in which two best friends venture through puberty and their sexualities, all while crushing on the most popular girls in school.
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Chapter 1
"You just don't understand," Jade whispered harshly at her friend.
The two of them navigated through the numerous shelves in the dusty school library. It wasn't exactly a dirty place, but it was so unused that a familiar sandy feeling had settled over the chairs and tables. It was just a place if you needed a textbook or wanted to have a conversation with the librarian, Ben, who could be found watching trashy reality TV when his supervisors weren't around.
Jade had just finished describing the way Leigh's hair swayed during cheer practice much to the annoyance of her best friend, Perrie. Leigh was what many would call an unhealthy obsession and what Jade would call a crush. Part of Jade wanted to be with Leigh and part of her wanted to be her. Girls that seemed to have it all together were a rarity at their school and it was so easy for Jade to put her on a pedestal.
Perrie rolled her eyes, something she did more often when around Jade then she'd care to admit. "I do understand that you're like in love with her. But, this isn't your fan fiction Jade."
Jade had been writing stories about Lucy Pevensie from Narnia since 8th grade in middle school and her writing had come a long way since then.
"One, there isn't anything wrong with fan fiction," Jade addressed, pulling her brown hair into a high ponytail. "Two, I'm not in love with her. That's a clear line I'm not trying to cross. Three, even if I was, I would have a pretty good chance of getting with her. My cousin's nephew's best friend totally gets baby sat by Leigh's older sister."
Perrie gave her a long look before turning away and focusing on a bookshelf stocked with textbooks for juniors.
"I'm kidding," Jade assured.
"Good," Perrie sighed, selecting a rather thick history book. She struggled to carry it in one hand as she tried to get the grime off of the other one. "Anyways, you need to focus more on your studies and less on girls."
Jade pressed her chapped lips firmly together before turning to go find a table for the duo to study at. However, before getting anywhere she collided with a flannel and leather clad figure. She immediately knew who it was.
Jesy was an eighteen-year-old who because she was held back in middle school was in Jade's same grade. She was thick and looked like one of the girls on Instagram that took pictures with money covering half of their faces. Like a television character, she always wore a similar variation of the same outfit. Half of the straight boys wanted to date her and the other half knew they didn't stand a chance.
"I'm so sorry," Jade blurted, her cheeks growing warm.
She felt the words slip easily from her lips. She was always the type to apologize first, even when it wasn't necessary.
"No problem." She paused as if she was racking her brain for a name, but then gave up. "You hang out here a lot, don't you?"
Jade shrugged before reluctantly nodding. Even though like the rest of the students Jade was rarely in the library she didn't feel like challenging the assumption.
"Great," Jesy began, stretching the word out. "Could you find a social studies text book for me? I have an exam coming up."
Perrie perked up from her awkward watching place behind Jade.
"You can take this one. It's the last one here and I was going to use it. But that's okay," Perrie babbled. Her eyes fixed on Jesy. "I could always study online. So could you. Not saying that you can't have it. Because you totally can-"
Jesy laughed, throwing her head back. "That's actually for the grade 'level' above me. I guess you guys are advanced. I'll just get the online link from Ms. Jefferson."
She sort of waved before walking away, her black combat boots echoing on the creaky wooden floors.
Jade turned her head to find that her friends cheeks had started to resemble red tomatoes.
"Anyways," Jade started, shaking her head. "You need to focus more on your studies and less on girls."
"Oh bye."
