As A Cliché: A Short Story

Day 2: Jax's Journal

I woke up this morning at about 5:30 in the morning, like always. I worked out, took a shower, and ate breakfast, as always. By now it's seven so I run upstairs to my room and open my window.

Leaning out I peek through Kate's window to see if she's still sleeping, as always she is. I smiled and looked at her smushed face against the mattress she was currently only half on.

Wait, what was she wearing? I looked at her pajamas, she wasn't wearing one of my old tee shirts, she always wears my shirts.

I thought back to her strange attitude yesterday and decided I didn't care if she was late, after all anything I do is too 'cliche'.

I scoffed quietly to myself and started to turn away, but then something caught my eye. Kate's diary.

I hopped into her room as she slept like a drunken baby, of course babies don't drink.... unless they have some really crappy parents.

Anyways I slowly took the small blue book into my hands and crept back into my own room.

I set the book down on my bed, leaving it for me to read tonight. I know sounded like a stalker, reading her diary but I have to know what caused her to act so unnatural yesterday.

7:32 I glanced at my clock and sprinted out to my car as soon as I saw the time. Just because Katie's skipping doesn't mean I am, plus I'm still upset.

I got into my rover and dove into town, passing Starbucks where I usually buy Katie's coffee, every morning. But not today.

I pulled into the Sophomore Level parking lot into the spot me and Katelyn combined some money and bought from the school. It had our names spray painted across it with a basketball, a Nike swoosh, and the L.A. Clippers logo on the driver side of the parking place and a Nutella jar, Starbucks cup, and Instagram logo one Kate's passenger side.

I smiled remembering the day, it was the day I gave a tank top I bought for her when my family had taken a vacation a week before, it said "I'm somebody's DUFF. Of course I'd never call her a duff I thought she'd like it. and then she gave me her favorite Nike Elites, which were black with white and guess what? A jar of Nutella on them.

I grinned and pulled up the leg to my jeans, just enough so I could see that I was wearing her socks today.

I think she secretly bought them for me, but she claims she was going to wear them..

I unbuckled and got out of the car, feeling uncomfortable with the lack of Katie, she's the chatterbox, I mean in the car the only time she turns on the radio is to sing herself.

Walking into the building I felt a lot more vulnerable. without a conversation I noticed all of the eyes that stared, all of the noise, and most fearfully the girls looking at me.

Now I know I'm fairly attractive, girls have told me that before, they say I'm charming and funny, when really I'm scare senseless. When I'm in an equation with a girl, without another friend by my side I'm an awkward mess. I run my hand through my hair, my neck gets itchy, and I unconsciously bite my lip. All of which girls think I'm flirting when I do those things.

I quickly walked down the hallway, avoiding girls at all costs.

I got to the hallway where Kate's and I's lockers, to see the back of some guy leaning on Kate's locker.

The guy turned around revealing the face of Dylan Hunt.

Meet Dylan. He's the guy that all dads dread. He'll make a girl pathetically in love, bed them, and then forget them.

He's the guy all boyfriends shield their girls from, he's a player, he's bad news.

"Excuse me what are you doing here?" I asked, getting a little skeptical of how he was waiting at Katie's locker.

"Same as you chump, I'm here to learn"

I gritted my teeth as I walked around him to get to my own locker.

"Why are you at my locker?" I asked, still maintaining a level of fake respect.

"Oh" he smirked and pushed himself upright.

"I'm actually waiting for... what's her name? Katie? Yeah it's katie"

My eyes narrowed and the suspicion in my stomach grew.

"She's at home, sick." I lied, trying to get the rat to scram.

"Ha! How cliche, skipping because she got an emotional boo boo"

My fists clenched when I hear that cursed word, 'cliche'

I slammed his up against the lockers and glared at him.

"What did you say about cliche?" I growled, intimidatingly.

Now usually I'm a nice guy, but I guess I'm like the hulk, sometimes I just lose it.

"Aw is big brother upset?" Dylan cooed and struggle uselessly against my grip.

"I'm not her brother, now what did you say to her Hunt?"

Dylan rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"I told her she was too cliche, ya know ordinary."

My scowl deepened and I held his even higher by his collar.

"Why?"

"Don't you know she has like the biggest crush on me."

My heart dropped at the idea. I've secretly had a crush on Katie for years, like ever since kindergarten, but I haven't told her because I'm afraid it'll ruin our friendship.

"No she doesn't, not my Katie"

Dylan laughed and pinched my cheek, reminding me of my mother.

"I thought you were smart, or at least not blind"

I slapped his hands away and threw him to the ground.

He landed on his back, successfully knocking the air from his lungs.

"Stay away from Katie."
I threatened him before backing down the long ago empty hallway.

"Whatever" he said rolling his eyes and getting to his feet.

"Don't keep rolling your eyes kid, you won't did your brain, it's non existent."

Ok that sounded better in my head.

"What ever!" He groaned and stomped in the opposite direction.

A day, school flew by all I could think about was Katie and her stupid crush.

As soon as the last bell sounded through the halls I ran from the classroom in a exhausted hurry to get home an scour Katie's diary for details.

Ok a bit too creepy.

I drove home like a maniac, bobbing and weaving expertly through traffic. I skipped my usual afternoon snack and headed straight to the book.

I opened the cover smiling at the sight of Katie's neat writing

Ok first things first everyone, this is NOT my diary, it's just my life on paper ok? Ok so it's a tiny bit like a diary, but still.

Ok fast forward like five minutes and I understand everything.

She really does have a crush on Dylan, ok course there may be hope she said "up till now" and how she wants revenge, maybe she's over him.

I shut the book, frustrated. why would Katie's let him get to her head.

His advice sounded like a song stuck in Katie's head, and once Katie latches onto something like that she doesn't let go.

I sighed and stared at the diary.

She said she'll be writing the story of her senior year of high school? Well now I plan to make it a very memorable one.

I picked up my favorite pen from my desk and sat back against my headboard.

Starting on the next blank page, I started writing down how I saw the story, how ridiculously cliche it was to try to change how cliche she was, cliche right?

Ugh, two days into this stage and I already have a headache.