Primarily Yours

Chapter One

There was a new boy across the street.

He wasn't somebody Dave had ever seen before, and he liked that. There was something about him that made Dave want to talk to him. To be his friend. That was a strange feeling for Dave- he was a shy kid and he didn't make friends as easily as most. Of course, he didn't mind being alone.

But the new boy, with his black hair and his bright eyes, he wasn't like anyone else. The only person he even seemed similar to was Jade- Jade with her pretty smile and easygoing manner.

This boy wasn't Jade though. This boy wasn't like anybody.

This boy was standing right in front of him, offering Dave his hand.

He smiled with buckteeth, saying cheerfully, "Hey! My name is John Egbert."

Dave stammered for a moment, eyes wide behind his sunglasses.

"I'm Dave Strider."

Did he ever stop smiling? "That's a really cool name! You seem like a really cool guy, though. I think only cool guys wear sunglasses like that. They're much cooler than the pointy ones- those are pretty dumb." Or talking?

Dave wasn't a chatty person- he was content to sit and drink in other's words. However, despite his introverted silence, he found himself talking to John.

"My bro used to wear pointy sunglasses like that."

John paused in his chatter, looking confused for a second.

"Used to?"

Oh, shit. Why did he say that? Was he trying to make things awkward?

"Uh... yeah... we don't see each other much anymore. Some stuff happened."

John narrowed his eyes. "What kinda stuff?" He really could not take a hint. Couldn't he just drop it?

"Private stuff, okay? I live with my sister now. It's not a big deal." Dave had to refrain himself from adding something snarky like "It's none of your business" to his sentence. It just seemed wrong to insult this helpless nerdy boy in front of him.

Finally, he got the hint.

"Well, I'm sorry about your bro Dave. But who's your sister? Can I meet her?" His voice lowered to a small whisper. "Is she pretty?"

Dave stuffed a fist into his mouth to keep from laughing. What the hell was up with this new kid? Who asked something like that?

"I dunno man, she's my sister. It'd be weird if I thought about how hot she was. But I'd be happy to introduce you to her, I guess. Just follow me inside."

John grinned like a maniac and followed Dave into the house. There, Rose was sitting at the kitchen counter doodling in her book of satanic spells for summoning demons or whatever.

"Hey, Rose, this is our new neighbor. His name's John."

Rose looked up at him with curiosity, her strange purple eyes rimmed with more black eyeliner than Dave thought was really necessary. At the sight of John, however, her black lips broke into a smile.

"Nice to meet you, John. Hope Dave didn't convince you that our whole family completely sucks. I'm Rose- Rose Lalonde."

Without any of the fear Dave expected from kids first meeting Rose (after all, she could be very scary when she wanted to), John reached out and clasped her hand tightly.

"It's great to meet you too. What's that you're writing in?" He asked curiously, turning to try and catch a glimpse before Rose slammed it shut.

"Sorry John- but what I'm writing in here isn't for mortal eyes. It describes the Horrorterrors- monsters so unimaginably horrific it would burn your eyes out just to read their descriptions!"

She was really getting into this, wasn't she.

"Actually John, it's just her diary."

Rose turned to glare at him, eyes flashing, but Dave was used to it now. He was the one person Rose couldn't scare.

Him and John now, he guessed.

"Have you told Jade about the new neighbors yet? She always loves to meet new people. I think she'd like John."

"Yeah, I was just going to. Thought that maybe I'd just pop in for a chat with the Horrorterrors before, maybe grab a cup of coffee."

Rose cuffed him on the shoulder, but he saw the laugh in his eyes. It always made him happy to make Rose laugh- she needed more cheerfulness in her life. Maybe weird, joyful John would be good for her.

"John, you want to meet the most beautiful lady in the neighborhood?" Dave asked with a smile.

"Well, I'd love to, but I already met Rose." Damn, that was unexpected. Rose was actually blushing- the tiniest bit of color on her pale, pale cheeks.

"Don't start flirting with my sister, dude." Dave said, hoping John could hear the teasing in his voice. "Now let's go meet Jade- she's just across the street from you."

They found her just where he expected- among her garden with Bec standing guard. Jade looked up at him, her eyes bright beneath her big gardening hat and bigger glasses.

"Dave!" She cried- his heart jumped at the happiness in her voice... that had started happening recently, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it.

But right now, Jade wasn't worried about that anymore. She was looking at John with puzzling curiosity.

"Who's the new guy, Dave? My long-lost twin?"

It may have been a joke, but there was a strange resemblance between John and Jade. The same nose, same dark hair, same sticking-out teeth. On John, it was cute and charming. On Jade, it was beautiful.

"Sorry, not the twin you've been dreaming of. I'm John Egbert, your new neighbor. Your garden is awesome, by the way!" He said happily, eyes taking in the splendor of her plants.

"Thanks! I've been trying to grow pumpkins lately, but someone keeps eating them. I think it's Bec just messing with me." Jade said laughing, shooting a suspicious glance at her big white dog. "Sometimes I think Bec thinks he's more of my dad than my dog."

John smiled at them both, but then quickly turned and looked at the house across the street. A figure in a handsome hat was waving at him, calling his name.

"Aw man, that's my dad. I gotta go guys- but it was amazing to meet you all! Thanks so much, Dave."

"No problem." He replied. This new kid was weird- but in a good way.

With John gone, Jade's eyes had turned back to him. He couldn't stop staring at her even though he knew it was awkward. When had his childhood friend become so... beautiful?

"You know Dave, there's something I've been wanting to ask you for awhile." She asked in a low voice, her skirt trailing through the flowers as she walked towards him. Jades's glossy black hair was inches away from him, smelling of pumpkins and summer.

"What's that, Dave?" He asked, barely able to get the words out.

Her lips were so close now, those perfect teeth just barely poking out.

"Actually, it's not really a question. It's just something I have to do."

"Well, I won't stop you."

In the middle of the garden, tasting like roses, Jade stopped being his friend.

And started being something more.

As John turned around and glimpsed their kiss, he felt the budding of something inside his heart shrivel.

Guess him and Dave weren't meant to be after all.