X-Kid

Hackensack

Monday morning, I woke up in a strangely good mood. I got ready for school, dancing around my bedroom and singing Hackensack by Fountains of Wayne because I felt like it. I continued to sing to it even as I walked into school to greet my 5 companions.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Alex wondered with a joking smile.

“I have no idea,” I mentioned. “I’m a little hyper too, beware.”

Jack grinned. “Today’s going to be awesome.”

Luna cleared her throat. “Alex, aren’t you forgetting something?”

“Oh, right,” he said. He intertwined his fingers with hers and held them up to show me. “Luna and I had a date on Saturday. She’s now my girlfriend.”

“Congrats guys!” I smiled happily.

Jack stood up from his place on the floor, and held out his hand toward me expectantly. “Pay up.”

I gave him a confused eyebrow raise before the puzzle pieces came together in my mind. I sighed, and pulled my lunch money from my pocket, shoving the crumpled bill into his hand. “Here’s my only lunch money, you fucker.”

“Pleasure doing business with you,” he replied, and I stuck my tongue out at him.

“You guys had a bet on when they’d get together?” Zack asked.

“Yeah. Jack said one week and I said two. I guess I should’ve thought that one out better,” I laughed.

“I’ll make you another deal, Nora,” Jack said. “I will give you your money back if you win against me at a race across the school lawn.”

Running was definitely not my strong suit, but I was feeling ambitious today. Why not? “You got it, Barakat.”

“Perfect. We’ll use our backpacks as the starting and finishing lines,” He smiled, before turning to our friends. “Will you guys watch the finish line, so we can make sure we know the winner?” They all nodded in agreement, and the 6 of us ventured out to the front of the school. Mine and Jack’s backpacks were the starting line, the others at the end of the line.

“Ready,” Zack yelled. “Set. GO!!!”

Jack and I both took off sprinting, dodging trees and pieces of garbage scattered across the lawn. We kept at the same pace, but as we got closer, I miraculously started to pull a little ahead. I reached the end of the lawn, jumping over Rian’s backpack like an Olympic runner, Jack not too far behind.

“Okay,” Alex said. “Nora DEFINITELY won that one.”

“Ha!” I exclaimed. “In your face! Now give me back my money!”

A wide grin spread across his face. “I let you win because I felt bad about taking your lunch money.”

“You sound like a bully on television high schools,” I joked. “Now give it back.”

He sighed. “Fine.” He shoved the bill into my hand, and I smirked at him triumphantly, beginning to walk back and get my backpack. Jack came up behind me and tickled my sides, making me squirm and giggle.

“You asshole, that’s not fair,” I said, trying to shove his hands away.

“Hey, children,” Luna called. “It’s time to go to class.”

He stopped tickling me, and I caught my breath. “Thank god.”

“Hey,” he said. “I’m just trying to take advantage of the fact that you’re in a good mood.”

I grinned at him. “As you should.”

My random happiness continued throughout the day, and seemed to only multiply the moments when I was around Jack. It was weird, because he seemed to have made it his mission to keep me at the highest of moods throughout the day.

We were passing notes in biology while Mrs, Johnson began the lecture. We thought we were being all stealth and sneaky until Jack got caught giving me the paper.

“Mr. Barakat,” She said. “Would you like to share with the class what was so important you had to disrupt?”

“I was giving Nora my phone number so I could contact her later without interrupting class,” he lied. We were really playing Tic tac Toe, giving each other running commentary off to the side. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at his excuse.

“I know Ms. Adams is a very pretty young woman, but there is a time and a place for flirting,” she added.

Jack suddenly got really nervous and defensive. “I’m not flirting! We’re friends!”

Mrs. Johnson slowly began the lecture again, but kept an eye on Jack throughout the hour. He was suddenly quiet, and barely even made a sound the rest of class. Had she really embarrassed him that bad?

When we left the room, I stopped Jack before he could take off. “What was that? Why did you get all freaked out?”

“Look, there is a girl in that class I really like, and I didn’t want her to think I was a player or anything,” he said.

That wasn’t what I expected to hear. “Really? Who is it?”

“Kasey, the girl who sits two tables back. I’ll text you about it later, okay?” He said.

I nodded. “Sure. See you later.”

I pounded up the stairs to Honors English, and I found my mood returning to how it normally was. I wasn’t over excited like I had been the whole day, but instead just my normal self. Maybe even a little less cheerful than that. I didn’t even understand why.

I texted Jack as soon as I got home, eager to hear more about this girl he liked. “Tell me more about this Kasey girl,” I said.

“I sit by her in first hour. She’s really pretty, and chill. She makes me really nervous too,” he replied.

“Are you gonna ask her out?” I wondered.

“I doubt it. She’s probably got a boyfriend,” he mentioned.

“It couldn’t hurt to try,” I commented.

“I guess you’re right. I’ll think about it,” he stated.

“Alright. Let me know if I can do anything to help you,” I said.

I didn’t think I was jealous, but I knew I was a little worried. None of the rest of us knew this girl, so I wondered what she was really like. After all, having crushes can blind people. I had a bad feeling, but I hoped it would turn out alright.