Freshman Year

Jealous

A lot of things can happen within a week. A lot. So lets fill you in. Sunday morning Aiden came up to Ellie and asked her on a date that friday. Of course she was excited. By Tuesday Ellie was ready to burst about the knowledge of Kennedy not liking Justin. She so badly wanted to tell Audrie, but it just wouldn't come out. Then there was Nash. Once more he asked out a girl who was not Emerson. Emerson kept talking to Nash, and he would talk back like an old friend. However he still seemed to not like her.

"Come on, Carter." Ellie begs him after watching Nash and Nicole walk into the movie theater. "That guy has been here for a week and already has had like fifty dates. You know who he hasn't asked out?"

"Who." He states. This was the six time that day that they had this conversation. "Enlighten me."

"Emerson!" She says then slaps his arm. "You aren't even listening to me."

"It is all going to work out, Ellie." He lightly pushes her head to push her away from him. "He likes her. We both know this."

"Yeah." She reassures herself. "Um does he know that I know?"

"Nope." Carter smiles evilly.

"Great just another thing that I cannot tell anyone about." Ellie shoots him a death glare. "I hate you sometimes."

"No you don't." He puts his arm over her shoulder.

"Oh look there is Brooke." Ellie says in a dead serious tone. He immediately jumps away from her and looks around.

He shoves Ellie when he realizes she was joking, "I hate you sometimes." She rolls her eyes at him.

"So you and Brooke?" Ellie says. "You two are like the dream couple. Ya know?"

"Hmmm... Dream couple eh? I like the sound of that." Ellie laughs at his proud response. "So who am I shipping my best friend here with?"

"Um no one." Ellie replies with a smile. She bites her lip before quickly turning away.

"What was that?" He laughs forcing her to turn around. "Ellie your face is bright red. Spill it!" He commands.

"Fine." She sighs. She hadn't told a single soul about friday. "Aiden asked me out."

"That is a good thing right!" He shouts excitedly. But then she shoots him a death look. "I mean that is bad horrible even."

"Yeah. It is." Ellie rolls her eyes knowing that he couldn't possibly understand. "You have Brooke. I watch you guys and how you guys act around each other. I want that." Ellie confesses to him. "I'm 15 and have never been kissed."

"Ellie, it is okay. You are gonna find someone. I love Brooke, but if I wouldn't have ever met her I would go after you." He says and Ellie snorts, slapping him upside the head. "Yeah I didn't think you would believe me." He laughs and slowly she joins in.

"We should see a movie." Ellie suggests looking at her friend.

"Ellie, we have talked about this. I only have a thing for Brooke." She punches his shoulder. "Fine. Pick a movie." He laughs. "Besides we can go spy on Nash and Nicole."

_____

At lunch Carter casually throws his arm over Brooke to pull her closer to him. She laughs and shoves a fry into his mouth. Slowly everyone's conversations stop to look at them. Brooke's face turns bright red making everyone start laughing. Carter just stares at her through it all. He was so proud to be dating her.

The awkwardness is slowly turned to tension when Nash walks over and- not only sits beside her- kisses Nicole on the lips. Emerson looks down at her hands in her lap. Her hands slowly turn into fists as the jealousy begins to course through her. Ellie stares at Emerson for a long time before turning to meet Carters eyes. Carter and her share a glance before he just shrugs it off.

Before anything else can happen a light tap pecks Ellie on the shoulder, "Sorry to interrupt... Ellie can I have a word?" Chloe smirks at her. It was a slightly evil smile. Slowly Ellie nods. "Alone."

"Okay..." Her voice trails off as she slowly stands up. Quite possibly the worst thing ever was about to happen.

Chloe waits until they are out of earshot of anyone, "I heard about your date this Friday." She leaves that hanging there as she waits for a response. "Listen I know this hard to hear, but I am only looking out for you, Ellie. It is a pity date. He feels bad for not liking you back so he asked you out. In actuality it means nothing to him."

"What?" Ellie croaks on the word. She tries to say something else, but her voice fails her.

"Yea... It is so sad. Honestly it is." Chloe gives her the most fake hug ever before continuing. "Well my pizza is gonna get cold. Tootles!" With that she was gone.

_____

School was over, and yet everyone was in the courtyard still. Most of the kids sat by their boyfriend or girlfriend or just friends in general. Right now the main objective was to get Audrie to confront Nash about Emerson.

"Why can't Hadley do it?" Audrie whines. "She doesn't even care!"

"Yea I will do it." Hadley volunteers.

"No because we need Nash alive, and Hadley can't promise anything. Audrie will handle this in a calm and collected way."

"True..." Audrie says. "Actually I will scream and yell and... ah... I will punch him. Mhm right across the face."

"You cannot hurt his face." Emerson says with a blank look. She was clearly lost in thought. "Please, Audrie."

They all watch Emerson just stare into outer space. Instantly Audrie feels bad and makes an "ugh". Slowly she turns and walks to Nash and Nicole. Nicole has both her legs over one of his, and he is holding firmly onto one of her hands. They seem deep in conversation when Audrie awkwardly walks up.

"Umm... Nash can I speak with you in private for a moment." Audrie says awkwardly.

"Sure." Nicole starts to move and Nash stands up. As he walks a safe distance away their shoulders brush each others. Audrie instantly hates this because there was clearly enough room. "What do you need?"

"It is about Emerson." Audrie gets out.

"Wow she is desperate." He scoffs. Audrie's jaw drops at his words. "She can talk to me herself."

"You have ignored her both times she has tried and wow. Way to be a jerk. I am not sure I want her dating you." Audrie says slightly defensive of her friend. "You should be nicer to people."

"I will make a note of that." He winks at her. She clinches her jaw tight.

"Listen you thick skulled idiot! Emerson likes you! So I just thought you should-" In desperation he looks at Emerson real quick before pressing his lips against Audrie's. For a second it was just that. Then it hits Audrie who this was. She shoves him away and slaps him clear across the face. "What the heck is wrong with you! You.. You... You jerky buttface!"

"What?" He asks sheepishly scratching the back of his neck.

"Please just for once thing of someone other than yourself! Get over yourself!" She says quickly in one breath. "I can't do this." She runs back over to her friends. Sadly Emerson was no longer their. Audrie looks to her friends.

"Emerson ran that way as soon as he kissed you." Brooke was the first to speak up. She slowly nods to where Emerson disappeared.

"She probably hates me! I feel terrible!" Audrie looks down. "I slapped him!"

"Yea maybe he wasn't safe with you.." Ellie mumbles with a laugh. Audrie quickly turns and runs after Emerson.