Good Place Shorts

Jason X Janet High School AU

She was the most beautiful girl that Jason had ever met.

He first saw her in the high school library, reading a book! The last thing Jason read was a book years ago by Dr. Seuss, and he usually dated girls that weren't that much smarter book-wise. But the beautiful girl had a stack of books next to her and several papers. 

Even Jason Mendoza was smart enough to know that she was way out of his league. Hell, she was probably out of everyone's league. But he walked towards her anyway, curious to know how a girl could be so beautiful and smart.

"Mr. Mendoza! No bringing food in the library!" The librarian shouted. Jason froze with a jalapeno popper in his mouth and the beautiful girl looked up and giggled. Wowzers, even the girl's laugh could seduce an angel.

"Sorry Miss Librarian." Jason apologized with a mouth full of food, forgetting the librarian's name. He leaned in and whispered. "But who is the pretty girl with all the books?"

"Janet Della-Denunzio? Don't even bother. She's in the top 10% of her class and has no time in meddling with the likes of you." The librarian laughed. "And my name's Mrs. Shannon, thanks for asking."

Jason spaced out before hearing the librarian's name, and he turned around and left the library. He knew that he shouldn't interfere with this girl's future.

...

It was lunch hour later that day, and usually Jason would hang out with the small group of people that he called his friends. But most of them dropped out of high school already, leaving him sitting alone under a tree, watching the die-hard jocks toss a football to each other in the field. Then, he saw a face he never expected to see again. The one and only Janet.

Jason knew that she was probably looking at the eye-candy throwing the football, but he couldn't help but dreamily stare at her as she...walked towards him?!

"I heard what you and Mrs. Shannon were talking about." Janet revealed. "I love her and all, but she doesn't get to decide what I want and when I want it."

"Who's Mrs. Shannon again?" Jason wanted to say it was the librarian, but he couldn't remember. So did that mean that she heard him call her pretty?

"The librarian." Janet smiled. "For what it's worth, I think you're pretty too. And I don't need to hang out with a guy that's nearly as smart as me, I just want someone who's nice to me and cares about me."

"Same here!" Jason agreed happily. "That's all I ever wanted!"

"And yet so many people in the world can't be nice to each other." Janet pointed out. "Can I sit with you under the tree?"

"Yeah of course!" Jason's eyes lit up. "So, what book are you reading?"

Janet eagerly explained to him the books and classes she was taking, and even though he could barely understand the concept, he certainly loved seeing this girl be so passionate about knowledge. 

In that moment, it didn't matter if he wasn't buff, smart, or rich. The smartest and most beautiful girl in the world liked him, and her presence to him was richer than any gold or wisdom.