Coming Clean

CHAPTER 15- Coming Clean
HUNTER’S P. O. V.
When I am dressing down I don’t even bother to look Nick’s way. I won. She told him they are friends. She doesn’t let him kiss her anymore. She is mine. Jasmine bears my mark and has no one holding her back. I am the one kissing her every chance I get. Nick is now one of those far away thoughts, so when I am done changing and turn to see him, I am surprised to say the least.
“You think you have won don’t you?” He smirks at me.
“I think the fact that you have been friendzoned says it all.” I smirk back.
“I still have my foot in the door and you aren’t married yet. I can make her come around. Sure you can make her happy now, but can you keep it up? From what I hear you are a jackass who cares only about yourself. How long before she is the one neglected?”
I sneer at him. “You’re right, I am a selfish jackass who only cares about myself and Jasmine. She is my world, nothing you or anyone else can do will take that away. It’s time to bow out. I will make her happy for as long as she lets me. She is the one incontrol not me.” I grin at that last part. I don’t even know when it happened, but it is true. Jasmine makes the rules, I just follow them. She proved that this morning when she bit me.
I turn to walk away from him when he stops me. At first I think he is just going to spout some more shit that I really couldn’t care less about. Then I notice his gaze is on my mark. Most people wear this tacky school shirt for P. E. I however never did. I always wore a tank so right now my mark is clear as day. His eyes are bugging out of his head. “Don’t you think it’s a little too early for stuff like that?” I can hear the panic in his voice. If I have her name branded on my skin then I must be sure.
“I told you our family is different. As soon as I found out, I knew it was life. Sorry, you don’t have something like that.” I shrug him off and head to the field. I can’t help but flex my muscles a little bit as I go. I want him to know that I am sure she is mine. I will fight till the bitter end if I have too. Thankfully she has made it clear that I don’t have to. She bit me.
I can feel the twerps gaze on me the whole class. He can’t believe I have her name branded on my skin for all to see. I want everyone to see. I would run around shirtless if that made it clear that she is mine. I notice a few people from the class have looked too. I am sure that the whole school will know by the end of the day that I have laid claim to Jasmine. Good, I want all of these humans to know that she is mine.
JASMINE’S P. O. V.
It’s lunch and I can see the burning in Zoe’s eyes. She looks like I have been keeping secrets and she wants the answers now. I am not so sure that I am ready to give them yet. I thought I had until we got back to her house. When I sit at the table she glares at me. Clearly she is not pleased that I haven’t said something. After a few minutes of glaring at me and getting no answer I think she has had enough, because she stands up and drags me away to the bathroom.
She quickly checks under stalls to make sure that we are alone and then locks the door. She turns on me like a woman on a mission. “I just heard the impossible. I need some sort of explanation before my brain explodes.”
“I think if you are looking for an explanation from me then you are going to have to let me know about what I am explaining.” I smile at her. She knows I am playing dumb.
“You little,” She pauses to compose herself, after a sigh she continues. “I am not even going to dignify that by finishing it. You know exactly what I am talking about. There is a rumor going around that the devil has your name tattooed on his shoulder, why the hell would that have happened?”
I know I must have changed a few colors myself. I was not expecting that. I thought she was going to ask about Nick and I breaking up. Not the mark. Zoe is my best friend, I have to tell her. Besides, I am actually a little excited. I reach up and slide the collar of my shirt over so that she can see my mark as well. She steps forward and looks like she is going to pass out. “Oh, my God they are matching tattoos.” She literally stares at it for five minutes. Then she does the unexpected and she starts laughing.
“What is so funny?” She is almost making me angry with this reaction. Mainly because I was not prepared for a response like this.
“It’s just that the other day Jay called us sassy nuns, and now you are engaged to the devil.” She keeps laughing. Ok, I am starting to see the humor in it. I laugh with her. “Look, I knew you were engaged to someone so it isn’t too shocking, even being Hunter isn’t that shocking. Your dad loves his family. I am a little shocked that you are ok with this.” She has stopped laughing and is giving me a concerned look.
“I am a little surprised too. Hunter has been a totally different person since we found out. He said he was distant and mean because he didn’t know we were going to be put together and he didn’t want to get his hopes up. I get it. Still hurts a bit but I am getting over it. You know he made me dinner last night.” I give her a smile to show her how happy I am.
“Really he can cook.” She is wearing a doubtful look.
“I know right. I didn’t expect it, but he did. He even put Allison in her place. He really is taking this engagement seriously. He wants to make it work. I can’t say that I don’t like it. I feel bad for Nick but I told him that I was engaged to begin with.”
“Don’t worry about Nick. We all knew it was temporary, if he thought it was more he was deluding himself, you were up front. So have you kissed him yet?” She gets a silly look, almost bouncing on her toes.
“Yes, and it was amazing.” I sigh and swoon.
Zoe starts jumping up and down, “I can’t wait to see the look on everyone’s face when they find out.”
“Speaking of which. I don’t want Nick to know yet that I know I am engaged to Hunter. He is coming to terms with the break up. I don’t want to crush him, you know.” I give her a pointed look to let her know that she needs to be with me on this.
“My lips are sealed. But Hunter is flashing that tattoo around, I am sure he is going to know that you know soon enough. Ok not flashing it around but he was wearing a tank in class and everyone there saw it. That would include Nick.” Zoe decides to change the tone. “Alright so since you are getting married to this guy when are you giving him the goods?” She smiles at me.
“He has to earn the goods. I am not just going to roll over for him.” I smirk.
“That’s my girl, make him sweat.” She opens the bathroom door, leading the way back to the cafeteria. However I don’t get far before Hunter pulls me away, with Zoe watching in shock.
“I heard you went to the bathroom.” He rumbles as he pulls me to him. Getting his head as close to my neck as possible, taking in my scent. Zoe sees the moment and decides its best to leave before she sees more.
“You were looking for me.” I kid.
“I am always looking for you.” He comes up and pecks my lips and then the kiss gets deeper, more desperate. “I missed you already. When can we get back in bed again?” He smirks.
“You have a ways to go for that.” I pull back a little. “I think I should get back to my friends. They don’t all know about your little tattoo show.” I give him a playful glare.
“It wasn’t intentional. I just wear a tank in P. E. I didn’t think about it until that guy saw it and his eyes bugged out of his head.” He motions towards the cafeteria to make his point.
“I’m not mad. I just still haven’t told him that I know you are who I am engaged to. He still thinks I don’t know.”
“So he hasn’t seen yours yet?” He growls a little.
“There are only a few people who have seen mine. You, Zoe and my dad. He was less than shocked. Oh, and Allison, but you showed her that.”
He gets a silly grin. “You told Zoe.” He knows she is my best friend.
“Of course I did. She cornered me in the bathroom about your tattoo, so I showed her my mark. She knows everything. I love and trust her.”
“Everything.” He looks at me concerned.
“Everything on a human level, I am not crazy.”
He sighs in relief. “I was concerned for a second. I know you and her are really close. That guy too, the one that is always standing up to me. What the hell is his name again?” He really looks like he doesn’t know. I highly doubt that, but I will play along.
“Jayden.”
“Right. You need to tell him to let his guard down or I am never going to get to touch you around him. I swear he acts like he is defending your virtue.”
I can’t help but laugh, that is how he acts. “He called me a nun the other day. He might think he is defending my honor.”
He growls, “I love that you have friends that care so much about you, but I am not a monk. I will love my woman.”
“All in good time.” I smirk, pulling away from him. I turn to walk back to the cafeteria but he grabs my arm and turns me back planting his lips on mine.
“Mine.” He whispers against my mouth. Nipping my bottom lip a little he lets go. “Go back to your friends. I will be watching from afar, until I am allowed to join the group.” He doesn’t sound happy about it, but I know he gets it.
When I get to the table I have a lot of eyes on me. Zoe is smirking behind her hand, cause she knows what the rest only wonder. Jay comes up and puts his arm around my shoulder. “So there is a rumor going around that your intended is making himself known. Inquiring minds want to know your thoughts.” He is smirking. I look around at all the faces around me. Some are curious, some just can’t wait to hear the gossip. Only one is just intent on hearing how I feel about it. Nick.
“I always knew it was going to be someone close to the family so it isn’t a shocker.” I say. “I have to say that he has been good to me for a bit now. I am not hating it like I thought I would.” I can’t look at Nick right now. Even from the corner of my eye I can see the disappointment. His shoulders have slumped. His head is now cast at the ground.
Jay sees it too. He lets go of me and heads to him, slapping him on the back. “Don’t worry dude. It isn’t so bad being in that friend zone. Besides, you got further than I ever did.” He is trying to cheer him up but I don’t think it is working. Nick seems to be just lost in thought. “I told you sassy nuns. I was surprised you got her to date you for as long as you did. Plus we all knew she was engaged. You just found out earlier than intended who it was with.”
Nick nods. “I just didn’t expect her to be ok with it.” He says as he stands and leaves the cafeteria. I get up and follow after him.
“Nick.” I call after him. He stops after he gets in the hall.
“One thing I was sure of was that he was someone that you wouldn’t want. You told me that you didn’t want to marry him. Now you are saying that you don’t mind. I don’t get you.” He sounds angry. I can’t blame him. I did say those things.
“Things have changed over the last few days. I didn’t think that I would be ok with it, but I am. I have spent time with him the last few days and we have opened up to each other. I know it sounds crazy for things to have changed that fast, but they have. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you. I tried to tell you that we weren’t going to last. I am sorry if you thought it was going to be longer than I could give you. I know I said that I don’t have to get married till the end of the year. But that was kind of if it wasn’t someone that I was around everyday. It is hard to not bond with the person you are supposed to spend the rest of your life with.”
He still has his back to me. “How long have you known?”
I close my eyes. I don’t want to lie to him. “Two days. I found out two days ago after school.”
He turns and looks at me. “So yesterday when you told me you didn’t know, you did. You lied to me.”
“I didn’t want to hurt you.” I can feel the tears coming down my cheeks.
He sees them too and his whole demeanor changes. “Hey, I’m sorry. I am being selfish. I get it. I just wanted to keep what wasn’t mine. I want you to be happy. If being with Hunter is going to make you happy then so be it.” He places his hands on the sides of my face, wiping my tears with his thumbs. “Don’t cry. I get it. You tried to spare my feelings. I couldn’t have asked for a better girlfriend. You were up front about it not lasting. I just really wanted it to.”
He kisses my forehead. Then hugs me. It is a friendly hug. I am glad that he is getting the friend thing. I don’t want to not have Nick around. He is a great guy. I just hope that he can find someone that will treat him way better than I did.
“If it is any consolation, I know he loves you.” Nick pulls away from me. “There were times I thought he was going to fight me for you.” Nick lets out a little chuckle. “He just better make you happy or I will beat him down.” He is trying to sound serious when he says it but I can’t help but chuckle. There is no way that is going to happen.
“You still going to be my friend?” I ask as I look at him.
“I will do anything to have you in my life, even be your friend.” He puts his arm over my shoulder and walks me back into the cafeteria. Everyone at the table was waiting for our return. Once they see us they get grins. They don’t like it when any of us fights. Plus he is the new guy they would have taken my side.
Jay smiles. “Now that the village is at peace I think it is time to get this guy over here so I can vet him.” He folds his arms over his chest to flex, he is trying to look strong.
I chuckle. “I think it might be a little late today for that. Maybe Monday, besides I don’t even know where he is.”
Jay laughs. “I do.” He points behind me.
I turn and see Hunter leaning against the wall watching me.
Jay motions for him to join us. Hunter doesn’t hesitate, he stalks over to me, giving Nick the look of ‘I am taking your place’. Nick takes the hint and backs off, taking a seat at the table.
Chloe laughs. “I think we are going to need a bigger table if this keeps up.”
Hunter slides his arm around my waist. He squeezes a little. Taking a seat at the table, he softens his arm then pulls me down to his lap. He links to me. “I know I have to make the cut. You have friends here. Lucky for you I don’t.” Then to Chloe. “I think I could sit like this.” He smirks.
The girls just kind of laugh.
Evan gives Hunter a look. “So, inquiring minds want to know. How did you feel when you found out that you were engaged to our Jasmine?” He makes it sound like I belong to these people, in a way I do.
Hunter looks thoughtful for a moment. “Elated. I hoped it was her. When I found out I couldn’t have been happier. I didn’t think I could be so lucky. She is way too good for me. Lucky for me, our parents don’t know that.” He is still playing the human card. I am glad that he is able to assimilate like that. It will make it easier to have him around all my friends.
Evan nods his head. “Good answer. No one is good enough for her. I am glad you recognize it.” That fills my heart a little bit. I am so glad I have friends like this.
“Do you say that about all these girls or just Jasmine?” Hunter, always the possessive one.
“All the girls. Why do you think we protect them so much? You are only getting a pass because you are engaged.” Evan looks at him straight on. He is not backing down. Hunter may be intimidating but not to my friends.
“Message received. If I fuck up I have to answer to you all.” Hunter nods in the guys direction.
Jay laughs and pats Hunter on the shoulder. “I am starting to like this guy. It doesn’t take him long to catch on.” Jay takes a seat on the table. I swear the guy does not know what a chair is. “So, we always knew that Jasmine was engaged to someone. It is a little shocking to know it is the devil himself.” Jay tells him that is what we have been calling him, thanks a lot.
Hunter doesn’t even hesitate. “I know I have acted like the devil for a time so I am not really surprised that is what Jasmine or her friends have called me. I am not going to try to say that I don’t deserve it. I just hope I can earn a different name in the future.” He leans into my neck not hiding, just affirming that he doesn’t want to lose me.
Sam pipes up. “I want to see it.” She is gleaming.
Liz laughs, “You know what I was thinking the same thing.” They both look at Hunter expectantly.
He looks a little surprised looking at both girls. “See what?”
Zoe laughs, “The tattoo, what did you think they meant?”
He heaves a relieved sigh. “I thought they wanted to see a ring. I haven’t gotten one of those yet.” He pulls the collar of his shirt away to reveal the tattoo. Sam and Liz both let out a collective AHHH.
Zoe narrows her eyes. “So you had enough money for a tattoo, but you couldn’t get my girl a ring. What is the matter with you?” I can tell she is joking, but the way Hunter stiffens I can tell that he doesn’t.
“I know a guy.” Is all he mutters.
Zoe laughs. “I’m just messing with you.” She gets serious again. “But seriously get her a ring. It’s classier. You look like a gangster, or a biker with that thing.”
I turn to look at him. “She is messing with you.” I whisper to him.