I Don't Love You -Chapter 4- -Jason POV-

       Sunday was boring, just like any other day. I had to woder why I had the sudden urge to move to this place of all the places in the world. Trae, Florida. I thought at first that it was just some wierd craving or something, but then I met Lissa. I felt something jerk at my heart when I saw her. I wondered if she did, too. I listened carefully to the song, gently playing in the background. Taylor Swift wasn't bad, I didn't guess, so I listened to her frequently.
       I heard the familiar sound of Jay's truck pulling up to the parking lot. We lived in the same aprtment complex and it was quite annoying, the cautious looks he gave me. He trusted me somewhat and I knew he was protecting her. There was no way I could do anything to her, even if I wanted to.
       He really needed to chill the hell out.

I Don't Love You -Chapter 3- -Jay POV-

       As I drove away from Lissa's house, I watched her window, mainly because I knew every time I left she ran straight up to her room to watch me leave until my taillights disappeared. I turned up the radio on my truck, blaring Seether as loud as it would go. It almost hurt my ears, but I got over it after a few minutes. I wondered what she thought of Jason, I mean, it was obvious she liked him, but how much? I was her best friend. I payed attention to her before he even got here. I was the one protecting her from...
       That didn't matter. It wasn't like she knew about that, and neither did anyone else. Maybe Jason did though. After all, we did almost share the same secret. He had to know what all I was capable of. And I knew he could be trouble, but I befriended him because I had no reason not to trust him, yet.
       But he knew what I was, and most definitely knew that he couldn't touch Lissa while I was around. I decided to sit back and watch how this whole thing was going to go over.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Pay attention to this chapter, it's the only clue you're going to get about Jay's dark secret until it's revealed. :3 Mwahahahahahaha!!!!!!!

I Don't Love You -Chapter 2- -Lissa-

       Class started out normally, bell work, homework, then the discussion on the topic of the week. And since today was Friday, it was story day. We had to write a fiction story about a mysterious happening. I loved this class for the fact that I loved to write. I pulled out a piece of paper and started to write. The thing about me is, I don't really have to think about what I want to write, it just comes to me. I'll start to write and words seem to pour from my fingertips onto the pencil which writes the words. The story started like this:

In the dead of the night, I saw a dark figure in the hallway. My eyes slipped accross the room in search of an escape route. The figure simply chuckled. "Don't try to leave." he said."I'm just getting to know you." He'd been standing there for a few minutes guessing things about me, all correct.

       This was as far as I got before the bell rang for fourth hour. I grabbed my story and started to head out the door when Jason stopped me.
       "Do you know what class Jay has next?"
       "I think he has..." I thought for a moment. "This class next." I laughed. "I can't believe I would forget that."
       Mrs. Lavender, the english teacher, interrupted. "Are you two going to go to class, or what?" she asked jokingly.
       "I'm on my way to science!" I told her, walking off in that direction. "See ya later, Jason!"
       I walked to the room Jason had been in only an hour later. I didn't know what class he had next, but he was nice enough, I might hang out with him. I suddenly wondered if he was invited to the whatever they, correction, we, were doing tomorrow night. Slipping into the room as the bell rang was a normal thing for me. I had perfect timing for a person with zero coordination. Not kidding, try watching me attempt skateboarding sometime.
       Class when by quickly and when I walked into my fifth hour, it was time for lunch, which, of course, I always spent with Jay.
       "Sup Lissie." he said mockingly.
       "I told you never to call me that ever again."
       "Okay, whatever." he said with a grin.
      "So you told Jason my full name, huh? Didn't tell him my first name is Lissette, did you?"
       Someone laughed and spoke behind me,"Well, apparently he didn't have to."
       I groaned when I turned to find Jason standing there, grinning like a moron.
       "You tell anyone about that and I will kill you. Got it?"
       "I understand completely." he said, still grinning. He was laughing at me mentally though. I knew it.
       "Whatever." I answered. Then I turned to Jay. "I'll go to whatever the hell you and your friends are doing tomorrow night." I informed it.
       He beamed."Awesome!"
       I loved making him smile like that. He looked really cute, like a child, whenever he gave me that smile, and, again, I loved it.
       "What are we doing?" I asked.
       "We're going out to the river to hang out."
       "Kyle's river lot?"
       "Yup, good guess."
       "Who all's coming?"
       "Well... Kyle, of course, Brian, Tyler, Darrin, maybe their girlfriends, too. I don't know."
       "So, I'm going to be mistaken as your girlfriend?" I asked in disbelief.
       "No! Of course not! That's just who the guys are bringing."
       Jason interrupted here. "Do you guys mind if I come?"
       I glanced at him, having almost forgot he was there. "I don't care, but I'm not the party warden."
       Jay laughed."Where do you get 'warden' from?"
       I grinned. "Nowhere in particular."
       That was when miss I-know-everything-and-everybody-knows-it-'cause-I'm-popular came over to talk to Jay. Not that I was surprised. Jay was after all on the football team. Just like Kyle, Brian, Tyler, and Darrin was. I didn't have anything against them, they just knew I was anti-social.
       "Hello, Jay." Lylah said in a seductive sounding tone. "What's up?"
       But Jay didn't fall under her spell and swore he never would. "Nothing much, just discussing a party we're going to tomorrow night."
       She looked shocked."You and," she looked at me,"her?"
       I almost growled, but Jay jumped in calmly."Yeah, me, her, and Jason over there are going."
       Her eyes moved to Jason and suddenly had no interest in my best friend anymore.
       "Well, hello there. My name's Lylah Dawsin in case you didn't know. I'm sorry, if I were around when you started, I would have shown you around. I assume you're new? I've never seen you around here before." The freaking witch.
       "It's fine." Jason said, thankfully the same way as Jay. "Lissa helped me somewhat."
       "Who?" Lylah was confused.
       "Me." I said while Jay and Jason said "Her" and pointed to me.
       "Oh." she said with a Mrs. Oldie fake smile. "So, would you guys mind if I came to the party?"
       Yes. I thought. "No." I said as if I didn't care.
       "Yay!" she exclaimed, pulling one or her "genuine" smiles.
       Thankfully, with that she walked away and talked and babbled with her friends about how cute new guys is and how she didn't remember his name. Stereotypical blond popular girl.  I sighed and Jason looked at me.
       "I take it you don't like her..." he said.
       "Well, she's not the nicest person in the world." I told him.
       "I know. I can tell."





       The next night, I was surprised when Jason of all people came to pick me up.
       "Jay told me to come get you, then get him." he paused. "I should have called, but I didn't have the number and I thought Jay would have told you."
       "It's okay." I responded, feeling a little better. "I was just surprised, that's all."
       I climbed into the passenger seat. He looked at me funny. "You don't trust me all that well, do you?"
       I stared at him. "Well..." I searched for words. "I don't really know you all that well and you can't really blame me. I'm a guarded person, you know?"
       "Okay." he said gently, looking into my eyes. I was suddenly really uncomfortable.
       That was when he started the car and drove towards Jay's house. He lived on one of the country roads with dirt and rocks flying from you tires when you drive on it. The kind that every time you hit a rock, everyone in the car (or normally a truck) bounced with the it. When we pulled up I immediately saw Jay walking towards the car.
       "Hey." he said, his country accent coloring his voice more than usual tonight.
       "'Sup?" I answered. He hopped in and we headed toward the river lot.
       Normally, Jay talked up a storm in the car, but this time gave us nothing but directions. I wondered if Trae High was finally getting to him, but when we got to the place, his friends and himself  seemed to like to talk a lot.
       They were surprised to see me. "Hi..." Kyle said. "I'm so sorry, I forgot your name." he admitted.
       "So has everyone else." I said with a smile. At least he had the decency to not be jerk about it. "Lissa." I told him.
       "You like to swim, Lissa?" Tyler asked.
       "Um, sure." I answered cautiously.
       "Awesome." he said with a grin.
       Just then, he picked me up and threw me into the river. It was sort of cold, considering it was nighttime, but not that bad. I came up and gasped for air. I saw Jay start to open his mouth to yell at his friend.
       I laughed. This shocked everyone except Tyler, who was glad I wasn't going to kill him or something. I couldn't help but laugh. These guys might just be kind of cool. Maybe I won't be an anti-social freak by the end of tonight.
       Darrin helped me out of the water. "A-are you okay?" he asked shyly.
       I never knew Darrin was quiet, but now that I thought about it, he never really spoke often. "Yeah, I'm alright. A little water never hurt anybody, 'cept maybe the wicked witch of the west." I ended the sentence with a mutter.
       The guys laughed."How come you never introduced us, Jay?" Brian complained. "She's cool!"
       I just sort of looked at him. The others were nodding in agreement. I blushed. Jay smiled knowingly. Jason didn't say a word, having only known me for two days.
       I felt a little better about Jay's friends. Maybe they weren't all jerks like in the movies. And maybe, maybe I could trust them.
       Darrin led me back up the wooden stairs, half covered in dirt, to where the guys were headed. He stayed quiet. He didn't speak much, and he definitely wasn't a jerk, so I decided I liked him.
       Brian and Tyler went on about how their girlfriends couldn't make it because they had plans. Kyle's had to go to Florida with her family for two weeks. Darrin didn't have one. I felt a little sorry for him, though I really didn't have much room to think that because I had never had a boyfriend.
       I suddenly remembered something. "Jay, wasn't Lylah supposed to join us?"
       The guys just sort of looked at Jay. "You invited Lylah Dawsin?" Brian asked, saying her name like he was a child saying, "That's a bad word!"
       "Well, she started to bother us at lunch yesterday and I sort of had no choice." Jay replied. "But it looks like she bailed, so we should be good."
       I saw a baby blue convertible driving down the dirt road. "You jinx." I said to Jay. "Spoke too soon."
       Darrin watched the car like it was an army tank or something. He was obviously afraid of Lylah. I wished she would have stayed home and left me alone. For once I start to make friends and then she comes along. Welcome to the state of being invisible. I wouldn't be noticed for the rest of the night.
       "Hello, boys!" she said as she got out of the car. The boys looked unimpressed. Lylah looked at me. "Why are you all wet?"
       "Well, Tyler thought it would be funny to throw me in the river two seconds after he learned my name." I replied, grinning at him. He smirked in return.
       She leaned in a little and whispered to me. "I would have too." The witch.
       "Hey, Jay?" Jason asked. "What are we exactly going to do all night?"
       Jay opened his mouth to answer but Tyler spoke before he could. "We have two girls. Let's play spin the bottle."
       "Oh hell to the no." was my response while Lylah said enthusiastically,"Sure!"
       We glared at each other and I swear to god I saw her hand twitch like she was thinking about slapping me. I could play her game, just watch. I smiled sweetly at her and turned to Jay.
       "You were gonna say something?" I asked.
       He shrugged,"Just that I don't know." He looked at me, knowing something was up.
       "Whatever."
       Brian looked amused. "What happened to you all of a sudden, Lissa?"
       I looked at him innocently. "What do you mean?"
       He looked me over and then said. "Never mind."
       Lylah spoke again. Apparently, she didn't know how to shut up. She yawned. "I'm bored."
       "Then leave." I heard Kyle mutter. He didn't like her either. I liked these guys.
       "What was that?" she asked him, sounding like she was angry.
       "He said," I interrupted before anyone could object," 'Then leave'."
       She laughed."You're just saying that." she said. She walked over to Kyle and started to draw hearts with her finger on his chest. "They don't want me to leave. You're just jealous."
       Oh really? Well, then, this night was about to get a little interesting. "Are you sure you're not just a bitch?" I asked with a child's innocence reflecting in my eyes.
       Darrin actually had to cough to cover a laugh. Yeah, he was totally awesome. Kyle grinned. Jay had to press his lips together to keep from laughing. The rest just laughed out loud except for me and Lylah.
       Her smile vanished and she got off of Kyle, walking back over to me, hand half raised to slap me. Go ahead, I thought, I. Dare. You. Her hand started to come down but Jason caught it, frowning.
       Kyle got a grip and said,"Lylah, I think you should leave. Now."
       "I didn't do anything!" she shouted.
       My eyes widened, even more innocent. "Well, neither did I."
       Jay started laughing like a moron. I couldn't help but grin.
       "Fine!" she said. "But just remember, I can and will make your life a living hell." And with that she was gone.
       Brian cackled and put his hand on my back. My smile as no longer innocent. "That was awesome." he said.
       "Thanks." I said. "It comes natural."
       Darrin smiled at me approvingly. Jay said,"Well, duh!"
     



       The night went by pretty fast, but I actually had fun, so I was glad I went. Jay almost had to drag me from the place to get me in the car. I could tell he was happy, and I was glad I could do it. Jason seemed to have had fun, too. I was glad he was fitting in well.
       Sunday was boring for the most part. Jay came over for a while because he was 'in the neighborhood', or in other words, just wanted to see me. I helped him with his social studies homework and then we listened to some music, danced like idiots, and hung out in my room.
       "So, you had fun last night?" he asked me.
       "Did I ever!" I answered.
       "The guys where glad you came. They want to be your friends." he looked at me."If you want them to be."
       I thought about that. They really did seem cool. I seemed to refuse to stop thinking that last night. I smiled,"If they can keep up with my moods, I don't see why not."
       In his eyes I could tell he was doing a touchdown dance like,"Yes! She's finally being somebody!"
       I laughed at his expression and hugged him. "Thanks Jay. You rock, ya know that?"
       "I wouldn't be your friend if I thought you were lying." he grinned.
       "Hey, my dad will be home soon. You'd better go."
       "'Kay." he said. "Peace."
       "Bye." I said as he walked out the door.
       I ran back to my room to watch him drive off from my window, like I always did. After he was gone and I could no longer see his taillights, I collapsed on my bed and thought about how I didn't want to go to school the next day while Avril Lavigne  played in the background.

I Don't Love You -Chapter 1- -Lissa POV-

       When I walked into second hour Social Studies, I didn't know what a shock I was going to get.  A boy with jet-black hair and crimson eyes stood at the desk next to mine, having a conversation with my best friend, Jay.  Jay stopped the conversation to wave dramatically at me.
       "Hey, Lis!" he shouted. "This is Jason.  He's here from, you'd never guess. C'mon, guess!"
       "While I'm not into guessing games," I said, extending my hand to the new boy, Jason,"it's nice to meet you."
       He grinned. "Well, Jay was just telling you to guess that I'm from Washington."
       I stared. "Washington? Wow you're foreign!" I exclaimed jokingly, hoping he though I was funny. And apparently he did, because he chuckled.
       That's when the bell rang and everyone scrambled for their seats.  Jason sat on one side of me while Jay sat on the other.
       "Well, class, we have a new student here today." said Ms. Alexanderes, curling a finger for him to come up to the front of the classroom while whispers filled the room. "Come on up here and tell us about yourself."
       He shrugged and stood up, taking long, graceful strides to the front of the room.  With very lean, comfortable posture he shoved his hands in his pockets and began to speak.
       "Well, my name is Jason Tole. I came from Washington about a week ago and this place seems pretty nice. My parents are always working, so I'm pretty much on my own, and I have this weird medical condition to where I can't eat certain things. My favorite time of day is night, and I have no siblings."
       I found that kind of strange. Parents always working, on his own at what, seventeen? Strange medical condition, night, and no siblings. That should have set off a warning siren and flashing lights in my head, but for some reason, the way he was looking at me didn't let that happen. It was almost like he liked me, but he didn't even know me, so I forgot it... Almost.
       I mean, I don't even think I'm pretty with my red, straight-as-a-pin hair that won't style to save my freaking life, my green eyes that almost resemble a dirty river, my pale skin that, if I ran naked in the snow, nobody would even know I was there if not for my hair.  I had fairly regular sized breasts that nobody but desperate pervs notice and almost to no figure.
       And then him, with his medium long black hair and his deep blood-red eyes. His skin was paler than mine, but it was prettier.  His figure was like a jock's with the perfect amount of muscles to win a girl over in a heartbeat and a chest that...
       "Lissa Tolla, can I ask what you're daydreaming about this time?" the teacher asked.
       That snapped me out of it. "Oh, nothing Ms. Alexanderes, I apologize for that."
       She seemed pleased. "Alright then. go back to your seat, Jason, and we'll start class."
       He looked at her with a grin. "Does that mean if I don't go back to my seat, we won't start class?"
       Everyone laughed, including me. He was a jokester, huh? Well, then, we're gonna be great friends. Ms. Alexanderes smiled. "If you don't take a seat in here, you'll have one in the office. Your choice."
       "Yes ma'am." he replied, walking back to his seat. I watched him sit down. He caught me looking and shot me a gorgeous smile that made me feel like passing out.
       Holy shit, I thought. Since when do I feel like this?
       His crimson eyes slipped over my body, making me uneasy and suddenly self-conscious about myself. He seemed to notice this little fact and looked into my eyes with his smile. I swear, I was pretty close to fainting by this point. Like, I felt like this was something Tylenol wouldn't fix. And I have this rule that, if Tylenol doesn't fix it and make it all better, it's pretty serious. I forced myself to look away and back at the teacher, who was now saying something about the Mayans' disappearance. I wasn't paying attention to the teacher, just off in my own world, which seemed to upset Jay, who passed a note, which looked like this when we were through:

       I was glad he worried about me, but I didn't need him knowing what I thought about new boy. Gorgeous, funny, cunning, new boy. What am I supposed to do? I don't think I'm ready for the whole dating process. And I certainly don't want a relationship like the ones in the books, like Twilight.
       The rest of class flew by quickly, seeing as we only had fifteen minutes left of class when Jay passed me the note. I went by my locker to grab my English textbook and saw no other than Jason Toll at the locker next to mine. As I spun the combination and the lock popped open.
       That was when he tapped my shoulder and asked,"Do you know where the Science room is?"
      "Yeah, you go down that hallway down there," I said, pointing,"and go down to the end of the hallway, where you should find room two-oh-six."
       "Thanks." he said running off with a wave."See ya later!"
       "Heya." I felt someone whisper. I jumped, and Jay caught me by the hips. "Whoa, chill out!" he laughed.
       "Very funny." I told him, but I couldn't help but smile.
       "So, watchya doin' tomorrow night?" he asked, pleased he'd made me smile, as always.
       "Well..." I thought for a moment.
       "Me and some other friends are going up to the beach and I thought I might include you." he gave me his famous cocky grin that always had a different effect on me every time he used it. This particular time, I blushed.
       "Now, hold on a sec." I said, changing the subject, and continueing in a French accent."Who are these 'other friends' you speak of?"
       He simply laughed, seeing right through my plan. He was my best friend, after all."You don't have to go, you know." he told me.
       "I don't like people." I muttered.
       "I know that. Im lucky I'm one of the people you talk to."
       "The only." I replied.
       "Well, now you know Jason..." I saw were he was going and interjected with a "maybe."
       I really liked Jay in this way. He was always trying to get me to relax and sort of forget my 'anti-social ways', as he puts it. He is probably the only person I can really stand. Thankfully, he never made me regret that decision.
       "Well, think about it." he said.
       I didn't even get to mutter "ok" before he dissappeared down the hallway to go to class. I sighed, smiling at how stubborn he could be. I'd go to this one. Just for him, though. Nobody else.
       I walked to third hour. Late, of course from my encounters with newbie and my best friend. I ignored the sarcastic so-glad-you-could-join-us-I-although-I-was-hoping-you-wouldn't-show-today-for-my-sanity's-sake look from Mrs. Oldie. Her real name is Mrs. Oliver, but I came up the name when I was talking back to her one day, and it just sart of stuck. She hated me with a burning passion and every time she looked at me, every time she knew I was coming, you could tell she would be in a bad mood the rest of the day. I was just glad I could be of assistance to the problem. Insert teenger eyeroll right about here.
       I took my seat and stared at the board. I hated math class. In my opinion, it was just plain boring. Forgive me if the only time I really wanted to use a math book was when I whacked a kid upside the head with one in sixth grade, but I really, really don't like math. That's probably one of the reasons Mrs. Oldie hates me so much. That, and I've pretty much convinced the whole school that she's like nine hundred years old.
       She called on me to do a problem. I crossed my arms and walked up to the board. Pretty easy problem. I said I hated it, didn't say I was bad at it. I finished the problem in less than five seconds and turned toward the teacher.
       "Wrong." she said instantly.
       I raised an eyebrow."Look at that paper you got again."I replied.
       She gave me a smile about as fake as the chicken at McDonald's and looked at the paper again, then the board and she snarled."Go back to your seat." she snapped.
       I gave her my best forced smile and walked calmly and coolly back to my seat. Math went by in a blur after that, considering I was half asleep by the time it was over. Every time the bell rang after math, I started to sing in my , like "o-v-e-r math class is finally over, over, over, o-v-e-r oooooovvvvveeeerrrr!!!!" So, you get the picture.
       My next class was definitely my favorite out of all of them. That was english. Every time I walked into english I was like "woooohoooo english woooooooo!!!!!" Yes, I might me a little insane, but I would strongly advise against telling me that. I loved english for the fact that the teacher loves me because I'm like, her best student. I always have an answer and she loves the stories I write for the class. I was even more excited about english when none other than Jason Tole waltzed into the classroom with his long strides. And gorgeousness.
       What in the world was I thinking? I never thought about boys before. Never really was interested in the whole "love you babe, love you too" thing. It was just so... Sad, sort of. I didn't want to be like, lovestruck and not see anything else but him I was just focused on living through high school without thinking about boys. Didn't need to, didn't want to, didn't really have any reason to.
       He sat right next to me, again."Hey, Lissa Tolla." he said.
       I sat there like an idiot. "How did you know my full name?"
       "Jay Portson." he replied with a shrug.
       I smiled. "You don't have to call us by our full names, I hope you know that."
       He gave me his knee-weakening grin,"Well, now I know it annoys you. So I think I'll just keep on doing it.?
       "It doesn't-" I started to protest, then realized I was wrong. I grinned back casually."Touche'."