Hundred Words

Eight

Eight

On Monday, the school day zips past. It's the kind of day that makes you feel invigorated for no logical reason, and one that will make school tomorrow feel like forever.

In the lunch room, me and Jess sit together. Sometimes stragglers come to sit with us, but for the most part, it's just us. Like today, for instance.

I tear pieces of bread from my sandwich and pop them into my mouth. "So. After school today."

Jess's sleeveless tee (Don't quit your daydream!) is white with black letters. She stretches her legs out on a spare chair, just as a boy walks past. Someone I don't know, but I know he's on the swim team. Blonde hair. But annoying. He whistles, and moves to put his hand on Jess's shoulder. She turns, quick as lightning.

"Woah."

The boy stops. Then he turns away.

"Yeah, that's right."

I clap my hand over my mouth. Jess is lucky. She's got boys practically jumping out in front of her. But she's made it plain clear she doesn't date, just harbors crushes like a "self respecting woman of society," reminding me probably once a week.

"Boys..." she whispers to herself. I laugh,

"You , you are just a great friend, you know that?" her hand reaches to smooth her shorts, then turns to look back at the boy, now sitting with his table. "Was that Adam?" she looks back at me for an answer, but I just sit still. How much more generic of a name can you get? There could be twenty different Adams at this school, and I can't say I know any of them.

My blank stare gets through to Jess. She replies lazily.

"Adam Tyler." she says, like the last name makes any difference.

I shrug my shoulders, playing along. That's what good friends are for. " I think so. whoever he is, I think he's on the swim team."

"Well, don't judge me for asking. You've got the eyes for Avery."

I swear, if that sentence had been in writing, it would look like this:

You've got the eyes for Avery

That isn't something you want the whole world to see.

I pull my pad of sticky notes closer to me, in case Jess really is overcome with the need to write down her proclamation. "I think we've established that by now." My voice tells her to shut up. My problem is, Jess has always been that one kid that would be oblivious to sarcasm and hints. Thankfully this time, she drops it.

I go over the schedule of my day, trying to put myself in Jess's converse knock offs.

Drink coffee.

Go to school. Blah.

See Alex and have the awesomest lunch ever. (Because of Alex)

More school. More blah.

Go to Alex's house and have another awesome couple of hours.

End my day on a pleasant note somehow.

Yeah, see? This whole list-thing isn't for me.

"Well." Jess is suddenly very interested in braiding a section of her hair. " We aren't just gonna study at your place, right? Will there be exciting adventures, swimming at the beach, watching Harry Potter and having a grand time?"

I laughed, rocking my shoulders and pointing a finger in her direction. " If popcorn is your idea of having a grand time, then sure, why not?"

Jess leans over and gives me a quick hug. Her eyes say it all, and I smile. A recent addition to her obsessions: Harry Potter. Something I outgrew in middle school, but still enjoy to this day. Jess just seemed to miss the Potterhead train, so now she is going all-out. She's wonderfully insane, in a good kind of way when it comes to her obsessions. I make a mental note to pull out a movie when I get home.

"Oh, one more thing. I need to grab some textbooks at my house, so I'm taking the bus home to my place, and then my mom will drop me off at yours." Jess says with an annoyed flick of her hair.

I take a bite of my sandwich. "Sounds perfectly fine to me."

"Thanks! 'Cause you know, if I had my own car, everything would be easier but I can't legally drive, so that's kind of a small problem." She pinches her fingers to emphasize.

That's Jess for you.