Nana: Friendship

Jessica and her friends were looking over at me smiling and laughing. The only thing I could assume was they were talking about me. It irritated me a little because I wanted to know what was funny. But I would not move from my spot on the blue wall next to the wrestling mats. I wanted to look away from Jessica. She was staring more intensely with this cocky smirk. Did she honestly believe I was going to fall for her?

I pushed myself off the wall and walked across the gym to her group. The girls scattered away giggling, leaving Jessica. I stop in front of her.

"What were you all talking about?" I asked with my hands on my hips.

Jessica leans down with her hands on her knees. We were at eye level. She looks at my face and reached out touching a strain of my hair before placing her hand back on her knee.

"Do you know how cute you are?" She asked, her face fluttering with a shy grin.

I rolled my eyes. "Potatoes can't be cute. Now tell me why you and your little friends were looking at me laughing!" I demanded.

Jessica sighed straightening up to her full height. I tilt my head up to look at her.

"I was gushing over you. There were no Ill intentions behind them laughing at you." Jessica said.

"Hmm," I said, nodding. "So you like girls?"

She laughed as though I told the funniest joke. "I thought that was clear."

"I was checking!" I stomp my foot huffing.

"What does it take to get you to fall for someone?" Jessica asked, cocking her head to the side.

Some kids run by shouting, taking my mind off Jessica's question for a moment. The brown-eyed girl stared at me, patiently waiting for an answer. One that I couldn't really give her. Because I didn't know what it took. This was the first time anyone had a crush on me that I knew of.

"You're wasting your time," I said quietly. "Wouldn't it be better to like someone that's the same as you?"

"That's the thing about liking the same sex. You can't tell their sexuality just by looking at them. Well, I mean you can sometimes. But you take that leap of fate. I took that leap knowing that you might not be into girls. When you said you didn't, It was a letdown. I honestly like you a lot. Even though you are straight."

I looked down at the worn-out wooden floor taking in what she had said.

"And again, all I can offer you is a friendship," I said, peeking at her. Jessica wasn't looking at me. She was looking off elsewhere. A thoughtful expression appeared on her face. She laughed a little.

"A friendship? I'll take that. But I don't think my crush on you will ever go away."

"Will you give up on trying to make me fall for you?" I asked.

She looks at me with a playful smile. "For now."

"Friends?" I held out my hand. Jessica takes my hand shaking it.

"Friends." She said.

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I popped a grape into my mouth. I was now in a friendship with Jessica. How did the whole friendship thing work? Do we wear matching friendship bracelets or give each other dorky nicknames?

My vision focused on a body standing in front of my table. I looked at Jessica as she set her tray down and she takes a seat across from me at the lunch table.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"I'm eating lunch with my friend."

"But I didn't ask you to..."

"You didn't have to. Because friends eat together." She said.

I popped another grape into my mouth chewing slowly. Of course, that's part of a friendship having lunch with your friend.

"I didn't know you had B lunch," I said.

Jessica unwrapped her burger, not making eye contact with me. "I don't."

"What? Then why the hell are you here?"

She shoots me a look. "To keep my friend company. Plus, I don't want to be in drama class."

"Skipping class is bad. Leave now!" I waved her off, but she ignored me, taking a bite of her burger. "Eating. can't leave now." She said, with her mouth full.

I shake my head eating another grape. I would glimpse at Jessica feeling a little jealous that she was prettier than me. Her makeup was flawless. I bet even without it she was even prettier. I wish I knew how to put on makeup, then maybe I wouldn't look so much like a potato dug from the dirt.

"What?" Jessica asked. "See something you like?" She cocked her perfectly arched brow with a smirk.

"Please don't flatter yourself," I said. "I like your makeup. Can you teach me how to do mine?"

I wanted to look just as pretty.

She nods, opening her pudding cup. "Yeah, sure. Do you own any makeup?"

"Does chapstick count?"

I didn't see the point in buying makeup if I didn't know a thing about it. My mother didn't wear makeup because she was naturally beautiful. Something that wasn't passed down to me.

"Hmm, my makeup for sure won't match your skin tone. So we'll have to go and buy some that match yours. Are you free this Saturday afternoon?"

"Yeah, I am!"

"Okay, we'll meet in front of Kentlands beauty in the mall at 3 pm." She said, spooning her chocolate pudding into her mouth.

"Yeah," I said. Jessica said her goodbyes and walked down the hall, heading to whatever class she had.

It was strange having someone walk with me to class. I thought I would never experience something like this before. Did I need to do the same for her?