Young Adult Friction

S(cum)

Jade found herself hovering over the encasement of ice cream while waiting for Charlie. She couldn't help but imagine what he'd look like. Could he be an older man with the sensibilities of an English professor? Or could he be a scrawny basement dweller with a pillow for a wife? Whatever Charlie would be, Jade wouldn't mind having someone to talk to.

Just as she was about to scribble a smiley face on the condensed window of the cooler, a deep voice greeted her from behind causing her to jump from surprise. Jades pigtails hit her neck as she whipped her head to see a tall, lanky boy with glasses politely smiling at her.

"You must be Jade..."

Jade expectations weren't entirely crushed, instead it was a blend of both. An English professor trapped in the body of a teenage boy who happens to live in their mother's basement. Jade humbly lets out her hand to shake his, first impressions are everything after all.

"You must be Charlie. I must say you look different from what I have expected."

Charlie had the brownest hair Jade has ever seen, in contrast to his almost blinding white skin. Not to mention the grandpa sweater clinging onto his body.

"Ah well, not everything can go according to plan can it?"

"I didn't plan anything."

Jade deadpanned at Charlie, leading him to look down at his shoes out of shyness. Jade sighed and went on to business.

"Well I sure do hope you have a plan hm? Let's get on with this interview shall we?"

Charlie stood upright and nodded as Jade leads him outside of the store. Jade could feel the basement dweller vibes from him already. She wonders if this was a bad idea and if she should just leave. Just as she was processing her thoughts, Charlie spoke up.

"This might seem weird but, you don't seem the type to know how to build things."

"What do you mean build things? Like a treehouse or something?"

"Well I put up those ads to see if anyone was willing to help me build..."

Jade was getting way too intrigued, at the same time annoyed at how slow Charlie is keeping the pace.

"Build what?"

"A rocket ship."