Jerrie Oneshot Book

Just in Time

Summary: Jade's just being a good friend and stepping in when Perrie needs her to.

Or, three times Jade saves Perrie from Alex's advances, and one time she doesn't.

1.

The first time Jade did it, it was a bit of a surprise.

A group of students had met up and commandeered a corner of the bleachers. It was surprisingly hot day in October, and they were all basking in the warmth.

Alex was being his usual self.

"Come on, Perrie. Mike got his dad's place for the whole weekend and the guys have got a load of kegs. It'll be a good time!"

The sun shone in her eyes, and Perrie was glad she had remembered to bring a baseball cap this morning. She pulled it low over her eyes, blocking out both the sun and Alex, and blew out a breath. "You know, I'm not sure. Keg parties aren't really my th-"

"You'll be able to watch me stand on my head while I try to drink as much as possible! It'll be hilarious. C'mon, you can bring your friends too. I'm sure they'd be up for it," he said, winking and leaning over to slug her gently in the arm. "And maybe while we're there we could-"

A low, measured voice piped up from Perrie's other side. "Perrie, don't forget this weekend is when you promised me you'd help me move all the stuff from my mom's place to my apartment."

Perrie glanced over at her best friend in surprise, as they'd made no such plans. Jade didn't look up from the textbook she had spread over her lap. Wisps of her long, caramel hair were moving in the gentle breeze, and she tucked some of it behind her ear with one hand as she made a note in the margin with a pencil. Perrie sighed wistfully, the sound lost in the breeze. God, Jade was really pretty with the sun shining on her hair like that. She shook her head and turned back to Alex.

"Jade's right. I said I'd help her a while ago. Sorry, Alex!" Perrie tried to force her face into looking regretful, but she wasn't sure whether she managed it. His expression said that he wasn't impressed with her excuse, and he looked over at Jade in irritation.

Jade must have felt his gaze on her, and looked up. She gave him a really sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Maybe next time."

He rolled his eyes and picked up the football at his feet and gestured to his friend Trent, who ambled to his feet and together they headed down the bleachers towards the field, pushing each other and nearly stepping on other students on their way down.

Perrie leaned back on the seats, fanning herself with one of her English Lit textbooks, a dog-eared copy of Macbeth she'd borrowed from Ellie. Jade had lent the blonde her own copy, but it was pristine and Perrie was almost afraid to touch it in case she accidentally bent a page. It was so perfect that Perrie was pretty sure that Jade could've sold it back to the shop for the full retail price, if she'd needed to. Not that she did.

"Thanks Jade," she said quietly, shifting down a step so that she could sit next to the brunette, trying not to jostle the book on her lap. Jade looked across at her, squinting as the sun shone directly into her eyes. Perrie smiled and pulled her baseball cap off her head, setting it on Jade's and hiding the tan skin and those lovely brown eyes from the hot glare of the sun. She ran her hand over the back of it and down Jade's soft hair, settling on her waist and leaning her head on Jade's shoulder.

"You're welcome," Jade murmured. "You didn't sound into it."

"I really wasn't," Perrie replied, shuffling a few millimeters closer to Jade and tightening the hand on her hip, causing Jade to rest her head on Perrie's in response. "Thanks for the rescue."