Mates before dates

5. Competition

"Oh Ali, are you really willing to risk your friendship with jas.. For a guy?" She says, god ruby has always said what she believes, no matter the consequences. " look like I said, in my defense, I thought neither of us should have him, but no, miss selfish over there wanted him all for herself. " I reply defensively. Ruby and I are laying in the school playing field, trying to soak up the pathetic English sun rays. We've been hanging out since the beginning of this 'situation' " okay gal okay I get it, if you had your way you wouldn't be fighting..... But you are fighting, so you might aswell make it a good fight." she says with a sly grin. I look at her in a quizzical way and she explains " I mean, don't just wait for chance encounters with this boy, be upfront and confident. Take a leaf out of my book." She says closing her dark eyes. I look at her, she even manages to pose whilst resting... Somehow upfront and confident didn't sound like easy options for a girl like me.

However, the next day, I DO take Ruby's advice, I decide to take my dog jasper for a walk in the woods, and on the way I call in at Linda's farm cottage. I'd been coming here since I was seven, with my mum, or just to come and visit Linda's cat Derry when I knew her better. I walk up the long gravel driveway where Linda's mini is parked next to a navy land rover. I knock on the door lightly, surprisingly, feeling at ease. "Hello darling, how are you?" Says jakes mum as she answers the door. " fine thanks mrs Oswald, um I was just wandering if jake wanted to come with me, I'm just taking jasper for a walk." I say. After a pause she shouts up the stairs, a familiar blonde boy with tanned skin stares down at me with a smile, he is wearing superman pyjamas and looks like he has just tumbled out of bed, " give me two secs" he says running around frantically upstairs.

Ten minutes later we are walking in the woods, I let jasper off his lead and he runs off into the distance. " thanks for looking out for me Ali, I'd be a right loser with no friends round here." He says smiling down at me, I grin inwardly, " it's no biggy, I mean if your moving here you'll make friends real quick anywhere, but I'm always here if you wanna hang out or whatever.." I say. We spend the rest of the morning discussing school and teachers, and boys I know who I think would get on with him.

Finally, we arrive back at my gate. He leans down and we are so close I can smell his mint fresh breath and the smell of his after shave. I swear in that second he is gonna kiss me , but then he carries on bending and picks up a tissue that just fell out my pocket. Ohmygod how embarrassing! I thank him awkwardly... Then he says the sentence I have been waiting to hear. " hey Ali, this was a laugh, let's exchange numbers and we can do it again sometime." He smiles handing over his IPhone 4 waiting for me to take it and put in my number, I hand over my older model that's falling apart and he types away, I put my number in and hand it back to him. " see ya then al." He says and walks off, turning back to wave at the end of the close. As I walk backup to the house, I look down at his contact, I smile as I see he's put an x by his name. Mwah hah hah. Who's laughing now?

Jas's POV

God, I swear everyone is busy today, Ellen's at the dentist, Anna's got a family thing, Ruby's got dance, Lizzy is in town with her sister and Asmara didn't answer when I rang. I sigh realising I will be heading into town on my own. "Mum ill be back in a bit!" I shout up the stairs where my mother geina is having a spontaneous spring clean. " right okay darling! Aunt sash is coming round at two be back by then!" Mum shouts back over the sound of the vacuum. I head out the door and hop in the 280 bus.

I'm in top shop, searching for the gold sequinned ballet pumps Anna said she liked for her birthday, when I look across the street and see Ryan Andrews, a boy in my year at school. He turns to look in the shop window and next to him... Is none other than jake himself. I discard the pumps, feeling bad but promising to come back later, I step out onto the road and head for where the two boys are standing. Pretending I haven't seen them. I keep my head down, when Ryan notices me, "jas?" He says and I look up and give them my best smile. " oh hey Ryan...." I say looking at jake " hey aren't you ali's friend?" I ask sweetly..... Okay okay I know I'm a total cow for using Ali as a reason to get to know jake, but... What else can I do? " oh yeah, your her friend from the shop!" He says remembering, I smile again, then Ryan says something that makes me want to kiss him.... Okay not literally. " so Jas, if your on your own, why don't you hang round with us for a while?"