The Friendzone

E I G H T

Jade woke up at 12pm. She sat up and was immediately hit with a pounding headache. She heard the door open. She looked over to see Grayson carrying a glass of water. He smiled at her as he knelt down in front of her. He gave her the glass of water and a tablet. "Drink this, it'll help with the headache".

She did as he said. She swallowed the tablet with the water. "Shall we talk about last night?" Grayson asked. Jade sighed and lay back in his bed. "Do you remember anything?" She shook her head.

"I remember going to the club. I lied about being 21, and they brought it. I then began to keep ordering drinks from the bar. The last thing I remember is bumping into Jack when going for another drink. I don't even remember how I got here!"

"I brought you here" Grayson explained. "Jack told me that you were at the club, so I came to get you. You were dancing with some random guy. I may or may not have punched him. I then tried to take you home, but you fought back. Eventually you went back inside and drank more. It was about 3am when you left the club".

"I don't even remember seeing you".

"You don't remember me dragging you out?" She shook her head. "Me hitting the guy?" She shook her head. "Us yelling at each other?" She shook her head. "You kissing me?" She froze. Grayson looked at her.

"It didn't mean anything" Jade explained. "It was a stupid drunk mistake. It didn't mean anything then, it doesn't mean anything now. Forget that it ever happened. I already have". Grayson sighed.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? That your parents were splitting up?" Jade buried herself in his bedding. "I know it's a tough topic, but I need to know. We practically grew up together! We tell each other everything! But there was something stopping you from telling me. What was it?"

Jade stayed quiet for a while. "I didn't want it to be true. I thought, if I didn't admit it, it wasn't happening. But, no matter what I do, my parents are splitting up. I have no idea who I'm staying with. I hope I'm staying with my dad because my mom is moving to Australia to live with my grandparents. And I don't want to leave you".

Grayson climbed into bed with her. He lay next to her and pulled her close to him. "No matter what happens in life, we will always be best friends" he whispered in her ear. Her heart dropped. Everything she has ever dreamed of has already been destroyed. She has no chance with him. And she never will.

***

Jade woke up engulfed in Grayson's embrace. Carefully, she got out of bed. She walked to his desk and wrote him a note before leaving. She walked home on her own. It was only 5pm when she arrived home.

When she entered her house, she heard her parents yelling at each other in the living room. Sighing, she walked up to her room. She flopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. A tear fell from her eye.

***

Grayson woke up to find the bed empty. He looked around the room, but Jade wasn't there. He looked at the bedside table to see a piece of paper. He picked it up and saw it was a note. He began to read what it said.

Dear Gray,

Sorry I left without waking you up. You just looked so peaceful, I didn't want to disturb you. Thanks for letting me stay the night. But I need to go home. I'll see you around. Depending on what's happening at home. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. If you need someone to talk to, you can come to me whenever. I don't care if it's in the middle of the night, or in the middle of the day. I WILL be here for you. No matter what. Like you said, we will always be best friends.

Love,

Jade xx

Grayson jumped out of bed and ran out to house to Jade's house. He stood below her window. It was beginning to go dark when he arrived. He got pebbles and threw them at her window. After about five pebbles, the window opened.

Jade popped her head out and looked down at him. "Why are you here?"

"Why did you leave?"

"I left a note, didn't I?!"

"Yeah, but you could have stayed longer!"

She smiled at him. "I know! I just thought I should go home. My parents are still at each other's throats. I guess they didn't even know I was gone. They don't care about me. And I know you need your own space. But you always come to me!"

Grayson laughed. "Yeah, I guess I can't stay away from you!" That made Jade laugh. "Can you come down? I'm getting neck ache from looking up at you!" Jade shook her head as she climbed out her window.

Grayson hugged her when she touched the ground. Jade hugged back almost immediately. "Where are we going?" She asked. Grayson broke the hug and smiled at her. He pulled her by the hand to their secret location.

They sat staring at the view for a while. The sky was finally dark and the stars were shining. Grayson and Jade were lying on the grass gazing at the stars. Jade stared at the stars for what felt like eternity when Grayson spoke up.

"It's almost 11pm. We should head home". Jade sighed as she stood up. She was silent walking home. She just listened to Grayson talking about weird conspiracy theories. She smiled when she reached her house. She hugged Grayson goodbye before climbing back into her room. She watched Grayson walk away before closing her window.

Time to start the plan.