All Signs Point to You Part Two, Navaura Campbell [best novels for students .txt] 📗

her direction that whole time.

Through all four of the classes they had together, Jordan refused to give her the satisfaction of moving out of her range. That's what she wanted. She wanted him to disappear into himself the way she was doing. Hiding. He'd never hidden before and wouldn't start now.

At the end of the day when classes were done, before practice had begun, he was walking to his car in the school parking lot when a sudden down pour of rain began. It was now the beginning of November, and although it was freezing cold out, the snow had yet to start falling, they were still receiving rain showers. He ran the rest of the way across the parking lot and unlocked the door.

Denise was just hitting the second block from the school, when the dark clouds immediately gathered and the rain began. She let out a high squeal, irritated that this just added fuel to the fire of her bad day. She continued to walk, her clothes sticking to the form of her body. She was about three and a half blocks away from her house, when a horn honked, startling her out of her grumpiness. Looking over, she let out another annoyed sigh. Why couldn't he be like everyone else and just keep going? Denise sighed and stopped. The passenger window rolled down. Jordan stared at her with heated eyes. "Get in the car."

Denise raised both brows. "What are you going to do if I don't?"

Jordan replied through clench teeth, "Leave you in the rain. Now come on, stop your bitching and get in the car." Denise narrowed her brows. "Why are you cursing at me?"

He sighed, vexed. "Get in the car."

Denise exhaled harshly and then opened the door. Her clothes made a noise as she sat in the seat and then closed the door. Her bag was tucked underneath the seat. Air was blowing through the vents.

"It's freezing cold out there and you got the air on?" Denise inquired, flabbergasted.

"It's hot to me." He stated, keeping his eyes on the road.

"It's cold...and my clothes are wet.” Denise stated, her jaw clenching. “I'm going to catch pneumonia."

Jordan shrugged his shoulders, "That's something you're going to have to deal with on your own."

Denise's gaze burned as they connected with his eyes, hers wide, mortified. "What?"

"I'm not cutting my air off for you." He stated, the hardness shielded through grinding teeth

Denise cleared her throat, bit her tongue to keep from saying something she'd regret and looked out of the window.

"screech!" The squeal of tires brought Denise's head up from the window. She looked over at Jordan, "What the heck are you doing?"

He was putting the parking brake on. "I have some things to say to you." Denise rolled her eyes, severely vexed now.

"You are the most shallow person I've ever met."

Denise shook her head. "Ofcourse."

"You are. Self absorbed, can't see past yourself and the only person you ever cared about is yourself."

Denise looked over at him, "What else do you have to say?"

"I think you're stupid, really stupid."

"Why? Because I broke up with you? What's a matter Jordan, can't handle not having what you want?" She spat out.

He said, "It's not about that, Denise."His pulse was hammering.

"What is it about Jordan?"

"It doesn't make any sense. None of it does. You know I love you. You know I do, and yet you go crazy on me? So you explain yourself, I tell you none of it matters and the only thing you can do is withdraw? Don't you want to be loved, Denise? Don't you want to be treated like a woman?" His green eyes softened for that moment, causing her to look away. He grabbed her face in his hands and pulled it around to meet his. His eyes searched hers again for some sort of truth. "Don't look away from me."

Her eyes began to water.

"Am I not good enough for you, Denise?" His tone was gentle, soft.

"It's not that. I don't want to be used for your amusement Jordan, I really don't."

"But, it's not for my amusement. I really do love you. I love the way your hair curl into it's own pattern. I love your skin, how it looks and feel so tender. You are a beautiful complexion. I love the fullness of your mouth, the way your lips pout, just begging to be kissed." He ran a finger along her mouth. "They want to be kissed." He stared her in the eyes. She felt her breathing become shallow.

Denise, I love everything about you. I love spending time with you, I missed that. I miss our conversations, I miss your braininess."

Denise stared, not sure what to say.

"I thought you understood me Denise." He sighed wistfully.

She pulled away.

"You pull away like I repulse you. Do I repulse you?"

She swallowed, anxiously. "No."

"Ok, then what is it?" He desperately wanted to know.

Denise looked him in the eyes, anything would do to make him stop. She didn't like this one bit. Not hardly.

"Can't we be friends?" She asked, feeling her heart explode.

He narrowed his eyes, "Friends?"

"Yes, I know..."

"Is this some kind of game to you?" His eyes, his demeanor, everything told her he was in pain.

"No, I just can't date you." She replied quietly.

Jordan nodded his head, not liking what he was hearing, but couldn't do much about it. "That's what you want?"

She nodded, staring down at her hands. She couldn't even look him in the face and tell the truth.

He started to say something else, but looked at her, just looking. Why should he have to resort to begging her? Why should he be the one trying to get her back? If she didn't want him, there were plenty of other girls who did. Other girls who wanted him for both his looks and personality. He shouldn't be doing this. It would just drive him crazy in the long run. Loving her would drive him absolutely crazy.

Her not wanting his love was just plain strange. What was so grotesque about him that it turned her off? Was he that bad of a guy? Had he really communicated to her something completely different from what he felt? Had he? Inhaling a sharp breath, he allowed the pain to come in; allowed everything to settle. If anything, Andrew was right, she should be the one doing this, not him. He stared at her with a new found revelation. It was not worth it. The pain she was giving him was not worth it. He needed to move on, and let it be. Let things go between them. She didn't want him and that was the truth.

"Ok, Denise. I'm not going to bother you anymore. You can be free to do what ever you like." His green eyes sparkled. He started up the car and drove toward her house.

Denise got out of the car, grabbing her bag with her, feeling a sadness in her heart. She managed once again to push away the guy she loved. Why? She couldn't began to understand. She loved him so much and wanted to be with him, but another part of herself told her no. Told her that she couldn't, wouldn't survive if she was with him. She would just end up dependent upon him. She would get to a point where she couldn't eat, breathe or think about anything else but him. The biggest thing was that inevitably they'd began to have sex. She knew in her heart that if she was with him, he'd be her first, because there was too much physical attraction. Everything was too much. Sighing with a slump in her shoulders, a depression coming in her attitude, she made her way up the path to the house. Taking her keys out a drenched bag, she unlocked the door.

Jordan waited for her to enter the house, before he shifted the gear into reverse. While leaving, he made a decision, this one for good. He was going to grant her wish, leave her alone. Find something else or someone else that would love and appreciate him for who he was.

When he got home, his mother was no where to be found. She left a note to tell him that she'd gone out for a while and would return in a few hours. Written below that was a number. He read beneath the number. Sebrea had called him. He raised a brow, What had she called for?

Two hours later, after homework, a quick dinner, and shower, he sat in the living room, holding the phone in his hand.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hi Sebrea, I got a note stating that you'd called?"

"Yes, I did. I just wanted to see how things were going with you." Her voice had a singsong sound to it.

"It's good. I just finished up my homework." He answered.

"Oh, sounds progressive."

He sighed, "Yeah, it was."

"That's good. So..." She continued on.

That's how everything started. There were conversations first, and then two weeks later, Jordan asked her out.

 

 

Chapter Thirty: Settling

 

A day in mid October, a month before Denise's birthday, she and Quinton decided to go see a movie. Given, it was a sporadic decision, but non the less they'd decided to go.

Sitting around with nothing to do except watching reruns of A different world and The Cosby show, were her idea of entertainment, but Quin was restless. So, in an effort to please him, she cut the TV. off, after much begging on his part and they went to the mall. On their way there, Quin smiled at her. "I'm so proud of you De, you actually put down what you wanted for what I wanted."

Denise smiled sarcastically, "What are friends for?"

Quinton laughed, "Don't worry sugah," in his sweet little drawl. "I'll definitely repay the favor."

Denise looked at him. "And how do you plan to do that? The Cosby show and a different world are absolutely irreplaceable. I love those shows."

Quinton shrugged, "I don't know, but I'm sure we'll think of something."

Denise rolled her eyes. Whatever! As she thought this, she remembered the day at the pond, when Jordan had counted each time she'd spoken those words aloud. She smiled, this had been the setting of their first date.

"What's so funny?" Quinton's voice cut into her thoughts.

Denise sighed wistfully, "Nothing."

When they arrived at the mall, they checked for the time their movie would began and after discovering they had a twenty five minute wait, they began walking around the mall.

Jordan and Sebrea were in a gift shop. They were trying to pick out something for their mothers, trying to determine what would be the best Christmas present.

"How about this?" Sebrea volunteered, holding up a purple and white glass crystal ball. Jordan shook his head, "No, she's not that kind of girl."

Sebrea laughed, "Oh, she isn't huh?"

Jordan smiled, delighted, "No, she's not."

"What kind of girl is she?" Sebrea inquired, knowing her question seemed silly but was up for teasing.

"She's the kind of girl that enjoys sparkling Christmas cards, some clothes and books, stuff like that. Oh yeah, the books have to be non fictional."

"Ok..." Sebrea was thoughtful as she went around the store searching. Jordan glanced up at Sebrea with a smile on his face. She was so sweet, smart, level headed and funny. Plus she was a blast to hang out with.

Quinn paused outside of Terry's gift shop, grasped her chin and said, "Look, I don't want you to say another word about Jordan, you two are in the process of moving on. That's all that matters. You need to focus more on Denise anyway sugar, because I'm hearing two different sides, one says I don't want to be with him, the other says I want to be with him. Girl, if the decision is that hard, then maybe you need to figure out the truth first. Maybe you need to see what's going on in your heart first. "Look," He brought her closer to him, giving them less than ten feet apart. "I want you to go home and start journaling."

Denise