This Is Love

Chapter 7: Frozen

Jessica and I are walking home from school. Her house is only a few blocks away from mine, so we go home together often. We're going to her house to watch movies, in order to celebrate the end of midterms. We have semester break until next Monday, which means six days to relax and block out any and all memories of midterms. Until we get out graded back that it is. But for now, we're happy.

"Hey, I was thinking we could watch 'Ten Things I Hate About You' first," Jessica says. I gave her a weak smile and nodded. My head is still obsessing over what happened during the music midterm earlier. I was just thinking of ways to break up with Jacob. It's not you, it's me. I never want to see you again, sorry. I never liked you and every day I spend with you makes me hate you more. Fuck you. Goodbye.

"Suzie, why are you being so mopey?" Jessica asks. Midterms are over, we're fine." Jessica raisers her arms in celebration and starts skipping down the street. I can't help but laugh as she takes my hand and I start skipping with her.

"I'll tell you later Jess. You're right. Midterms are over. Let's just have fun."

"I'm the queen of pushing away all the bad stuff to deal with it later, but come on Suzie," Jessica stops slipping and looks at me. "If you want to talk, I'm here," she smiles at me and gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"It's okay Jess. Later. Let's just be happy. Please. Anything to forget that Mandarin midterm."

"Uhh I hadn't thought of that for like 2 hours. Thanks a lot for reminding me," Jessica sighs dramatically. "But if you insist," she drops my hand to take out her phone. She blasts an upbeat song and grabs my hand again. We dance and skip our way back to her house, ignoring the fact that we are in public and people are giving us strange looks.

"It's so hot. Isn't it like January?" Jess complains as she plops down on the couch beside me with a big bowl of popcorn. I take a handful of popcorn and stuff it into my mouth.

"We live in California," I say with my mouth full. "It's always hot."

Jess wrinkles her nose in mock disgust. "Suzie, I love you, but you've got to stop talking with your mouth full," she takes some popcorn for herself, chewing it for a few seconds before swallowing. "See? No food. And besides, it's usually a little cooler. I blame climate change."

I laugh. "If you want it to be colder, move back to New York. Or stop global warming. I don't know."

Jessica moved to California from New York City around six years ago, at the beginning of 6th grade. We went to the same middle school, Seagull Middle. We weren't in any of the same classes, but we did have lunch together. Before we knew it, we had inside jokes, movie nights, and matching pajamas for sleepovers.

"Nah, you'd miss me too much."

"Would I?" Jessica looks at me with an expression of mock hurt.

"Yeah I'd miss you."

"Good."

Jess leans over and grabs the remote from the coffee table. "Ten Things I Hate About You, right?" She asks, propping her feet up.

"Yep."

Jessica goes to Disney Plus and turns in the movie. I nestle INTO the couch and lean my head on Jess's shoulder. "I love a good enemies to lovers," I say quietly.

"Yeah I know. I rarely see you without one."

The movie played in the background as Jessica and I talked quietly about random stuff. School, books, our friends, summer plans. Soon enough, the movie had ended. Jess reached over to get the remote, my head falling off her shoulder and onto the couch. I groan dramatically.