Romeo and Julianna

Chapter 5 Who is this Julianna Kid: Riley Jonson

Ok, who's this Julianna kid?
That was my first question after Em explained what Julianna looked like. Second question: when do I meet her?
Listen, I wasn't interested in her romantically. More like, best friend. I love Katrina and Em, but I needed some guy friends. Julianna was the closest I was going to get.
We hadn't seen Em since lunch the day Julianna came in. Normally, Katrina, Em, and I would hang after school. But after school, Em had texted us that she was gonna show a new girl around the area and that she would meet up with us at lunch. Katrina, being the noisy person she is, (haha, with all due respect and love!) asked about her. Em explained that she looked like a guy and was lesbian. As my sarcastic self, I asked if they were engaged yet. That ended the conversation.
The next day, Em brought Julianna to eat with us.
"Are these all your friends?" Julianna asked Em.
Em and Katrina looked offended, but I laughed. Katrina kicked me under the table. Don't ask me why we're dating, we're total opposites. I guess opposites attract, I dunno.
I cleared my throat. "Sorry," I mumbled, looking at Julianna expecting something similar.
"Oh," Julianna said, seeing my look. "Sorry. I just figured you were more popular. You are, uh, pretty cool after all."
Nice save.
"So you're Julianna?" I asked.
"Last time I checked," she answered.
"Can I call you Julian?"
She shot me a death look. "No."
"Anna?" I asked, more hesitant.
"No."
"Jewel?"
"That's lame."
"You don't like nicknames." I gave up.
"Jay is acceptable."
Em looked at me like I had cured cancer or something. Maybe she couldn't get Julianna to agree to a nickname. At the time, though, I must of thought that I had something on my face. I looked around for a mirror.
"What are you looking for?" Julianna asked.
"My milk!" I said, trying to avoid an awkward moment. I spilt it on myself. Awkward moment not avoided. "Well, alright then." I said under my breath.
"He's normally not this clumsy." Em apologized for me.
"Yeah, y'know, I've got to go to the washroom." Julianna said, standing up. Her tone made it clear that she was just trying to get away from us.
"I'm gonna come with you, I gotta clean this shit up." I decided. I didn't really give her a choice.
"Alright, have fun." Katrina said, kissing me on the cheek.
"Woman, I am covered in milk. I'm not gonna have much fun." I responded, and walked away with Julianna. When we were right by the bathrooms, I pulled Julianna in the boys bathroom.
"Whoa, okay. First of all, I'm lesbian. Second of all, I'm about 80% sure you have a girlfriend. 80%." She said quickly, pulling away even though I was still holding on to her shirt.
"That's not what I pulled you in here for." I said, letting go of her shirt. Still, I could feel myself blushing.
"Well, whatever you pulled me in here for, I'm not allowed in here." She said, looking around.
"You look like you're allowed in here, alright? Just listen." I said.
She sighed. "I mean, I have been yelled at for going into the girl's washroom, you're right."
"What?"
"Nothing. Continue."
"Alright, listen here, Jay." I started off. I was getting used to the nickname. "I don't have many guy friends. In fact, I don't have any guy friends." I started washing the milk off my shirt. "I love Em and Katrina don't look at me like that Em is all yours- but I need some guy friends. Problem is, no one really likes me much."
"What a surprise," Julianna commented.
"Hey, don't interrupt that's rude. Anyways, no one really likes me. But, I figured since you have quite an obvious crush on Em, we could be friends." I grabbed a paper towel and started drying my shirt off.
"You know, fuck this," I decided. "I'm just gonna change." I grabbed my backpack from the corner I had thrown it in. I decided against using my locker today. Good thing too. I pulled my shirt off to change into my gym clothes and just as I did so Katrina poked her head in.
"Hey Rye! Why are you taking -"she stopped mid-sentence and stared at Julianna and I. With my shirt off, I have to agree we looked pretty suspicious. Julianna stared at Katrina, Katrina just stormed away. I spent 5 years getting Katrina to see me as 'boyfriend material". No way I was going to let that go.
"Katrina, wait!" I said running into the gym trying to catch up to her. "I can explain."
"Okay, fine, explain to me," she said putting her hand on my chest, "But you're not wearing a shirt. Don't get me wrong, I love you like this, but the rest of the cafeteria might not."
"Shit," I said as I looked down, then ran back to the washroom. "Stay there." I almost ran into Katrina when I was done putting my shirt on. She did not stay where she was, standing outside the door with her arms crossed, "Okay you've got 15 seconds, talk."
"Okay, okay, so I was pulling Julianna into the washroom to talk about well not important and was trying to clean off my shirt at the same time and game up and was taking off my shirt to get my gym shirt on and well that's when you walked in and it kinda went downhill from there," I said gasping for breath as I had said this quicker than expected. Katrina looked at me and sighed, "I would accuse you of making that up, but frankly I don't think your little brain can come up with something like that so fast," she said pulling me in for a hug. I opened my mouth to protest then saw Julianna mouthing something. "Just go with it." She mouthed. "Oh! Oh." I said, hugging Katrina tighter. "Your acting weirder than normal today, why?" she asked pulling away to hold my hand instead.
"That's puberty for you," Julianna said.
"Yeah,' I said through angrily clenched teeth. I looked at Katrina who was smiling at me. I pulled her in for another hug, since Julianna was standing behind Katrina, I gave her 2 middle fingers. She just smiled, saluted, and walked back to the table.
Overall I didn't mind this Julianna kid. I might've even liked her, MIGHT'VE.