The Recruit(42)

When they got to The Ring, Anna went straight to Pax’s computer to fire it up while Jaz walked in with Ryan.

‘What?’ he asked when he caught her watching him.

‘So when you go back to whatever it is you do…you won’t ever come back here? To The Ring?’ Jaz hoped she wasn’t sounding too needy.

‘Why, you gonna miss me?’ He smiled but it didn’t make her feel any better. ‘I don’t know, Jaz. I might just have to drop by whenever I get the time. Besides, you can’t call me your stalker if I don’t come around anymore, hey?’

‘I guess not.’ Jaz shrugged, but she smiled with relief. ‘So you wanna spar with me?’

‘For real? You were just beaten up last night.’

‘Nah, I’m good to go,’ said Jaz.

Ryan scooped her up in his arms and squeezed her gently. ‘So me doing this isn’t hurting your ribs at all?’ he asked glancing down at her.

‘Ouch, okay, okay, you proved your point.’ He put her down and Jaz held her ribs. ‘Yeah they’re still a bit sore. Tomorrow then?’

‘You never give up,’ he laughed. ‘How about in three days. I gotta go somewhere over the weekend so shall we book it in for then?’

Jaz studied him, wondering where he could be going. ‘Sure, Monday it is.’

Ryan smiled and stepped back. ‘Well I’m gonna go get changed and work out. Like you said, I might need it.’

Somehow, after last night, Jaz knew he wouldn’t be needing anything. She watched him leave, unaware Anna had stepped up behind her, also watching him go.

‘Such a cute butt.’

Jaz turned around and slapped Anna’s shoulder.

‘He can’t hear me!’

‘He might have.’

‘So what was it like?’ asked Anna.

‘What was what like?’

‘Hello? I just saw Mr Hunk practically hug you. You can’t tell me you didn’t notice his arms around you?’

Jaz shrugged and Anna scoffed, rolled her eyes and went back to her computer while muttering something about wasted moments.

The thing was, Jaz had noticed. She had noticed not just his arms but also his chest beating against hers and the warmth that came with it. Her ribs had only been a tiny twinge of pain amongst the rest of her body, which was in tingles.

‘I’m off to clean something.’ And with that she headed for the storeroom, determined to scrub her thoughts from her mind.





Chapter 15


‘Hello, Earth to Jasmine, are you even listening to me?’ Anna waved her hand in front of Jaz’s face and then turned around in the direction Jaz was staring.

‘What’s so interesting about the cafeteria rubbish bin?’

Jaz blinked her eyes and focused on Anna. ‘Sorry, what were you saying?’

Anna sighed. ‘Never mind. What’s up with you today? You’ve been in laa laa land since first period.’

Jaz shrugged. Her mind was in a lot of places. Wondering how Pax was going, wondering if Ryan would be back today like he said, wondering if Taylor would ask her to the school ball. There was no rest for her teenage mind.

‘Are you coming to The Ring today?’ Jaz asked, trying to stay in the present with Anna.

‘No, I’ve got a history essay due on Friday and I want to make a start on it. When are you going to start yours?’

‘Probably late Thursday night,’ said Jaz with a smirk.

‘I don’t know why you leave everything for the last minute, that’s why your grades are crap. If you spent more time with your books instead of at The Ring you’d be as smart as me.’

‘But Anna, it just seems so pointless. What is learning about some piece of art or algebra going to do for me after school? Diddlysquat, that’s what. It wouldn’t have saved me from those goons that attacked me. I’d rather be doing something with my hands.’

‘Like wrapping them around Taylor?’ laughed Anna.

Jaz rolled her eyes and pushed her lunch tray away.

‘Hello ladies, I heard my name?’ Taylor sat in the seat next to Anna.

Both girls flushed a little. ‘Tay, what you up to?’ Jaz asked.

‘Wondering if you girls have found dates for the ball yet?’

Jaz shook her head but Anna turned another shade of red.

‘Anna, has someone asked you?’ said Jaz. ‘You didn’t tell me?’

Anna played with her hair as the light through the cafeteria window caught the red highlights. ‘Well, he only asked me this morning.’

‘Who?’ asked Jaz and Taylor.

‘Ricky.’

‘Oh, he’s the tall one, cute with glasses?’ Jaz asked.

‘Yeah, we were lab partners last term. He’s really nice, so I said yes.’