Jerika: A High School Drama

7: Powerful Emotions

October 10

Jake's POV:

I woke up and left to go to school a little earlier so I could talk to Erika. But I was kinda nervous about what she wanted to say, or if she just wanted to talk face to face about the whole situation. I really hate drama. Especially drama that I'm in the center of. Before I left, Erika texted and said to meet in the pavilion right outside the front of the school. But I wondered why we wouldn't talk inside since it's raining. However, I didn't care enough to ask. I got to school and saw Erika standing right at the rendezvous. She looked really deep in thought and wasn't on her phone unlike anyone else would be. Despite the rain, I just walked over to her, but halfway through she saw me and ran through the rain to me, giving me another long hug like the previous one yesterday. It seemed like she needed a hug more than I did. I could hear her sobbing in and out of the strong Ohio rain. It was just horrible hearing that. I felt so bad and I would've done anything to make her feel better. Our getting soaked, she let go of the hug, and holding onto my bicep, she walked me to the pavilion wiping her eyes with her free hand. When we got there, she hugged me again, the tears coming back. Still, neither of us had spoken a word. I don't why she didn't feel like this yesterday on the bus, it's like her emotions multiplied 50 times.

Erika's POV: today I was going to tell Jake I like him and talk to him about everything. But I just couldn't tell him how I feel about him and if I did he might get even more hate. I could even see people saying he payed me or forced me to go out with him for attention cus I'm apparently popular. (But I hate saying that because it makes it sound like you're better than everyone else.)

Jake's POV:

"Hey," I said.
"Hi," Erika said.
"So what'd you wanna talk about?"
"I don't even really know," she stopped talking to wipe her eyes, "just everything, I'm so sorry and--- and that's all I can think of to say."
"Hey, don't be sorry, it's OKAY," I said.
"No but everyone hates you and they're all just so mean and don't even care about you!"
"I know, and it's really scary but I just gotta keep going."
"But how? If this was happening to me I wouldn't be able to stop listening to all the hate."
"Yeah I don't know how I'm going to do this I just wanted to sound inspirational before," I said, and both of us started cracking up.
"Wow, I mean that was VERY inspiring," Erika said laughing, "but on the real side of things, how are we gonna stop this?"
"I really have no idea, I think we just have to let it fade out."
"But then everyone will still hate you the rest of the year. We have to do something to make it better."
"We?" I asked.
"I mean-- you-- but I can help with--with anything." Erika said blushing.

Her blushing made me really happy and maybe she does actually like me...

"Why don't you sit with me at lunch? With the rest of my friends: Kade, Lo, Tessa, ya know."

I would love to sit with Erika but her friends seem to hate me like the rest of the school.

"I don't know,"
"Oh come on!" Erika said.
"Ok, sure I guess."
"Yay!"

I handed Erika her backpack and hugged her once again. We were seeming to get pretty comfortable with that- hugging.

"Thank you," I said, "for being my only real friend."
"Jake you're gonna make me cry again!" She said.
"No, but it's true, you're the only person who sees me as a real person and who feels sorry for me and knows the truth, and you're the only person at this school that I can trust. We've hardly even known each other for 3 days but we just--clicked and it feels like we've been friends for years.   Like I literally feel like I could trust you with ANYTHING, even my own life and it'd all be ok."
"Aww Jake you're making me cry!"

After that the rain seemed to stop for a few hours and we walked into school together, my arm around her shoulder as my best friend. But I wish I could kiss her as my girlfriend.