You Gotta Love Life... Right?

Chapter 20

We get our ice cream later that afternoon at a booth in the park just a few miles from our apartment just after Maddi has joined us (turns out Adam wanted to make out, not break up). I see Jackson sitting on a park bench under a big oak tree, next to a guy with sandy blonde hair.

"This," Jackson says when we get close to him, "is the idiot who was texting that other phone number." His voice shows confidence but his blue eyes flick everywhere, nervously looking at me and glancing down at the ground. The kid next to him has messy hair, light skin and a build that suggests he goes to the gym once a week just to look buff. He has a cocky smirk on his face. Yep, looks like an idiot to me.

The guy huffs loudly to insure we all look at him before he starts talking, "So why am I here Jackie Boy? I told you I didn't wanna come and you picked me up anyway."

"I thought they should just put a face to that stupid text catastrophe, that's all." Jackson seems to shrink in the shadow of the other guy, and never looks at him directly, "You can leave now if you want."

The guy takes a look at our group, all sprawled out on the grass in front of him, "Well, how many of you are single?"

"Not me." Kira says, giving him a death stare that makes him look away and turn to Maddi.

"Taken." She says, before he opens his mouth.

"Not into snotty jocks who only have messy hair because they don't shower." Morgan gives him a cold stare as Maddi's mouth drops open at the witty comeback. A bark of laughter escapes my throat and Kira smirks as the kid locks his eyes onto me.

"What about you?"

I take a split second to think about this: he does realise that I'm the one wearing military pants and a ripped black shirt that says 'I hate normal people' right? I glance at Jackson, he seems to hate this guy –or at least dislike him, and I don't really think he's that great either, so I chance it.

"Well, Jackson invited all of us here through me, so for all you know, I could be his girlfriend." Maddi screams quietly as I deliver the line and the shock on Jackson's face almost cracks me up, but I hold my poker face until the guy turns to Jackson.

"You never told me you had a girlfriend!" Jackson goes back to looking innocent and small but Morgan speaks up before he can say anything.

"He doesn't have to tell you everything does he?" Her eyes cold on the back of his head.

"Yeah, why's it any of your business?" Maddi speaks up too.

"What's your name anyway?" Kira asks him, I would not want to be the one answering that question.

He turns back to us, looking from Jackson, to me, to my friends, "Carson. Yours'?"

"Doesn't matter much to you does it? None of us are taking you up on a date offer." I really hate this guy, and I want to see him gone.

He sighs and shakes his head, almost like he's disappointed in us for being so smart, "Whateva," He says, messing up his hair even more, 'I'm outta here, you coming to the bar tonight Jackie Boy?"

"No," Jackson glances at me then back at Carson, finding his courage, "for all you know, I could be going a date with my girlfriend."

Once he's out of earshot we all start cheering.

"Nice one!" Maddi yells to Morgan, causing a few heads to turn because of her volume, "Not into snotty jocks who don't shower? L-O-L!"

"Thanks," Morgan says, "it felt a little out of character though."

"Give it a few days, you'll be fine." Kira says, then to me quietly, "Not your boyfriend huh?"

I stick my tongue out at her, "I said 'for all you know', that's not saying I am!"

She laughs and punches me in the arm, "I know."

"Hey who's that guy anyway?" Morgan turns to Jackson and sits down next to him on the bench, "I thought he was your friend."

Jackson smiles nervously, back to his usual self, "Well, he's the son of my Dad's work friend. He lives near me and he kind of thinks it's my job to turn me into a 'cool kid'. I actually don't like him at all, so thanks for that..."

"I actually hate him a lot too, so on behalf of the group: no problem!" I say.

"Hey, can we get ice cream now? I'm down for a waffle cone and chocolate sauce!" Maddi's had enough talk and wants food now.

"Sure, I'll pay guys, don't worry about it." Morgan says.

"YES!" Maddi jumps up and charges to the ice cream booth, Kira following after, trying to restrain her, so not embarrass us all, but ends up running after her, racing to the booth and ordering a large cone alongside Maddi, who's currently ordering the biggest cone in existence.

"How do you all survive in one apartment?" Jackson asks in bewilderment as the rest of us follow behind at a normal walking pace.

"To be honest: no clue. And it's a single person apartment too!" I say, laughing at his shocked and mildly scared expression, "There's definitely a lot of noise, less running around though." I reassure him. It doesn't seem to work.