling her over to face him. It was Gerard. He’d been driving home and had seen the attack “You’d better get in my car. I’ll clean you up at my house. Okay? Come on!”

He helped her up and got her into his car and then drove her back to his place. He didn’t live in a house, he lived in a bungalow. Gerard got Jess out the car and assisted her into the house “Are you okay?” He asked her. Jess shook her head and started crying. She sat down on a chair in Gerard’s kitchen and he got out a first aid kit then started cleaning her wounds “How could someone do this to you?”

“Why not? I’m a loser!” Jess sobbed “No one likes me!”

“I like you.” Gerard whispered, his face suddenly very close to hers “In fact… I don’t just like you Jess. I love you.”

Jess opened her mouth but Gerard didn’t give her a chance to reply as his lips crashed onto hers and she found he was kissing her. And then she found that she was kissing him back. It took her a moment to process what was happening. Gerard loved her? He’d always felt the same way about her?

Gerard pulled away and Jess grinned “Gerard… I love you too.”

They started kissing again when there was a knock at the door “That must be your brother.” Jess muttered.

“Ignore it and maybe he’ll go away.” Gerard laughed.