Admire Me 2 - 3. Chapter 3 Three Strikes

Weeks went soaring by. Andrea made no attempts on Korbyn. Everything was back to normal.

I was able to finally let go of that vindictive desire to humiliate her. I guess Missy had proven herself to deliver my message loyally. She told Andrea what I said, and left it at that.

The last thing Missy probably wanted was one of her girls dating one of my boys. The last think I wanted was her girl dating ‘My Boyfriend.’ I was so not cool with that.

Jade’s mom wasn’t home a lot, so he was letting us hold our meetings at his house. We discussed my new ideas for the A-list. One of my ideas was to publish an ‘A-list’ at school. All those who are popular and beautiful will be listed on the A-list. Then a B-list would be created for all the second rate people. Who were followers. Then there was the ‘odd list’. The odd list was the third most awful list. Whoever goes on the odd-list, was considered: meaningless, unwanted litter. They would be the punch line of every joke. They would be so low, and odd, that even losers would pick on them.

Korbyn and Jade approved the lists. They thought it was another brilliant idea… (they actually didn’t have a choice.)

After the meeting, Jade was on Facebook. Sometimes he would turn from his computer to tell us what some people status’ read, or who posted new photos.

Korbyn sat on Jade’s bed with me sitting on his lap, kissing me.
It was one of those only times we could be intimate. He never wasted time to caress me into his ripple of abs, or sit me in his lap and hold me from behind like now.

I felt him kiss the back of my neck, and sexually touch me. I could feel his crotch was hardening against my butt through my pants. Then he groped me while kissing me, rubbing my chest and body.

I was heated by lust and arousal. So heated, that I wasn’t listening to Jade’s Facebook review. I was such a beginner at being intimate. I didn’t know how to respond to the rapid tingling of feelings he sent through me. All I could do was sit on his lap letting him go on with his touching.

I was frightened if I made the wrong move the intimacy would die.

I didn’t care what Korbyn did to me at this time. My mind threw all but one rule away: ‘no sex yet.’ Korbyn knew not to break that rule, but he found creative ways to work around it.

Korbyn grabbed my chest through my shirt whispering in my ear, “I want this,” I was leaning on breaking my own rule. “I want this,” he said, sliding his hand down to my butt, while his small pointed nose ran along the side of my neck. Then he squeezed my butt.

I was being so awkward, blushing as I sat there on him just going quietly along with his passion. My boyfriend knew how to give me the feelings I’ve yearned for. He gave me the support in the clique and gave me adoration as a man. Something I barely got in one person.

His intense kissing and touching occupied me. He sent me spiraling out of this world even though I was just sitting on his lap. “I really, really, want this too!” Korbyn’s jaw was clenched as he said it. Then he grabbed my crotch through my pants, and held it gently.

Jade heard it, and turned to me giggling.

My face went numb. Slight tingles of pleasure went down my thighs from his hands. Right before I got too aroused to where I couldn’t hold back he did something so unexpected.

I was about to break my on rule. Then he released his hand from my crotch, moved me off of his lap to stand up from Jade’s bed saying, “I’ll be back,”

Suddenly everything in the room started to lose its heat and cool down. I wiped my forehead.

‘Why was I sweating?’ I thought to myself. He didn’t do much… I don’t think.

“Jade do you have any more of those Lipton green teas in the fridge?” Korbyn asked so coolly. Standing around like he wasn’t heated or aroused.

“Yeah,” Jade answered him

At school Jade, Korbyn and I did our elegant entrance through the halls. It was funny seeing Keylan and Ryan stepping aside with the rest of the crowd to make way.

Keylan’s green eyes focused on us. Ryan stood beside him smiling at us. They both sucked in their feelings and waved like last semester never happened. That was a sure sign of respect. I think they both knew what would happen to them if they ever crossed us again.

I waved back at them and kept strutting. I didn’t want them to start talking to us. Then they would try to sit with us, which would lead to them trying to get in the clique again…uh-uh.

Knowing, Ryan and Keylan, they would try to sit with us. I thought it was nice that they made a habit of greeting us everytime they saw us. Like I said, Respect.

I think they were sorry for leaving the clique. They were destroyed last semester and lost everything. I’m surprised to see Ryan still coming to this school. I wonder did his adopted parents let him live with them again?

It was February. A cold start for a day, where not much sunshine was out this early in the morning. It was more cloudy than anything. I stepped outside into the cold cloudy morning realizing it was Valentine’s Day.

The only way I knew was right on the cement steps of my porch, there laid a single, long green stem, red rose. I picked it up in surprise and uplifted by the sight of the gorgeous flower.

How could I forget Valentine’s Day?

I smelled the lush fragrance of water, and sweetness, while rubbing the velvet soft red petals along my cheeks, and nose. This flower was special.

Korbyn remembered. He always had a cute way of being romantic.

When Korbyn pulled up to my house in his black Camry I sat in the passenger’s seat. My heart skipped so many beats before I could speak to him or Jade. The rose played its part in starting my day off happily. It was also something like a reminder to me how much Korbyn cared no matter how much we fought.

I looked at Korbyn smiling, knowing he was the heart behind the meaning of my happy start today. He made a super difference, he reminded me of our relationship, of our ability to keep hope alive for the sake of our hearts. It is wonderful to know what a rose could do without the person having to speak.

I was at a loss for words on the way to school. All I kept doing was playing with the petals and glancing at Korbyn. He was driving acting unconcerned about the whole thing. He was so generous he didn’t even bring the gift of the rose up.

I had to thank him but he seemed like he didn’t want a thanks. When my voice was back, I told him, “Thanks Korbyn,” he leaned sideways not taking his eyes off the road to hear me, “I love the rose. It is beautiful.”

He glanced at me for a short second in confusion. He blinked about thirty times at the rose. “Oh yeah… Happy Valentine’s day.” He wished me, as if he didn’t want credit for his own gift.

Jade sat in the backseat, looking like he was in tears. I bet it had to do with C.J. I know seeing the rose Korbyn got for me and these romantic talks, made Jade want to have someone special too. I hate he was dealing with something so devastating. I wish, I could find him someone.

“Happy Valentine’s day you guys.” I tried to bring Jade into the mood of romance and Valentines, but I don’t think it worked because he didn’t say anything back.

When we pulled into the school’s parking lot, I gave Korbyn a tender kiss on his red lips. It wasn’t a peck this time around. I thanked him again for the rose before getting out.

Just looking at the petals of the rose reminded me so much of his lips. As everyone knows Korbyn couldn’t hug or kiss me the way I wanted him to at school, but today his rose will do the job for him.

During my classes made a small habit of brushing the petals over my face while the teacher talked. Getting sucked into another world where only Korbyn mattered. I would stop writing for a minute to admire Korbyn’s rose. Then when I thought everyone was busy working on their assignments I would pick up the rose sniffing the remarkable fragrance of the red petals. I noticed there was a weird smell to the rose, it wasn’t bad just something I smelled somewhere before.

I started to think the school air was tainting my beautiful rose. It wasn’t fair.

Jade wasn’t having a good Valentine’s day. In the class we shared, he gossiped dryly while the teacher wrote on the white board with her back turned.

“Have you seen Candice today?” He asked. “She looks really ugly.” Jade was so sad. He reached over to my desk to whisper, “I hope she doesn’t get anything from C.J. today. She doesn’t deserve anything…”

When he stopped I started to rub his back. I wanted to take his hurt away. Just knowing I couldn’t, sickened me. “I feel so horrible right now, I just want to ruin everyone else’s day.” He whispered to me. I could understand his point of view. I would do the same thing if the situations were reversed.

I listened to him vent in my ear, and at the same time I opened one ear to the teacher taking notes. “C.J. is in a gang anyway! Plus he lives in the projects. Who wants someone like that?” Jade tried to convince himself, but I could see differently. All those things didn’t stop him from liking C.J. before. “And Candice, is another name for cheap. She can’t do anything for C.J.” Jade continued, “I should call the police on him and tell them he’s a drug dealer. That way, he would go to jail on Valentine’s day and Candice wouldn’t be able to date anyone.” It was like a hissing in his tone now. There was a spark of evil in what he said.

Jade had been around me for years. The plan he had for revenge sounded like something I would do. He was such a good boy.

I stopped writing for a minute, “C.J. sells drugs?”

Jade smirked with wicked eyes, “Well of course he does. I tried to keep his secret but now it’s getting hard to do.”

I snickered, “I should have known.” I said picking up my pencil.

“See, but what you don’t know is: Candice used to call C.J. a lot when we were together over the Christmas break.” I gave him a questioning look. Before I could asked he said, “The reason why she was calling, she wanted to buy some pills from him.” Jade included pursing his lips.

I almost dropped my pencil. “Candice is on pills?”

“She sure is. C.J. told me so. I even saw him hand her a few one day. She is a ‘pill popper’!” Jade’s gossip was powered by his anger and he was telling it all. His rant wouldn’t stop. “She doesn’t swallow the pills either. She throws them in her mouth and chews them up like candy.”

He gossiped angrily, letting it all out and I was enjoying every minute of it.

“What!”

“Yes.” Jade smiled. I guess the gossip was relieving his stress in some way. “C.J. told me she likes to drink cokes or other soda’s after she chews them for faster effects.”

“Oh dear God. This girl is a pill popping, maniac.” I commented wanting to hear more dirt. This would be good to use against her.

“She really is. I think the only reason her and C.J. are dating is because she wants quicker access to the pills and at a lower rate.” Jade guessed with a shrug.

If you ask me, it does sound accurate. Why else would she be with C.J.? She messed with Jade and that’s not a good thing. I’m sure if I don’t destroy her, Jade will do it without a second thought. Candice really has a mess on her hands now.

“You know what,” I turned my head to Jade, “I bet that’s what’s going on. It makes so much sense.” I instigated.

“Braylon and Jade!” The teacher was screaming from the front of the class. “Stop Talking And Listen!” The way she said it was so disrespectful. These teachers always say things and think they can get away with it.

I rolled my eyes, about to say something smart, when Jade took over. “I was listening.” He said in his defense. This teacher better watch out and learn her job, if Jade gets riled up I may not have to say anything.

“No you weren’t! You were running your mouth talking to Braylon.” The teacher fussed back. “Don’t pretend like you weren’t, because I was looking right at you.”

“No I wasn’t. I was listening.” Jade emphasized. “You probably ‘thought’ you saw something you didn’t.”

The class chuckled briefly at his response.

“Don’t lie, you and Braylon were back there yapping up a storm.”

She better stop using my name. For one, she isn’t worthy enough to say ‘Braylon’ for two, I’m not going to sit back like a little punk and let her talk down to me. She wants to stand there and get an attitude about us talking. Let me show her why I am an alpha.

“Hold on a second, I keep hearing my name.” I stepped in. “Don’t say I was talking, because I was taking notes the whole time.” I lifted my paper for her to see. “See this! You can’t say ‘Braylon was talking.’ So I don’t want to hear my name anymore unless you have proof.”

The teacher saw my notes and turned red sinking down in her posture. The class began to laugh louder.

“Well if you were listening like you say you were Jade,” she said turning the argument from me to Jade. “Tell me something is said.”

Jade’s eyes flew from left to right. Like he was caught red handed. He seemed like he didn’t know what to say. I started to feel sorry for him because I know he didn’t know what she went over. That’s when he said, “Oh I remember now.” He laughed to himself, “You said: Braylon and Jade stop talking and listen.” He fired back, nodding his head sure of himself.

The teacher was so frustrated she had to dismiss herself to go stand outside and cool off. From her expression she wanted to kill us.

I guess Jade did ruin one person’s Valentine’s day.

We were at lunch and Jade was telling Korbyn what happened in our class. Korbyn thought it was funny. He congratulated us on a job well done. He wished he could have been there to see it for himself.

We talked for a while longer and then I clapped my hands to silence the conversation. “Okay, I think it’s time to exchange gifts.” I told them, unzipping my backpack to pull a red sparkling gift bag from it. Did they really think I forgot about them on Valentine’s day?

Their eyes grew with reluctance and excitement. They both pulled out their gift bags too. It was officially time for the ‘A-lists’ Valentine’s day gift exchange. I already explained how this would work, so they knew. It was the first time Korbyn was a part of a gift exchange.

I went first, since I was the boss. Reaching into my sparkling red bag, I withdrew their pair of Versace shades, handing them each to their owner.

“OH-EM-GEE!” Jade grabbed the shades applauding and looking them over in surprise. “Matching Versace shades.” He perched the shades on his dark trimmed hair, “How lovely.”

“Awesome.” Korbyn said putting his shades on top of his blond spiked scalp. “How do I look babe?” He asked me striking a pose.

“Um… like I always say, a Hollister model.” Jade laughed, and Korbyn Gave me a sexy green eyed wink. I was elated that they enjoyed their gifts. “See you guys actually thought I forgot about you.” I beamed brightly.

Jade was next to give his gift. It was the order we followed because he was the beta. He stuck his arm into his shimmery pink gift bag, pulling out three neatly folded pieces of clothing.

When he handed me mine, I didn’t hesitate to unfold it to see what it was.

“Jade! Oh my God!” I was in amusing shock. How did he do it? ”You shouldn’t have!”

“I know, but I did.” He was so happy to please me. His facial reaction said everything.

“These are hot.” Korbyn added putting the shirt against his body.

Jade got us custom made shirts for Valentine’s day. On the front there was an image of all three of us posing. Each shirt had the same color of lime green, but on the back of the shirt we all had our names embossed in dark pink letters. Underneath our names it read: The A-List.

This couldn’t be topped. My gift was trash compared to this. This was the ultimate respect. It was magnificence in the form of a shirt. Jade was really dedicated to the clique. I loved that about him.

“Well I’m glad you both like them. It was a lot of work.” He said grinning, “but to see my alpha smile was worth it. It’s my way of saying I am in this clique forever. My loyalty and trust is with you both.”

The shirts were fabulous, and Jade knew my favorite color was green, so he out did himself.

“Okay it’s my turn.” Korbyn broke up the little party fishing in his blue glossy gift bag. He took out a container holding three cupcakes. Then he pulled out something else from the blue bag that was folded.

“I got these for us all to eat.” He said taking the lid off of the container, “Well I totally made them.” He mentioned presenting cupcakes to us.

These cupcakes were chocolate with swirly pink and white frosting, topped with a rainbow of sprinkles. They were very cute. I know it took him a long time to do these. They were carefully decorated.

Korbyn handed me a cupcake first. It had a ‘B’ sprinkled on its white and pink frosting. He handed Jade a cupcake that had a ‘J’ sprinkled on it. Then he grabbed the last cupcake out of the container that had a ‘K’ on it and bit into it.

After taking a huge bite, he had pink frosting on his red lips. It was so cute of a moment, but so many things were wrong. I wonder if Jade knew what was wrong with this picture. It was so crazy that Korbyn tried to give a gift and messed something up. Ugh! He just had to mess something up today didn’t he?

When I never took a bite out of the cupcake, Korbyn knew something, “What happened? What’s wrong?” Korbyn asked noticing my pouting face and folded arms.

I saw Jade with the same sour expression as me, “Korbyn this was a neat presentation. The frosting, the nice colors and the thoughtful letters of each of our initials.” Jade said with a Judging voice, “but as usual, there are things you need to know.” It was good that Jade was about to lay down the obvious, because I was likely to scratch Korbyn across his pretty face for making three fatal mistakes.

“First of all, you made three chocolate cupcakes,” Jade pointed out.

“And??” Korbyn shrugged licking pink frosting from his upper lip. “What’s the big deal about three cupcakes?”

Jade grabbed my cupcake, sliding the papercup of it back to show Korbyn, “first issue, Braylon is still on the salad and granola bar diet.”

Thank you for remembering that Jade. It’s not hard to see I have a salad sitting right in front of me. Duh, Korbyn.

“Oh… I totally forgot!” sympathetically Korbyn looked at me. “I’m sorry about that.”

I rolled my eyes.

“And,” Jade said getting his attention before he could fully apologize. “Braylon doesn’t eat chocolate cupcakes, or cakes, or anything else like that. Maybe if you would have made something strawberry or vanilla you would have better luck.” The inside of the cupcake was sure enough chocolate. I wasn’t going to eat it. Jade just knew me too well.

Jade gave my cupcake over to Korbyn. Then he slid his cupcake back over to him too, “If Braylon’s not eating these cupcakes then neither am I.” Jade folded his arms to match my posture. “The third and last thing you need to know is: Braylon isn’t going to eat anything you make or made for him.”

This took Korbyn by surprise. His eyebrows went up, “What? Why not? I don’t get it.” He was astonished. “I don’t have a disease.”

Shaking his head Jade dove in to answer, “Because you were his enemy once, and not long ago.” He implied to Korbyn. “He is still trying to get into trusting you. You could poison him or something, who knows. We have to be very careful with someone like you. You are still new.”

“Poison?.... Oh come on!” Korbyn pleaded, slapping the table. “He is my boyfriend, I wouldn’t do that.”

“Yeah, but we don’t know what you would do.” Jade argued back.

“I bit my cupcake,” Korbyn showed us his cupcake with a big chunk taken out of it. “If I would have poisoned something I wouldn’t be eating my own baking.”

“So,” I butted in, “You still could have poisoned the ‘B’ and the ‘J’ ones and yours was never touched. That’s probably why you gave the distinct letters so you could make sure you didn’t get the poisoned ones.”

“Wow.” Korbyn sighed in a blank frustration, nodding his head. “Diet, chocolate, and poison… were the three mistakes.”

“Yeah, you basically stuck out with this one.” Jade told him unblinking.

“The rose was beautiful,” I moved everything to a different, lighter subject. I wanted him to recognize his errors and fix them but I didn’t want him feeling too down.

Korbyn wore a weary facial expression. His eyes looked like he had taken a beating. Ignoring my comment about his rose he unfolded the black clothing. His brows were lowered, and his whole attitude was sad.

When he showed me what he unfolded I was… I was…

“Korbyn!!!” I snatched the underwear he held in his hands down below the table. “Don’t hold those up. People around us are eating. Showing underwear at a table is bad manners.” I was almost embarrassed that someone may have seen the black underwear.

“Okay, okay,” Korbyn said throwing his hands up. “Hey, Braylon just one thing… The underwear you snatched were mine.” I almost went white in the face. “Yours are right here.” He pointed down on the table in front of him.

I grabbed the underwear off of the lunch table. Unfolding them to see a pink ‘K’ on the back where the butt goes. “These are yours,” I tried to tell him.

“No, these are mine.” He held on to the other pair. “I had them made, so that I could wear your initial, and you could wear mine.” He explained, beaming at me. “It would be hot.”

I tucked the underwear away. I liked the idea of wearing his initial as my underwear. It was attractive, and it certainly made up for the mistakes he caused. I would wear the letter ‘K’ for him.

The three of us sat there after gift exchange time, eating our lunch. There was a simple small talk floating between us. It was mostly about the gifts and Korbyn’s mishap. It was nice of them to like my Versace shades. We even considered wearing the shades, with the shirts Jade made. It would be a killer combination.

Korbyn started to seem down again. It caught me by surprise when he said, “I feel like you don’t trust me as a boyfriend.”

To be honest I was trying to trust but I wasn’t there yet.

“Umm,” I was stuck. I chewed the grains in the granola bar thinking of something to say. “Well… we can work on that.”

Jade quickly knew I was at a stumbling point and began taking over, “You know I started the same diet as you Bray.” He gushed with a white smile. He was so cute… starting my diet was such a nice thing of him. Plus he stopped Korbyn from questioning our relationship. Perfect save beta.

In the midst of our conversation someone suddenly came over to our table. It was a clear violation. They reached over Korbyn shoulder while he was talking and picked up the cupcake he had in front of him.

It was unannounced and wrong. Who does things like this? Not to mention, it was the cupcake with the ‘B’ sprinkled on it. The one that was made for me! MY CUPCAKE!

Then the person brought the cupcake up to their mouth and bit into it slowly. “Hey Korbyn.” Andrea chewed, licking the pink frosting from her fingers trying to be seductive, “Did you make this?”

“Y-y-yeah,” he stammered watching her lick her fingers.

It was the sickest sight ever! I am going to kill them both! That big forehead, clumpy eyelash having-

“They are good.” She told him with a light hearted pink smile. “I got you something.” she handed him a red balloon with white designs written and drawn all over it. At the bottom of the balloon’s string there was a card attached to it.