Best Friends (Prequel)

The Start of The Story

(Friday)

"Me? Why? Wouldn't you rather bring Ben?" Jay was asking.

"Yeah, but I don't want Ben getting involved with Eddie. I don't want Ben thinking he needs to save me." Mal told him. "So will you go with me?"

"Yeah sure. I'll go." Jay agreed.

"Great. I'll talk to you about it later." Mal said putting her hand on Jay's arm, then walked away.

"Hey. You and Jay getting close?" Evie asked as she walked up to Mal.

"No, I just invited him to go with me to this party." Mal responded.

"Oh?" Evie gave her a suspicious look.

"No it's not like that. I just don't want to bring Ben." Mal said.

"Why not? He's your best friend." Evie asked and reminded her.

"Yeah, but I don't want people thinking I brought him as my protection. Because I don't need his protection." Mal explained.

"So you're not gonna tell him about the party?" Evie checked.

"No." Mal shook her head. "I don't want him coming."

Ben was standing behind them, then he turned the other way and walked away.

(At lunch)

"There you are. I waited for you after class, but you were already gone." Mal said to Ben as she sat at the table with him.

"Yeah, well I didn't want people thinking you were waiting for me to protect you." Ben replied.

"What do you mean? Are you alright?" Mal was asking.

"You mean besides you not wanting me coming to a party with you?" Ben responded with a question.

"Oh you heard." Mal said looking down. "Look Ben I want to go to a party without people thinking I need you with me."

"So you just weren't gonna tell me about the party?" Ben wondered.

"Ben all people see you as is either my bodyguard or my boyfriend and you're not either. So I think it's best if you don't come." Mal told him.

"Fine I won't if that's what you want." Ben said, then got up and left.

"Hey what was that all about?" Evie asked sitting across from Mal.

"Ben found out about the party and why I don't want to bring him." Mal answered.

"Oh... Are you gonna bring him instead now that he knows?" Evie questioned.

"No. I'm still gonna bring Jay. Even though Ben knows that doesn't change what people think." Mal responded.

"Alright well if I were you I'd make sure Ben isn't mad at you and understands." Evie told her.

"I know." Mal nodded.

(Later that night)

"You sure you want to do this? I mean it's not like she asked you on an actual date." Carlos was telling Jay.

"I know, but I told you, I'm over her. I'm just doing this as a friend." Jay replied.

"You know I don't believe that." Carlos stated.

"Fine. I'm doing this because she'll start trusting me more. And ask me to do more. Then she'll start asking me to do more stuff than Ben." Jay explained.

"You really think that's a good idea? I mean Ben's our friend." Carlos reminded her.

"Yeah, but he doesn't like her the way I do." Jay mentioned.