The night was colder than I liked, but as I sat down next to Jake, the both of us alone I tried my best not to show it.
''So, how was the haunted trail? Jake asked in a friendly tone, interested, as if he hadn't ignored me earlier.
''It was okay, I said. I kept my answer short on purpose, maybe Josie was right and Jake should stay at a safe distance. To make that happen, I should not get too close or too comfortable either. ''What about you?" I asked in return strictly out of politeness.
''It was fine, he looked at me with a look I had never seen in his eyes before, I still felt that tension in the air, as if he was trying to figure out how to ask me something or tell me something.
''So, what were you doing outside all alone?'' No one was around, and we were the last group, and just like I didn't know why I felt like he was tense while nothing gave me a hint of that feeling, I just had a feeling he waited here just for me.
''It was a bit too loud for me in there, sometimes I just need a break, I need to be not overstimulated like that and enjoy some quiet you know? I felt that wasn't the truth but I agreed as if I didn't get that feeling.
''Well, in that case, I wouldn't want to interrupt,'' I said, and I wanted to stand up to go inside, maybe that was why I felt some tension around him, and this would be a nice moment to leave and not be rude.
"No," his tone didn't leave space for any rejection. ''Please stay Jade,'' he said my name not as Americans did, he said it the way I told him my name the first time in Amsterdam, the way my French mother always said my name. When I heard his tone and the way he said my name I sat down. Something about the way he said my name made me feel weak inside.
''Okay,'' I was surprised by him, surprised he was so decisive about wanting me with him while he came here to be alone, according to his words.
''So, do you like this school so far?" He still looked at me with that look I didn't understand, warm and with a twinkle in it, the tension a little bit less now I sat next to him on the bench of a picnic table. Around us was darkness, and a few lights of the buildings around us, while we sat alone here under the stars.
"It's fine."
"Are you cold by the way?" He asked, hinting at my lack of a coat while we sat next to each other.
''Kind of,'' I admitted, not wanting to seem weak. He took off his leather jacket and laid it over my shoulders.
''Better?'' He asked while his hands were still laying on his jacket and he looked me in my eyes.
''Yes, thank you,'' I said, but in my head, I was completely overthinking, noticing a strange feeling as he looked at me that way, a nice feeling. I felt myself blush as Jake slowly took a little distance. We stayed quiet fr a while as we sat like that.
We sat like that till one of the teachers called us inside and we had to walk back to the other kids, from the cold night inside to the warmth of the cafeteria.
As we walked inside heads turned. It was dark now and everyone was in a circle around a teacher I didn't know who was telling a scary story. Now we were inside I felt the tension of the girls who looked at me, Analyzing us.
As I found a chair to sit on next to Josie, trying to listen to the scary story of the tall and skinny teacher with grey hair and small glasses on his long face, Josie leaned towards me.
''Jade, where were you two? And why are you wearing Jake's jacket? everyone looks at you,'' she whispered.
''He just offered it because I didn't have a coat with me,'' I said while I shrugged.
Josie rolled her eyes and whispered, ''If he was annoying don't hold back.''
''Don't worry, I can handle him,'' I said ''he was actually nice to me but in a weird way.''
''Boys,'' we said in unison while we both rolled our eyes and tried to listen again to the teacher.
When it was time to get ready to sleep all the students walked between the cabins and the showers. I decided to walk to my cabin when I bumped into Jake, who fought me and held a decent distance with me in his hands.
''Hey ehm, can I have my jacket back?'' He asked while others around us walked and some looked at us.
''Of course,'' I handed him his jacket after I took it off. ''Thanks again and good night,'' I said while I started to walk to my cabin and we both went in other directions.
Right after Jake disappeared Josie appeared from the crowd.
''Jade, hold up.'' I waited and she walked up to me. ''What's up?'' I asked, and she immediately came closer to me, ''Jade, is there anyone you like right now?''
I raised an eyebrow. ''No, not really why?''
''So you wouldn't mind if I asked Wyatt out?'' I was taken aback, Wyatt was someone I vaguely knew, and I wasn't even remotely attracted to him.
"Not even a little," I confirmed my answer.
''Okay, see you tomorrow.'' She hurried away again while I walked to my cabin to finally get ready.
Just when I finally reached my cabin I was the only one there, I took a breath, grabbed my travel bag, and looked for warm clothes to wear for the night when I heard Jake's voice outside.
''Go to your cabin mister Miller,'' a male teacher said. ''But I need to give her something,'' Jake said and seconds later he appeared in my cabin.
''The other girls aren't here yet,'' I said before he could even ask.
''I'm not looking for them,'' he said. ''Are you lost?'' I asked while Jake closed the door behind him.
''Not really,'' he said, ''I was looking for you.'' His voice was a bit hoarse, I hoped he didn't see it written on my face that it did something to me. I raised my eyebrow, why would he look for me? I wondered but I didn't say it.
''Okay, here I am, what's up?''
''Nothing, just wishing you goodnight.'' Jake scratched the back of his head and tried to pull off that that was his reason for coming, but as he opened the door I opened my mouth before I could think.
''What was it you wanted to give?"
''Oh, that,'' he took off his jacket and gave me his zipped hoodie, the fabric felt thick and warm, Jake smiled at me and before I could thank him he disappeared again.
Confused I changed my clothes and left the cabin to brush my teeth. Outside I had to find my way to the toilets, brushed my teeth, still confused and when I was back in the cabin the other girls still weren't back.
Once again alone I quickly jumped into my bed and hid my head under the blanket. Just a few minutes later the three girls I shared my cabin with walked in while they were talking.
''Jade?'' That was the voice of the girl named Kendra, the Asian girl.
''She sleeps,'' Ashley replied. ''Let me try,'' Jessica chimed in and she came closer, ''Jade, feel like talking?''
When I didn't reply the girls climbed into their own beds while they kept talking. When they were finally sure I was asleep because I didn't reply, Ashley started Talking.
''Bummer she's asleep would have loved to find out what the hell she did within close distance of Jake,'' she said.
''As if she would have spilled it,'' Kendra said.
''No one seems to know her, she's weird,'' Ashley agreed with the other two girls.
''Who knows, she's a goth, I heard at least and she does look the part.''
''Maybe she did some voodoo spell on him.'' The other girls giggled.
''Sounds like the only reason she could get him anyways, have you seen what she was wearing,'' Jessica said in a tone that sounded disgusted.
The girls kept talking like that for a while, mean comments about the way I looked, giggles about mean jokes, and theories on why Jake knew me and hung around with me today. After a while, I didn't listen anymore.
Then I remembered Josie's question, and the strange feeling hanging around Jake, did Jake like me somehow like that? I thought about it, he knew me for most of his life, it was probably nothing. It was probably just because I reminded him of his old life before the death of his parents tore his family apart.
I decided to stop overthinking things because of what others said, Jake was handsome and charming, and he was nice to me, that doesn't need to mean anything. Aside from that, guys didn't fall for girls like me, especially not attractive, popular guys like him I decided for myself before I fell asleep.