Through Everything

Chapter 15

"So, how's life?" asked Luna, her eyes scanning the colourful array of stalls set up in the-now-quiet assembly ground. The sun casted a warm glow over the ground as the two girls strolled along.

Jia crossed her arms and kept her gaze fixed on the ground, lost in thought as she moved forward.

Luna rubbed the back of her neck, trying to think of other ways to cheer Jia up. As they walked towards the front of the fete, her eyes fell on the school deck built above the stage. She put an arm around Jia. "How about we go get some ice cream?"

Jia lifted Luna's arm from her shoulder, her voice filled with guilt and regret as she spoke, "No, Luna, I don't deserve it. Not after the awful thing that I was about to do."

Luna let out a laugh, prompting Jia to increase her pace and move farther ahead. Luna reached out and grabbed Jia's arm, bringing her to a halt.

"Come on, Jia. We're taking about the Head Girl of the tenth grade; how bad could it possibly be?"

Contrary to the light-hearted reply Luna was expecting from her best friend, Jia folded her arms. "If you really want to know, I'm ready to talk. But the real question is whether you will be ready to listen this time."

Luna's smile disappeared, and a serious expression took its place as she released her grip on Jia's arm. "I'm all ears. I promise."

Jia took in a deep breath and blurted out everything. From her deal with Hamed to how she was about to glue Sophia to the chair. She ended by saying, "So, I thought that once Sophia was out of the way, I could finally get some time with you."

"Dude, I never knew you had that in you!" blurted out Luna.

Jia rolled her eyes. "I know."

"Let's go to the deck and talk-clearly, we need some time together.."

Jia smiled.

Jia and Luna climbed up the cedar wood stairs next to the stage, reaching the school deck, better known as the 'Ice cream deck'.

"You go and find us a place to sit, while I order."

Jia walked around the deck, her hand rubbing against the ridges on the wooden backs of the benches. The benches were arranged so that they faced the steel railing that went all around the perimeter of the deck.

She wandered to the right side of the deck, the side that faced the hills-the same hills that Hillfield got it's name from- and sat down on the front bench.

"Here you go," Luna said with a smile, as she handed her a waffle cone topped with creamy vanilla ice cream. Jia took the cone from Luna, savouring the sweet scent wafting from it.

Luna glanced at her. "I know it's your favourite."

The two friends indulged in the first licks of their ice creams, feeling the cool sweetness melt on their tongues.

"That hits the spot." said the two at the same time.

After the laughs had died down, the two girls continued enjoying their ice creams-Jia licking hers while Luna slurped hers. "Remember when we had to have our lunch here-on this very bench-in the first week after we became friends because no one approved of our decision to break the social system?"

Jia nodded as she licked the last of her ice cream. "Yeah. That's why I chose it."

The next few minutes passed by with sounds of biting and slurping before either of the fifteen year olds spoke.

"I was thinking....you know, putting pieces of the puzzle together......and...."

"Get to the point Adair."

"Are you jealous of me and Sophia being friends?"

She jumped from her seat and turned to Luna. "No way! Why would you even think that?"

Luna raised an eyebrow at her.

Jia turned round facing the balcony, and took in a deep breath. She wondered whether the shivers that she now felt were because of the soundless winter breeze finding its way through her open jacket, or if it was because of the guilt that her subconscious mind now lathered her with so generously.

"At the beginning, yes, it was sorta like that." admitted Jia, her voice feeble and submissive.

Luna got up and leaned on the railing beside her.

"That's why I told not to talk to her that day in the restroom, remember?"

She nodded.

"I was....maybe the slightest bit possessive of you." said Jia, trying to look at Luna. But alas, the guilt was overpowering. "A few weeks after the two of you had become friends, I got this dream-or rather nightmare-about Avery and Mehar and....."

"Look, I know you and Avery didn't get along at the starting." said Luna. "But that's because she was out to get you right from the gecko."

Jia rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"Listen." said Luna placing a hand on Jia's arm. "If you want me to be cautious around Sophia, I will. I promise." After a pause, Luna continued. "But Sophia's really been trying to be your friend. Actually, she's been trying so hard that......hold my cone for me, will you?"

Jia took the half-eaten cone from Luna while Luna took out her phone.

"Seriously, you want to text right-"

"Shhh." Luna scrolled through her phone, searching for Sophia's chat. "Yep, got it. As I was saying, she's really been trying hard to get to you good side. So hard that she got you a date with Jake!" Luna waved her phone in front of Jia, showing the electronic tickets that Sophia had sent her.

Jia took a step back, her eyes wide open in astonishment.

"That's amazing!" said Jia grabbing the phone from Luna.

"Yeah baby! Four tickets, that's one each for you, me, Soph-I mean Sophia-and Jake. This Saturday!"

"That's unbelievable!" said Jia, her palm covering her mouth as she continued to scroll through the tickets.

"You're in, right?" asked Luna-although she knew what Jia was going to say.

"Of course I am!" said Jia, still not quite recovered from the shock. "I still can't believe this is happening!"

When the excitement had died down, the girls sat back down on the bench, continuing to lick their ice creams.

"Wait, something doesn't add up." said Jia stopping mid-lick. "How did Sophia know that I like Jake? The only people who know that are my parents and...you."

"Well, look at the time!" said Luna checking her phone. "We've been away from the stall for nearly a half hour!" Luna got up and put her phone in her pocket. "Sophia's probably going to think we'll never return."

Jia got up, wiping ice cream from her lips. "But you didn't answer-"

"Look, Sophia's rock and roll is melting! We've gotta go!"