The Advice Seller

1. Jack

"JOHNATHAN ! Where the fuck is the bread ?"

I rummage through our pantry, looking for my breakfast. Apparently, my brother forgot to buy bread yesterday, when he went grocery shopping. Actually, he also forgot to buy eggs, milk, peanut butter and everything on the list I gave him because he never stepped foot in the grocery store.

"Jeez, Taylor, can you lower the volume a little ? It's so early... Can't you be a bit nicer to me sometimes ?" he grumbles.

"You forgot to buy food so I will reward you with my loud voice. Please remember to stop by the grocery store tonight."

"Will do, Tay," he yawns.

"And don't forget to take out the trash !" I say as I grab my school books and bag and leave the apartment.

I guess I'll have to eat breakfast at school... again. Yeah, my older brother isn't the best babysitter. Sure, you can say he's basically raised me and my little sister, since my parents were always out of town and now, they only stop by the apartment to say hi and check if we're alive. Best parents ever, right ?

Not really.

Johnathan dropped out of school to work fulltime at a restaurant. And what does he do with all of the money he earns ? Well, he spends it all on alcohol and cigarettes, of course. I mean sure, it's his money, but wouldn't it be better to spend it on... Oh, I don't know, food ?

One of the only things that he does for this family, if I can call it one, is drop off Lydia, our younger sister, to school in the morning. I have to pick her up everyday after school because John works until 8 o'clock. Sometimes, he will remember to bring leftovers back home.

My family life is kind of messed up. And school ? It's okay.

I live a few blocks away from school, so it only takes about fifteen minutes to walk there. Usually, I'd take my bike, but it got stolen two weeks ago. It wasn't the best ride, but it got me places faster than walking.

As I keep pacing down the road, I suddenly feel somebody tap my shoulder. I turn around and I see Jack.

"Hey Taylor ! How's it going ?"

Jack is a special specimen. Last time I spoke to him was before a school football game last year when he'd asked advice about a girl. Jack has a certain reputation. He dates a girl for a week, has sex with her, dumps her and goes looking for another chick. Ever since I moved here, he has never changed. Sure, it's been a while since I've last talked to him, but everytime I see him, he's with another girl.

"Why do you need my help ?" I grumble.

"Oh, didn't think you'd be all grumpy today !"

"Just get to the point," I sigh.

"Right. Well, there's this girl. And I really like her. I just don't know how to approach her, she's not like the other girls..."

"What does that mean ?"

"She didn't instantly fall in love with me," he declares.

Oh yeah, might I add, Jack is pretty hot. Maybe even more than hot, I won't lie. But not my type. He's a complete jackass.

"Mhm. Yeah. Well I'm sure that if you work your charms hard enough, you'll make her fall for you."

"No, that's the thing. I've been trying, Taylor. I have tried for over two weeks and she doesn't even seem interested in me ! And I really like her, I think she might be my soulmate," he confesses.

"Soulmate, huh ? Have you talked to her ?"

"Yeah, in math class once. Her name is Jane."

This is unlike Jack. Settling for one girl ? Trying this hard for a single girl ? I don't know, but I might think he might be serious... except he's only talked to her once in his life.

"I think you should become friends with her first and see how that goes. Also, you should make it clear that you don't want to fuck every girl you're friends with because maybe that's what's terrifying her," I suggest.

We near the school doors. I rush in, my stomach grumbling. I don't know how people don't have breakfast in the morning. How do you function ? Doesn't your stomach feel like it's going to eat you inside out ?

"But what if I want to have sex with every girl that I'm friends with ?"

Rolling my eyes, I speed downstairs into the cafeteria.

"Look, if you really want this girl, you have to make sacrifices. Let her know you just want to be friends and before you know it, she'll be all over you."

"You really think this is going to work ?" he asks, uncertain.

"We won't know until you try it." I smile.

"Thank you so much, Taylor. I'll pay for your breakfast, take whatever you want."

Jack pays for my blueberry muffin and my orange juice. He leaves for class after thanking me again. The conversation I had with him got me a free breakfast, so I'm not complaining.

As I take a sip from my juice, I check my text messages.

Tay, I need your help ! I think my boyfriend is cheating on me...

Hey, can we meet tmr at lunch ? I have a question.

Need advice !!!!!! I think I'm having an existential crisis !!!!!!!!

Can U help me out ? R U free this week ?

hi. if you meet me today in the bathroom as usual, can i ask you a thing or two ?

Just like my brother, I'm making money on my own. Yeah, I give out advice and have several sessions with students at my school to earn money.

Is it a bad way of getting cash ? I don't care.

I just want to make money.

Author's note

hope u liked chapter 1 !!
i kind of got inspired by the series Sex Education for this book. idk when ill have time to write a new chapter but here is my first one (^:

PS Taylor is a girl