Love Me Love Me (English)

31

June

I told Will all about my countless moves, we talked over reheated pizza, and right after dinner Jackson picked us up in his fire engine–red pickup truck.

He poked his blond head out the window and blew out a cloud of smoke.

"Hi, June."

I got into the back seat, and Will sat in front.

"Jackson," I replied, making eye contact with him rearview mirror.

His eyes were lined with black. His sharp white cheekbones were tinged with red, and his hair was lightly teased back. He looked like a '90s grunge star with pop influences.

"You know he'll be pissed, right?" I heard him say after a few minutes.

"Don't worry about it," answered William, nervously moving his leg around. The night fell, but even in the dark I recognized where we were immediately. It was the same place we'd gone to get Hunter on the night of my first date with William.

Jackson parked next to a row of sports cars. We went past the place with the neon sign and headed to an old, abandoned rink. The atmosphere was unsettling to put it lightly, hazy with clouds of smoke. I had a burning desire for Will to take my hand right then, but I didn't have the courage to make the first move.

"Weren't they go-karts?" I asked, pointing at the dirt road.

"What go-karts," chortled Jackson.

Our small talk was got lost in the empty space. I recognized James, wearing a black leather jacket, a vape pen between his lips, and tousled hair in the middle of a group of bigger guys.

"James!" Jackson yelled.

James turned, and focused on me.

"No. Please tell me this is a nightmare."

"Chill. I'll explain later." William cut him off, as if his words alone could calm James down.

James grabbed his arm. "Did you tell her? Did your little girlfriend force you to tell her fucking everything?"

"Why are you still freaking out? I didn't tell her anything!" William struggled and broke free of his grasp.

"Why the fuck did you tell her?"

"I didn't, cut it out!"

I saw William take a deep breath before whispering quietly, "She already knew."

I would've appreciated if James talked quietly, too, because what he said then was, as usual, horrific.

"Is the idea of getting laid enough for you to betray me?"

"Cut it out," growled William, coming a half inch away from James's nose.

James tilted his chin up. "I'm the one who should cut it out? She doesn't give a fuck about you, Will."

I wanted to scream that it wasn't true, but Jackson shot me an exasperated look.

"As expected, they're about to fight. Happy?" He sometimes reminded me of my mom, with how harsh he could be.

"Do you think this is my fault?" I exclaimed, stretching out my arms dispiritedly.

"Jax, gimme the keys. I'll be back soon," said William, scampering away from me.

"Will? Where are you going?"

I turned around to follow him, my head was spinning. Up until that point, I still had no idea where we were. Screams and noise were coming from everywhere. It reeked of tobacco, alcohol, and danger. We seemed to be at the local haunt for convicts.