From Friends to Rivals

Part One

I was sitting at my desk, lightly tapping my pencil. Five minutes left, I thought as I let out a sigh. I started drawing a disfigured monster on the desk then labeled it as our teacher. Then I suddenly felt the glare of Mrs. Scarlett. When I looked up she was right in front of me. Wow she moves fast. "Jonah erase this mess at once!" She shouted. I quickly grabbed my eraser and began to clean off the desk. "Alright class," Mrs. Scarlett said smiling all of a sudden as she turned to face the class. "Tonight's homework will be pages 101-103. Pack up and when the bell rings you may go," she told us. "Hey Jonah," my best friend, Nick called out. "What's up?" I questioned. "I was just wondering if you want to hang out after school ends? " he asked. Just as he asked, the bell rang. "All right class see you all tomorrow, and don't forget to do your homework," Mrs. Scarlett reminded us. "Yeah we can hang out, I mean we don't have basketball practice, right?"
As we exited the classroom Nick asked, "Can we go to your house?" "Sure," I started to say as I shrugged my shoulders "my parents won't be home till 7 o'clock, but I need to pick up Lily." I informed him. As we tried to weave through the crowded hallway, I accidentally bumped into someone. We both fell with a loud thud. "Ouch " said the person in a high-pitched voice. When I looked up, I saw a beautiful girl with short brown curly hair and adorable chocolate brown eyes. 'She looks like an angel' I thought. Wait, where did that come from? I asked myself shaking the thought out of my head. "I'm sorry are you okay?" she asked quickly, interrupting my train of thoughts. "Yeah it's nothing," I told her as I offered her my hand. She took it and I helped her up. "Oh no, I'm late," she exclaimed as she looked at her phone. " I need to go. I'm late for my book club." She informed me. "Okay well see you later" she said as she started to run off. She just the cutest girl I've ever seen, I thought blushing. Oh, I don't know her name. "Wait" I called out "what's your name?" She spun around and smiled. "I'm Lucy," she replied. "What's your name?" She asked. "Jonah," I told her with the same smile matching her bright and beautiful one. "It's a pleasure to meet you, well I'll see you later see later, okay," she said. Then she continued running.
"Dude" said Nick with a serious look in his eyes. "Do you like her" he asked, now looking curious, as we exited the school. "What are you talking about?" I asked while I gave him an uneasy smile. "Never mind," he said dropping the topic, which I highly appreciated.
Nick sighed the started walking away. "Were are you going?" I asked. "To Lily's school, duh" he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You do realize it's the other way," I said as I pointed in the other direction. "I know that" he fired back. "Race you to her school" he said then ran off leaving me all alone. "Hey, wait up" I yelled then we both dashed off.
When we got to Lily's school, which was only eleven blocks away, every one was being dismissed. Where is that little troublemaker? I questioned to my self. Then I saw her running towards me. "Hey, big brother" she yelled then she ran over and jumped into Nick's arms. "Hey, I'm your big brother" I shouted out of jealousy. At least two hundred set of eyes from junior high school students turned to stare at me. "We don't know him" Nick and Lily said in unison as they ran out the schoolyard, leaving me blushing out of embarrassment. "Wait, you can't just leave me," I shouted as I ran after them.
"Jonah why did you have to pick me up" asked my annoying little sister after we walked about a block. "Well lets just say mom forced this on me, so I suggest you be quiet before I tell her you were misbehaving" I threatened, which seemed to work. " Oh all right" she said pouting her lip with a huff. "So Lily, want to hear about Jonah's little crush on one of the most well known girls at school?" Nick asked. "Oh, big bro has a crush," said Lily with a big grin. "Nick, how could you," I said crossing my arms giving him my infamous death stare. "I'm so scared" he said sarcastically. "Oh, by the way, what was Lucy late for" Nick asked suddenly. "She said she was late for a school club."
"Hey Jo" called out Lily. "You guys said her name is Lucy?" "Yeah why do you want to know?" I asked, curious to what she was up to.
"Oh I don't know, maybe because Lucy is on the cover for top ten science inventions." She stated as she rummaged threw her book bag. Then she pulled out a magazine, and sure enough on the cover was Lucy holding what seemed to be some sort of device. "What is that?" Nick asked looking quite curious. "It says it's a automatic sandwich maker. It got second place for this month's invention spree." Lily concluded. "That's so cool" I fascinated as I imagined having a machine to make my sandwiches. "Yeah, that's why Lucy got known so quickly. I'm surprised to see you never knew about Lucy." Nick said rubbing the back of his head.
As we approached my house, Lily ran to the door and started unlocking it. By the time she finished, we were already at the door. We walked into the house and I tossed my book bag to the side. "Hey Jonah, I'm going upstairs to start my homework." Lily implied. "Okay have fun," I told her sarcastically. "Bye Nick, see you later. I'll call you guys if I need help. "Alright, we'll be here," said Nick as Lily ran up the stairs. "Well that takes care of that," I said, sighing from relief. "So, what do you want to do" I asked Nick. "Well first, lets do our homework, then we can play your Xbox. Is that okay with you?"
"Sounds like a plan to me." I went to the kitchen and made some pop tarts. Then we started to do our math. After we finished our homework, we started playing Naruto on my Xbox. "You're going down, Jonah" shouted Nick as he repeatedly punched my avatar. "Ha, over my dead body" I told him just as he did ultimate jitsu. Player 1, you loose. Player 2 wins read the TV screen. "No, I lost to the likings of you." I shouted, and then started fake crying.
"Hey, quiet down, I'm trying to read" we heard Lily shout. "Sorry about that." I called back. "Ha, that's how it's done." Nick bragged. "Nick, stop boasting. You got lucky this time. Next time I'm going to win." I reassured him.
"So, you never answered my question earlier" he said all of a sudden. "Question?" I asked then it came to me. Do I like Lucy? "Well what's your answer," he asked as if he read my thoughts. "Well I guess I do. I mean she's nice and really caring. Not to mention totally smart." I answered as I felt my face heat up. Why would Nick ask me a question like that? Does he like Lucy also? "Look here Jonah, I like Lucy and I'm not about to let you have her" he spat out. His words hurt like a stab in the stomach. "Well I'll see you later" he said then he grabbed his things and headed to the door and left. What just happened?
The next day at school, Nick and I hardly talked. The most we said to each other was hi. I had a pretty normal day, until Nick came up to me and said, "Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr. Grumpy Pants. I thought you'd like to know that I will be asking Lucy to be my girlfriend," he said smirking. "You can't do that. Do you even know her?" I wondered out loud. "Actually I do. After I left your house yesterday, I decided to go to the park. I saw Lucy then we decides to hang out for the evening." I looked at him in disbelief. Then all of a sudden I felt a sharp pain in my chest. It was my heart begining to feel rejected. "Nick, how could you do this. You know that I like Lucy," I told him as he just stared at me, looking unmoved by my words. Suddenly Lucy came from around the corner. She had tears in her eyes. She looked taken back. "You like me?" she questioned as she stared at me in shock. "Yeah, I've liked you since yester day when I bumped into you.. The warmth of your smile, the way you're kind to me even though i plowed you down. Every time I think about you, I get this warm feeling."
"Ha, yeah right. What kind of baloney are you trying to pull here." Nick asked as he crossed his arms. "I'm just trying to tell Lucy my true feelings. Something you probably never did." I grumbled staring at Nick. "I feel the same way about you Jonah, but Nick told me that you would never like a girl like me. He said that you would never like me because I'm too dorky and a goody two shoes." Lucy said in a sad tone.
By this time, a crowd had already formed around us. "Hey, why don't you leave my girlfriend alone" Nick told me. "Your girlfriend, I never agreed to this" Lucy shouted as she backed up behind me. "Fight, fight, fight!" Chanted half the ninth grade.
"You know, you don't have to be such a baby about it. There are plenty of other girls out there." He spat at me. "Fine, I'm not going to fight with you. But don't think I'm going to let you steal the person I like," I said. Then he shoved me. I caught my self before I could fall. When I regained my balance, I told him, " I don't have time for this" then pushed my way pass him.
"Aw man" the crowd of ninth graders mumbled as I continued walking away. "Jonah, wait!" Lucy cried out. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. "I was foolish to think you would actually say those things about me. Nick deceived me. He told me a lie, and I believed him," she said. "I should have believed you wouldn't say those things about how you would never love me. Even if you did, I wouldn't care. I would always have some sort of feelings for you." She told me as her voice cracked at the end.
What was I going to say? It all right, I forgive you, Nick was just being a jerk? Then Nick did something that really surprised me. He came up to me and said "you know what, I think you deserve to be with Lucy. I mean you two were born for each other. The way you guys expressed your love for one another was something I could never do. I may have feelings for her, but there're not as deep as yours. Lucy, I think you deserve to be with Jonah. He's better for you anyway."
Then he winked at me. I took this as an opportunity and asked "Lucy will you be my girlfriend?" She wiped away her tears and said, "I'd love to." Well this is a nice ending I thought as I smiled from ear to ear. "Thanks Nick. I don't even know what to tell you." "Well I know what I can tell you. I'm sorry that I acted so coldly to you. I just wanted to have someone that loves me." He said in a guilty tone. "Well I think Lily has a thing for you." I told him then Nick, Lucy, and I busted out laughing. After our little laugh attack, I gave Lucy a small kiss on the cheek. We all said goodbye, walked out the school and went our separate ways smiling.