The next morning I woke up to a huge headache.

I rolled over and sighed. My head was pulsing in time with my heartbeat and when I opened my eyes I realized that the one Justin had hit was swollen shut.

I got up and checked the time. My phone said it was just past noon and I sighed.

I really wanted to go back to bed but I had a bunch of homework to do so I pulled out my MacBook to get started on a stupid five-page essay about confidence for SEL.

It's kinda ironic that a class all about building your social skills and mental health just adds to the load of work to do.

Social-Emotional Learning is a joke. At least the way my school attempts to teach it.

But I still had to do the paper so I started on it, my head proving to be a huge burden.

I gave up twenty minutes in and went to the kitchen to find some ibuprofen.

I took a few and chugged some mountain dew to help me wake up.

I was just about to go back into my room when I saw Jason sitting in my living room watching me.

"When did you get here?" I asked looking around, "Did you stay here all night?"

Jason laughed and responded, "No, I've been here since ten. I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure," I sat in the recliner across from him and crossed my legs. "Whatcha need?"

"Well," Jason took a breath and leaned forward looking somber. "Justin posted on his story about you this morning"

"O-oh?" I looked down and sighed, "What did he say?"

Jason took a deep breath and then said, "He said that you were just using him for his money and popularity and that after you two had a.," He faltered and then continued his face growing red, " an unpleasant time in bed you took his mom's jewelry and ran off to sell it."

I didn't know what to say so I just sat there.

Eventually, the absurd story sank in and I started to laugh uncontrollably.

Jason looked at me as though he thought I was starting to lose my mind, and he wasn't wrong.

"Dude the only people who are going to believe that are Jessica and Ruby and all the other girls who I HATE," I wiped some tears from my eyes and forced myself to stop laughing, wheezing slightly. "They're finally out of my life!"

Jason raised an eyebrow and I almost started laughing again.

"Well, wanna go do something?" I asked standing up, "I don't wanna stay here alone today."

"Uh sure, " Jason looked at me, his eyebrow still raised, "Are you sure you're going to go out like that?"

I looked down and realized I was still in my clothes from yesterday and my hair was a mess of tangles. "Uh... gimme a few minutes"

Jason laughed as I ran to my room, my face getting warm.

After struggling with my knotted hair and changing into a comfy hoodie and sweats I came out of my room to see Jason asleep on the couch.

"Come on, I didn't take that long!" I said chucking a pillow at him.

He laughed and sat up looking at me. "You took like half an hour just to brush your hair and change!"

"Oh, shut up!"

I rolled my eyes and put on my black Nikes.

I walked out to the driveway and hopped into Jason's car on the driver's side.

"No," Jason rolled his eyes and yanked me out of his seat. "I've seen you drive and I really don't feel like getting pulled over on a Saturday."

I sighed and went back to the passenger's side and slid into the seat."Where are we going then?"

"I don't care," Jason shrugged and looked at the temperature reading on his dashboard.

"Wanna go hiking?"

"Uh, sure," I smiled and leaned back on the seat holding in a yawn.

Jason drove to the Pine's Gorge Trails and parked at the base of a tree.

We went down one of the longer trails and talked about almost everything.

There was something about being in nature that seemed to make us open up to each other.

That is until I fell and totally twisted my ankle on a tree root.

"Owchie..." I muttered as I stopped walking.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked looking back at me as he stopped walking.

"Yea," I leaned on a tree and rubbed my ankle. "How much longer do we have? You know, just asking for a friend,"

Jason shook his head and sighed, "At least a quarter of a mile or so, do you think you're gonna be able to make it?"

"Yea, I'll be fine," I tried to put pressure on my foot but it hurt really bad.

I tried not to let on but I must have really been hobbling because Jason turned around and sighed.

"Get on my back," He said kneeling his back close to me.

"Thank you," I said wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around him. "I could have made it through,"

"Sure you could've," He said standing up, "You really haven't grown since middle school."

"...owwchie"

Jason laughed as he carried me back to his car.

He dropped me into the seat and went over to his side.

"So, are you in too much pain for blizzards?" He asked as he started up the car.

"Noooooo!" I laughed and smiled at him, "I'm feeling a lot better now!"

Jason chuckled as he drove back into town and pulled in DQ.

"You owe me for this,"

"Mkay," I smiled and leaned against the car window suddenly ravenous. 

Awwwwwwww... I want Jason in my life. And also oooooooooooh~ Romannnnceee may be bloooooming? Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and that you have a good day/night. Bye! :)