The Military Girl

Anything for you

"No! No!" My drama teacher was yelling at Jorge Fitollo. He was the only boy who auditioned for the play, and was thus given the part of Phillip. He was a terrible actor.

"Am I doing something wrong?" Jorge asked me. He made me nervous. He was a wrestler and originally from New York. He had an accent and was incredibly buff. He intimidated me. So, I just nodded or shook my head when he spoke to me.

I didn't want him to "accidentally" hit me with volleyball during P.E. class so I quickly shook my head.

"Then why is she mad at me?" He asked again. "Why is she always mad at me?"

"Uh...." Nothing came out.

"You are lucky you are the only boy that auditioned! Olivia is lucky we don't have a kissing scene in this play!" The drama teacher wagged her finger at him. She threw her arms in the and started swearing in a different language.

"You should probably tell her that Olivia isn't your name." Jorge told me. I laughed nervously. I saw Jade laughing backstage. She knew how nervous I was around him.

"Get out of my sight!" Our teacher yelled. "Just enjoy the rest of your period."

I went backstage. Jade kept laughing at me. "Jorge has an interesting hold on you, girl."

"It's not a hold." I defended myself. "It's just...He's really..."

"Hot."

"Yes, but-"

"HA! You admit it!"

"That has nothing to do with this!" I groaned. "Never mind. I want to go find Harry." Jade kept laughing as we walked out of the auditorium.

Jade and I stopped at my locker and notes spilled out of it.

"Is this still going on?" Jade asked.

I shook my head. "It's Harry. He writes them and stuffs them in there when I'm not looking."

"Slow motion text?"

"Basically."

"Genius. I wish Devon would do this for me."

"Doesn't Devon bring you flowers every morning?"

"Not the right kind."

I laughed. Jade was a little strange. We went to the end of Harry and Devon's team practice. The coach was yelling at Devon for some reason. Jade looked to the ground, partially ignoring it.

"What's going on?" I asked her. She just sighed. I followed her across the bleachers. We sat down and I tried to listen to what their coach was saying.

I looked at Jade. She watched her boyfriend fight with his coach back and forth. I saw Harry make a basket and then stop to watch Devon. He seemed as puzzled as I was.

"Not again." Jade sighed.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Does the coach not like Devon?"

"No. Every time he catches us together he goes a little crazy."

"Why? He's the coach. He shouldn't care. Why is he investing in his personal life?"

"...He's my dad." She looked back down at the court.

"Are you serious?" I looked back and forth from the coach to Jade.

"Yeah. He doesn't like Devon too much. So our relationship is a secret." She put her finger up to her lips.

"But, you said your dad caught you again." I was so confused.

"He thinks that Devon just flirts with me." She nodded over and over again. "It's bad. I've lied to my dad like a bajillion times. I've never seen Devon fight back, though."

I looked back Jade's dad who yelled at Devon to take off his jersey. Devon stormed off and threw the jersey on the ground. He headed toward the locker room.

Jade's dad saw us sitting in the gym. He pointed to Jade and then to a spot next to him. Jade followed orders and walked down to her dad. They had a much quieter conversation.

I opened up my script and started reading my lines over and over again.

The whistle blew and all of the players walked out of the gym. Jade walked back to me.

"He kicked him off the team." She choked. Her green mascara was about to run from the tears she was holding in.

"What?" I asked.

"Devon can't play basketball because he told my dad he loved me."

"Oh, Jade. I'm so sorry."

"Why?" She started laughing. "Devon loves me."

"What?"

"Devon doesn't want to play basketball because he loves me." She started smiling. She wiped her eyes, messing up her makeup. "I love him, too!" She grabbed her bag and raced off.

"Guess who?" A pair of hands covered my eyes.

"Harry, you're the only British boy in school." I said. "Start working on your accent." I turned around and hugged him. "So, apparently, Devon loves Jade more than basketball."

"I already knew that. Coach is going to get fired."

I lifted my head. "Why do you say that?"

"Because he just forced someone off the team for personal reasons." Harry shrugged. "Once someone tells the principal, Coach is out of a job."

"No! Jade doesn't have a mom! Her dad needs to stay employed!" I yelled. Luckily, we were the only ones in the gym, except for a couple who thought they were the only ones in the gym.

"Well, someone has to tell!" Harry said. "Devon loves Jade. But, basketball is his life. He hates school otherwise."

"Everybody does! You have to promise not to tell! Promise me!"

"Ok, I won't tell. Thought, Devon deserves justice..."

"No one can know. Ok? Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

I nodded and Harry and I went home. I kept thinking about Jade and Devon. I wondered if Harry loved me enough to give up something for me. I wouldn't mind it, though I may not have been able to live with the guilt. I'm sure Harry's mom didn't make Kenny give up any of his Jesus statues before they got married.

The next day at school, I heard someone talking about an open coach position. Then my heart sunk. Jade's dad had gotten fired. I rushed to Harry, but he swore he didn't tell anyone. I bit my lip.

My day became progressively worse. Jade was hit with "poor" comments left and right. She just brushed them aside, and reminded them that her rich aunt bought clothes in Paris, though Jade didn't mean her own clothes. She meant her aunt bought clothes for herself. Jade owned nothing from Paris.

At practice, Jade was practicing with her fairy buddies, and Jorge and I were in backstage. We read our lines to each other.

"You know, I heard your friend is poor." Jorge said.

"She isn't poor, Jorge. Her dad is just...Losing his job. It'll be a blessing in disguise."

"I don't say this to be rude, but does she need help?"

"She'll get help. Don't worry. Let's just get back to our lines. Jade is doing them."

"Yes, she looks so beautiful."

I blinked at him. "She's taken, Jorge."

"I know. But she is still very beautiful."