three strikes

Chapter 28
Jesse and I interwined our fingers together, walking down the school corridor the next morning.
Girl's turned to me, raising their perfectly plucked eyebrows.
"They're back together?" a girl whispered.
"Didn't she, like, cheat on him?" another asked.
"Why would Jesse go back to someone like her?" one asked.
I tightly gripped Jesse's hand, becoming angry with everyone's responses.
"Kendall, quit doing that. It hurts." Jesse muttered in my ear.
I sighed, letting my grip go loose.
"Alright, you ready for plan A?" I asked, as we stopped at my locker.
Jesse nodded, narrowing his eyes towards the other end of the hallway.
"Yeah, Cole's coming this way."
Suddenly, I burst into a fake misfit of giggles, as I leaned agaisnt the locker.
Jesse pressed his body closer to mine, as he brushed my hair back.
I couldn't help but hold my breath.
Why was I? This was all an act anyway.
I heard footsteps approaching us, as someone cleared their throat.
I braced myself to look up, as I saw a confused Cole.
"You guys are back together?" Cole asked.
I smiled, as Jesse wrapped one arm around my waist.
"Yeah, we made up last night." Jesse grinned.
Cole widened his eyes. "You mean... sex?"
I gasped, shaking my head quickly.
"No! No, not that!" I debated. "We talked it through."
Cole didn't look too happy at the fact that Jesse and I were 'back together'.
"Kendall? Can I talk to you, though?" Cole asked.
I frowned in confusion, as I looked up at Jesse.
Jesse seemed skeptical, but he nodded.
He loosened his grip on my waist, as he let me go.
I followed Cole down the hall, as he cleared his throat.
"You're really getting back with Jesse after he cheated on you and hooked up with Jessica at the party a few nights ago?" Cole asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
I couldn't take being lied to anymore.
The one thing I hated the most of all things were liars.
"Jesse never hooked up with Jessica." I coldly muttered.
Cole seemed startled, as he took a step closer to me.
"Yes, he did. Is that what he told you? That he didn't? Because he's lying." Cole lowly said.
I pushed Cole back gently, as he took a small step back, leaving a space in between us.
"I think you're the one whose telling lies here, Cole." I spat. "Because Jesse was with me that night of the party."
Cole licked his chapped lips.
He was probably trying to think up of another pathetic lie.
"Did I say two nights ago? I acutally meant three nights ago." Cole buffered.
I rolled my eyes, getting angry at his behavior.
"Quit lying to me, Cole. You're going to get your eye black if you want to continue to lie." I snapped, blowing up his cover.
Cole opened his mouth to speak, but reluctantly closed it tight.
His jaw was clenched and his lips were formed in a straight line.
"Nothing to say? Do you want to explain why-"
Before I got to finish, Cole glanced over my shoulder.
He smirked, as he pulled me by the collar roughly.
Before I could react, I felt a pair of rough, chapped lips on mine.