here without you

12

"Stuck in traffic, huh?" Jade says. "We have the same way to school, and there wasn't a lot of traffic on my way today."

I feel myself blushing. I don't know what to say - as always -, so I start walking to the cafeteria. Of course, she follows me, chatting with me as if we're best friends.

"I would have almost believed you though - you're a great liar. That's kinda what I expected, you know? Because you're so quiet... I don't even think that makes sense." She laughs. "So what's up? What is really going on with you, Roze?"

Does she seriously think I'd tell her? If I wanted to talk with anyone about my feelings, I'd talk with Nate. I'm sure as hell am not going to tell her about Funday.

We have reached the cafeteria, and I see Nate sitting at our table. I turn to Jade. I need her to stop following me, so that I can spend time alone with him.

"Why do you do this, Jade? Why are you nice to me?"

"It's called making friends, idiot."

She has an amused expression on her face. I think of something witty to reply, when I hear a girl saying my name. It comes from the table next to us. The people sitting there are gossiping about me, and they haven't even noticed me standing right next to them.

"This stupid assembly was just so pointless," one boy says.

"I know, right? It's just because of Roze Foxton and her crazy sister. I mean, obviously she just wanted attention. She was always like that, remember?" The voice belongs to Ashley Edwards. She's best friends with Mackenzie Campbell - the girl Jack was sleeping with - and just as awful as her.

"I mean, she might have wanted to die, but that doesn't mean we all do," Mackenzie says.

"Oh it totally does! I think I'll kill myself tomorrow." The boy who says that lets out a laugh.

I hear all of them laughing. I turn away and try not to listen. My face is burning, and my hands are shaking. I want to scream at them, but I can't help thinking that there might be a bit of truth in their words. The thought of it makes me sick.

Before I know it, Jade steps over to them.

"She just wanted attention? What the fuck?" she says. "Do you even hear what you're saying? That makes zero sense. Olive can't have your fucking attention because she's dead!"

People turn their heads in our direction. Everyone in the cafeteria is listening, and all eyes are on her. She looks at Mackenzie and her group of friends. Her eyes are narrowed and seem to be glowing with rage.

"And it's not like she ever wanted it," Jade says. "She really couldn't have cared less about all of you. The truth is that you were the ones craving her attention!"

They look down at their trays, uncomfortable. They try to avoid her gaze. I look at Jade, not knowing what to say or how to act. She stood up for me, and it confuses me. Apart from Nate no one ever does that for me.

Before I can come up with anything to say to her, she storms out of the room, and this time, it's me following her. She's fast, and I try to catch up with her. I call out her name, which makes her look over her shoulder. When she sees me, she stops.

"I just wanted...That was... I mean... I don't know if you did this for Olive or me - I guess for her. Obviously. I mean, you were defending her... I mean... What I'm trying to say is thank you."

Jade looks at me, with her blue eyes, and I can't read her face. She still seems to be angry, but there's something else.

"Both," she says. "I did it for her and for you... And also for me. Those jerks just annoyed the shit out of me." There's a moment of silence before she starts speaking again. "Wow. So you're really talking to me. Like, without being rude. You're even nice to me." I can't tell if she's joking or if she's annoyed.

I shrug and say, "I've heard it's called making friends."

Her lips curve into a smile, and I see dimples appearing that I haven't noticed before.

Perhaps, Jade really isn't as bad as I thought she was.