Chapter Six: The Friend Group

Finally, the assembly ended. We went off to class, and then Jean and I met up for lunch.

Jason walked by and shoulder-bumped me on purpose.

Before I could even respond, Jean called him out. "Hey!"

Jason glared back at her, shocked. "You talking to me?"

Jean swallowed her spit. "Who else would I be talking to?"

Something instinctive inside me wanted to step in and defend Jean, but then I remembered what she said about being able to take care of herself. I wanted her to feel capable. I wouldn't shelter her because she didn't need to be sheltered.

Jason eyed me. "Did you tell her to talk shit to me?"

"He didn't tell me to say anything. I can speak for myself."

"Oh? Anything else you wanna say while you're at it?"

"Yeah actually. I'll say something I've always wanted to tell you, but never could. Fuck off, and leave me alone."

Jason balled his hands into fists and then I stepped in between them. "You can go now," I said.

"I refuse to believe this," Jason slammed his fist on a nearby locker so hard that it started bleeding. I expected him to fight me again, or start yelling, but he just stood there, still staring at me. Surprisingly, he took a few breaths and calmed down. "That's okay," he said. "Soon, Jean. I'll have you again soon." With that, he walked away.

"He's definitely planning something," I said.

Jean scoffed. "I would love to see him try."

"You're really starting to get sassy, you know that?"

"I just . . . I don't want to keep my mouth shut anymore. Saying what I really want to say feels good . . ."

I smiled. "I'm glad."

Kaylee approached me and Jean. "Hey guys, I'm so glad I wasn't at Marty's that day," she said. "If the cops gomme I woulda been in hella trouble. I heard y'all were there though."

"Yeah," Jean said. "What did you hear?"

"I heard that Megan was moving in on your man so you beat her ass," she laughed. "I hate that bitch. She stole my boyfriend a few months ago too. She keeps stealing girls' mans. 'Bout time someone beat the shit outta her."

"She's way too entitled," Jean said.

"Riiight? Damn I was not expecting you to do that. You're usually hella quiet but when I heard you beat someone's ass I was like whaaat? Okay, you go girl." Kaylee looked into the distance and rolled her eyes. "I'ma go to the bathroom." She scurried away.

Ryan popped up. "Dude, where were you all weekend? I kept calling and texting."

"I was at home, hungover. How did your night with that girl go?"

"It didn't happen. Turns out she was just pretending to be into me so that Megan could get to you. Did you see Kaylee just now? Did she talk about me?"

"She didn't mention you."

"I really messed things up between us."

"What happened?" Asked Jean.

"Long story short, I hacked her phone and she found out about it. She broke up with me and now she's mad."

"I told you that was a bad idea," I said.

"Yeah, yeah. I don't really need and 'I told you so' right now, man. Jean, you're a girl. Do you think that there's any hope of us getting back together?"

"Honestly? I don't," Jean said.

"Where is she? Can you talk to her for me?"

"I don't think I could be able to justify what you did . . ."

"I just mean, can you tell me what she has to say about all this?"

Jean sighed. "I guess."

Ryan pat her on the back, and Jean headed on over to the bathroom.

As soon as Jean was out of site, Ryan pulled his laptop and two sets of headphones from his backpack. "I wired Jean," he said. "I put it in her hoodie head. Let's listen to what they have to say."

I facepalmed. "You really haven't learned your lesson at all, have you?"

"Before I hacked her phone. Now I'm just . . ."

"You're still spying on her. You aren't sorry you spied on her. You're only sorry you got caught."

He was getting aggravated. "Nick Come on."

"I'm just telling you the truth."

Ryan put on his headphones. "Dude, they're talking about you."

All of a sudden my heart spiked. "R- really?"

Ryan dangled his extra pair of headphones at me. "Wanna listen in?"

"I shouldn't."

"You don't want to know how Jean really feels about you? She's talking about it right now."

"Give me that," I said, putting on the headphones and listening in.

"But why'd you take Nick back after he cheated?" Kaylee asked.

"It's actually a long story, but basically he didn't cheat. We aren't even together, really," said Jean

"But you like him."

"It's not even like that. I'm just . . . Fond of him."

"Before y'all started dating everyone thought he was a weirdo."

"He's not. No one even knows him. He's confused about people most of the time, but he always does his best to do the right thing. He's raw and he's real, and honest. Seeing the way he is . . . Kinda inspired me to be real too. Thanks to him, I think I have a whole new outlook on why I need to be brave."

"Aww."

"If I can ask, what happened with you and Ryan?"

"He's such a creeper! I found out he hacked my phone and I dumped his ass."

"I see."

"And you know what? He didn't even needa hack my phone. It sounds weird but I've always been kinda into him. I always seen him around and he's really like, goofy and funny, and kinda cute. When I found out he hacked my phone though that killed it for me. Who even does that? Like, respect my privacy though. For real."

"I know what you mean."

"I think we should stop listening," Ryan said.

"Yeah," I agreed.

"I feel bad now."

"You should."

"Hey, you were listening too man."

A little while later Jean and Kaylee were back. Ryan Confessed what he did with the wiring and apologized, as did I. We ended up having lunch together.

"I'm really sorry," said Ryan. "I promise, it'll never happen again."

"Whatever," Kaylee said. "I'm not here for you, I'm here for Jean. To be honest I think Jean is the only real friend I have around here."

"I really just want to talk to you. For real. I don't wanna go behind each other's backs anymore turning it into a game of 'he said, she said'."

"I want that too . . ."

"Can you give me another chance?"

"Whatever. I'm still mad though."

The conversation was tense, but slowly became more light-hearted. By the end, the four of us were talking and laughing like . . . a friend group.

For the next week, that's the way it was. Me, Jean, Ryan, and Kaylee would hang out in the mornings, and at lunch like a bunch of friends, and every evening, Jean and I would hang out at her place or mine to do homework and watch movies.

Honestly, I was really starting to like the routine. I was really starting to like the way things were. Most of all, I was really starting to like Jean. It was an era that felt lively and fun. Sadly, eras always come to an end eventually.