The Dating Game

Chapter Three

Justin

"So, why'd you go to the Nurse's Office with Coke Girl?" Ryan asked, chugging down his Coke.

I took a humongous bite out of the cheese burger. Since we were seniors, we're allowed to go off campus for lunch – so we were at McDonalds now - but only for the reason that we are compelled to come back in again and terminate the school day. If someone doesn't come back, their off-campus-lunch indulgence gets revoked.

Once I had swallowed, I replied with, "She cut her finger and a load of girls in the toilets were giving her stick. She looked terrified."

"She is only small. I bet we look like giants compared to her," Ryan joked, earning a high-five from Chaz who was sat next to me. In his jubilance, he took a handful of Chaz's fries and plopped them all into his mouth at once, stuffing his cheeks to the brim so they protruded... an awful lot. It took his several minutes to chew everything and swallow it all. Even then he scrunched up his scarlet face to help him with the protocol.

"Yeah," I said, "well, she was in need of assistance and I was there. Actually, there were girls guarding the girls' toilets. Josie was one of them. I asked her what was happening and she just looked at me and said, "Coke Girl is in there. You know, Royal," so I barged in."

"Now, if Rachel got the surname Royal, she'd put it to justice. Coke Girl doesn't serve much of a purpose," piped up Chaz.

Ryan and Chaz have always been my best friends. We're pretty much the three musketeers and the kings that rule this school. This would be the point where some smart-ass would interject with, "that's why you need Juliet so both of you could rule that school and be royal." But that's not the point. I've never done something with Ryan or Chaz being by my side. They're my accomplices and my family, really - as soppy as it sounds.

I finished up my burger, wiping my hands with a napkin before chucking it effortlessly onto the tray. Chaz stretched up to run a hand through his short hair, leaning back in his seat with his football jacket shortening in length when I said, "We should get back soon."

Ryan groaned. "English."

"Same."

"Math," I said.

We all stood up and I was the one to chuck the rubbish into the trash before we all ambled back to school. School was near the town and fortuitously, McDonalds was out on the outskirts of town. Chaz and Ryan took up most of the sidewalk so I walked in front of them.

As soon as we entered the school grounds, it felt like a movie, no matter how cliché that sounds. Ryan and Chaz stepped forward, leaving room for me in the middle and we were strutting in a line into school. Most girls, even the freshman girls turned around to us and gawped. Chaz winked at a few seniors, but other than that, I kept my eyes in front.

I suppose this would be the time where I would spot the girl of my dreams who is – in the thinnest chance ever – masquerading as some girl I barely acknowledge in this school. I'd spot her in the crowd because I would be drawn to her. My eyes would never leave her, even with all the other girls gawking at me as I stride past. Then I'd get to her and take her in my arms and give her a kiss in front of everyone to prove she's mine and to prove I love her.

I presumably should stop listening to my sister babble on about those moronic romance stories she reads. She's got two full bookshelves full of teenage romance books in her room and even when she comes down for dinner after finishing her homework early, her nose is pressed into a book and Mom has to prise it off her and place it in the kitchen whilst she eats. She's a year younger than I, but she's as quiet as a mouse. She's timid and shy, but she'll always talk to me about my books because Mom will never listen. My sister's name is Jazmyn.