Unspoken Goals

I'm Not Jealous

Age 15

The summer sun was high in the sky, its golden rays casting a warm glow over the crowed South Carolina beach. Abigail and Juliette, now fifteen, had claimed a spot near the water with their friends from their soccer team. The day was perfect for relaxation, laughter, and the bliss of not worrying about school.

Abigail lay on her towel, her bright blue eyes hidden behind sunglasses, and her brown hair, now streaked with lighter highlights from the sun, pulled into a messy braid. Beside her, Juliette applied sunscreen to her sun-kissed skin, her black wavy hair shimmering in the sunlight.

"Hey, Abs, want to go in and surf with me?" Juliette asks, a playful grin on her face.

Abigail shakes her head without looking up from her book. "Nah, I want to tan and finish this chapter. You go ahead, Jules."

Juliette rolled her eyes affectionately. "Alright, bookworm. Don't burn yourself while I'm gone."

Grabbing her surfboard, Juliette headed towards the water, her excitement mounting at the sight of the perfect waves. She lost herself in the thrill of riding them, the rush of adrenaline clearing her mind. After a while, though, she noticed a tall figure standing over Abigail on the beach. Her good mood evaporated when she recognized Blake, a notorious player from the grade above them.

Determined to intervene, Juliette paddled back to shore. As she made her way towards her friends, Blake passed her, his smirk infuriating her further. "Hey, Juliette," he said, his tone smug, knowing full well she disliked him.

Their mutual animosity stemmed from a gym class incident where Blake had challenged Juliette to a one-on-one soccer match. Within the first two minutes, Juliette had skillfully made him fall on his ass, deflating his big ego. Since that day, Juliette made it her mission to bring his inflated ego down any way she could, finding joy in every opportunity. In turn, Blake was equally determined to annoy her at every chance. This ongoing feud is why Juliette had a bad gut feeling when she saw him talking to her best friend.

She returned to her friends, who were giggling and teasing a red-faced Abigail. "So, what did he want?" Juliette asked, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the edge in her voice.

Hannah laughed. "He just asked Abby to be his date to the bonfire tonight."

Abigail blushed even more and nudged Hannah. "Shut up, no he did not. He asked if we were all going to the bonfire tonight." She said making sure to put emphasis on the word all.

"Yeah, but then he made sure to tell you specifically that he looked forward to seeing you tonight," Chloe teased.

"He was just being nice," Abigail said, burying her face in her arms to hide from the relentless teasing.

Juliette, unable to hide her emotions, just nodded and laid down on her beach towel, feeling a mix of annoyance and an emotion she couldn't quite decipher. She remained quiet for the remainder of the day as the others chatted with excitement about the bonfire.

----

Later that night, the girls were at Abigail's house getting ready. Abigail wore a casual sundress that highlighted her tanned skin, while Juliette opted for denim shorts and a green cropped tank that hugged her toned body nicely. As they were about to leave, Abigail pulled Juliette aside.

"Okay, Jules, what's up? You've been grouchy and silent all day, and that's pretty unusual for you since you always have something to say." Abigail said, concern etched on her face.

Juliette sighed, her annoyance bubbling up again. "I haven't been grouchy. I just... I don't think we should go."

Abigail frowned, confused. "Why not? You're usually the one dragging me to these things."

"I just have a bad feeling about Blake," Juliette admitted, crossing her arms.

"Come on, Jules, he's a nice guy. I know you guys have this weird ego battle going on but give him a chance. Plus, it's not like he's the only person that's going to be there." Abigail said, giving her friend a reassuring arm squeeze before rejoining the others.

---

At the bonfire, the atmosphere was lively. Abigail was quickly swept away by Blake as soon as they arrived, spending the rest of the night chatting with him. Meanwhile, Juliette found herself sitting alone in the sand, watching them from a distance. Natalie, one of the older girls on the soccer team who acted as the big sister Juliette never had, plopped down next to her, handing her a drink

"Feeling jealous?" Nat asked, a knowing look in her eyes.

Juliette blushed, embarrassed at being so easily read. "What are you talking about? I am not jealous," she said too quickly, her tone defensive.

"You've been watching those two all night with a look that says the guy murdered your puppy." Nat said with a smirk.

Juliette sighed. "I just don't trust him, Nat. He's a well-known player, has an ego the size of the sun, and constantly has a stupid smirk on his face that I just want to punch off."

"Okay, you rest your case. No jealousy at all coming from this side of the beach," Natalie said with a laugh.

Juliette rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink, grimacing. "What's in this?"

"It's just beer from the keg. I figured you needed something to loosen you up a bit. Now come dance with me." Nat said, standing up holding her hands out for Juliette to take.

Juliette smiled, taking Natalie's hand and chugging her drink before standing up. The pair danced and talked with their classmates, but no matter how much Juliette tried to distract herself, she couldn't shake the pang of hurt she felt every time she looked at or thought about Abigail and Blake together. She convinced herself it was just her being protective over her best friend and not wanting to lose her to some dumb boy.

But deep down, the feelings were more complicated than that, and she wasn't ready to face them just yet.

[A/N]: Poor Juliette doesn't even realize the rollercoaster she is about to be on. Please vote for this chapter and leave any feedback you have!