“What is it called when your crush has a crush on you?” Logan asked excitedly.
“I don’t know.”
“Imagination!”
I gave him a flat displeased look. “If that was supposed to make me smile, you aren’t doing a good job.”
He sighed dejectedly, tapping his finger on his chin. Thinking of another lame joke. Until now he had said quite a few jokes and although some had made me smile a bit, I just wasn’t in a mood to laugh. I simply wanted to cuddle into a ball of sadness.
I sighed and leaned on my Tom and Jerry cushion staring out of the window. Contradictory to my mood, the day was sunny and lovely which made me melancholier. I frowned at the sun, hoping it would get my message and hide behind the clouds for the rest of the day. When it didn’t, I twisted my lips and turned to my friends who at least respected my emotions.
We were in my room, mom had said no boys but somehow Logan and Alan managed to summon her into their charm. I was unsuccessfully surviving day three ‘being-away-from-Ace’, the void in my chest was still there, waiting to be filled again.
Distance is good but the crazy part about it is you don’t know if the person will miss you or forget you.
I looked around my room filled with the people who supported me throughout the good and bad times. Logan was still thinking about jokes to make me smile, Alan was down in the kitchen searching for food, Janice and Brittany were talking something about how every hot and decent guy was gay now-a-days. I couldn’t even argue on that one! I wondered when Brittany would tell us her story, this was the best time. All of us were here and I really needed a distraction.
“Brittany?”
She stopped talking and turned to me with a questioning gaze. “Yo Joanna?”
“Your story about Max?” I asked hesitantly.
She froze before her shoulders slumped down in resignation. “I guess I have to say it sometime. Alan emergency.” She shouted.
Soon we heard footsteps coming up and then a curse, then footsteps again.
Alan entered with a bowl of cookies in his hand. “A cookie fell.” He pouted. No wonder the cuss word.
Brittany rolled her eyes and pointed at the bed for Alan to sit. He obediently sat, cookie bowl possessively on his lap.
He promptly slapped Logan’s hand when it reached for the bowl. “I will share anything but cookie and girlfriend. Get those for yourself.”
“You don’t have a girlfriend and sharing is caring.” Logan pouted.
“I just said I will share anything BUT NOT cookies.” Alan reminded, still holding the cookie bowl close to his chest.
“Just one?” Logan pleaded, eying the cookie bowl with longing. Alan shook his head, “Get them for yourself. I had to make puppy face for two minutes to get these.”
“I thought you love me.” Logan cried out.
Alan rolled his eyes, munching on a cookie. “I love cookies more.”
Logan scowled. “Fine, I’ll get another best friend.”
Alan rolled his eyes, dumping a cookie in his mouth. “Good luck trying.”
“Guys.” Brittany warned and the room instantly silenced.
She started. “Max and I met when we were in freshman year. He was the bad boy with notorious friends and I was the nerd buried in books with barely any friends. Our parents were business partners so we knew each other from face but our leagues were far apart. We were complete opposites.”
“One day he wanted some notes at the end moment and I was the one he contacted mainly because his father told to do so. He came at my house late night to take the notes. That was probably the first time we had a proper conversation although it mainly consisted of ‘write this’ and ‘goodnights’.”
“After that he would come to me for all the notes, we soon started talking and hanging out outside school grounds. I was naive and inexperienced. It was the first time I had received so much attention from a guy, a hot one that too, so obviously I fell in love with his funny jokes and good looks. At the start of sophomore we grew closer and kissed. After some more kisses it led to making out and unconsciously I blurted out my feelings. Everything turned upside down after that. I knew Max probably felt something for me. Why else would a hot guy associate with a nerd? But Ace’s hatred for woman kind wasn’t unknown and he pressured Max to leave me.”
My eyes widened at the mention of Bryan’s role in this. This was probably why he blamed himself for their break up. It all made sense now.
“Things slowly changed after that. Max had to manage me as well as Ace and Dylan. Even Dylan was with Ace on this, they had secrets and were afraid of me finding them out. Our meetings decreased from every day to once a week, he started talking notes from other students, we never kissed again and eventually we just stopped talking. Finally Max had submitted to his childhood best friends and left me to drown in my sad, sorrowful life.”
Janice patted Brittany’s arm and I smiled at them.
Brittany returned the smile. “The whole of sophomore year was a disaster but I survived it. I saw Max flirt, get a new girl, and kiss her as he ignored me the whole time. In junior year I luckily met you guys and felt alive again.” She looked at us with tearful eyes. “I can never thank you guys enough for befriending me and giving me a chance to live and have such wonderful friends.”
“Aww.” Alan wiped a fake tear. “We love you too Britt.”
She let out a low chuckle and sent him a flying kiss.
“Bryan is such an idiot.” I sighed.
“It wasn’t his mistake, he was facing his own problems and when he saw Max slipping away from his side he grew uneasy. He isn’t really that bad.” Brittany assured.
“Is that why you hate Ace?” Alan inquired, cookie crumbs in his mouth.
“Eat and then talk.” Brittany scolded. “Yeah, but I don’t hate him anymore. I still dislike him for creating a distance between me and Max. And now for making Joanna cry but its okay. He has his own excuses. Everything happens for a reason.”
“Sometimes I just wish I knew what the reason was.” I murmured lying on the bed.
“You will know . . . eventually.” Brittany promised.
“So what about you and Max now?” Janice asked.
“We are in talking terms and I still like him but that Australian guy, you remember?” We nodded our heads. “He’s good too. I am in no hurry to get into any relationship right now.”
“What’s his name?” Logan asked.
“Gabriel.” Brittany answered with a slight smile. “He’s super awesome but weird. He hates mushrooms and cheese and I love both. Who can even hate these?”
Alan snorted. “Clearly Gaby.”
We ignored his sarcasm.
“Isn’t he the one with longer nose?” Janice asked.
“Yeah, they aren’t really that similar. His brother, Jasper has different eyes too.” Brittany informed. “What’s up with you and Dylan?”
On cue, Janice blushed. “We are just friends.” Her emphasis on just didn’t go unnoticed by us.
I snorted in disbelief. “Friends who are super possessive about each other and flirt at any chance they get.”
“We like each other but don’t want a relationship. We will see when we decide our colleges.”
“Which college are you planning to go?” I asked her.
“No talking about colleges please. I am not in a mood for that.” Logan complained, throwing a crumb of cookie at me.
“You are never in a mood for that.” I scowled at him.
“It’s a sad topic.” He retorted.
“But important.” I argued.
He groaned. “I just want money to fall from the roof so I don’t have to go to any college.”
I looked at Brittany and Janice as we rolled our eyes. “Dream real, Logan.”
“Look at the news!” My mother’s urgent shout came and we all ran downstairs.
“The notorious drug peddlers that have made young generation victims of the atrocious drugs namely cocaine, crack, magic mushrooms, marijuana, ecstasy, LSD, heroin have been finally caught. The whole gang was trapped when they were passing truckloads of toys to another peddler. All these toys contained drug packets hidden cleverly in them. Both the gangs are caught and are now in police custody. The other members are been searched for. Luckily only five members aren’t caught. Every arrested member is questioned for more information and the whereabouts of other drug dealing peddlers in the state. Rumor has it that a certain ex-member gave a slip to the police about this shipment. This unknown caller hasn’t been found and no one knows from which group he is. Is there a third party involved? Or just some ex-member getting his revenge? The police are now trying to find him as well as investigating for any other helpful information. Keep tuned in for more news about the drug lords, back to you John.”
“That’s a lot of drugs.” Logan said after a few minutes of silence.