here without you

16

I'm standing in front of the mirror, looking at my reflection. From downstairs I can hear the distant sound of my mother laughing, which is weird. As sad as it sounds, in the past few months I have become more used to the sound of her crying or screaming rather than laughing.

I consider changing my outfit when I hear someone coming in, saying, "Don't worry, you look pretty."

I turn around and see Jade standing in the doorway. For a second I'm confused. I've only spent a day with this girl, yet she shows up in my room the way only Nate ever does. But what I know now is that that's just how Jade is. She does whatever she feels like doing, and she treats strangers like friends. I used to find it irritating - a girl I don't know well treating me as if we've known each other since forever -, but I've come to like it. It's a quality only few people are lucky enough to be gifted with, and Jade is definitely one of them.

She enters my room and takes a look around.

"I remember your room from the few times I was in it," Jade says. I guess she's talking about when she was in it with Olive before going to some party. "It looks a lot different now."

After her death, I redecorated the whole room. I had the walls painted, got new furniture, and removed all photographs and pictures. I got rid of all old things, so that I wouldn't be reminded of them.

"Yeah, I... changed it a bit."

Jade looks at me, and I'm sure she knows why. But she doesn't mention it, she just says, "Well, your parents sure as hell have the money for it."

It makes me laugh because it is true. I can't deny the fact that my family is rich. We're practically living in a mansion, my wardrobe is probably three times as big as the one of the average teenage girl, and my father got me a Porsche for my 17th birthday. You could call me spoiled, and you wouldn't be wrong. I have everything there is to have - at least every material thing.

"What are you doing here, Jade?" I ask because I'm still a little confused.

"Obviously, I'm stalking you." She rolls her eyes. "I'm picking you up for school. What do you think I'm doing, idiot?"

"Oh... Well, that makes sense."

I turn red because it couldn't have been clearer. I'm so used to driving with Nate or alone that the thought of going with somebody else never even came to my mind.

Jade laughs and tells me to get my stuff together so that we can leave. I do, and we get in her car.

"Where's your brother? I thought you guys drive to school together."

"We do, but only sometimes. Jaxon always wants to be way too early, which is just annoying. So he drives with some other guys, and I just drive with you."

"Well, you don't have to take me, you know."

"I know." I see a little grin appearing on her face. "But I want to."

_____

I'm sitting with Nate at our table in the cafeteria, having lunch.

"So what? First you skip class with Jade, then you drive to school with her? What's next?"

Obviously Nate is joking. I guess me having another friend who's not him is strange for him. Honestly, it also is for me.

"You sound like a jealous boyfriend," I say, laughing.

"Speaking of jealous boyfriend, I talked to Jackass this morning. Well, I actually didn't talk much. Most of the time it was just him. It was like he couldn't stop talking about you, and he kept asking questions about you."

I groan, and I see a smirk appearing on Nate's face.

"What sort of questions are we talking about?" I ask, not sure if I even want to know.

"Oh, you know... Like 'Do you think Roze wants me back?' or 'Should I make a move?' He didn't even wait for any answers." He snorts. "If he would have, I would have told him no, absolutely not, Cheater Jackass!"

I let out a loud laugh. I see a few heads turning in our direction, but I don't care. That's the thing when I'm around Nate, I feel comfortable, and I don't worry about my behaviour.

"Well, he's definitely going to talk to you, so make sure to kick his ass," he says.

His expression is grim. Being the good friend he is, he still hates Jack for hurting me. I guess I should too, but I don't. I'm not sure how I feel about him, but I do know that I'd prefer not talking to him. At least not about us, or getting back together.

"Shit! I gotta go, unless you prefer Coach Jones killing me," Nate says, getting up.

"I think I might actually do."

He laughs, runs off, and calls out, "I love you too, Roze!"