Unspoken Goals

Nicknames

Age 14

The last day of eighth grade was finally here, and the air was thick with excitement and anticipation. Abigail, now fourteen, had grown taller and more confident, her brown hair pulled into a braid with strands framing her freckled face. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with a mix of joy and apprehension. Juliette, also fourteen, stood slightly taller than Abigail, her black wavy hair cascading down her back. Her green eyes shone with curiosity and a hint of mischief. The girls stood outside the elementary school, waiting for Drew like they did every day.

"Can you believe we're finally done with middle school?" Juliette asked.

Abigail stood with her face tilted towards the sky, her mind racing as she zoned out, not noticing that Juliette had said something.

Juliette nudged Abigail playfully. "Earth to Abby. You've been acting weird all day," she teased. Abigail forced a smile, trying to push aside the anxiety that had been gnawing at her for the past month.

Before she could respond, Drew, now eleven and full of energy, burst through the school doors, his dirty blond hair in a messy halo around his head. He sauntered towards them, trying to look cool in front of his friends who were giggling behind him.

"Hey, Drew! Ready to go?" Abigail called out, thankful for the excuse to not answer Juliette's comment.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Hey, Julie," he said, trying his best to sound nonchalant. His friends immediately started singing, "Julie and Drew, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Abigail burst out laughing, while Juliette looked confused and amused. Drew, caught off guard, quickly recovered. "Ignore them," he said, rolling his eyes. Then, with a cheeky grin, added, "So, Julie, want me to walk you home and carry your bag?"

Juliette snorted, shaking her head. "Funny, because you were just talking about that new girl you liked the other day," she teased.

Drew shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "She means nothing, you are the only girl for me."

Juliette laughed and gave him a playful shove. "Shut up, Drew. In your dreams."

Abigail, still giggling, ruffled Drew's hair. "Come on, you dork."

The three of them started walking home, Drew chattering excitedly about his summer plans. Abigail tried to keep up with the conversation, but her mind was elsewhere. Juliette noticed and made a mental note to talk to her later

---

That evening, after dinner, Abigail's phone buzzed with a text from Juliette.

Julie: Meet me outside in 10.

Abigail slipped into the soccer hoodie she had stolen from Juliette, a pair of soccer shorts, and her white Nike shoes. When she walked outside, Juliette was already waiting, wearing a black hoodie and shorts, her hair in a messy bun.

They walked in a comfortable silence to their special spot on the beach, a lifeguard chair that stood ten minutes away from their houses. The perk of living in a beach town was that they could easily escape to the shore whenever they needed to. Occasionally, their shoulders would bump, and Juliette would tease, "can't you walk straight, Abby?" This earned her a light shove from Abigail.

They climbed up the lifeguard chair and sat down, the sunset painting the sky in shades of pink and orange. They chatted about nothing in particular, the sound of the waves providing a soothing backdrop.

Finally, Juliette turned to Abigail and asked, "What's wrong, Abs?"

"What's with the new nickname?" Abigail laughed, trying to deflect, ignoring the flutter she felt in her stomach at the nickname.

Juliette rolled her eyes and bumped her shoulder against Abigail's. "Come on, Abigail, don't try to change the subject. I know you better than anyone."

Abigail sighs, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "I'm scared Julie."

"Of what Abs?" Juliette asks, giving Abigail a confused looked.

"High school is going to be so different. What if we drift apart? I've heard so many stories about friendships falling apart in high school. What if you get a boyfriend and suddenly have no time for me or make a new best friend and forget all about me." Abigail admits with a sad smile, turning her head to find Juliette already looking at her.

Juliette gives her a comforting smile "It's cute that you think I'm going anywhere. We've been inseparable from the moment we met Abs. Nothing could possibly come between us. Especially no silly boy and as for making a new best friend, you don't have to worry about that because you have already taken up all the room in my heart. Plus, in case you forgot, your little brother is in love with me and already planning our wedding."

Abigail gives her a genuine smile, giggling at the last part. "Okay, but it's still a possibility. I mean you are this out going, bubbly, life of the party girl, and I am just me, a book nerd." She says the last part with air quotations, quoting the time Juliette made fun of her for being excited about a new book series she got.

Juliette rolls her eyes at this with a smile on her lips. "Oh, shut up. I've already apologized for saying that."

Abigail lets out a small laugh, already feeling better. "Okay, but what about if I don't make the varsity team with you? I mean everyone knows you'll make the team. You are one of the best strikers in our school."

"Will you stop bringing yourself down Abigail? You are one of the best defenders. There's no way you don't make the team." Juliette says lightly punching Abigail's arm, annoyed that she is bringing herself down.

"Okay, okay," Abigail says with a smile as she puts her head on Juliette's shoulder, hugging her arm tightly. "Thank you, Jules. I couldn't ask for a better person to go through life with."

Juliette smiles to herself at the new nickname as she leans her head on Abigail's, thankful for the darkness that hides the blush forming on her cheeks. "Me neither, Abs. Me neither."

They sat in a now comfortable silence, ready to take on whatever high school throws at them. The waves crashed softly against the shore, and the sky grew darker, but the bond between them felt stronger than ever.

[A/N]: Let me know how y'all liked Chapter Two! I personally love nicknames, especially ones from someone I like, so I thought it'd be fun to add when their nicknames for each other started, as well as give a little view at them in middle school.