Squipped | Be More Chill

Be More Chill

Brooke

"Jenna told me that Christine told her that Jeremy told her that he and Michael were coming to visit her for winter break," I inform Chloe casually. "'Her' meaning Christine, not Jenna. Although I guess they'd be visiting Jenna, too." 

"Yeah, and?" 

"Well, I was thinking we might want to visit them, too. You know, I haven't seen my friends from high school in so long! And it's more than a week away, I'm sure we can get a flight." 

She sighs, a little irritated. "Brooke, we don't need to go to all that trouble to see your ex-boyfriend." 

I'm annoyed by this. "Hey, he never liked me, anyway! And at least I didn't practically sexually assault him at Jake's Halloween party." 

"That was two years ago," my girlfriend says defensively. 

"That doesn't excuse it, Chloe." Yes, we were fine as friends up until the prom. More or less. What ruined it was definitely getting together. As you can see, I use whatever Jeremy's told me against her. But come on, it was serious and not okay. 

"I was drunk. Jesus, Brooke, it's not like I had sex with him." 

"You tried to!" I sigh, now quiet. "So... do you want to go?" 

"No. Can't we just stay at home? It'll be our first Christmas as a couple," Chloe suggests, maybe a little harshly. 

"All right..." I sigh, getting the feeling we should stop arguing. "I kind of wish we had, like, what Jeremy and Christine have. They're really good together, and, y'know, they don't... well, it's not really a relationship problem with us." It's a you problem, I want to say, but I don't. 

"Is there really a 'problem' with us? Come on. I love you." 

I always feel a bit better when she says that. "I love you, too," I mutter. "I'm sorry for constantly arguing with you." 

"Well, thank you for apologizing." She gets up from our kitchen table. "I'll be in the shower." 

I slump down in my chair. "'Kay." 

Christine

"Wait!"

I turn around to see Jenna running after me, down the stairs of our school building. I'm headed to the library, but I don't know what she wants with me. 

"Where are you going?" she inquires breathlessly. "The library?" 

I sigh. Was it that obvious? "Yeah." 

"I didn't think you should leave without the current book you're reading." She holds out the book. "It's super informative." 

"Y-you mean your diary?" 

"Isn't that what I'm giving you? It's nonfiction, trust me. C'mon, you know you don't want to be behind." 

"Thank you." I marvel at the nice, thick cover, and the beautiful white pages filled with small, neat writing. 

Juicy writing. 

We head to the library together, and I'm grateful for her companionship. I haven't done so much as sit down in my usual spot at the secluded table when I see him. 

The library man. I want nothing more than to be friends with him. 

"Jenna..." I talk out of the side of my mouth. "Do you know who that guy is?" 

"The blond one?" 

I nod furiously. 

"That's Sean Murphy," my friend whispers. "He's in my psych class. We talk sometimes." 

"Please introduce me," I squeal accidentally. Like, I meant to say this, but I didn't mean to sound like a piglet in distress while doing so. 

Jenna looks a little amused. "You like him, don't you?" 

The sparkle in my eyes turns to terror. "What? No. Jenna, I have a boyfriend. I just find 'Sean'..." I look over to see him again, "aesthetically attractive. And... nice." 

"Can I have my diary?" she requests, quite teasingly. 

"You're not writing about me and Sean!" I hold the diary close, protecting it. "I just want to be friends with him!" 

"You want to fuck him," she says casually. 

I slam down on the table. "JENNA." 

"Sorry!" 

Someone has come by the table. Yes, it's Sean. "Hey, Jenna." He turns his attention to me. "Um, Christine... Canigula, right?" 

I nod while glaring at Jenna. "Uh... did you hear anything we were saying before?" she rushes to ask. 

"Not a word." Sean shakes his head. 

"I was... talking about one of my high school friends... back home," I supply, just in case. 

"What were you saying about them?" 

"Uh... that I want to be friends with him?" 

We talk a while longer, and much to my surprise, I'm relieved when he leaves. He probably is, too. Imagine spending your afternoon trying to talk to two flustered college girls. 

"Way to be chill!" I hiss when we're alone. 

"Me? You were in full-on crush mode," Jenna scoffs. 

"Well, it wasn't my job to be chill. That was yours." 

"I may seem chill, Christine, but I never am. There's a lot you don't know about me." She shrugs mysteriously. 

"I know you're insanely jealous of Chloe and Brooke's relationship." 

"I know you want to fuck Sean." 

"That's it." I stand up, slowly drawing back my arm. "One more word and the book says goodbye."